HGTV’s Renovation Aloha Lawsuit Over Native Hawaiian Remains

Hawaii’s Attorney General has sued the hosts and producers of HGTV’s Renovation Aloha over an episode that broadcast footage of Native Hawaiian ancestral remains found on a Big Island property. The HGTV Renovation Aloha lawsuit, filed April 14, 2026, in Hawaii’s Third Circuit Court, names hosts Kamohai and Tristyn Kalama, producer Nathan Fields, HGTV, and Discovery Inc., and alleges four counts of violating state rules that prohibit photographing iwi kūpuna — the skeletal remains of Native Hawaiian ancestors — without written consent from the appropriate island burial council.¹

What Happened at the Property

In December 2025, the Kalamas were filming at a lot they had purchased in Hilo when Kamohai entered a lava tube beneath the site and found human skeletal remains. Cameras captured the discovery, including Kamohai shining a flashlight into the cave and saying, “Holy crap… There’s bones back here,” and Tristyn responding, “This is terrifying. I’m at my stopping point,” before leaving.² The couple decided not to develop the lot, and a community elder later blessed the site.

Months later, on the evening of April 14, 2026, HGTV aired a season three episode titled “Bones on the Big Island,” which showed uncensored images of the remains and the hosts’ reactions.³ The Department of Land and Natural Resources and the State Historic Preservation Division identified the bones as iwi kūpuna.⁴

The Legal Claim

The complaint alleges four counts under Hawaii Administrative Rules § 13-300-32(c), a provision that prohibits photographing human skeletal remains unless the filmmaker first obtains written consent — from the appropriate island burial council if the remains are Native Hawaiian, or from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.⁵ The state alleges the defendants never obtained that consent before filming, airing, or posting the images to the Kalamas’ public Instagram account.⁶

Deputy Attorney General Miranda Steed wrote in the complaint that the broadcast caused “profound and irreparable harm to the Native Hawaiian community, to the State’s interest in protecting its cultural resources, and to the dignity and sanctity of the ancestors whose remains were depicted.”¹

The rule sits within a broader statutory scheme. Under HRS § 6E-43, human skeletal remains believed to be over 50 years old cannot be moved without DLNR approval, and five island burial councils determine whether remains stay in place or are relocated.⁷

The Restraining Order That Was Broken

Hours before the episode aired, the Attorney General’s office secured an emergency temporary restraining order. On the morning of April 14, 2026, Third Circuit Judge Henry Nakamoto ordered the production to refrain from “broadcasting, airing, streaming, or otherwise disseminating” the footage.²

The episode aired that evening anyway. Promotional clips came down from social media, but the full episode ran on HGTV as scheduled and stayed on streaming platforms for days.² AG spokeswoman Toni Schwartz confirmed on April 16, 2026: “We are aware that the segment aired notwithstanding the court’s order, and we take this matter very seriously. The Department will pursue additional action as necessary.”³ No formal contempt proceedings had been filed as of late April 2026.

What the State Is Asking For

The Attorney General is seeking civil penalties and a permanent injunction ordering the defendants to remove all broadcast and online content depicting the remains.⁴

Under HRS § 6E-11, each violation of Hawaii’s historic preservation laws can carry a civil fine of up to $20,000, and each day of a continued violation counts as a separate offense. Violators are also liable for the value of lost or damaged historic property, and individuals who knowingly violate burial protections face a ten-year ban from state- or county-funded construction projects. Criminal penalties under HRS § 6E-72 can apply on top of civil fines.⁸

How the Defendants Have Responded

HGTV and parent company Warner Bros. Discovery issued an apology through Lynne Davis Adeyemi, the company’s Vice President of Communications: “We take the concerns raised by the Native Hawaiian community very seriously and are committed to ensuring our programming is respectful and appropriate. We apologize to anyone who found any part of the episode offensive, as that was not HGTV’s intention.”⁹ The network re-edited the episode to remove all footage of the remains for future airings and streaming, and added a note stating that the production contacted local authorities upon discovery and that the hosts chose not to develop the lot.⁶

The Kalamas addressed the controversy in an Instagram Live session, saying they followed the protocols they knew, never intended to build on the property, and had no editorial control over the final version of the show.³ They declined interview requests and had not filed formal responses in court as of late April 2026.²

The broadcast drew condemnation from Native Hawaiian cultural leaders. Leimana Abenes of the Hawaiʻi Island Burial Council said the production was “out of line” and had violated both law and cultural protocol, calling the act “disloyal and dishonorable to his kūpuna and Hawaiians.” Stacey Alapai, a Maui community advocate, credited the Kalamas for calling authorities and not developing the site but said filming the remains for a national audience “essentially tells people that it’s okay to do that when it’s not. It’s not just illegal, it’s just hewa [wrong] — and it’s desecration.”²

Where the Case and the Show Stand

The civil case remained active as of late April 2026, with no defendant having filed a formal response. The AG’s office has signaled additional legal action tied to the TRO violation is coming.²

The show has not been canceled. On an April 29, 2026 Instagram Live, Tristyn said, “Our show is not canceled,” and Kamohai added, “Not even close.” New episodes continued to air weekly as of May 2026.¹⁰ HGTV had renewed the series in August 2025, citing viewership of more than 13.4 million for the previous season.¹¹

1
Deadline. HGTV’s Renovation Aloha Sued for Filming Native Hawaiian Bones
2
Honolulu Civil Beat. Renovation Aloha Sued for Filming Native Hawaiian Bones
3
Hawaii News Now. HGTV’s Renovation Aloha Accused of Broadcasting Human Remains Illegally
4
Fox17. HGTV’s Renovation Aloha Stars Sued for Allegedly Showing Native Hawaiian Remains on TV
5
Cornell Law Institute. Haw. Code R. § 13-300-32
6
People. HGTV’s Renovation Aloha Sued for Showing Native Hawaiian Burial Remains on TV
7
Justia. HRS § 6E-43
8
FindLaw. HRS § 6E-11
9
E! Online. HGTV’s Renovation Aloha Sued for Showing Remains
10
People. HGTV’s Renovation Aloha Stars Address Whether Their Show Has Been Canceled
11
TV Series Finale. HGTV Renews Series and Orders New Shows