November 7, 2024 • 22 mins
This week on Locales Only we’re doing something a little bit different as we’re on location at the Grand Wailea Resort on the Island of Maui exploring the true meaning of aloha and family with Cultural Programming Manager Kalei ʻUwēko'olani. With a light mist of rain, we had a wholesome conversation on the importance of luau and Hawaiian culture. Erik learned some ʻŌlelo, also known as Hawaiian, and Kalei taught us the best way to visit Maui!
Need more information on what to do in Maui? Check Out Our 72-hour guide to Maui! (https://localemagazine.com/72-hour-guide-to-maui/)
Big thanks to Fletcher-Jones Motorcar of Newport Beach for sponsoring the show and building out the all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQE as our rolling podcast studio!
Need more information on what to do in Maui? Check Out Our 72-hour guide to Maui! (https://localemagazine.com/72-hour-guide-to-maui/)
Big thanks to Fletcher-Jones Motorcar of Newport Beach for sponsoring the show and building out the all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQE as our rolling podcast studio!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Hey, welcome to Locals Only. I'm Eric Hale, and if
you don't know me, I'm the guy that founded Local
Magazine fourteen years ago in my garage. It's been my
job for all those years to tell you the coolest
places to eat and all of Sudthern, California fun things
to do. So you have date nights that aren't boring,
and we've talked to some really interesting people. Now we
have a podcast, and we're lucky enough to call this
(00:25):
Mercedes Benz EQE all Electric Sedan courtesy of Fletcher Jones
Motor Cars in Newport Beach, our mobile podcast studio. So
sit back, buckle up, and enjoy the conversation. Welcome to
Local Zone. Today. Locals Only is on location at the
(00:47):
Grand Wi Laan and Maui, and we're here with Kalay.
Kalay is super awesome. We actually just spent some time
learning how to hula and kalay. Maybe you could tell
them your last name. How do you say your last name?
Because I don't think I have the ability to try
give it. Tell me your whole name. Let's start with.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
That one means the garden of flowers from all heavens,
and then my last day means the weeping heavens, the
weeping heavens.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
That is so beautiful. That really is beautiful. And we're
here at the Grand wis Land where I've been staying.
They just did a three year, three hundred and fifty
million dollar renovation of this property, which is pretty cool,
and we can talk about that later. Also, you have
a lot to do with the luau. I think it'd
be really fun to talk about the luau and then
(01:39):
just some other things.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
And you've been to our spa.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Yeah, oh the spa. I heard fifty five million on
the spat. I'm supposed to go. How is it? I'm
going tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
I helped it. I was on that project.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Oh, really, tell me about amazing let's you know what
other stuff. Tell me about a fifty five million dollars
spat into that.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
It's the one of the proudest projects I've ever been
a part of on this property. So I've been with
this property for going on twelve years now, and this
is definitely that was the biggest project and one of
the most exciting projects. So the name of the spot
is Kilolney. As I was mentioning to you earlier when
(02:20):
we were sitting here and we could feel that that
drizzle coming.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Down, that little rain. And you said just something really
interesting about how many names there are for rain.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Yeah, so in where we are right, there's over two
hundred names. It's what do they look like, what do
they feel like? What direction are they coming in? Well,
where exactly is it located on the island. Those are
all keys well what we were doing. If we were
just to sit here and kind of watch everything, that
would have been kilo. Kilo means to observe, to pay attention,
(02:52):
to listen, closing your eyes right, and so that's part
of what that name means for our spot. And then
Laney means heaven or the sky, and it's a loose translation,
so Kilolney Lucy translates to me to observe the sky stargazer.
For us, these are giving us the ability to be
(03:14):
able to look to the past, to bring old traditions
back and give them life once more. It's also to
create things that your eyes cannot even see. So if
you were to look up into the sky tonight, because
it's going to be beautiful, I guarantee it. We planned it
for you. Yeah, it's going to be beautiful. Once your
(03:36):
eyes stop seeing the stars. Kilo Lney goes above that
because Granduilea want you know, our our goal here is
to continue creating things that people have never seen before. Okay,
who have never heard of before that they want to try.
We have a hammam in there.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
It's okay, what's a harmm It's a.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
It's a Turkish style cod steam room. Oh wow, first
one ever in the islands.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Okay, yeah, what else can we find in there?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
You can find our hydrotherapy gardens, so the men's and
the women's will be identical everything. You know that when
we do things here, they again to create this balance
within our property. We want to make sure that things
are balanced within their own design, which is very important.
So you'll find the steam room, the sauna room, the
(04:28):
cold plunge one of my favorites. And then you'll have
the hemmam our scrub our scrub rooms. And then the
most heavenly place is when the masseuse take care of
all those knots in your body. Forty treatment rooms upstairs,
as well as our what do you call those, the
(04:51):
meditation lounge, zero gravity chairs.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
I can't wait to go tomorrow. I'm really excited.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Tell me, let me know what time you're I think
I we have cast from there.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
We could have done the podcast. I mean, well, we
weren't thinking. We're just out here at this beautiful restaurant,
and the restaurant we're sitting at in the middle of
this lagoon. We're gonna get a really quick lesson on
how to say it, and I'll see if I can
get it right. So what is the name of the
restaurant we're sitting at right now?
Speaker 2 (05:18):
The name of the restaurant is Humu humu nukunuku ah pooah.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Now you know I've practiced.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Yes, just remember no.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Homoohomo nuku nuku ah pooa a. Yes, there we go.
That's in thirteen tries off camera. Just so you know
I'm not that good.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Yeap means triggerfish with this, not like a pig.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Triggerfish with us, not like a pig. We were gonna
name this restaurant that, but we thought whomoo whomu nuku
nuku a pooah sounded better. Yes, I got it again.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
When we first You know what, when we first opened,
we had the longest restaurant name in the world.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Wait, there's a longer one. Now, I'm pretty sure it's
probably in Tahiti, right.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
I mean you could be in China, that's.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
True, or maybe yeah. Oh here, Now what's this rain called?
This is a little heavier rain. No, it is the
same one.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Yeah, what's it called? Remember? No, that's okay, it's my.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Job now, Ulu. Yes, So it's now uling on us?
Right now? Can you say na uling?
Speaker 2 (06:20):
No?
Speaker 1 (06:23):
So what if it was raining like really hard, like
when they say it's raining cats and dogs and pouring
straight down on us, what would that be called?
Speaker 2 (06:29):
Depends on what direction it is coming.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Oh, it would depend on the direction. And also we're
on the island. Wow. Yeah, you'd have to have like
a whole year of grade school just to go over
rain names. Two hundred rare study.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
There is a there is a book out there that
these ladies had created a couple of years back called
hanau Kauwa and it's basically the birthing of the rain names.
Oh wow, tells you every single rain name.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
That is so cool. I love the culture here and
I think that's something that's really import And is Hawaii
is beautiful? I mean usually it's not. Uh, you know,
we're not getting sprinkled on. But it's an absolute Maui
is gorgeous. It is, but there's so much more to it.
The culture. Uh, the Grand Land has a fantastic luau.
Maybe we could talk about the luau and your role
(07:17):
in that and that the luau's role in and uh
in hospitality here at the resort.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Yeah. So you know throughout throughout the island just in general,
on the state, you'll find luall here and there. Yeah,
that resorts. Our luau is a bit different on this
island for the fact that we cater to this particular area. So, okay,
luau will tell stories, they'll have songs and they you know,
(07:45):
it's everything. It's very upbeat and very fun. But we
have kind of taken it in a different direction and
made sure that we are giving tribute to the space
that we are in. You know, we are we are
guests just like our visitors, right, so we have to
make sure that we continue to tell the stories that
(08:07):
we don't want to lose, whether our guests know it
or not. And that is the job of the creative
director to come in and teach their dancers to make
sure that they execute it well, to make sure that
the costuming matches, you know what you're talking about, because
if you're talking about the humuhumu fish and then you're
coming out there with a I don't know, a red dress,
(08:30):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
So this is all the stuff that's all within your
purvi because you're making sure that the dances are appropriate,
things are, costumes are appropriate, music's appropriate, food the entire popularly,
well for the whole property.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Wow, make sure things are culturally appropriated.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
You know, how long have you been doing that or
how long have you been here for.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
The twelve years?
Speaker 1 (08:50):
Twelve years here and they've just given you all that responsibility.
And everybody I talked to said, like, this place doesn't
run without you. You're very, very important to the problemperty.
But I think from what you're saying, it's because the
Grand Wi Land seems to really care and because of
you putting somebody like you in the position that that
the right cultural things are here. It's not like a
(09:12):
Disneyland for Hawaii. It has to be real Hawaii, real Mawi.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Yeah, I'll tell you why I'm in this position. It's
because of my team, Okay, yep. And if they ever
get to see this, and I hope that they.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Do, they'll see it very good.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
It's important I try whenever I can to make sure
my team knows. I'm only as successful as my team is, right.
And I kind of jokingly said this to you that
you know, well, why don't you do here? I do
anything and everything I will because it's important. That is aloha,
that is what you do here.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
Yeah, I wanted to talk about a loja a little bit. Yeah,
because everybody that we've talked to, or everybody you say,
you see, every single person that works here, it's say
just saying hello, they say aloha, and hell and aloha
don't seem to mean the same thing. Aloha is a
different word. It has a lot of meaning beracts.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Right, yeap. When you look up the word aloha and
the Hawaiian dictionary, you'll see love, hello, and goodbye. But
aloha is so much more deeper. It's that connection that
you have between two people. It's how you talk to someone,
it's how you care for someone. It's the experience that
they have where they're here. It's a feeling that they
that they have that changes them, whether they get it
(10:28):
from a person or whether they get it from the
from the land. If if that person comes to Hawaii
for the first time or the hundredth time, whatever time
they're coming here for the ninth time to Maui. Right,
if you came here and this was your time, that
something felt different, yeah, that was aloha. That means your
(10:48):
body was ready to accept it.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
You might not have got aloha the first time. You
are ready. You have to be ready to accept the
aloha you have to.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Aloha is going to be different for everyone. I can't
teach you how to have aloha, but I can show
you what it looks like based on how I treat
my team, based on how I treat the guests, how
my family is. So it's it's not it's not just
something that we throw around. Yeah, it's it's a it's
a word that we say here in lieu of hello.
(11:19):
But it's also to make sure that our guests really
know that that our aloha is really genuine. You try
our very best here, you know. That's a lot of
what I do is to make sure that aloha lives
on this property.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
So I love what we've been talking about. Maybe we
could talk about the luau just a little bit more
because we got into it, but not too much. I know,
that's a big thing here. How often does it happen?
Tell me maybe for somebody that's never been to a
lulau or been more specifically to Alua out the Grand Island,
what is it like?
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Yeah, so you know a luau really is it's a feast.
It's a time to fellowship, a time to kind of
enjoy the space that you're in with each other with
the food, with the music to connect. But our luau
is specifically for this area. As I mentioned, a luau
(12:13):
is meant to to really kind of lift the spirits.
We're here, right, we educate and we entertain.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
And their stories being told through the music and the dance, right,
and these are ancient stories.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
They It really depends so some of them are could
be modern. You have what we call hulauana, which is
the more modern, the graceful, the smiling, the red lipstick.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
That feels like it's like, uh, I don't know. Some
of them didn't feel like almost like courting. Is that
is there some of the dances that are for like
courting purposes? Or are they all to tell more storytelling?
Could be both, could be both.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
It really depends on what the the directors or the
person that puts the production together. Other what they decide
that they want to do.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
It could be a love story, it could be a
battle of community. So it's it's kind of like, I
guess the hula was what movies were, but telling stories
a long long time ago, right, It was passed down
so people tell the same stories.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
So what we do here is though the luau will
start off kind of introducing, you know, the first arrival
of Polynesians, and then they'll they'll take you through a
series of the where hula started, the cellophane skirts and
the sailors coming, and to more of like where we
are today and what hula really is. You know, we
(13:40):
are not coconut bras and brass skirts, not at all.
We're not a costume. It's not tod toly like that.
This is our culture, this is who we are. This
is without the hula dancer, we can't tell the story.
So it's really important that at the luau, any lua
that you choose to go to, it's important that these
(14:00):
dancers are able to share that story. Based on their eyes,
or their hands or even what they're wearing. You know,
if they're talking about our deity Pelee, they're probably going
to be wearing something red. Whether you know it or not,
it may not matter, but to us it does because
we want to make sure that if somebody that comes
(14:20):
that understands what we're doing, we're making sure that we're
being responsible, great, staying authentic.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
Awesome, awesome. So I wish I could turn the camera
around for you, but we're just looking out here across
the ocean, across the lagoon, an ocean, looking at mountains
and clouds and other islands. It's just absolutely gorgeous. You're looking.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
You're looking at lan Nai la Nai. Very important.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Nai Ye.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
So you have your lan Nai which is your balcony
or veranda, okay, and that is the island of lan
Nai la Nai.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
So that when people say it, I've heard him say
it wrong.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
N you don't say so even with your balcony. So
Hawaiian language is like many other languages. If you mispronounce
a word, it can mean something completely different, sometimes even
very derogatory. So you have, yes, you have to be
So that's NAII, you got it.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
I'm learning so much. I love this. I just want
to come hang out with you. Yes, of course, yes,
I think everybody should. And that's an available thing. You
can stay here for a whole week.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
I don't know if you can rent me.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
There's not a pack. I mean, we could make it
happen cultural ambassador pack.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
We could make it happen like at.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Least ten Hawaiian I will say.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
You know, speaking of that, our cultural programming is the
largest in the States. So we probably have one of
the smallest teams in the state. But we have managed
for going on either three or four years not to
have one of the largest programming.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
So what is the cultural programming here?
Speaker 2 (15:56):
Yeah, so this includes our daily activities or we the activities,
monthly activities, any kind of pop up experiences that we do.
So hula lessons, ukulala lessons, different styles of weaving, Hawaiian
language classes, Hawaiian check.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
You can do all of them.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
You can do all of this at the ground. You
can do private lessons too, but that's something that you know,
we could would be arranged separately. Lay making. You know,
every month we're changing, we're doing pop ups sometimes here
and there. We're collaborating with different departments to incorporate like
at this restaurant will incorporate different foods based on the
(16:34):
cultural aspect of it. So it's not just restricted to
our activities. We also work as a as a team
here on the hotel, you know, with everyone.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
Let me tell you something, just to give a shout
out to the people, because you know, people come here
and enjoy themselves. But I would just like to shout
out the workers here, from the people that clean the rooms,
to make your food, to bust the tables, to grab
your car from valet, because sometimes they're overlooked. Yeah, but
they make it so smooth here. They're so like welcoming.
(17:08):
They just want to make your experience the best. I
think that goes for a lot of workers probably here
on Maui. Like shout out all workers on Maui. They
will get all their props. They all need a lot
of extra love, but especially here. I've just I've since
that maybe aloha spirit because you need something, I got you.
I'm on it, you know and with a smile.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
Yeah, And I think you know what people may not
understand is aloha can be reciprocated, and we only hope
that it is without having to ask for it. So
if they're showing you a good time, the hope is
that however that's making you feel is wow. Like, what's happening?
Speaker 1 (17:49):
Right?
Speaker 2 (17:49):
They're so nice to me? Now I have to be nice.
I not have to, but I should be nice to them, right,
And so now it's changing the way that you are
towards them. And then it's a ripple effect. They get
nicer and they're nice and everything's just. And now what's
happened is if you, you know, start talking to a
lot of our team here that have been here for years,
we no longer have friends. These people are family because
(18:12):
they've come here time and time again and we've connected
with them because the aloha has been exchanged between us.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Now, this might be a tough question, and I just
want to make sure I put it out there and
if it's not okay to answer, But yeah, now we
went through a hell of a time with what happened, right,
I think it probably it just affected the whole community,
affected all of Hawaii with the fires that happened. So
(18:41):
some people might still be wondering like, is it is
it time to come back to Malui? Is it you know,
is Maui open and is this a place that people
you know, like are we are we being welcome back?
Is it time? And maybe that's not for you to answer.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
But yeah, no, no, I'm happy to add to that.
And again this is just I'm not my thoughts. You know,
if if people come here with Reverend Aloha, with a
little bit more patients, a little bit of gratitude, a
little bit more understanding, come here with no expectations, they
(19:21):
can have a good time. Leahina. You know it wasn't
the only thing to see. Yes, it was. It was
a highlight. It was it was popular, maybe not for
the right reasons for shopping, right for the food, for shopping.
But Lahina is also very historical. It was once the
(19:41):
capital of Hawaii. And so I think as long as
guests are ready to come here with patients understanding, I
think perfect.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
That's you know, if somebody is if a friend had
been through a lot, you don't show up at their
house and start, you know, having a big question and
ask some questions and doing all this. I think the
appropriate thing is is to have grace and understanding and
give people a little bit of room.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
Yeah yeah, yeah, so you know, and if it says
not to go, don't go, don't go. If something was
it looks the same. If you've seen burnt places, it's
the same.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
Thing, right, don't want to see there, and it's it's
a still.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
A very sensitive place. You know. I don't go unless
I absolutely need to for whatever the reasons are. Because
I have no business there, but I support whatever they
need down there, especially our our hospitality friends. But sure,
stay down in behind on, give those people a job,
give them business. But if it says not to go
(20:45):
into space, don't go. Ask the concierge what other things
are there to do? Hey, guess what? Make friends with
the people that work at the resort. Why, because they're
going to be your family.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
And I've been asking everybody. That's my first thing is
where do I need to go get? Okay, where do
I to need to go? Get a plate lunch? Where
do I I'm talking about food all the time.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
Where to get the talking my language here?
Speaker 1 (21:10):
Right? Because we want to know, we want to find
these little That's what makes I think Maui beautiful too,
is there's there is a lot at the resort, but
there's a lot of Hawaii outside of them. There is
outside of the resort.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
There's so much more to see than just Lina. There's
so much more to do. And you know, after after
the wildfires, when we came back to work. A lot
of what we're doing now is how do we get
that message out? How do we say, guess what you
missed when you came every single time, every ninth, the
every eighth time, right, the eight times that you came.
(21:43):
Guess what you didn't get to see? You didn't get
to go to Grandma's right, because you were stuck down
in Lina, right. And so now our job is how
do we get the message out on what there is
to do and the hot butter bun for Sisters Bakery
shout out, right, so you know it's hot. What we're
(22:03):
also doing is partnering with nonprofit organizations to ensure that
they still get business. But also people have probably never
done these kinds of things before, which is good.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
So that's what we're trying to encourage. So yeah, I
think our time is just about at an end here.
I just I really want to thank you for taking
the time to be on Locales Only. It's the first time.
We had some technical difficulties, it's the first time we've
ever done it outside, it's the first time ever in
the rain. So thank you for joining us today on
(22:36):
Locales Only. From the Grand Violin and Mauie. We'll see
you next time.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Aloha.
Hey, welcome to Locals Only. I'm Eric Hale, and if
you don't know me, I'm the guy that founded Local
Magazine fourteen years ago in my garage. It's been my
job for all those years to tell you the coolest
places to eat and all of Sudthern, California fun things
to do. So you have date nights that aren't boring,
and we've talked to some really interesting people. Now we
have a podcast, and we're lucky enough to call this
(00:25):
Mercedes Benz EQE all Electric Sedan courtesy of Fletcher Jones
Motor Cars in Newport Beach, our mobile podcast studio. So
sit back, buckle up, and enjoy the conversation. Welcome to
Local Zone. Today. Locals Only is on location at the
(00:47):
Grand Wi Laan and Maui, and we're here with Kalay.
Kalay is super awesome. We actually just spent some time
learning how to hula and kalay. Maybe you could tell
them your last name. How do you say your last name?
Because I don't think I have the ability to try
give it. Tell me your whole name. Let's start with.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
That one means the garden of flowers from all heavens,
and then my last day means the weeping heavens, the
weeping heavens.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
That is so beautiful. That really is beautiful. And we're
here at the Grand wis Land where I've been staying.
They just did a three year, three hundred and fifty
million dollar renovation of this property, which is pretty cool,
and we can talk about that later. Also, you have
a lot to do with the luau. I think it'd
be really fun to talk about the luau and then
(01:39):
just some other things.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
And you've been to our spa.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Yeah, oh the spa. I heard fifty five million on
the spat. I'm supposed to go. How is it? I'm
going tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
I helped it. I was on that project.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Oh, really, tell me about amazing let's you know what
other stuff. Tell me about a fifty five million dollars
spat into that.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
It's the one of the proudest projects I've ever been
a part of on this property. So I've been with
this property for going on twelve years now, and this
is definitely that was the biggest project and one of
the most exciting projects. So the name of the spot
is Kilolney. As I was mentioning to you earlier when
(02:20):
we were sitting here and we could feel that that
drizzle coming.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Down, that little rain. And you said just something really
interesting about how many names there are for rain.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Yeah, so in where we are right, there's over two
hundred names. It's what do they look like, what do
they feel like? What direction are they coming in? Well,
where exactly is it located on the island. Those are
all keys well what we were doing. If we were
just to sit here and kind of watch everything, that
would have been kilo. Kilo means to observe, to pay attention,
(02:52):
to listen, closing your eyes right, and so that's part
of what that name means for our spot. And then
Laney means heaven or the sky, and it's a loose translation,
so Kilolney Lucy translates to me to observe the sky stargazer.
For us, these are giving us the ability to be
(03:14):
able to look to the past, to bring old traditions
back and give them life once more. It's also to
create things that your eyes cannot even see. So if
you were to look up into the sky tonight, because
it's going to be beautiful, I guarantee it. We planned it
for you. Yeah, it's going to be beautiful. Once your
(03:36):
eyes stop seeing the stars. Kilo Lney goes above that
because Granduilea want you know, our our goal here is
to continue creating things that people have never seen before. Okay,
who have never heard of before that they want to try.
We have a hammam in there.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
It's okay, what's a harmm It's a.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
It's a Turkish style cod steam room. Oh wow, first
one ever in the islands.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Okay, yeah, what else can we find in there?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
You can find our hydrotherapy gardens, so the men's and
the women's will be identical everything. You know that when
we do things here, they again to create this balance
within our property. We want to make sure that things
are balanced within their own design, which is very important.
So you'll find the steam room, the sauna room, the
(04:28):
cold plunge one of my favorites. And then you'll have
the hemmam our scrub our scrub rooms. And then the
most heavenly place is when the masseuse take care of
all those knots in your body. Forty treatment rooms upstairs,
as well as our what do you call those, the
(04:51):
meditation lounge, zero gravity chairs.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
I can't wait to go tomorrow. I'm really excited.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Tell me, let me know what time you're I think
I we have cast from there.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
We could have done the podcast. I mean, well, we
weren't thinking. We're just out here at this beautiful restaurant,
and the restaurant we're sitting at in the middle of
this lagoon. We're gonna get a really quick lesson on
how to say it, and I'll see if I can
get it right. So what is the name of the
restaurant we're sitting at right now?
Speaker 2 (05:18):
The name of the restaurant is Humu humu nukunuku ah pooah.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Now you know I've practiced.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Yes, just remember no.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Homoohomo nuku nuku ah pooa a. Yes, there we go.
That's in thirteen tries off camera. Just so you know
I'm not that good.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Yeap means triggerfish with this, not like a pig.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Triggerfish with us, not like a pig. We were gonna
name this restaurant that, but we thought whomoo whomu nuku
nuku a pooah sounded better. Yes, I got it again.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
When we first You know what, when we first opened,
we had the longest restaurant name in the world.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Wait, there's a longer one. Now, I'm pretty sure it's
probably in Tahiti, right.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
I mean you could be in China, that's.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
True, or maybe yeah. Oh here, Now what's this rain called?
This is a little heavier rain. No, it is the
same one.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Yeah, what's it called? Remember? No, that's okay, it's my.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Job now, Ulu. Yes, So it's now uling on us?
Right now? Can you say na uling?
Speaker 2 (06:20):
No?
Speaker 1 (06:23):
So what if it was raining like really hard, like
when they say it's raining cats and dogs and pouring
straight down on us, what would that be called?
Speaker 2 (06:29):
Depends on what direction it is coming.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Oh, it would depend on the direction. And also we're
on the island. Wow. Yeah, you'd have to have like
a whole year of grade school just to go over
rain names. Two hundred rare study.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
There is a there is a book out there that
these ladies had created a couple of years back called
hanau Kauwa and it's basically the birthing of the rain names.
Oh wow, tells you every single rain name.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
That is so cool. I love the culture here and
I think that's something that's really import And is Hawaii
is beautiful? I mean usually it's not. Uh, you know,
we're not getting sprinkled on. But it's an absolute Maui
is gorgeous. It is, but there's so much more to it.
The culture. Uh, the Grand Land has a fantastic luau.
Maybe we could talk about the luau and your role
(07:17):
in that and that the luau's role in and uh
in hospitality here at the resort.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Yeah. So you know throughout throughout the island just in general,
on the state, you'll find luall here and there. Yeah,
that resorts. Our luau is a bit different on this
island for the fact that we cater to this particular area. So, okay,
luau will tell stories, they'll have songs and they you know,
(07:45):
it's everything. It's very upbeat and very fun. But we
have kind of taken it in a different direction and
made sure that we are giving tribute to the space
that we are in. You know, we are we are
guests just like our visitors, right, so we have to
make sure that we continue to tell the stories that
(08:07):
we don't want to lose, whether our guests know it
or not. And that is the job of the creative
director to come in and teach their dancers to make
sure that they execute it well, to make sure that
the costuming matches, you know what you're talking about, because
if you're talking about the humuhumu fish and then you're
coming out there with a I don't know, a red dress,
(08:30):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
So this is all the stuff that's all within your
purvi because you're making sure that the dances are appropriate,
things are, costumes are appropriate, music's appropriate, food the entire popularly,
well for the whole property.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Wow, make sure things are culturally appropriated.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
You know, how long have you been doing that or
how long have you been here for.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
The twelve years?
Speaker 1 (08:50):
Twelve years here and they've just given you all that responsibility.
And everybody I talked to said, like, this place doesn't
run without you. You're very, very important to the problemperty.
But I think from what you're saying, it's because the
Grand Wi Land seems to really care and because of
you putting somebody like you in the position that that
the right cultural things are here. It's not like a
(09:12):
Disneyland for Hawaii. It has to be real Hawaii, real Mawi.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Yeah, I'll tell you why I'm in this position. It's
because of my team, Okay, yep. And if they ever
get to see this, and I hope that they.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Do, they'll see it very good.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
It's important I try whenever I can to make sure
my team knows. I'm only as successful as my team is, right.
And I kind of jokingly said this to you that
you know, well, why don't you do here? I do
anything and everything I will because it's important. That is aloha,
that is what you do here.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
Yeah, I wanted to talk about a loja a little bit. Yeah,
because everybody that we've talked to, or everybody you say,
you see, every single person that works here, it's say
just saying hello, they say aloha, and hell and aloha
don't seem to mean the same thing. Aloha is a
different word. It has a lot of meaning beracts.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Right, yeap. When you look up the word aloha and
the Hawaiian dictionary, you'll see love, hello, and goodbye. But
aloha is so much more deeper. It's that connection that
you have between two people. It's how you talk to someone,
it's how you care for someone. It's the experience that
they have where they're here. It's a feeling that they
that they have that changes them, whether they get it
(10:28):
from a person or whether they get it from the
from the land. If if that person comes to Hawaii
for the first time or the hundredth time, whatever time
they're coming here for the ninth time to Maui. Right,
if you came here and this was your time, that
something felt different, yeah, that was aloha. That means your
(10:48):
body was ready to accept it.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
You might not have got aloha the first time. You
are ready. You have to be ready to accept the
aloha you have to.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Aloha is going to be different for everyone. I can't
teach you how to have aloha, but I can show
you what it looks like based on how I treat
my team, based on how I treat the guests, how
my family is. So it's it's not it's not just
something that we throw around. Yeah, it's it's a it's
a word that we say here in lieu of hello.
(11:19):
But it's also to make sure that our guests really
know that that our aloha is really genuine. You try
our very best here, you know. That's a lot of
what I do is to make sure that aloha lives
on this property.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
So I love what we've been talking about. Maybe we
could talk about the luau just a little bit more
because we got into it, but not too much. I know,
that's a big thing here. How often does it happen?
Tell me maybe for somebody that's never been to a
lulau or been more specifically to Alua out the Grand Island,
what is it like?
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Yeah, so you know a luau really is it's a feast.
It's a time to fellowship, a time to kind of
enjoy the space that you're in with each other with
the food, with the music to connect. But our luau
is specifically for this area. As I mentioned, a luau
(12:13):
is meant to to really kind of lift the spirits.
We're here, right, we educate and we entertain.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
And their stories being told through the music and the dance, right,
and these are ancient stories.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
They It really depends so some of them are could
be modern. You have what we call hulauana, which is
the more modern, the graceful, the smiling, the red lipstick.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
That feels like it's like, uh, I don't know. Some
of them didn't feel like almost like courting. Is that
is there some of the dances that are for like
courting purposes? Or are they all to tell more storytelling?
Could be both, could be both.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
It really depends on what the the directors or the
person that puts the production together. Other what they decide
that they want to do.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
It could be a love story, it could be a
battle of community. So it's it's kind of like, I
guess the hula was what movies were, but telling stories
a long long time ago, right, It was passed down
so people tell the same stories.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
So what we do here is though the luau will
start off kind of introducing, you know, the first arrival
of Polynesians, and then they'll they'll take you through a
series of the where hula started, the cellophane skirts and
the sailors coming, and to more of like where we
are today and what hula really is. You know, we
(13:40):
are not coconut bras and brass skirts, not at all.
We're not a costume. It's not tod toly like that.
This is our culture, this is who we are. This
is without the hula dancer, we can't tell the story.
So it's really important that at the luau, any lua
that you choose to go to, it's important that these
(14:00):
dancers are able to share that story. Based on their eyes,
or their hands or even what they're wearing. You know,
if they're talking about our deity Pelee, they're probably going
to be wearing something red. Whether you know it or not,
it may not matter, but to us it does because
we want to make sure that if somebody that comes
(14:20):
that understands what we're doing, we're making sure that we're
being responsible, great, staying authentic.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
Awesome, awesome. So I wish I could turn the camera
around for you, but we're just looking out here across
the ocean, across the lagoon, an ocean, looking at mountains
and clouds and other islands. It's just absolutely gorgeous. You're looking.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
You're looking at lan Nai la Nai. Very important.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Nai Ye.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
So you have your lan Nai which is your balcony
or veranda, okay, and that is the island of lan
Nai la Nai.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
So that when people say it, I've heard him say
it wrong.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
N you don't say so even with your balcony. So
Hawaiian language is like many other languages. If you mispronounce
a word, it can mean something completely different, sometimes even
very derogatory. So you have, yes, you have to be
So that's NAII, you got it.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
I'm learning so much. I love this. I just want
to come hang out with you. Yes, of course, yes,
I think everybody should. And that's an available thing. You
can stay here for a whole week.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
I don't know if you can rent me.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
There's not a pack. I mean, we could make it
happen cultural ambassador pack.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
We could make it happen like at.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Least ten Hawaiian I will say.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
You know, speaking of that, our cultural programming is the
largest in the States. So we probably have one of
the smallest teams in the state. But we have managed
for going on either three or four years not to
have one of the largest programming.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
So what is the cultural programming here?
Speaker 2 (15:56):
Yeah, so this includes our daily activities or we the activities,
monthly activities, any kind of pop up experiences that we do.
So hula lessons, ukulala lessons, different styles of weaving, Hawaiian
language classes, Hawaiian check.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
You can do all of them.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
You can do all of this at the ground. You
can do private lessons too, but that's something that you know,
we could would be arranged separately. Lay making. You know,
every month we're changing, we're doing pop ups sometimes here
and there. We're collaborating with different departments to incorporate like
at this restaurant will incorporate different foods based on the
(16:34):
cultural aspect of it. So it's not just restricted to
our activities. We also work as a as a team
here on the hotel, you know, with everyone.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
Let me tell you something, just to give a shout
out to the people, because you know, people come here
and enjoy themselves. But I would just like to shout
out the workers here, from the people that clean the rooms,
to make your food, to bust the tables, to grab
your car from valet, because sometimes they're overlooked. Yeah, but
they make it so smooth here. They're so like welcoming.
(17:08):
They just want to make your experience the best. I
think that goes for a lot of workers probably here
on Maui. Like shout out all workers on Maui. They
will get all their props. They all need a lot
of extra love, but especially here. I've just I've since
that maybe aloha spirit because you need something, I got you.
I'm on it, you know and with a smile.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
Yeah, And I think you know what people may not
understand is aloha can be reciprocated, and we only hope
that it is without having to ask for it. So
if they're showing you a good time, the hope is
that however that's making you feel is wow. Like, what's happening?
Speaker 1 (17:49):
Right?
Speaker 2 (17:49):
They're so nice to me? Now I have to be nice.
I not have to, but I should be nice to them, right,
And so now it's changing the way that you are
towards them. And then it's a ripple effect. They get
nicer and they're nice and everything's just. And now what's
happened is if you, you know, start talking to a
lot of our team here that have been here for years,
we no longer have friends. These people are family because
(18:12):
they've come here time and time again and we've connected
with them because the aloha has been exchanged between us.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Now, this might be a tough question, and I just
want to make sure I put it out there and
if it's not okay to answer, But yeah, now we
went through a hell of a time with what happened, right,
I think it probably it just affected the whole community,
affected all of Hawaii with the fires that happened. So
(18:41):
some people might still be wondering like, is it is
it time to come back to Malui? Is it you know,
is Maui open and is this a place that people
you know, like are we are we being welcome back?
Is it time? And maybe that's not for you to answer.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
But yeah, no, no, I'm happy to add to that.
And again this is just I'm not my thoughts. You know,
if if people come here with Reverend Aloha, with a
little bit more patients, a little bit of gratitude, a
little bit more understanding, come here with no expectations, they
(19:21):
can have a good time. Leahina. You know it wasn't
the only thing to see. Yes, it was. It was
a highlight. It was it was popular, maybe not for
the right reasons for shopping, right for the food, for shopping.
But Lahina is also very historical. It was once the
(19:41):
capital of Hawaii. And so I think as long as
guests are ready to come here with patients understanding, I
think perfect.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
That's you know, if somebody is if a friend had
been through a lot, you don't show up at their
house and start, you know, having a big question and
ask some questions and doing all this. I think the
appropriate thing is is to have grace and understanding and
give people a little bit of room.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
Yeah yeah, yeah, so you know, and if it says
not to go, don't go, don't go. If something was
it looks the same. If you've seen burnt places, it's
the same.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
Thing, right, don't want to see there, and it's it's
a still.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
A very sensitive place. You know. I don't go unless
I absolutely need to for whatever the reasons are. Because
I have no business there, but I support whatever they
need down there, especially our our hospitality friends. But sure,
stay down in behind on, give those people a job,
give them business. But if it says not to go
(20:45):
into space, don't go. Ask the concierge what other things
are there to do? Hey, guess what? Make friends with
the people that work at the resort. Why, because they're
going to be your family.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
And I've been asking everybody. That's my first thing is
where do I need to go get? Okay, where do
I to need to go? Get a plate lunch? Where
do I I'm talking about food all the time.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
Where to get the talking my language here?
Speaker 1 (21:10):
Right? Because we want to know, we want to find
these little That's what makes I think Maui beautiful too,
is there's there is a lot at the resort, but
there's a lot of Hawaii outside of them. There is
outside of the resort.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
There's so much more to see than just Lina. There's
so much more to do. And you know, after after
the wildfires, when we came back to work. A lot
of what we're doing now is how do we get
that message out? How do we say, guess what you
missed when you came every single time, every ninth, the
every eighth time, right, the eight times that you came.
(21:43):
Guess what you didn't get to see? You didn't get
to go to Grandma's right, because you were stuck down
in Lina, right. And so now our job is how
do we get the message out on what there is
to do and the hot butter bun for Sisters Bakery
shout out, right, so you know it's hot. What we're
(22:03):
also doing is partnering with nonprofit organizations to ensure that
they still get business. But also people have probably never
done these kinds of things before, which is good.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
So that's what we're trying to encourage. So yeah, I
think our time is just about at an end here.
I just I really want to thank you for taking
the time to be on Locales Only. It's the first time.
We had some technical difficulties, it's the first time we've
ever done it outside, it's the first time ever in
the rain. So thank you for joining us today on
(22:36):
Locales Only. From the Grand Violin and Mauie. We'll see
you next time.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Aloha.
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