Maui Diaries - Day 4: Talk Story
Oct 1st, 2020
Talk story (noun): to talk with old friends; pass time by chit-chatting; gossip; share wisdom and stories
Today we had perhaps the most Hawaiian meeting ever, with our on-island contractor. We were heading to our cars after having been out in the rain, when he rolled up in his truck and handed Paul and Phal what they later discovered was a Pepsi float from McDonald’s. Spontaneously, he invites us to follow him to his house where we could “talk story” and plan for some invasive tree and sediment removal at our vetiver grass kickouts in Honokowai.
We wind through the seaside cliff highway in the rain, eventually following our partner down what seemed to be a several mile dirt road heading even deeper into the mountains. We passed many houses through what looked like a tropical forest, and identified some plots of taro (a staple starch in the Pacific Islands). Finally, after crossing a small river in our periwinkle Toyota Tacoma, we end up at our contractor’s house, and are greeted by his mother preparing food for us. “Sit down, sit down”, everyone insists, so we do, wet clothing and all (socially distanced of course).
We “talked story” for quite a while over amazing food, such as lightly fried banana crepes, steamed ulu (breadfruit) and creamy guacamole crafted by the elder of the house, whom we referred to as “aunty” out of respect for the local culture (elder men would be called “uncle”). The contractor was a native Hawaiian from Kauai, and he shared a plethora of stories that made it clear how different it was to grow up out here than on the East coast of the U.S. - like the fact that as a kid, he went to school Monday and Tuesday, then ventured out into the mountains from Wednesday to Sunday, to return with pounds of hunted meat for his family every weekend. He mentioned some sketchy encounters with military submarines and emphasized the familial values of his home island. He and his wife emphatically spoke back-and-forth about their adventures, laughing the whole way through. It was captivating to witness their aliveness and to learn about their culture. I sat back and let Phal do most of the talking; it was enough simply to watch, be grateful for their hospitality, and soak in the newness of this special cultural moment doubling as a business meeting.
In the islands where we work, it is vital to develop personal relationships with our partners. In fact, without having a good rapport with the locals, you would be hard pressed to get anything accomplished (unless you’re a developer with tons of money, but that’s a different story). Family and connection is extremely important to Pacific Islanders. We are fortunate because Phal lived and farmed in Hawaii for several years, and both he and Paul are extremely sociable people who wear their passion on their sleeves. Our team is poised to have no problems developing lasting professional relationships and friendships with top-notch people who have the connections, know-how and drive to get quality work done.