Miloli‘i native Jeff Silva, 41, of Hawaiian and Portuguese descent, has never let his celebrity as a professional longboard surfer, champion outrigger canoe paddler or his success at business diminish his strong sense of kuleana (responsibility) to preserve and protect Hawai‘i’s rich history and culture, as well as its ‘aina (land) and fragile marine environment.
A father of three, Jeff learned early on the importance of sustainable living on an isolated island in the middle of the Pacific. Growing up in Miloli‘i, a tiny fishing village in South Kona (population roughly 300), he was deep ocean fishing with his father Larry by the time he was 4 and working side by side with him at the family property up mauka, cultivating avocados and coffee on acres of fertile land. Living there also instilled in him the concept of community as ‘ohana (family) – neighbors caring and sharing with one another, living aloha. They are the values he has carried with him throughout the years.
“My father is a hard worker, and together with my uncles, he taught me to be the same. He could be tough, but all he really wanted was to see me succeed, even if he wasn’t thrilled with my decision to forego college to become a pro longboard surfer at age 18,” Jeff says.
It was a decision Jeff made after trading out fishing for surfing nine years earlier when the family moved north. His father, seeing the incredible growth in population, development, and cost of living on the island, gave up fishing and farming for a career as a County Lifeguard at Kahalu‘u Beach Park and Magic Sands Beach – a move he viewed as a more stable and secure way to support the family. Jeff spent those years at the beach with his dad, growing his surfing skills and refining them at Banyans in Kailua-Kona.
“It was Banyans that really built my career with its year-round break, both a left and right, perfect turn sections, and challenging waves with solid energy. All of us groms wanted to be Shane Dorian, who was often in the line at that time,” Jeff says.
Perhaps most importantly, however, were the lessons he learned from the “uncles,” not only tips to improve but also pono (correct) surf etiquette. “You followed the protocol or faced the consequences,” he says.
His outstanding longboard skills did not go unnoticed. The Kona Brewing Company offered to sponsor Jeff as part of its Longboard Ale marketing campaign, allowing him to travel the world as its ambassador for eight years. While competing in championships and meeting great people along the way, he also gained even more appreciation for his island home. The experience also rekindled a long-held desire to ensure important lessons of the past are not lost on future generations by undertaking a project in Kona that’s been long in the making.
Continuing to collaborate with Kona Brewing Company after retiring from the pro tour, Jeff says, “I came full circle returning to fishing and starting my own ‘Ula‘Ula Fish Company in 2012, providing the finest ahi tuna, caught sustainably by hook and line, exclusively to Kona Brew.”
At the same time, he began the search for land in Kona that would serve as a base for the company, as well as a gathering place for kupuna (elders) and kumus (teachers) to talk story, share Hawaiian history, values and skills with island keiki (children) before they are lost, he says.
What he found, or as he says, what found him, was a five-acre parcel on Ali‘i Drive that ultimately delivered so much more: sacred and historic archeological sites that had long gone undiscovered as wild vines and native growth took over the property. Owned for years by a local family determined not to sell it for commercial development; on learning of Jeff’s plans, they happily accepted his “take it or leave it offer.” As fate would have it, when Jeff, his wife Kolina, children Lawai‘a, Mele‘iwa and Nai‘i, and a handful of cousins began hand-clearing, the property remains of an ancient fishing village emerged.
With 1.8 acres dedicated to the preservation of those historical sites, the rest will house his 25-foot fishing boat, named for his eldest daughter Mele‘iwa, and its equipment; gardens filled with native plantings (ti leaf, ulu trees, lauhala and plumeria, among them); farm animals; an imu (underground oven) and a spacious gathering hale (house) designed by Kona contractor Winton Nicholson in a style he has dubbed “modern culture.”
“When kumus come, they will find everything they need right here for lei making, hula, lauhala weaving and cooking in traditional style,” Jeff says.
According to Jeff, the goal is to receive non-profit status as an educational organization for the portions of the property dedicated to that purpose, with free programs for keiki and their ‘ohana. He has targeted summer 2025 as the start date for the program. Stay tuned!
Follow Jeff Silva’s journey on Instagram @jeffsilva808 or UlaUlaFish.com.