HB 056: Island of Hawaii Pono Pledge

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On this episode, Bryan sits down with Frecia Cevallos and Lauren Manuel from Hawai’i Island’s Pono Pledge Initiative.

Frecia is a tourism specialist who has a huge passion for helping Hawaii thrive by promoting healthy communities, maintaining strong culture, and protecting natural resources. Lauren is vice president of sales for a destination management company and helps people experience the islands fully, with a special place in her heart for Hawai’i Island.

With travel continuing to open back up from the mainland, to Hawaii (with safe travel protocols in place of course), so many people are excited to travel, and places like Hawai’i Island are catching soon-to-be visitor’s attention. It has every climate on it from snow to hot sunny beaches to black lava rock. So, the desire to visit is at a significant high!

The Pono Pledge was created to keep local residents and visitors alike safe with their guidelines, forethought, and care.

Pono means righteous and morally correct. It encompasses the idea of being mindful of how you’d want someone to be treated and treating others that way. It relates to respecting the island’s hospitality and having awareness of the environment and culture around you. This helps ensure the safety and longevity of the people that live there, as well as the visitors.

On this episode, we learn why not every activity you see on social media is a good idea to try while visiting; you don’t want to trespass on private property, get a citation from trying an illegal hike, or be caught in a flash flood. So, part of the Pono Pledge is committing to practicing wisdom while you’re in a less unfamiliar place.

It’s amazing how much love people that call Hawai’i Island have for the land. The Pono Pledge isn’t just some list of “don’t”s – it’s a guide to taking care of a place that we want to be able to bring our children and grandchildren for years to come. As it says, we surely can seek wonder without wandering somewhere we don’t belong.

Bryan, Lauren, and Frecia talk about how amazing volcanoes are – but they can be dangerous too; you don’t want to fall in the lava. The word “kapu” indicates private property, so if you see a sign posted with that word, be respectful and steer clear.

Plus, the last thing any of us want to do is harm sea turtles or seals by touching them – some wildlife is supposed to be admired from afar. The Pono Pledge website has all the information you need about protected species, and how to interact with them. If you’re unsure about something, find the visitor center or park ranger in that area and ask.

Lauren and Frecia encourage us all to have Aloha Spirit when we visit and speak about how eager the locals are to give that same spirit right back. Frecia encourages visitors to check out the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and Lauren reminds us to embrace Hawaii’s culture by hiking with guides who can teach us the rich history of the island and its culture.