As I sit down to write this piece my eyes are sunburnt and my ribs are sore. It’s only been two days in a row of high noon surfs and 4 more to go as town starts to come alive in its first round of spring swells. I would surf for hours on end if my body allowed me too.
I paint this picture because though it may seem cliche- only a surfer knows the feeling- is quite possibly the truest statement I can use. But if you're not a surfer, I know there is something in your life that helps to complete you while bringing fulfillment.. Something that maybe can even define you? So channel that as I talk to you and perhaps maybe introduce you to this very beautiful soul Pamakani.
It was Hawaiians that brought surfing to the world, and among many other sacred traditions the other familiar practice you may know is Lei making. A smile. That is probably what just came over you. To receive or give a lei is to give or receive love- or better put aloha.
Pamakani is both of these things, a surfer and a lei maker- and better known as Ocean Dreamerr on Instagram. An early adaptor to the app, you will find nothing but a positive footprint wherever her name is mentioned.
She is from the small island of Molokai, where cultural roots run deep. She grew up watching her mom make lei’s for loved ones, and I could hear her light up when she spoke on it- “I just fell in love with it, because my mom brought a different art to it too, she did it her way, and I loved how she created her own style as well. I was always inspired by my mother and her love for plants, flowers and lei making.”
If you follow Pamakani on Instagram @ocean_dreamerr with the other 91k of us then you are very familiar with the signature style she has created. Though she makes an assortment of hakus, leis, and bouquets, her signature is the magic she has made with the hibiscus. Though it may be the flower you think of when Hawai’i comes to mind, it's not always the flower commonly used in lei making.. In fact rarely.
Spoiler alert- Pamakani- is another name for a native Hibiscus ( grown on Molokai ). That's another beautiful thing about Hawaiian culture, not any one person is just given a name. There is meaning behind it, often given by someone within the family, a dream sometimes about the name, and the person grows to truly embody the meaning- so is it coincident? No, it's Hawaiian. It’s intentional. So then why the name Ocean Dreamerr?
As women we go through so many metamorphosis. And at the time, when her account was created, Pamakani was on a path to rediscovery. In the ocean like so many of us that live in Hawai’i is where she found solace, no chaos, a place to be calm, collective and that's when Pamakani started to dream again of her passion, lei making.
We change our hair color, we switch up our style, and in 2012 we got on Instagram and became who we wanted to be ( and forever evolving depending on the day ). A surfer to her soul and soothed by the waves- Ocean Dreamerrr is another adjective that can be added to the list to describe this mana wahine.
“It's never too late to do what you love. It’s never too late to really evolve into your passion because there is always a learning process. The more you are open to learning more things, I think you evolve even more. You grow into your own and you become more confident in your passion”.
I swoon for this woman and her words. My biggest regret is holding myself back from being and doing all that I have ever wanted. But when I listen to another woman speak with such certainty then I know, it's okay, to keep pushing ahead. at any age.
As we got to talking more, I realized we had more in common- a fitness enthusiast and once a waitress ( both I deeply connect with), Pamakani was also known as a lei maker on the low. But when orders began to pile up, and people continually encouraged her to share her passion with the rest of the world- it was only a matter of time before the photos of her lei’s from our tiny island spread like a lilikoi vine to all faucets of the internet.
“At first I was like should I do this or not? I really was questioning myself, but the more the positivity came in, it gave me confidence in myself that I never knew I had”
Before she knew it she was in high demand, working with WSL, Hurley, Billabong ( to name a few ), she was at every pool party, and every major night market. Within 3 years she was able to create full time and support her family doing what she loved. There wasn’t a feed you didn’t see her on, and in addition to her budding business she created yet another sanctuary if you will- The Hibiscus Love Tub. A vintage victorian bathtub, filled to the brim with Hibiscus where any man or woman can fulfill the photoshoot of his or her dreams. Because who doesn’t want to be showered in flowers? With that I should say a photo of the Hibiscus Love Tub went viral- a few times over.. featured below.
Pamakani with 4x world champ Carissa Moore
I couldn’t think of another Babe On A Mish to feature than a local woman who exudes women empowerment, is an example of how it's never too late to pursue a passion, encourages you to be unapologetic in celebrating any event- with puas to the sky, and how her mish though it may have blossomed into many facets, runs deep to who she is, and is rooted with love.
So what about when you go to the grocery store? Or who do you jam to when you need some inspo or better yet what's the biggest misconception of it being all rainbows & actually flowers everywhere?
Keep reading because I got the deets on this Babe On A Mish of the Month
That last quote spoke to me. As a society we group everyone into niches. And I don’t know why but being a woman we are without a doubt subconsciously comparing ourselves to anyone and everyone- not to mention the tole that social media can put on any one of us.
remembering that your greatest power is simply just being you- is the BEST ADVICE.
It was an honor to interview a woman I have admired for years, watched grow, and do it all while continuing to uplifting others and her home.
You can keep up with Pamakani’s creativity @ocean_dreamerr on Instagram