The first thing Māmā taught me was aloha ʻāina: “We must protect it, we must preserve it. It is a part of us.”
Fish markets, dim sum stands, and medicinal herbs shops share blocks with trendy boutiques and wine bars. Chinatown’s transformation from a den of prostitutes and drug dealers to a destination for tourists and locals has been slow, but moving. And yet remnants of its seedier history continue to linger.