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Spreading The Love
It’s that time of year — the holidays are a warm memory, the school year is in full swing and summer still feels far away. It’s a season for dedication, hard work, and perseverance. You've got this.
But February isn’t just about effort and routine. It’s also a time to celebrate love in all its forms. Whether it’s a bouquet of roses, a heartfelt card, or a few too many chocolates, this month reminds us to pause, appreciate the people we cherish, and embrace the spirit of romance.
At Kona Coast Magazine, "Love Local" means honoring the heart of our island: its people and businesses. Supporting local means uplifting the entrepreneurs, artisans, and service providers who keep our community thriving. So, go celebrate! Grab your morning brew at White Nēnē, savor a sunset dinner at Magics Beach Grill, or treat yourself to luxury handmade cosmetics from Ua Body.
This month’s issue is packed with stories to inspire and uplift. We feature the incredible journey of Che Kā’eo Pilago, whose world-renowned tattoos are a testament to his artistry and spirit of overcoming. You’ll also find highlights from two of our favorite local events: the Miss Kona Coffee Pageant Contest and the Queen Liliʻuokalani Canoe Race. We’re celebrating our local police and shining a light on how the Hawaii Fitness Foundation is helping them stay strong and healthy. Plus, we spotlight a few other remarkable local nonprofits that deserve your attention — and your support.
We also want to issue a correction. In our 2024 October issue, we wrote about Kona Brewing Company. In the article, it said that bottles were filled in Hawai'i. That statement wasn't correct. All bottles are filled on the mainland and shipped to Hawai'i.
Let’s take a moment this month to stop and smell the roses. Let’s celebrate the beauty of our community, the richness of our culture, and the people who make our island home so special. Together, we can show the love where it matters most — right here in our local community.
JOHNNY GILLESPIE,
February 2025
PUBLISHER
Johnny Gillespie | johnny.gillespie@citylifestyle.com
Belonging is the feeling of being seen, accepted, and embraced–where uniqueness is not only welcomed, but celebrated. We invite you to celebrate 30 years of building a community where everyone belongs—one rooted in art, culture, education, and connection. This important exhibition and fundraiser offers a rare opportunity to collect artworks from emerging and established artists from Hawai‘i and beyond, while supporting the Donkey Mill’s essential art programs.
FEBRUARY 1 - 26, 2025
Artwork on view at the Donkey Mill Art Center
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2025
Belong: Live Auction Event & Celebration at OUTRIGGER Kona Resort & Spa
Honoring Setsuko Morinoue
Open Wednesday - Saturday 10am - 6pm 78-6670 Mamalahoa Hwy Holualoa, HI 808.322.3362
donkeymillartcenter.org
inside the issue
Honoring A Queen
Kona celebrates Queen Lili’uokalani, the beloved first and last monarch of the Kingdom of Hawai’i, each Labor Day weekend.
Beyond The Crown
The Miss Kona Coffee Scholarship Competition helps women gain life skills and serve their community.
Ripples In Hawai’i
The story of how a man’s idea became statewide physical training for first responders.
Hidden In Tribal Ink
Che Kā’eo Pilago: a redemptive story of a generational tattoo artist.
Departments Che Kā’eo Pilago: a redemptive story of a generational tattoo artist.
Bianellis Pizza
We’re a proud Italian Cucina established in 1989, serving Pizza & Pasta on the west of the Big Island in Kailua-Kona. Since day one, Bianellis Kona has been an independently family-owned & operated restaurant. For over 30 years, the Bianellis Ohana has made food with aloha, prioritizing sourcing local ingredients and supporting our fellow small & independent businesses. Bianellis.com.
Kona Brewing Company
Kona Brewing has become one of the world’s most widely popular craft beer brands. That said, we’ve stayed true to our Hawaiian roots through innovation, sustainability, and community outreach. And we’re still headquartered where it all began, in Kailua-Kona on Hawai’i’s Big Island. Come and taste liquid Aloha! KonaBrewingHawaii.com.
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Magics Beach Grill
With perfect sunsets over the Kona Coast, Magics Beach Grill is about celebrating Hawai’i through authentic Big Island flavors. Our grill restaurant and oceanfront bar, and the Beach Shack each have their own menus and style, so you can find what you crave for any occasion. Swing for a cocktail and a meal, learn Big Island history, and tap into the latest local happenings. MagicsBeachGrill.com
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Honoring A Queen
Kona celebrates Queen Lili’uokalani, the beloved first and last monarch of the Kingdom of Hawai’i, each Labor Day weekend.
ARTICLE BY MARGARET KEARNS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHARLA PHOTOGRAPHY
The Queen Lili‘uokalani Canoe Race, with a course spanning 18 miles along the Kona Coast, is the world’s largest outrigger canoe long-distance race, attracting some 3,000 paddlers annually from 13 countries worldwide.
Hosted by Kailua-Kona’s Kai‘opua Canoe Club, formed in 1929 and one of the oldest clubs in the state, the first race took place on Saturday, September 2, 1972, with a specific purpose.
"The race was established by club officials to provide paddlers with a challenging warm-up for the much more rigorous Molokai Channel Race held each fall – a 41-mile journey between Molokai and O‘ahu. The September 2 date also offers an opportunity to honor the queen, who was born on that day in 1838," Kris Hazard, Kai‘opua Canoe Club president, says. "While the second doesn’t always fall on race day Saturday, the five days of race festivities always take place over the Labor Day weekend."
Currently, Kai‘opua boasts 300 members, while numerous clubs throughout the islands bring the count to more than 2,500 competitive paddlers in the islands. According to club officials, members of the canoe clubs who are strictly recreational paddlers add thousands of paddling enthusiasts to the count. Kris says the clubs offer more than recreation; they offer exciting sporting events and camaraderie and preserve treasured, traditional Hawaiian practices.
Kris also shares that with most of the entrants originally from the islands, the mainland U.S. and a few Pacific Rim countries, today, serious racers from around the globe travel tens of thousands of miles or more each year to participate.
While the sport continues to grow in popularity internationally, outrigger canoe paddling is a cultural treasure of historic significance in Hawai‘i and was designated the state’s official team sport in 1998. Celestial navigators, the islands’ first settlers from Polynesia, traveled more than 2,000 miles across the open ocean in double-hulled voyaging canoes to reach these shores. The migration began sometime between 1000 and 1200 A.D, and these voyagers brought their culture, agricultural practices and social systems, according to historians.
This year, Kai‘opua extended its commitment to celebrating and enhancing awareness of Hawaiian culture and history by partnering with the Daughters of Hawai‘i, a historical society dedicated to preserving the cultural legacy of the Hawaiian Islands, including the Huli‘hee Palace in the heart of Kailua-Kona. Located on Ali‘i Drive’s historic waterfront and fronting the start/finish lines of the Queen Lili‘uokalani Canoe Race in Kailua Bay, the Palace was the Royal family’s summer vacation home from the time it was built in 1838 up until the time the islands were annexed to the United States in 1898. Queen Lili‘uokalani was a frequent visitor to the palace before and during her reign from 1891 to 1893, which ended in a coup d’etat against her.
The palace was in serious disrepair when the Territorial Government purchased it in 1925, and it was turned over to the Daughters of Hawai‘i to maintain and establish as a museum. In 1973, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and features artifacts from the monarch era of rule. It features royal family portraits, koa wood
“The September 2 date also offers an opportunity to honor the queen, who was born on that day in 1838.”
— Kris Hazard, Kai‘opua Canoe Club president.
furniture and artwork, including tapa cloth, feather work, and Hawaiian quilts, among other treasured objects. Docent-led and self-guided tours are offered Wednesdays through Saturdays.
"As part of an effort to welcome even more visitors and island residents to the palace, our vision now includes partnering with like-minded non-profit, as well as for-profit organizations to co-host events on these sacred grounds," Manu Powers, regent and president of the Daughters of Hawai‘i, says. "Planning sessions are underway now to discuss how we can improve and build upon what we offered during the 2024 race activities for the 2025 event."
This year, a welcome reception for international race participants was hosted inside the palace on Thursday night. A complimentary Talk Story presentation by Micah Kamohoali‘i, open to the public, took place on the palace lawn on Friday afternoon,
including kane (male) hula performed by Micah’s cousin Stallone. Micah, who descends from a long line of Native Hawaiian practitioners and artisans, is an internationally respected kumu (teacher) hula, historian and artist whose work is rooted in traditional Hawaiian knowledge and practices. In his signature, entertaining style, Micah’s storytelling on Friday focused on the historic sites and wahi pana around Kailua Bay. Wahi Pana , he says, are sacred, legendary places in Hawaiian culture – places that are imbued with mana (spiritual power).
"We’ve always been mindful of respecting the places, culture and people of Hawai‘i Island. Partnering with the Daughters of Hawai‘i has heightened our ability to share the island’s rich history with an international audience," Kris says.
Understanding the cultural significance of canoe paddling, Kris shares, "Although I wasn’t ‘born in a canoe’ like many of our 70-year-old plus Kai‘opua club members, I fell in love with the sport and its history when I moved here permanently from California. I just couldn’t wait to get into a canoe."
She did just that by starting out paddling recreationally in 2005, becoming a member of Kai‘opua in 2006 and then serving on the board in various capacities for several years before becoming its president in 2022.
"I love the idea that we are carrying on one of the many traditions of the early Hawaiians and sharing it with the world," she says. Kris is also proud that all Hawaiian Islands’ canoe clubs were well represented this year, scoring medals in various race divisions.
Now it’s all about imua (moving forward) to race day 2025!
Learn more at QLCanoeRace.com.
“We are carrying on one of the many traditions of the early Hawaiians and sharing it with the world.”
Aloha to paradise
THE MISS KONA COFFEE SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION HELPS WOMEN GAIN LIFE SKILLS AND SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY.
In November 2024, Maianna Taylor finally achieved something her heart longed for. Nerves overwhelmed her body while she stood on stage as one of two contestants remaining in the Miss Kona Coffee Scholarship Competition — a title she had tried to win three times prior.
ARTICLE BY TIANNA MORIMOTO PHOTOGRAPHY BY AHONUI PRODUCTIONS
With the bright lights shining on her, Maianna’s heart beat, and her lip quivered as they announced the winner. Maianna’s name was called. Stunned and excited, she was crowned in front of a cheering audience and took her walk onstage as the new 2025 Miss Kona Coffee.
“It was just kind of the sense of, like, wow. Did that really just happen?” says Maianna. “It was super exciting, and it was just, like, a high of my life, I would say.”
The Miss Kona Coffee Scholarship Competition is held annually during the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival. Women, ages 18-28, can enter to vie for the title of Miss Kona Coffee and Miss Aloha
Hawai’i. The winners then compete for Miss Hawai’i as part of the Miss America Organization. There is also a teen competition where girls ages 14-18 can compete for Miss Teen Kona Coffee.
However, the competition is more than just a beauty pageant. Contestants learn life skills such as public speaking, time management, and organization that they can use to gain confidence and serve their community. They also become part of a sisterhood and fulfill the four points of the crown: style, scholarship, service, and success.
“The judges really want to see who you are as a woman when you're up there. It's
“IT’S ABOUT WHO YOU ARE AT THE END OF THE DAY.”
not about how pretty you are or how good your extensions are. It's about who you are at the end of the day,” says Maianna.
“It's paving the way for the future,” adds Ally Brown, executive director of the Miss Kona Coffee Scholarship Competition.
The contest day begins with a ten-minute private interview before a panel of judges. The competitors then get glammed up to compete for the title later that evening.
They'll participate in multiple categories, including the on-stage question, health and fitness, talent, and evening
gown. Then, various scholarship awards are given out for the different categories in addition to the awards for community service, miss popularity, people’s choice, miss congeniality, and who takes the crown.
“We're one of the largest local preliminary awards. We give the most,” says Brown.
Another big part of the Miss Kona Coffee Scholarship Competition is the community service initiative each contestant creates to impact Kona positively.
Maianna’s initiative is called Reading Seeds, and her goal is to grow literacy in the
community. She says this idea was inspired by her father, an avid reader who passed away in 2020.
Maianna wants to establish little libraries in Kona where anyone can get a book in their community and institute a rewardbased program for reading in schools.
Whether it’s attending an event, growing their community service initiative, or putting on a pretty gown to be featured in a parade — the life skills and lessons gained through the Miss Kona Coffee Scholarship Competition aim to help young Kona women become confident and successful individuals in the future.
“I know some people see a pretty girl in a crown, but it is truly an organization that seeks to promote women and community service, and we all work together to try to achieve that,” says Maianna. “I think the Miss Kona Coffee organization focuses on uplifting women and trying to uplift our community.”
To learn more about the Miss Kona Coffee Organization, visit MissKonaCoffee.org.
February features the plein air pain1ngs of Helen Melody Moore, Susan Grant, and Marie Recep1on from 3-6pm on Friday, February,
You Can be Part
Four local non-profits that are making an impact on the local community.
The start of the year is the best time to think about giving back. How will your generosity have an influence in 2025? Here are a few of our local favorites, maximizing impact in diverse ways. We highly recommend them.
HAWAII FITNESS FOUNDATION
Hawaii Fitness Foundation (HFF) is a nonprofit organization that uplifts Hawai’i’s first responders and underserved communities through specialized fitness and wellness programs. Operating under the fiscal sponsorship of Players Philanthropy Fund — a 501(c)(3) public charity — HFF delivers critical performance training and holistic health initiatives that foster strength, resilience, and well-being across the Hawaiian Islands.
First responders — including police officers, SRT (Special Response Teams), firefighters, and emergency personnel — play an essential role in keeping our communities safe. HFF recognizes their work's physical and mental demands and aims to provide the tools they need to maintain peak performance and readiness. Through training sessions and community events like the Hawai’i First Responder Invitational and UpHill Battle, HFF creates a supportive environment that prioritizes fitness, camaraderie, and personal growth.
At the heart of HFF’s mission is a commitment to fostering resilience and vitality. By promoting a comprehensive approach to health, the foundation empowers
ARTICLE BY MATIAS ARREDONDO PHOTOGRAPHY BY VARIOUS PHOTOGRAPHERS
participants to surpass their limits, inspiring personal and professional excellence. Their vision extends beyond fitness; it’s about building a culture of support and respect where first responders and youth come together to create stronger, healthier communities.
“We are honored to serve Hawai’i’s heroes and invest in the well-being of those who dedicate their lives to serving us,” says the Hawaii Fitness Foundation team. “Our programs are designed not only to strengthen bodies but to build connections, confidence, and a foundation of lifelong health.”
With each session, event, and rep, the Hawaii Fitness Foundation takes a step toward a unified, resilient future. Their work ensures that the strength of Hawai’i’s first responders reflects the strength of the communities they serve — one heartbeat at a time.
For more information, visit HIFirstResponder.com/ hawaii-fitness-foundation
Hawaii Fitness Foundation
DANIEL R. SAYRE FOUNDATION
In August 1997, a tragedy befell the Sayre family when their 25-year-old son, Dan, fell 500 feet to his death while hiking the cliff trail to the back of Pololū Valley at the North end of the island. As he was alone when he fell, his family never learned exactly what happened.
The next day, his parents watched for 10 hours as the Rescue Team from the Waiakea Station of the Hawai’i Fire Department (HFD) risked their lives to recover Daniel’s body. “We felt strongly that these heroes should be acknowledged publicly. Since there was no existing mechanism to do that, we started with an annual awards dinner. We later learned that the Search and Rescue Division was underfunded and lacked essential equipment,” says Laura Sayre, Daniel’s mother. There was very little funding for equipment and advanced training as 94% of the Fire Department’s budget had to go to personnel costs.
At that point, the mission shifted to fundraising to help the HFD get what it needed. A few years later, when the Ocean Safety Officers were transferred from Parks & Recreation to the HFD, their total annual budget for equipment, supplies and uniforms was $2,200.00. The foundation raised funds for rescue boards, ATV’s, binoculars, P. A. systems, jet skis and more.
Because of the generosity of our Big Island Community, this 501(c)(3) non-profit has made great advancements over the past 27 years. What started with ropes, pulleys and scuba gear, has become 16 bushfire trucks, 12 sets of Jaws of Life, a new fire engine truck and an Airbus H-125 aeromedical helicopter.
While the Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation has raised over $40 million during its time, the needs are still present. If you want to “help those who help all of us,” you can send a tax-deductible donation to the Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation, PO Box 1285, Kailua-Kona, HI, 96745. Mahalo piha.
To explore other ways to support, visit DanielSayreFoundation.org.
Sayre Foundation
DONKEY MILL ART CENTER
For nearly 30 years, the Donkey Mill Art Center has been a place where mo‘olelo — stories, traditions, and history — are shared. Through these, Big Island Residents connect to the past, gain insight into who they are, and envision the future they hope to build together.
Artists play an integral role within our community, promoting their work as vital components of the creative ecosystem. Without them, the essence of what defines a community could be lost.
Recent collaborations have invited youth into the gallery to engage in thoughtful conversations with artists and participate in hands-on art activities that fulfill a critical need for arts education in Kona, where access to galleries and museums is limited. This opportunity allows youth to see themselves represented, gain new artistic skills, and discover that their voices and stories matter.
The Donkey Mill Art Center is also a place to explore arts and culture to inform, inspire, and strengthen individual and collective well-being. Its 2.6-acre campus includes studios for youth education, printmaking, ceramics, metals, fiber arts, native plant gardens and exhibition space.
Constructed in 1954 on the slopes of Hualālai, the Donkey Mill Art Center was the first coffee cooperative in Kona. In 2001, volunteers and artists transformed the old mill into classrooms, a gallery, and gathering spaces while maintaining its rustic charm. This transformation expanded the Mill's role beyond coffee processing to become a vibrant space for artistic expression, cultural exchange, and community building.
Discover more and support at DonkeyMillArtCenter.org.
Donkey Mill
Donkey Mill
WEGO! FOUNDATION
The WeGo! Foundation seeks to connect to at-risk and underserved kids in our community to help them to go places and keep them off the streets. The goal is to let youth know their current situation does not have to be the trajectory of their life.
The foundation supports kids through the power of sports. It focuses on soccer, futsal, and the Hawaiian cultural sports of paddling, surfing, and swimming. Athletics is a tool to teach life lessons and help build the character of the leaders that we need tomorrow.
The core belief of the WeGo! Foundation fuels its commitment to encouraging and inspiring kids to reach their full potential. If given the right tools, guidance, and support, every kid can be successful and make a positive difference.
From the beginning, God had a plan that only came to fruition in June 2020 during the global pandemic. The need was significant, and there was no better time. The purpose of serving these kids runs very personally for Thibert and Rebekah Lussiaa.
Thibert came from a very difficult childhood and used outrigger paddling to help him have a positive outlet. Rebekah played competitive sports, but her family didn’t have a way to help her take it to the next level.
“We both have been very involved in this community in one way or another for a very long time, but we have always wanted to start our own non-profit organization,” shares Thibert.
Many people want to give back to the Kona community, but they want to do it through people they trust. Thibert and Rebekah are grateful for this opportunity to show these kids that they matter and that someone truly cares for them. It is the basic human kuleana. Most of the time, the little things make the most significant difference.
Learn more at WeGoFoundation.com or on their Instagram @WeGoFoundation.inc
WeGo!
WeGo!
RIPPLES IN Hawai’i
The story of how a man’s idea became statewide physical training for first responders.
ARTICLE BY MATIAS ARREDONDO | PHOTOGRAPHY BY FLETCH PHOTOGRAPHY
Lieutenant Jeremy Scott Lewis on the left, training with Tiger Hill on the right.
Police recruit class is intense. It's a lot of running, and the soon-to-be officers undergo stringent exercises. But then, it’s up to each officer to keep that lifestyle going. As time passes, the late night shifts, eating habits, and stress keep most officers from staying in shape.
In 2021, the Hawai’i Police Department (HPD) tried to improve this by meeting quarterly to maintain physical standards in its Special Response Team (SRT), formerly known as SWAT. But in doing so, Officer Jeremy Scott Lewis tore his Achilles during a test track. After the surgery, a friend called him one day and invited him to bring his kids to the University of the Nations, where the Konawaena High School football team was training.
“I was at home on my back, with a boot on my leg, not feeling great. So I took the kids down, and there I met Tiger Hill, who asked about my injury and told me to come back on Monday to do physical training together. That's how our relationship started,” recalls Lieutenant Lewis.
Tiger Hill, also born in O’ahu, moved to the Big Island in 2013 with his pregnant wife and son, knowing this would be their home. He grew up playing football, baseball, basketball, soccer, volleyball, and canoeing. Yet, his passion for training didn’t come from a natural talent to play sports, but from his desire to excel alongside others.
“Training creates brotherhood,” Tiger says. “You train with guys regularly and feel like they're down for you, and you're down for them. I like finding a group of guys I know who want to do crazy stuff. They want to push, you know?”
Through the exercises Tiger tailored, in just five months, Officer Lewis went from being unable to put his foot on the ground to returning to work, fully recovered. He was so surprised by his rehab that he talked to his lieutenant about bringing the SRT to work out with Tiger at the University of the Nations, Kona. After a long day of exercise, Tiger approached him with an idea. What if he could train not only Officer Lewis but the entire Hawai’i Police Department?
Although initially met with skepticism, the initiative was ultimately implemented. Tiger drove his truck around the island, bringing dumbbells, sandbags, and bikes wherever the officers gathered. “He followed us every Monday, voluntarily,” Lieutenant Lewis reflects.
Since then, the HPD has shifted gears toward a fitness culture involving the community whenever possible. The result is collaborations that range from witnesses being willing to report what they know, to parents encouraging their children to seek out careers in law enforcement.
In the meantime, Tiger started the Hawaii Fitness Foundation, a non-profit organization to work closely with Service Response Teams in Maui, Kauai, O’ahu, and the Big Island, flying regularly to run PT programs in those locations. Alongside Lieutenant Aaron Carvalho, Tiger organized statewide first responders events, including team development activities, debriefing, and tactical games — moving sandbags, going over walls, and shooting targets.
These actions deepened the bonds among the HPD and increased the sense of camaraderie. “The relationship developed between people engaging in physical activity together can break down barriers and allow them to talk about things that maybe they wouldn't normally talk about with their co-workers or families,” says Chief Benjamin Moszkowicz, who has served the HPD since 2000.
Tiger points out that sharing daily struggles with peers who see each other as brothers and understand the realities of the job can make a big difference. But without that emotional outlet, the life expectancy of officers when they retire is dramatically shorter than that of the rest of the population.
“Many of these guys plummet. Heart attack, cancer, suicide, right when their career is done. These men and women
HAWAI’I FITNESS FOUNDATION SERVICES
• Training Sessions for small group police units, fire stations, and SWAT teams with flexible scheduling to accommodate the needs of first responders.
• Specialized training for emergency personnel tailored to the physical demands of police officers, SWAT teams, firefighters, and first responders. It improves strength, agility, endurance, and stress management.
• Fitness events/collaborations with local community organizations.
“The standard of what it means to be a first responder is going up.” — Tiger Hill.
essentially serve the better years of their lives in our community,” Tiger says. Yet, he aims to flip this situation and provide first responders with a healthy future.
As many officers deal with traumatic situations during their shifts, it is understandable that the last thing they’ll want to do afterward is work out. That’s where Tiger meets them with the right equipment and routine. “I want healthy cops, firefighters and lifeguards, right? Because it benefits me and my family by having these guys who serve our community physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually healthy,” he adds.
Although he upgraded to a van to drive to Hilo and Waimea, Tiger dreams of having a mobile gym in every county: Maui, Kauai, and O’ahu, to keep offering physical exercise. While he reaches that goal, the next step in his life mission is training the Fire Department, Lifeguards and Ocean Safety Department, and the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
“The standard of what it means to be a first responder is going up,” Tiger concludes. “We're seeing glimpses of it on the other islands, and I think it's just gonna grow. Firefighters and police officers will start seeing the training rise.”
Learn more at HIFirstResponder.com, or watch the workout videos on the Instagram account @hifirstresponder.
waioladirectcare.com (808) 865-3001
BV@waioladirectcare
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HIDDEN IN TRIBAL INK
Che Kā’eo Pilago: a redemptive story of a generational tattoo artist.
ARTICLE BY JOHN-MARK DYER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY FLETCH PHOTOGRAPHY
It’s Wednesday morning, and Che Kā’eo Pilago is tucked at the back of a colorful tattoo shop in the Old Industrial shopping area. He is working intently but easily on a young man’s arm. He is laying down rough guidelines for his tattoo pen with a red marker. His work is quick and makes the art look effortless. It’s no wonder, Che has been tattooing since he was a child. He recalls when he was twelve and snuck out of school to use his dad’s tattoo machine. Che comes from a line of tattoo artists seven generations deep. “I grew up around it. It was second nature,” Che says. Back in the shop, he follows the red lines with black tattoo ink and builds an intricate pattern of tribal symbols.
“Anyone that calls me up, it’s for a significant event in their life: a marriage, birth of a child, graduation or some milestone,” he explains. He carries on the conversation easily, wiping off excess
ink and inspecting his lines. Tribal tattoos embody a chronological story of the person’s life. Their skin is a canvas that evolves as they journey and age.
Che tells the story of a recent client who came in for his work. The young man had started playing professional soccer and traveling far from home. He asked Che to help him design a tattoo so he could carry a piece of the island with him wherever soccer took him. The patterns painted an abstract picture of home, parents and his sister.
There’s a narrative hidden within each tribal tattoo. It’s a symbolic language that friends and family know how to read. “I talk story with them,” Che says as he explains the design process. He points to the triangular peaks and valleys on the young man’s arm. These represent the struggles and victories in his life. “The CONTINUED >
ISLANDS AND CULTURES: SAMOAN,
“I’M A MIX OF ALL THE
AND SCOTTISH.” — CHE KĀ’EO PILAGO
HAWAIIAN, NEW ZEALAND, TAHITIAN
tattoos are a way to push people to be better,” Che concludes. They are a testament to battles fought and challenges that have been overcome.
As he talks through the tattoo, Che points out that his designs are a mix of cultural symbols representing his heritage. “I'm a mix of all the islands and cultures: Samoan, Hawaiian, New Zealand, Tahitian and Scottish.” He is a descendant of the legendary John Macomber, who jumped ship to swim back to shore and marry the woman he loved, one of Che’s great aunties.
Che has had no shortage of adversity to overcome in his own life. When he was
5, his father lost everything in a crooked land deal on Maui. Che remembers living in a green Datsun truck with his family until they could save up to return to O'ahu.
Years later, when they moved to the Big Island, Che fondly recounts their time living in tents on the water at Pine Trees Beach. He remembers it as an adventurous time full of fishing and surfing. But there was a dark side to his youth as well. He was surrounded by drugs, and alcohol was a normal part of life.
Che had to wrestle with those demons. His success as an awarded athlete and entrepreneur were tainted with his struggle with these vices. In December 2014
while visiting his daughter Mehana for her college graduation in San Francisco, Che hit rock bottom. It seemed the darkness had won. "She disowned me," he paused. His behavior led to a moment of deep self-reflection. Che had a choice to make. He could walk down the broken road that had been modeled to him or he could choose to rise above it.
He decided to be the fighter he knew he had the potential to be. Che is a direct descendant of the warrior Kekuhaupi'o, the Lua master who was a close advisor to Kamehameha I. Fighting is in his blood. A chain around his neck carries a medallion representing 9 years of sobriety. A battle
hard-won made possible with the support of a local Rebel Dogs AA meeting. “It’s still a fight; the cravings don’t go away, so I substituted the bad addictions for good ones,” Che shares, pointing to his love for tattoos, surfing and sparing.
Nothing speaks louder of the power of redemption in Che’s life than Mehana sitting two chairs down from him, creating her own tattoo work on a client. “She designed this whole studio,” he boasts. Father and daughter reunited, working side by side as he champions her entrepreneurial dreams to shape Kā’eo Studios.
“Don’t give up, the storms will pass,” Che emphasizes, “Kā’eo is a word that CONTINUED >
represents our call to rise up and kick a**.” Che’s grandmother prophetically told his father he would have a son and instructed him to name the boy Kā’eo so that he could lead the people.
His father named him Che Kā’eo Pilago. Che, after the Argentinian rebel, and Kā’eo to honor his grandmother’s wish. Che has always fought between those two names to define his identity. He is pulled between the life of a rebel and his higher call. He chooses the path of Kā’eo.
“Everyone’s looking for guidance and mentorship. I’ve been on both sides,” Che recounts his time in jail and his long struggle upward. “I’ve lived a story of overcoming.”
His journey is written in ink on his arm, chest and head. He carries wisdom born from scars and longs to leave a redemption legacy for the next generation. This is the beauty of tribal tattoos. Each unique design is a one-of-a-kind story that should inspire us to persevere as we each live our beautiful adventure.
Learn more about what Che and Mehana do on their Instagram account @kaeohawaiistudio.
FEBRUARY 2025
A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS
FEBRUARY 1ST
32nd Waimea Cherry
Blossom Heritage Festival
Church Road Park, Waimea | 9:00 AM
Celebrate the park’s annual blooming of historic cherry trees. In addition to bonsai activities, the festival offers hands-on mochi pounding, sake tasting, traditional tea ceremonies, food demonstrations by local chefs, broke da’ mouth food prepared by local organizations, and loads of craft vendors. Festivalgoers can enjoy performances at multiple venues. Facebook: Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival.
FEBRUARY 8TH
14th Annual Wiliwili Festival
Waikōloa Dry Forest Preserve | 9:00 AM
Wiliwili are keystone species in the lowland dry forest, and this year’s festival will allow you to see these beautiful trees in their natural environment. The event features exhibitors presenting activities and educational materials at booths along the preserve access road. Guided tours will be offered every half hour. This is a free public family event! WaikoloaDryForest.org.
FEBRUARY 15TH
Gupton Gallery Artist Solo Show: Ruby Mazur
75-5799 Ali‘i Dr Suite B2, KailuaKona | 2:00 PM
Ruby Mazur, ‘Rock-n-Roll Artist to the Stars,’ will share his dazzling artwork, energy, and stories. Ruby designed over 3000 album covers, including the iconic ‘Mouth and Tongue’ created for The Rolling Stones ‘Rolling Dice’ album. Join us as the artist shares his unique stories with a glass of wine and chocolates. GuptonGallery.com.
Hawaii Medspa
Transform Your Body Without Lifting a Finger
– The Non-Invasive Way to Sculpt Muscle & Burn Fat
Emsculpt is a non-invasive body contouring treatment that uses high-intensity focused electromagnetic (HIFEM) technology to build muscle and burn fat. It’s primarily used to target areas like the abdomen, thighs, arms, and buttocks, where it helps sculpt and tone the body.
Key Benefits:
• Build Muscle: Strengthen and define muscles with no effort on your part.
• Burn Fat: Reduce fat cells in treated areas for a leaner look.
• No Downtime: Quick, easy, and no recovery required.
