Dr. Loretta Chen sees Hawaiʻi’s Plantation Village as more than a museum. She sees it as a living connection to the people, cultures and stories that helped shape West Oahu.
For Chen, becoming the new executive director of Hawaiʻi’s Plantation Village is both an honor and a deeply personal opportunity.
“It’s a privilege to be stewarding a big part of Hawaiʻi’s history,” Chen said.
“It’s an institution that is filled with memories and culture, and basically what makes Hawaiʻi Hawaiʻi.”
Founded in 1992 and located in historic Waipahu, Hawaiʻi’s Plantation Village preserves the stories of the men, women and children who came from China, Japan, Korea, Portugal, Puerto Rico, the Philippines and elsewhere to work in Hawaiʻi’s sugar plantations.
The outdoor living history museum is designed to be experienced. Visitors can walk into homes representing different cultures and see how plantation families actually lived. More than 25 historic buildings and replicas include plantation homes, a store, infirmary, bathhouse and manager’s office.
Inside are the everyday objects that make history tangible—real pots and pans, shoes, furniture, household items and even an old cash register. Outside, gardens feature trees, plants and herbs that were part of the foods and traditions brought to Hawaiʻi by immigrant communities.
For Chen, those details are what transform history from something read in a textbook into something visitors can see, touch and imagine.
“A textbook can give you facts and figures,” she said. “But you go there, and you’re like, ‘Oh, this is what the bathroom looks like,’ or ‘This is how they took their bath.’ It gives it a whole level of appreciation.”
Some stories are inherited. Others have to be intentionally preserved so they aren’t lost for good. Photo: Malia Zimmerman
A Story That Feels Personal
For Chen, the Village’s multicultural story feels familiar.
Born and raised in Singapore, she grew up in another island community shaped by multiple cultures. As an immigrant herself, she understands what it means to leave home, adapt to a new place and build a sense of community.
“I truly am a daughter of a migrant community culture, and I myself am an immigrant,” she said. “I understand what it’s like to assimilate, to adapt, to embrace, to appreciate.”
Chen brings more than two decades of experience in education, entrepreneurship, emerging technologies, arts and culture, nonprofit work and community engagement. She is also a theater director and storyteller.
“I think all of my skills and experiences in my life have really come to fruition, and I’m able to bring all of this to play in the Village,” she said.
She believes walking through the Village helps visitors understand the resilience of plantation families.
“You look into these homes and you can see, the plantation workers made this work,” she said. “They somehow thrived, and they somehow had descendants, and they somehow raised families, and their families thrive, and they’re still here.”
Chen is careful not to romanticize plantation life. Economic inequity, difficult living conditions, separation from family and racism were part of the experience. But she believes the story must also recognize how people overcame those challenges and built families, communities and traditions that continue today.
“Hawaiʻi’s Plantation Village spoke to me because it tells a story of that is deeply local and profoundly universal,” she said.
As a creative force and entrepreneur, Dr. Chen is actively shaping a more human-centered, connected future. Photo: Singapore Global Network
Passing the Stories Forward
One of Chen’s priorities is preserving the stories of Hawaiʻi’s kūpuna before they are lost.
She wants to create a youth corps to help tell the Village’s story through social media and digital platforms, while also having young people interview kūpuna as part of oral-history projects.
“It’s not about whitewashing or making it TikTokable,” Chen said. “But making it relevant for them, such that they come in and like, ‘Well, this is the story of my dad, my mom, my granddad, my grandma.’”
She also envisions artist residencies, stronger relationships with schools and partnerships with the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu and Leeward Community College.
“We need to pass on these stories,” she said.
A Cultural Anchor for West Oahu
Chen’s vision extends beyond the Village’s gates. She wants Hawaiʻi’s Plantation Village to become a cultural anchor for West Oahu, drawing residents and visitors into the community.
“If anyone is coming out to Waipahu, make it a full day out here,” she said.
She sees opportunities to collaborate with nearby attractions and community organizations and encourage visitors to explore Waipahu and Ewa rather than simply staying in Waikiki.
Ultimately, Chen hopes the Village becomes a destination for understanding Hawaiʻi’s plantation history and multicultural heritage.
“This isn’t a turnaround story but a culturally significant stewardship story,” Chen said. “Hawaii’s Plantation Village has a powerful mission and a strong foundation. My role is to help more people discover, connect with, and carry these meaningful stories forward.”
And she knows the future of the Village will depend on the community.
“No one ED or no one team member can do this,” Chen said. “It really has to be a community, and it really takes a village.”
Every artifact preserved at the Village offers another glimpse into the generations who helped shape Hawaiʻi as we know it. Photo: Malia Zimmerman
Category Tag:
Share this story
Subscribe to the District 9 mailing list
Receive mid-month and end of month updates, sent directly to your email!
