About The AUTHOR & BOOK
Jeffrey Kalani Coakley traded Honolulu's hustle for Kohala's red dirt cliffs in 1971. A Vietnam veteran and lifelong storyteller, he spent decades listening to Kohala's elders while spearfishing, taro farming, and raising sons near Niuliʻi Stream. His work with Hui Māmalahoa fueled his mission: to honor the people who taught him that outhouses breed humility, and community is the only luxury you need.
This collection immerses readers in 1970s Kohala, where neighbors shared fish from backyard ponds, children learned spearfishing as a rite of passage, and elders passed down legends under ironwood trees. Each story pulses with authenticity, blending suspense, humor, and raw humanity.
Coakley's writing feels like listening to a wise storyteller on a breezy lānai. His prose balances vivid observation with deep reverence. He captures the crunch of black sand underfoot, the terror of a shark's shadow, and the warmth of peppermint tea shared after night fishing. His style honors oral tradition, making complex cultural insights accessible. Pidgin phrases like "No mo wada!" (There's no water) or "Rap ʻem!" (Catch them crabs!) ground the narrative in place.
The core message resonates powerfully: true wealth lies not in possessions, but in community and connection to the land. The "outhouse mentality" dismissed by outsiders symbolized humility, sustainability, and interdependence. Coakley shows how these values sustained Kohala through plantation closures and cultural erosion. His stories challenge modern materialism, urging readers to reconsider what "progress" truly means.