Down On the Sidewalk in Waikiki: Storytelling with Justyn Ah Chong

Storyteller Justyn Ah Chong speaks to founders in a Q&A session following the presentation of his short film

By Miranda Canniff

Throughout Day 3 of Nalukai, founders learned how to strengthen their brand and products to deliver an authentic, human, and effective user experience. They were able to set the all-important foundations for their companies by fleshing out the values and the stories that they wanted to tell–taking everything from key words to color into consideration. 

In the evening, the founders were given the opportunity to sit with local storyteller and filmmaker Justyn Ah Chong to discuss his short film, “Down On the Sidewalk in Waikiki”. The film, inspired by the work of the late poet Wayne Kaumualiʻi Westlake, narrates the story of a janitor working in the famous Waikiki stretch and his observations of the people around him. His work is a creative and provoking depiction of Westlake’s honest and straightforward commentary on the displacement of the native people of Hawaii. 

Born and raised on Oʻahu, Justyn felt that he could see bits of himself in Westlake’s poems and was inspired to share his manaʻo in speaking about the struggles of Native Hawaiians fighting to reclaim their homeland. He spoke to the founders about the importance of authenticity in storytelling, stating that "authenticity in speaking and expressing yourself comes from a place of knowing yourself.” In the next few days, founders will utilize these elements of storytelling to bring their business ideas to life.

For more information on “Down On the Sidewalk in Waikiki” visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2118371275/down-on-the-sidewalk-in-waikiki