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There are many reasons local people leave Hawaii. Greater job and education opportunities, lower cost of living, or just “rock fever.” And although there are advantages to gaining life experience elsewhere, Hawaii’s unique culture, diverse society, and special way of life eventually lure many back home.
Ninth island connection
Chris DeMello couldn’t imagine life away from her Island home. But after having to work two jobs to raise her family, she decided enough was enough.
“Working seven days a week, I was hardly home and missed out on them growing up,” she says. “I was tired of struggling.”
In 1997, she and her husband moved the family to Las Vegas for a lower cost of living. “We had a better life, but Hawaii was always home,” she says. “I’d wear a flower in my hair every day at work. They knew me as the lady from Hawaii. If I couldn’t be in Hawaii, I’ll bring a little bit of Hawaii with me.”
Chris DeMello in Las Vegas.
To stay connected to her Island roots, DeMello attended Hawaii-themed festivals, danced in a hula halau, and spread the aloha spirit wherever she could. “When people asked me about the aloha spirit, I’d tell them, ‘Don’t step on anyone’s toes, don’t forget those who helped you along the way, pay it forward, and be humble.’”
The hardest part was finding local food. “If we were ono for a Hawaiian plate or Chinese food, there weren’t many options,” she says. “It wasn’t like today where you can get Portuguese sausage at Costco.”
Greater purpose
After getting a divorce and with her kids grown, DeMello decided to move back to Hawaii in 2024. Although happy to be home, she had to adjust to the changes and sticker shock. “Higher prices and everyone’s in a rush,” she says. “It’s not the same as when I was growing up in Kailua.”
Chris DeMello has found new opportunities for herself back home.
But DeMello has cultivated a greater reason for being in Hawaii. She’s fulfilling her passion to become a natural healing practitioner in Hawaiian laau lapaau (medicinal plants) and lomi lomi (massage). She’s also learning energy healing practices from other cultures, such as Japanese reiki and Filipino Hilot Binabaylan.
“I’m connecting to my roots,” she says. “I have a renewed sense of purpose to help people heal.”
Kekai Beyer chose to attend the University of Southern California for many reasons, beyond its prestigious undergraduate business school.
“I liked their football team,” laughs the Kamehameha Schools graduate. “And being close to the ocean, I could surf. I had my priorities.”
Beyond campus life, Beyer was drawn to career opportunities at large companies in Los Angeles and San Francisco. But his priorities shifted after getting married and the birth of his daughter. After 25 years on the Mainland, he moved back to Hawaii in 2021.
“I wanted my daughter to grow up knowing her family and culture here,” he says. “It’s unlike anywhere else.”
For Beyer, living in Hawaii is not just about the beautiful beaches and palm trees. “It’s the aloha spirit with friends and neighbors,” he says. “You don’t have to be Native Hawaiian. It’s the genuine feeling of living here.”
Beyer hopes one day his daughter will leave for college and gain life experience elsewhere. “But I’d like her to know that she can always come back home,” he adds.
Photos: Lew Harrington
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