Mike Yulo, a Native Hawaiian beekeeper on Kaua‘i who harvests honey brimming with the flavors of local flora—cactus, coconut, plumeria, ginger, hibiscus—is harnessing the flavors of Hawai‘i’s westernmost main island. Kaua‘i has a strong history, which is a source of pride for locals. Among Native Hawaiians’ core beliefs is “He Ali’i Ka ‘Āina; He Kauwā ke Kanaka”: The land is chief, and humans its servants. Mike embodies this philosophy and is dedicated to preserving the land through traditional Hawaiian beekeeping methods. He’s so dedicated, in fact, that he once risked his life to save his bees. In April 2019, a heavy storm system battered the island, dropping a record 50 in [1.3 m] of rain. “Uncle Mike,” as he’s known locally, rushed to his beehouse, some distance from home, and loaded all his hives into his truck just minutes before the waters rose to wash them away. But just up the road, in a matter of minutes, the floodwater overwhelmed his truck, and he was forced to crawl out a window, where he used a honey bucket as a buoy until he could get to higher ground.
