Busy with Blessings

Ethnomads

Aloha kākou, Keili here!

All this rainy weather has been so much fun. Personally, I’ve really been taking nature up on its cue to sleep in, catch up on all the books and movies I’ve always wanted to dive into, and werk.

Still, the weather doesn’t keep me indoors entirely… we went spearfishing over the weekend mid-storm and enjoyed a fresh menpachi lunch thanks to Hana!

Moana is full of blessings, yeah? Honestly, stormy days at the beach are so precious. You can’t really bring many belongings, so it’s usually just you and the beach. And hardly anyone else is around, which makes for such a magical day if you ask me.

Gotta watch out for da kine enterococcus though (doodoo). Try checking the Blue Water Task Force page before you swim to make sure you don’t get sick—especially after that first big rain. They test every other weekend, and it’s super easy to read and see what’s clean and good to go. Unfortunately, many houses near the shoreline here in Hawai‘i still use old septic systems or cesspools… so when it rains, that runoff can easily seep into our local streams and beaches.. 🤢🤮

Anywayyy that was a safety / awareness tangent hahaha…

Now I want to brag about Kuʻuipo!

Chris got an email a couple days ago inviting both of us to the Okinawa Cinema at Sea Festival in Naha City!!! The ʻAʻĀ film is going international baby, and I’m so proud of Chris, our crew, and his dedication to storytelling.

Film is such a powerful tool because it creates space for narrative—and narrative has the power to shape how we see our world, whether it be keiki, local communities, or even audiences internationally. I truly believe Chris’s narrative is one that can benefit the world as it is right now.

Too often, we are fed stories that confirm our fear, anger, and anxiety toward things, insisting we don’t or can’t understand—because that’s what sells. On the contrary, Chris’s storytelling offers a warm reminder of what we’ve always known: that the very things we’re told separate us—the ocean, differing opinions, even different origins—are actually what unite us. They can make us stronger. Those differences are the beauty of nature, allowing us to live in a balance we create together.

“Take a walk through any thriving forest, and you won't find uniformity—you'll find balance through variety."

- source unknown

Wa’a updates

You will be glad to know that she is upright again! With three kane and clenched butt cheeks, she was righted, supported and given some TLC for the manini damage she received. Luckily, it seems to be mostly cosmetic, not structural damage! Special mahalo to Ho’okele and Chromwell for helping out!!

Due to the weather, chris has not been working as much as he would like to. However, it has been providing ample time to plan and prepare for the long days and weeks of hana to come.

As we dream of adventures to the southern Hawaiian islands and beyond, knowing she is safe will have to do for now. Mahalo to you for allowing me to share my ramblings and dreams on my little key board through a screen. We look forward to the adventures to come!

-Keʻili

This post and all i do is dedicated to my mother, Illa McEvilly. Mahalo ke akua for all the blessings, even the ones in disguise. And mahalo to all the friends who continue to believe in us and dream on.