Wednesday was Kamehameha Day, a day honoring the monarch who was the first to establish the unified Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. He was born on Hawaiʻi Island, so we shared some recent interviews with people who have ties to the Big Island.
Many know our islands as a melting pot of cultures — people have been making their way here for centuries. But I bet no transplant has made light of his move to our islands quite like Adam Palya.
He's the creator of the light-hearted and humorous web series, "Haole Do It." If you’re unfamiliar with the Hawaiian word haole, Palya uses this definition: one who is not descended from the aboriginal Polynesian inhabitants of Hawaiʻi.
His "Haole Do It" series documents his journey learning about the Hawaiian culture from legendary Hawaiian musician Brother Noland and a few other friends.
Palya’s originally from Pennsylvania and worked in television production on the continent for over a decade. In 2020, he and his wife moved to her hometown of Waimea on Hawaiʻi Island to escape the pandemic. HPR recently got a chance to talk to Palya about the series.
You can watch all three seasons, 18 episodes, on haoledoit.com or Kahilu TV.
This story aired during a special Kamehameha Day broadcast on June 11, 2025.
