Mahalo to Our Many Friends Who Attended Our Hanalei Office Blessing (Watch Video)

We wish to thank everyone who came out to celebrate with us yesterday as we returned to our hometown of Hanalei and officially welcomed Country Brokers to our team. Hanalei is at the heart of Hawaii Life. It’s where the company was first launched by Matt Beall and Winston Welborn in 2008.

“We started playing with the concept of Hawaii Life in 2004, working from a small office space at Ching Young Center,” said Welborn, Hawaii Life’s chief design officer. “Much has changed since then, yet Hanalei has always been our hometown. It feels good to come home to Hanalei and the partnership with the team at Country Brokers is a natural fit.”

Winston Welborn, Matt Beall and the Hawai‘i Life ‘ohana celebrate our new space in Hanalei on Kaua‘i’s North Shore.

With more than 75 friends, clients and colleagues in attendance, we officially welcomed Country Brokers to our team last night at our new Hanalei office, located in the space held by Country Brokers for nearly 30 years.

The celebration kicked off with a blessing and chant led by Kahu Sabra Kauka. The blessing was followed by light pupus, beer and wine, with musical entertainment performed by Kaua‘i’s own Jordy Fleming. 

Located at the gateway to Hanalei, you’ll find our newest office on the makai said of Kuhio Highway as you enter Hanalei Town (about 200 yards past the Hanalei Dolphin). Our Hanalei office will provide a third retail location for our clients on Kaua‘i, complementing our offices at the Kukui’ula Shopping Center and at the Shido Building in the heart of Kapa‘a town, in addition to offices on Maui, O‘ahu and Hawai‘i Island.

As Hawaii.com explains: “When a place of business or a new home opens its doors, it is common to have the location blessed by a Hawaiian Kahu (guardian or minister).”

The blessing ceremony dates back to the early days of Hawaiian culture, their website explains.”Though it has come to incorporate Christian elements since the arrival of missionaries in Hawaii in 1820, the ceremony is based on the traditional Hawaiian belief in kapu (taboos) that can be placed on a physical space. Although some societal kapu were immutable, other kapu, such as curses or negative energy, still linger in modern-day places. During a blessing ceremony, a Kahu clears any kapu that might have been placed on a space, so the new occupants may move forward with a “clean slate.””