Hawaii Will Always Be Home with Cindi Heffner

We welcome Cindi Heffner to this episode of "Above the Sides" in our first recording outside of Hawaiʻi. Cindi is the Kumu Hula of Haʻaheo O Hawaiʻi, a hula hālau based in Albuquerque, New Mexico where she has lived for many years. Cindi shares how she has maintained her spirit of aloha in all the places she has traveled to throughout her life and how her ʻohana, and many of our kama'āina (children of the land), have found home in new places as part of the Hawaiian diaspora. 2020 Census data indicated that more than half of all Native Hawaiians, roughly 370,000 people, now live in the continental U.S. This highlights a growing economic trend due to the high cost of living and housing and job opportunity limitations. Our discussion centers around how aloha can live beyond Hawaiʻi through its people - and that home can also be in your heart. We hope that you find Cindi's story compelling and uplifting.

“In the 21st century, the world will search for peace and they’ll look to Hawaii because Hawaii has the key and that key is Aloha.”
- Pilahi Paki