PANDEMIC IN PARADISE
Text and Photographs by Shafkat Anowar
“It seems like this thing (Coronavirus) is bringing us together,” said Tavita Faumuina, a 25-year veteran bus operator in O’ahu, Hawaii.
He mentioned this when I was on assignment photographing essential workers for my college newspaper at the end of April. Despite focusing on all the negativity around me, I ended that day with a positive remark from him. I found that it motivated me to find bright moments in any story I cover, and realized that my photos could help me more intimately define the “new normal.”
At the end of March, Honolulu resembled a dead city. With the “stay-at-home” order, people weren’t socializing as much. The Hawaii we were seeing then was the opposite of what anyone could picture from an earlier time. No tourists were posing for a selfie; barely anyone sunbathed on the beach and, most importantly for us locals, there was no rush hour on the highways.
Shafkat Anowar
Intervening in an island lifestyle is different from other big cities. Any day on the beach or a hike to the mountains feels like being on holiday: this is the usual lifestyle in the Aloha State. So the sudden transition forced by the pandemic threw people into a whole level of confinement. Even though most of our freedom is still available, it is contained. There was a time when people were fined for trespassing to hikes and public parks. People are called out for not wearing masks. Thankfully, there are still plentiful food supplies.
As a student, my situation drastically changed when the university shifted everything online for the rest of the semester.
On one hand, I couldn’t find ways to cope with school, and another side, I was debating if I should put myself to risk by going out. Things started getting better in June, but surprisingly Hawaii has seen a recent spike in Covid-19 cases.
The idea of “normalcy” has been radically altered and will likely continue until an unknown time. However, the new creative adaptations led communities within O‘ahu to be benign and resilient even during the pandemic.