Zuckerberg’s Hawaii hideaway raises concerns over burial site

Mark Zuckerberg is once again under fire in Hawaii, this time for reportedly building part

of his massive estate on top of an ancestral burial site. The Meta CEO started buying land

on the island of Kauai back in 2014. What began as a 707-acre purchase for about $116 million

has since ballooned to more than 1,400 acres. While Zuckerberg has brought new support into

community organization, some locals have been wary from the start. Critics feared the development

would disrupt life on a small island where everyone knows each other and where until 1973

there was only one traffic light. But now Wired says part of that compound may be sitting directly

on native Hawaiian burial land and that Zuckerberg's team was told about it as early as 2015

Julian Aiko, a native Hawaiian descendant, recently visited the property. He found the

graves of his great-grandmother and her brother but believes more ancestors could be buried nearby

Eiko, who serves on the Oahu Island Burial Council, says he's worried any future discoveries could be

kept secret. In Hawaiian culture, burial sites are sacred and disturbing them is considered a

serious offense. And Hawaiians often hid the dead in caves or remote areas to protect them

This isn Zuckerberg first controversy on the island In 2016 he filed lawsuits to force Native Hawaiian families to sell inherited land a move that triggered widespread backlash Eventually

Zuckerberg dropped the suits, but his presence has only grown. The Guardian reported one law

professor compared Zuckerberg's actions to selling your grandmother, underscoring how deeply personal

land ownership is to Native Hawaiians. By 2021, he added hundreds of additional acres to his

holdings, and in 2023, he faced more backlash after announcing plans to raise cattle on his

property fed exclusively on macadamia nuts and beer. It raises a bigger question. What is Zuckerberg

building? His private estate known as Koalao Ranch sounds more like a survivalist compound

than a vacation home. Wired magazine previously reported it includes two mansions connected by

tunnels, its own food and energy systems, and a 5,000-square-foot underground bunker with a

blast-resistant door and escape hatch. Still, not everyone is opposed. Some residents point out that

Zuckerberg has made contributions to local schools and housing, signs they say of at least some

effort to support the community. But with part of the compound now confirmed to include sacred ground

critics argue it's another example of tech billionaires' plans clashing with native Hawaiian

rights. For Straight Arrow News, I'm Kaylee Carey. Find the full story right now by downloading

the Straight Arrow News mobile app or head to SAN.com