Mark Zuckerberg’s Secretive Hawaii Compound Expands Over Burial Ground
▼ Summary
– Julian Ako’s family land in Kauai, now owned by Mark Zuckerberg, contains a burial site where his great-grandmother and her brother were buried, with potential additional undiscovered graves.
– Ako successfully registered the known graves with state authorities but remains concerned about secrecy hindering further discoveries due to strict NDAs for workers on Zuckerberg’s compound.
– Zuckerberg’s representative confirmed awareness of the burial site since 2015, stating it was fenced off and maintained, with workers required to report any bone discoveries.
– Zuckerberg recently expanded his Kauai holdings by purchasing 962 acres for over $65 million, increasing his total land ownership to over 2,300 acres, making him one of Hawaii’s largest landowners.
– New buildings on Zuckerberg’s property, designed as guest housing, feature minimal amenities but extensive security, with two structures containing 16 bedrooms and bathrooms each.
Mark Zuckerberg’s sprawling Hawaiian estate has expanded significantly, raising concerns among local communities as construction continues over land with deep cultural and ancestral significance. The Meta CEO’s $300 million compound in Kauai now sits on property that includes a confirmed burial site, where the remains of a local family’s ancestors were laid to rest.
For generations, Julian Ako’s family gathered food and fished near Pilaa Beach, where his great-grandmother and her brother were buried. That land now belongs to Zuckerberg, who has transformed it into a heavily secured private retreat. After months of negotiations, Ako, a member of the Oahu Island Burial Council, gained access to register the graves with Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources. However, he fears other ancestral remains may still lie undiscovered beneath the compound, hidden by strict nondisclosure agreements imposed on workers.
The secrecy surrounding the project has sparked unease. Dozens of local contractors are barred from discussing their work, raising concerns that any accidental discoveries of iwi (bones) could go unreported. “If workers are sworn to silence, how will we ever know what’s uncovered?” Ako questions. A Zuckerberg representative confirmed the family burial plot was identified in 2015 and remains fenced off, with protocols in place for reporting inadvertent finds.
Meanwhile, Zuckerberg has quietly acquired an additional 962 acres of prime ranchland through a Hawaiian-named LLC, expanding his Kauai holdings to over 2,300 acres, making him one of the state’s largest private landowners. The purchase, estimated at more than $65 million, adds to an already controversial development.
Newly obtained planning documents reveal ongoing construction, including three massive structures nearing completion. Ranging from 7,820 to 11,152 square feet, these buildings dwarf typical Hawaiian homes, with two featuring 16 bedrooms and bathrooms each, arranged like a lodging facility. Security remains stringent, with surveillance cameras, keypad locks, and motion sensors installed throughout. A spokesperson described the additions as temporary housing for guests and staff, though their utilitarian design contrasts sharply with the estate’s luxurious main residences.
As development persists, tensions linger over the compound’s impact on sacred land. For Ako and others, the question remains: What else lies buried beneath Zuckerberg’s expanding empire?
(Source: Wired)
