Sweet Home Waimanalo

Unfortunately, I had to miss anthropology class this Thursday, Oct. 13^th, because I had to sing with the International Vocal Ensemble at the induction dinner for the new president.  So this week, I will blog about the field trip that our class took a few weeks ago to Waimanalo. 

It was such an honor and a great treat to be welcomed to the several-acre farm beautifully settled directly at the foot of the Ko`olau’s.  I cannot remember the last time I had the opportunity to stand outside and not hear the noise of the highway.  The stillness was almost eerie to me and is something that I will forever remember about this sacred space.  I will always remember the sincere Hawaiian chant from my fellow class-mates asking for permission to enter onto the property that Kevin Vaccarello leases from the government.  Kevin’s lecture and welcoming us into his home and his restaurant was a truly eye-opening experience.  Even though his mission is something that I have been studying for several years now, actually seeing it put into practice with so much genuineness spoke to my mind, my heart, and my spirit. 

In his lecture, I could see that Kevin has such a strong mind that he rarely puts to rest.  His in-depth ideas about how to evaluate environmental, socio-cultural, and socio-economic problems were arranged into quite complex models.  While the one of the main answers to solving many of our world’s problems is seemingly straightforward (people must only take what they need and leave the rest), it is necessary to be able to evaluate and diagram how society, the environment, and the economy interrelate so that problems may be more easily understood and acknowledged.  He emphasized how one of our greatest modern problems is that our economic system gives so much weight to externalities.   In a truly sustainable system, the concept of externalities shouldn’t even exist as it is erroneous and dishonest to assume that there are unlimited resources.  Kevin showed us how the studies of psychology, biology, ecology, sociology, and anthropology go into depth in evaluating the non-physical and physical components of individual and collective concerns. 

And at the end of his inquisitive lecture filled with multifaceted intellectualism, Kevin stopped.  He stopped to remind himself of the fact that what truly matters in life is the spiritual health of one’s heart and soul.  A society is healthy when its individuals wholeheartedly abide the divine laws of the universe which happen to be very basic.  He showed us how the spiritual realm encompasses all aspects of life.  When the richest and most glamorous businessmen are not honest in the careers, their whole life is miserable.    

The following week, our entire class and any of our friends had the honor to go to Waimanalo to see that it is possible to run a successful business and live a life of true abundance while being honest and frugal at the same time.  Kevin lived on land hundreds of times more beautiful than anyone with their monstrosity mansion in Kahala.  And the land and the spirits on that land accepted him because he is there to only do good.  I know that the love, warmth, and welcoming provided by the land and the spirits was felt by every student that set foot onto that property. 

Our adventure continued on into the evening at the quaint restaurant, Sweet Home Waimanalo.  It was the first time that I ever ate food that was grown on the rooftop above me.  By far, was it the most delicious produce that I have tasted in Hawaii.  When Kevin told us that every couple weeks, only 500 square feet of roof space would produce 20 pounds of greens, I know many students were inspired.  It was a sweet feeling to see a compost-bin, let alone a recycling bin at a restaurant.  Yet, at the same time, a feeling of dismay shaded my spirit.  It boggled my mind that Kevin is one of the only people on Oahu that dedicates his life to this way.  I couldn’t figure out why more people don’t have green gardens on their roofs.  It would be so much cleaner, cheaper, tastier, and certainly, more nutritious than shipping our food at least 5000 miles from the mainland or other countries to our plate.  I couldn’t figure out why more businesses in our beautiful island state didn’t provide recycling bins to their customers. 

Nevertheless, I must remember how vital it is to focus on the progress that has been made.  Five years ago, I know a field trip like this would have not been possible as there was not a strong environmental studies program or a business like Kevin’s.  Five years, and a change for the better.  I change that hundreds of students will see in the next few years.  A change that thousands of costumers see every few months.  It can be done, and thank God, people can now see it with their own eyes!