VOICES OF NEW YORK - by Juliette Dekeyser “Native Hawaiians Keep Their ‘Aloha Spirit’ in NYC”, November 7, 2013 http://www.voicesofny.org/2013/11/native-hawaiians-keep-their-aloha-spirit-in-nyc By Juliette Dekeyser - juliettedk.com

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Native Hawaiians Keep Their ‘Aloha Spirit’ in NYC
November 7, 2013 2:44 pm
By Juliette Dekeyser | VOICES OF NY
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At only 24, Crystalyn Costa opened a Hawaiian restaurant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. (Photo by Juliette
Dekeyser/Voices of NY)
With pictures of volcanoes and waves, ukulele music playing in the background and a flower in
Native Hawaiians
Keep Their ‘Aloha
Spirit’ in NYC
her hair, Crystalyn Costa has created a Hawaiian heaven in the center of Williamsburg,
Brooklyn.
“Hawaiian customers said it is just like home,” said Costa, owner of the restaurant Onomea on
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Havemeyer Street. “They say it is very relaxing, very peaceful, easygoing, very Hawaii, and
that’s maybe the best compliment.”
Since September, Onomea has been offering Hawaiian dishes like “loco moco,” a teriyaki
burger served on a bed of rice with a sunny side egg topped with gravy, and “poke,” ahi tuna
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with onions and sesame seeds. Costa, who arrived in New York City from the Big Island of
Hawaii four years ago, said she was surprised not to find any Hawaiian food in this
multicultural city.
“It didn’t make sense,” she said. “There is food from all around the world out here, but
Hawaiian is pretty much the only kind not in New York.”
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2. Costa, 24, leaped into the unknown and
decided to share six generations’ worth of
family recipes with adventurous New
Yorkers and Hawaiian customers like
Ren Chang, who ordered the Shoyu
chicken – marinated drumsticks with rice
and macaroni salad. After 10 years in the
city, Chang said she was happy to finally
see a Hawaiian restaurant right where
she lives.
The Onomea restaurant serves poke, a traditional Hawaiian
dish made with ahi tuna, onions and sesame seeds. (Photo
“Multiple friends massively emailed us
by Juliette Dekeyser/Voices of NY)
saying we should try this new Hawaiian
restaurant,” she said. “We all tried it, and
it’s pretty good and authentic.”
Like Costa and Chang, 4,000 people
moved from Hawaii to New York between
2006 and 2009, and that number doubled
from 2009 to 2012, according to the U.S.
Census Bureau. The main reason for
their migration appears to be
professional.
Hawaiian Ren Chang, a New Yorker for 10 years, said she
Kimo Gerald, a member of
Halawai (which means “Hawaii”), an
misses traditional Hawaiian food. (Photo by Juliette
Dekeyser/Voices of NY)
organization that promotes Hawaiian
culture, said the addition in June 2012 of
a Hawaiian Airline daily nonstop flight from Honolulu to JFK has contributed to the trend.
“There are hundreds of seats coming every day,” said Gerald, who arrived in New York in
1971. “People from Hawaii prefer to fly with Hawaiian Airlines, where they have miles.”
But living 5,000 miles from home is not always easy. Kaina Quenga, a hula teacher, said New
York is probably one of the states most opposite to Hawaii culturally.
“Usually people move from Hawaii to
California or Vegas but New York, this is
always a big change,” she said.
In the Big Apple, native Hawaiians have
own secret ways to connect with their
home state. Like Costa with food,
Quenga connects with Hawaii through
hula. This traditional dance focuses on
Hula teacher Kaina Quenga said the dance connects her to
the Pacific Islands. (Photo by Juliette Dekeyser/Voices of NY)
each word of the songs to elaborate
specific and delicate movements with the
hands and hips.
“Pua, take a flower… yes, very gentle,” said Quenga miming the gesture for her students in
Park Slope, Brooklyn, “Lā, feel the sun,” she continued, raising both hands.
For almost 10 years, Quenga has been giving hula lessons in New York City. She said it is a
way to share and honor her culture. In her classes, flowers in the hair and Hawaiian outfits are
required so that students feel transported to the Pacific Islands for an hour.
“When you enter the door, you enter Hawaii and you forget it is cold outside,” Quenga said.
The students smiled and agreed.

3. Hula students are transported from Brooklyn to Honolulu for an hour. (Photo by Juliette Dekeyser/Voices of NY)
Halawai, formed seven years ago, also tries to bring the “Aloha Spirit” to New York with hula
and ukulele workshops, concerts and language classes. Gerald said he sees more and more
people interested in learning about Hawaiian culture. Its annual picnic in Central Park, the first
Sunday of June, has become more and more popular.
“Every year we see more people coming,” he said. “The average is around 300 people, even
though we don’t really promote it.”
The smaller Na Ōiwi NYC (which means “natives of Hawaii”) association has been promoting
Hawaiian history and heritage since 2009 and is more political, claiming independence for
Hawaii after it became the 50th state in 1959.
In October, Leon Siu, the minister of foreign affairs of the self-declared “Hawaiian Kingdom”
flew from Hawaii to New York City and spoke in front of two dozen people, half New Yorkers
and half Native Hawaiians.
“We have the right and the obligation to restore our independence for our children,” Siu said.
“We can manage our own country.”
With their hearts still in the Pacific but
their feet in New York City, the Native
Hawaiians, like Gerald, say the
dynamism and the energy of New York is
what makes them stay.
“In the evening, in Honolulu, I can do 20
interesting things or stay at home,”
Gerald said. “In New York, I can do 500
Leon Siu argued for Hawaii’s independence at a meeting on
October 1. (Photo by Juliette Dekeyser/Voices of NY)
Tags : Crystalyn Costa
Pacific Islanders
Halawai
Hawaii
Hawaiian
things or stay at home. There is so much
going on here.”
Kaina Quenga
Na Ōiwi NYC
Onomea

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