A+ / A- 0 Comments Home » Communities » New York » Brooklyn » Native Hawaiians Keep Their ‘Aloha Spirit’ in NYC Native Hawaiians Keep Their ‘Aloha Spirit’ in NYC November 7, 2013 2:44 pm By Juliette Dekeyser | VOICES OF NY 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 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 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 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.” RECENT POSTS VOICES’ PICKS Sunday, 24 November 2013 Showcasing the best of the community and ethnic media STAY CONNECTED: SEARCH HERE ... ⇒ Navigate JFK: Some Claim Him, Some Shun Him Boy’s Death Leads to Force for Change Polish Protesters Allege BBC Defamation Alternative Books to ‘So-Called’ 1st Thanksgiving Muslim Heroine Shoots for Universal Appeal Native Hawaiians Keep Their ‘Aloha Spirit’ in NYC What’s in a Chinese Name? For Politicians, Plenty ‘Entrepreneur’ Links Immigrants to Radio Stations Back Home Committed, Passionate Journalist Remembered Bushwick Students Embrace Urban Farming, Fight Obesity
Transcript
A+ / A- 0 Comments
Home » Communities » New York » Brooklyn » Native Hawaiians Keep Their ‘Aloha Spirit’ in NYC
Native Hawaiians Keep Their ‘Aloha Spirit’ in NYC
November 7, 2013 2:44 pmBy Juliette Dekeyser | VOICES OF NY
At only 24, Crystalyn Costa opened a Hawaiian restaurant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. (Photo by JulietteDekeyser/Voices of NY)
With pictures of volcanoes and waves, ukulele music playing in the background and a flower inher 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 onHavemeyer Street. “They say it is very relaxing, very peaceful, easygoing, very Hawaii, andthat’s maybe the best compliment.”
Since September, Onomea has been offering Hawaiian dishes like “loco moco,” a teriyakiburger served on a bed of rice with a sunny side egg topped with gravy, and “poke,” ahi tunawith onions and sesame seeds. Costa, who arrived in New York City from the Big Island ofHawaii four years ago, said she was surprised not to find any Hawaiian food in thismulticultural city.
“It didn’t make sense,” she said. “There is food from all around the world out here, butHawaiian is pretty much the only kind not in New York.”
RECENT POSTS
VOICES’ PICKS
Sunday, 24 November 2013
Showcasing the best of the community and ethnic media
STAY CONNECTED:
SEARCH HERE ...
⇒ Navigate
JFK: Some ClaimHim, Some ShunHim
Boy’s Death Leadsto Force forChange
Polish ProtestersAllege BBCDefamation
Alternative Booksto ‘So-Called’ 1stThanksgiving
Muslim HeroineShoots forUniversal Appeal
Native HawaiiansKeep Their ‘AlohaSpirit’ in NYC
What’s in aChinese Name? ForPoliticians, Plenty
‘Entrepreneur’Links Immigrantsto Radio StationsBack Home
Committed,PassionateJournalistRemembered
Bushwick Students Embrace UrbanFarming, Fight Obesity
The Onomea restaurant serves poke, a traditional Hawaiiandish made with ahi tuna, onions and sesame seeds. (Photoby Juliette Dekeyser/Voices of NY)
Hawaiian Ren Chang, a New Yorker for 10 years, said shemisses traditional Hawaiian food. (Photo by JulietteDekeyser/Voices of NY)
Hula teacher Kaina Quenga said the dance connects her tothe Pacific Islands. (Photo by Juliette Dekeyser/Voices of NY)
Costa, 24, leaped into the unknown anddecided to share six generations’ worth offamily recipes with adventurous NewYorkers and Hawaiian customers likeRen Chang, who ordered the Shoyuchicken – marinated drumsticks with riceand macaroni salad. After 10 years in thecity, Chang said she was happy to finallysee a Hawaiian restaurant right whereshe lives.
“Multiple friends massively emailed ussaying we should try this new Hawaiianrestaurant,” she said. “We all tried it, andit’s pretty good and authentic.”
Like Costa and Chang, 4,000 peoplemoved from Hawaii to New York between2006 and 2009, and that number doubledfrom 2009 to 2012, according to the U.S.Census Bureau. The main reason fortheir migration appears to beprofessional.
Kimo Gerald, a member ofHalawai (which means “Hawaii”), anorganization that promotes Hawaiianculture, said the addition in June 2012 ofa 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 in1971. “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 NewYork is probably one of the states most opposite to Hawaii culturally.
“Usually people move from Hawaii toCalifornia or Vegas but New York, this isalways a big change,” she said.
In the Big Apple, native Hawaiians haveown secret ways to connect with theirhome state. Like Costa with food,Quenga connects with Hawaii throughhula. This traditional dance focuses oneach word of the songs to elaboratespecific and delicate movements with thehands and hips.
“Pua, take a flower… yes, very gentle,” said Quenga miming the gesture for her students inPark 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 away to share and honor her culture. In her classes, flowers in the hair and Hawaiian outfits arerequired 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.
Leon Siu argued for Hawaii’s independence at a meeting onOctober 1. (Photo by Juliette Dekeyser/Voices of NY)
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 hulaand ukulele workshops, concerts and language classes. Gerald said he sees more and morepeople interested in learning about Hawaiian culture. Its annual picnic in Central Park, the firstSunday of June, has become more and more popular.
“Every year we see more people coming,” he said. “The average is around 300 people, eventhough we don’t really promote it.”
The smaller Na Ōiwi NYC (which means “natives of Hawaii”) association has been promotingHawaiian history and heritage since 2009 and is more political, claiming independence forHawaii 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 Yorkersand 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 buttheir feet in New York City, the NativeHawaiians, like Gerald, say thedynamism and the energy of New York iswhat makes them stay.
“In the evening, in Honolulu, I can do 20interesting things or stay at home,”Gerald said. “In New York, I can do 500things or stay at home. There is so muchgoing on here.”
Tags : Crystalyn Costa Halawai Hawaii Hawaiian Kaina Quenga Na Ōiwi NYC Onomea
Students Urge Cuomo to Support NYS...Latina in Race for 2nd Most Powerfu...
Related Posts
0 comments
WHAT'S THIS?ALSO ON VOICESOFNY
Immigrant Seniors Heading to Queens1 comment • 4 months ago
disqus_DQwCeasIJP — They should livein poverty....why should my tax dollarshave to pay for some old ass immigrantwho probably hasn't paid a damn dime intaxes to the usa govt ever in their entirelives? They should go back to theiroriginal countries!!
Opinion: Roosevelt Ave. BID HighlightsLatino …1 comment • a month ago
whatever1000 — As a resident andhomeowner in Jackson Heights, Ichallenge you to come up with a solutionto the abomination that is RooseveltAvenue instead of simply declaring themerchants victims. My immigrant familyhas roots in Corona going back to theGreat Depression and I feel that myinterests in a safe, clean and pleasantJackson Heights are as authentic asanyone elses. The plan for the BID hasn'tbackfired, the merchants are sabatoging itin the name of stagnation and well, yousaid, it, lack of vision. What is"revitalization" to these merchants, moreof the same, ugly, loud, unoriginal anddirty and unsafe? I'd like to see someaction, instead of just claims of foulplayagainst an organization that is tryingto genuinely rehabilitate a blighted area.It's unreal.
Campaigns Embrace Spanish, ButWhat Are …1 comment • 3 months ago
NDWeb1 — Que pasa Carrion?
Grandmas Occupying Street Corners toPrevent Violence1 comment • 5 months ago
