Punatics

Punatics - I think you can use this word two ways: Puna-Tics or Pu-Natics. Either way you, it is a good portion of the people who make up Puna, Hawaii.

I knew going to Pahoa would be different than any other place in Hawaii that I had visited or stayed. Despite being told that matching clothes, and brushing your hair would make you stand out like a sore thumb. I couldnt help but be myself. I certainly heard stories on the matter, and how everyone can spot a tourist immediately. Between the rental cars, the fresh clothes, or something looking like they care about their clothes. You have yourself a foreigner.

Try as I might, the first week I had a very hard time... not caring and embracing the whole "no worries" way of life. Not that people looked at me too funny. But it was obvious, I didnt belong. So I made sure that at the very least I adapted the state of mind. Shaka and Aloha people, and be respectful. Smiling, and being kind I can handle. But not wearing cute shoes and having a nicely put together outfit was another hurdle.

The people of the area are a mixture of Hawaiians, and what appears to be a 70's hippie commune release program. You have people ranging from 18 -80, who are haole's. But they all look like they stepped out of a time machine from the 70's. Shaggy hair, natural like threads that often look dingy and in need of a washing, everything is comfortable, flip flops or other like comfort sandals, facial hair for the men (unkept), and all smelling of nature and/or combined with sweat.

Living in Oregon, and once having lived in Eugene, these types are pretty common. The whole earthy natural thing. But in Puna, due to mild weather all year.. its just a bit different. In general the vast majority of these people appear to be transient wanderers. At least if you put them in any larger city on the mainland. You would assume you would be finding them panhandling on the corner, sitting outside of a homeless shelter or hitching for a ride to greener pastures. Granted some of these people very well could have lived that way on the mainland before making their way to Hawaii. Never the less, my initial opinion of those hitch hiking in Puna was "suspect".

There are two main examples where I learned they are just normal people and NOT like the people you find on the mainland.

Example 1: Me and my family went to warm pond... it was a busier day. It was obvious that the right side was the "tourist" side and the left side was the "locals" side. We were a bit torn by seeing this division. We drive a local car, my mom has a house, as far as we see it.. this is our second home. So we feel more local than tourist. The whole week prior we had been on the "locals" side. So we decide to carry on, as creatures of habit. We put our stuff down (keys to the car, cell phones, camera's, so on - placed in my backpack), and submerge into the water. As we are just floating around and enjoying this magical place.

I see this man come into the area. He is skinny, wearing black jeans that are slightly baggy, dirty, and in general beat up. He has a chain that connets to his presumed wallet in the back pocket. No shirt, hair partially shaved with psuedo dreds in part of his hair, no shirt and a moderate tan. He had a blue healer dog with him skirting around the pond and sniffing about. Basically I see him encroach upon our items and near other peoples as well. I am having a mild anxiety attack. My husband works in law enforcment, and needless to say I watch the news. I judged a book by its cover. But beyond that I have learned, you often can not trust strangers. Especially when given oppertunity. I discreetly float closer to my husband and our stuff. I whisper to him... "Should I get out of the water and sit with our stuff.. that guy is suspect". He smiles at me and says no... he is fine. Bewildered I look at him.. "Umm did you see him... that guy is suspect for sure".. "No babe, he is not. Look at the way he treats his dog. His dog is healthy, happy, and he treats him with kindness. If their is anything I have learned about working with criminals and bad people. They dont treat their animals well. This guy is fine." I still am having a hard time believing this... so I float a bit closer to our items while keeping one eye on the perp and one eye on my kids. As the man proceeds past our items he comes to the waters edge where there was an older punatic sitting and sunning himself. I hear the perp say "Hi ________, how are you doing bruddah?" and then a friendly conversation ensues.

Not long after its time for us to leave, so we pack up our items and head back to the car. At which would the "perp" strolls up to the beat up pickup truck next to us to get in and leave as well. Not only did he have his own car, he also had his own business doing landscaping. So this man that I judged as "bad news"... was just a normal guy here. Just the guy next door.

Example 2: On various occassions when we were driving to the tidepools and warm pond, we would pass this older man who I had dubbed as Papa Smurf or Yard Gnome. He was like in his late 60's, longer white hair, white fuzzy medium length beard, tactical boots, jeans that were cut off at the top of his boots, and a dark blue hoodie. He was often hitch hiking near the turn off to some of the best relaxing places in the area. We never stopped, I just looked at him... and thought.. he is homeless, and possibly untrustworthy.

One day just me and the boys went to warm pond. We are floating around having a good time and I see Papa Smurf appear on a bench at the waters edge. He looked friendly enough, but I am alone, with my babies, and the pond was not busy at all. So it was me and about 5-10 other people. Half oblivious tourist and the other half haole locals. No one notices this guy, but he is tucked away sort of at the back area. So I make sure the boys are closer to me and again I keep an eye on him and my kids. I see a knife strapped to his leg as he removes his boots. I am thinking.. THIS CANT BE GOOD! Slowly he removes layers of clothing. Meanwhile I start chating wth a lady from Kauai, and her and her daughter are headed to Oregon to look at colleges. I lose track of Papa Smurf.

Once I am done talking to the friendly lady I look around to find Papa. His boots and jeans are in place on the bench but he is no where to be seen. I will admit, I had a mild panic. I assumed he had gotten into the water. Outside of this lady, her daughter, and my two boys... there were only 3 other people floating around. 3 local haole ladies chatting it up with one another. So I think.. snorkeling.. maybe he is under water? I look and look and for the life of me I cant find this guy. Finally I cant handle it any longer... I tell my kids its time to go. We get out.. dry off and proceed towards the car.

Further up towards the car at a pinic bench I see a friendly looking older man sitting in swim trunks, very tan and it is obvious he is a punatic. He gives me a friendly smile and I smile back. Like a ton of bricks... as I observe his prominent nose and tamed white hair and beard I realize.. THIS is papa smurf. This guy... who looks completely normal, not scary, and in fact like a wonderfully kind man.. is the man I was fearing. Feeling like a fool and continue back to the car. I sit there for a few min, and realize, that his ungroomed self, it ratty clothes, yet again had me judging him for a "criminal".

It was really at that point, I really started to realize what Puna was all about. No one is about what they wear, or drive, how they do their hair and whether their hair has grey in it or not. No one cares about what is on the outside. What truly mattes is how you treat others. Something that is lost on the mainland.

People hitch hike all the time in Puna. The next day you see them get into a car. Its just part of the life style down there. You dont feel like driving, guess what someone you know, or dont will pick you up and take you elsewhere. People are so kind, all of them. Whether you are in the store, getting gas, eating out or just walking down the street. They all smile, shaka and say aloha. Ones value and riches are defined in who they are as a person.. not what they wear, the labels on their clothes or the car they drive. It doesnt matter if you have the newest iPhone, or some new gadget. None of that serves importances. I do suspect a small part of this is because getting certain goods are very expensive and difficult. But the reality is, they people all have learned that you dont need that to feel happy or feel better about yourself. They lived without it because it is not a priority.

So, in conclusion I have learned that it truly is important to not judge a book by its cover. Perhaps when it comes to people and determining whether they are suspect of not, is something that you leave on the mainland. When you come to Hawaii, and in particular Puna... you do have to leave the judgement aside and judge based on if the person is a good person. Not for how they look.. just how they treat others. You will be surprised and furthermore, you will realize that our mainland ways are quite closed off to new comers.

Afterall Puna is just full of a bunch of people who want to live off the land, be more natural, and enjoy the company of a stranger they meet sitting on the bench next to them. No worries at its finest.

#punatics