"I Wanted to Show the Joy": Interview with Marie Eriel Hobro
- "I Wanted to Show the Joy"Interview with Marie Eriel Hobro
Marie Eriel Hobro is a freelance documentary photographer, filmmaker, writer, and educator who was invited to be a part of the kia'i media team, Nā Leo Kāko'o. Her thoughtful engagement with issues of representation and social justice are clear influences on her work. Mahalo nui loa iā 'oe e Marie for sharing your fierce dedication to documenting and cultivating joy.
June 30, 2020
What was your role on the team? And then how would you describe your relationship to the Mauna before and then after being on the team?
My connection to the Mauna was different than other folks on the team because I was coming from an ally's standpoint. While I wasn't culturally connected to the Mauna, it was infuriating to see yet another act of abuse subjected upon Native Hawaiians. It's heartbreaking to witness how much government leaders and corporations in Hawai'i prioritize profit and greed over land, people, and culture. As a documentary photographer, filmmaker, writer, and educator, I always try to use my work to fight against that, using storytelling. I feel that it's my duty as a settler who grew up on Native Hawaiian land. When the movement came back in 2019, I almost booked a ticket right away because I thought documenting things immediately was the right thing to do. After talking to some people, I realized that it was better for me to let Native Hawaiian photographers and kia'i who were more connected to the land take space first. It wasn't my story to tell, so I wanted to wait until I was invited so I could fully contribute in a respectful way. Eventually, Mikey Inouye and 'Ilima [Long] invited me to join the media team a few weeks after the Pu'uhonua was established and the action was over. My role was to photograph the movement, assist with running the Pu'uhuluhulu Instagram, and helping with film work. [End Page 650]
Why do you think that the visual medium, photography in this case, is the most effective way to dismantle stereotypes?
Media and entertainment shape our society in more ways than we think. Everything from images in newspapers to reality TV gives us access to parts of the world we'd never see otherwise. Because of this, our views about people and places can be completely influenced by the visuals we've seen alone. This is why I think it's incredibly important that we take photos responsibly and with intent, because while photos can be used to dismantle stereotypes, they can also enforce them. It's cheesy to say, but one picture truly is worth a thousand words. The way photography has historically operated is a good example of that. It's always been a racist boy's club built by and for old white men. They've portrayed communities of color so terribly that it's created so many of the stereotypes we know today. I think it's really powerful when photographers of color take those narratives back by showing what their communities are really like. I'm so grateful to live in a time when there's an uprising of incredibly talented BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color), LGBTQ+, female-identifying, trans, and genderqueer photographers in the industry who are doing that and being recognized for it.
One of the things we noticed is that a lot of the work on the media team was in this battle of narratives, this contest of stories. What kinds of considerations did you have in mind, like maybe story considerations or images you were trying to work against or to promote when you were doing your photography, and did these considerations change over time?
In my work, I always try to be as respectful and cautious as I can in spaces that aren't mine to claim. I made sure to do this on the Mauna as well, especially given the cultural significance of the movement. I didn...
