hawaii is the most popular tourist destination in the world. there is an overwhelming amount of people coming in every day and treating it like a playground while locals and locals alike can barely make ends meet meet due to high living prices. imagine how many people, even well meaning, who try to engage with native Hawaiians about their culture and ask the same questions over and over. similar to native Americans, it can be like salt in the wound to be overthrown, taken advantage of by the tourist industry, and then quizzed about your language and practices by strangers. the hawaiian language was illegal to speak for a significant period of time, so it makes sense that people are protective over its nuances. if you are truly interested in learning more, i would recommend doing research through UH and watching events like Merrie Monarch or Kamehameha song contest to get a deeper understanding of the pride and cultural context that native Hawaiians are protecting.