Being a waterman is so much more than surfing.

Five speakers shared thoughts on the values behind being watermen and waterwomen in front of a live audience on May 5 at the Honolulu Museum of Art’s Doris Duke Theatre.

Hawaii Storytellers is a community-driven event series by Honolulu Civil Beat that puts community voices at center stage sharing true, first-person narratives.

This installment featured:

Duane DeSoto on growing up in Makaha and his connection to the ocean through family.

Marcel Honore on his experiences reporting from the Hokulea’s World Wide Voyage.

Jim Howe on his journey as a young surfer to become a lifeguard and later the director of the Department of Emergency Services.

Crystal Thornburg-Homcy on empowering women through surfing.

Mike Town on his calling to restore the “canoe” that is the island of Kahoolawe.

Meira Va’a on her journey as an adaptive waterwoman and involvement in the water-based nonprofit organization AccesSurf.

The next Hawaii Storytellers event is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 24 at the ARTS at Marks Garage. Please mark your calendars for this back-to-school event as we hear from local educators about “why I teach.”

If you know of someone who would be a fitting speaker or if you’d like to participate yourself, please email us at membership@civilbeat.org. Participating as a speaker is a great opportunity to share your story with the community and receive professional storytelling coaching.

In the meantime, enjoy these clips from our most recent storytellers as they share their unique relationships with water.