Beneath Konahuanui

The growing support continues to humble us each and every day. We are beyond fortunate to have friends, family and many who came before us helping us find our way. We owe any and all good we do to our community, family and all those who reached out to kokua. If/when we make mistakes, that is on us. We will always work to learn forward and improve each step of the way. 

The connections are many when it comes to making anything work. It is never just one person, or one family. With that, we want to take a moment to reintroduce ourselves knowing that we are just a small piece of a greater puzzle: My name is Tasha Lyman-Mersereau and this is Kaniela and Paʻa. We are the creators behind our small shop, Onepaʻa Hawaiʻi.

Based beneath the emerald Kuahiwi, Konahuanui in Mānoa Valley, we do much of our work from the home where Kanielaʻs ʻohana has been for generations. I was raised on the beautiful island of Maui. 

Onepaʻa represents our love and adoration for our favorite creation in his favorite elements while also expressing the unwavering aloha, identity values and roots that have been shaped by our island home, this island earth. 

It was a routine day at the beach on the windward side of the Koʻolau mountains that had us considering the way each grain of sand sticks, holds, attaches and embraces our skin and clothes. Just like the waves and wind that shape them, each beach is different, but similar. Sand moves with time as time moves with sand. "It is an interesting play on words" a close friend who is a fluent ʻolelo hawaiʻi speaker and academic told us. She spoke of the way the sounds connected to the powerful words of Queen Liliʻuokolani: "E ʻonipaʻa i ka ʻimi naʻauao," which may be translated to be steadfast in the seeking of knowledge. This is the way.

In considering one as sand, home and time there is inspiration to remain solid, but also be able to adjust with time and context. Perspective abounds when you take a moment to really SEE and FEEL each grain of sand... 

aloha wale nō