Local people, local stories, inspired by ALOHA. We know we're lucky we live Hawaiʻi – not just because of the scenery, but because of the spirit of aloha shared by all of us who call Hawaiʻi home. Host Nolan Hong talks story with kamaʻaina to uncover experiences that we can all relate to and connect with.
"Here in Hawaiʻi" theme song written & performed by Chardonnay (insta @chardonnay.music) and Brittni Paiva (insta @iambrittnipaiva)
📺 Watch video clips from these interviews on our youtube channel – https://www.youtube.com/@hereinhawaiitv
💌 Sign up for our monthly email to get the behind-the-scenes scoops – https://popcreativemedia.myflodesk.com/hereinhawaii
Aloha, and welcome to the final episode of the Here in Hawaiʻi podcast. We're taking the podcast off podcast apps on Sept 29, 2026.
The show itself has evolved quite a bit since those early podcast days. We're still having the same kind of relaxed, authentic conversations, but now they're more immersive. Instead of just sitting down for an interview, we're hanging out with people in their world — trying what they do, going where they go, and getting to know them along the way.
So if you liked the podcast, come check out Here in Hawaiʻi on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook & TikTok, and we'll be coming to OC16 in November.
Thanks for listening, and thanks for being part of the early days of Here in Hawaiʻi 🤙
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@hereinhawaiitv
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/hereinhawaiitv/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/hereinhawaiitv
TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@hereinhawaiitv
7 May 2025
Fighting for Family, Healing, and the Dogs Who Saved Her | Ilima-Lei Macfarlane | HIH 01-12
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane is a professional MMA fighter and proud Native Hawaiian born and raised in Honolulu. Known to fans as “The Ilimanator,” she made history as Bellator’s first-ever women’s flyweight champ and built a reputation for her grit and submission skills.
In this episode of Here in Hawaiʻi, Ilima gets personal. She talks about her deep love for adopting rescue dogs (especially the scrappy, medical-case ones), why her family is her greatest blessing, and the unexpected way her parents responded when she told them she was ditching her academic career — master’s degree and all — to become a fighter.
She opens up about her healing journey through therapy and the mental toughness it takes to step into the cage. We also hear an incredible story about her dad discovering that one of his closest friends from high school was actually his half-brother — and a heartfelt moment from Nolan about how Ilima’s dad helped him graduate from Punahou.
Ilima also shares her advice for getting through heartbreak, and walks us through all the emotions leading up to her first fight at the Blaisdell — check out Episode 12 to see clips from that unforgettable night while she's talking about it.
30 Apr 2025
The Real Roots of Local Culture: Power, Plantations & Pan-Ethnic Solidarity | Dr. Kealani Cook | HIH 01-11
What if the real legacy of Hawaiʻi’s plantation days isn’t just in our food, slang, or aloha shirts — but in our fight for solidarity?
In this episode we sit down with Dr. Kealani Cook, Associate Professor of History at UH West Oʻahu, for a mini-history lesson on how plantation-era Hawaiʻi shaped the cultural and political landscape we live in today. Dr. Cook traces his own journey — from a kid fascinated by Hawaiian history to a disillusioned teen tired of colonizer-driven narratives, and finally to a historian who now uses history as a tool to analyze power.
We dig into how racism was weaponized to divide immigrant laborers, and how, in response, powerful moments of cross-cultural union and resistance emerged. This episode is for anyone curious about what truly connects us here in Hawaiʻi — and why understanding our past is key to building a stronger future.
You can find the TV episodes of Here in Hawaiʻi on our website, https://hereinhawaiitv.com
🌺 Please join us in supporting our partners
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Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
74,087
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 71 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
81
Social presence
97
YouTube
76
Engagement
27
Contact Here in Hawaii
Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
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