7 Local Podcasts We’re Listening To
Here are a few noteworthy podcasts centered on all things Hawai‘i, ranging from native birds to ghost stories to current events.
It’s 2022, and there are hundreds of thousands of podcasts covering every imaginable topic, including ones geared to local listeners. We did some digging and found a few noteworthy podcasts centered on all things Hawai‘i, ranging from native birds to ghost stories to local culture. Here are a few we’re listening to:
Photo: Courtesy of PBS Hawai‘i
What School You Went?
A podcast for locals about locals, this PBS Hawai‘i program hosted by Ron Mizutani welcomes experts and personalities from across the state each week to talk story about different topics, many of them delightful throwbacks, and all of them integral to what it means to live in Hawai‘i and grow up with local culture. They hit on everything from shave ice to why you don’t take pork over the Pali, from bon dances to the Consolidated Theatres hula trailer. This one is a real must-listen. Our own Mari Taketa, editor of Frolic Hawai‘i, recently appeared on the show to discuss the local food scene. If you missed it, catch it here.
Ghostlore of Hawai‘i
What better time to immerse yourself in ghost stories? This podcast plays like an eerie storytime radio show, with music and dialogue adding depth to each episode’s tales and a distinctly local flavor that makes it all the more real. If you grew up loving Obake Files or chicken skin stories, you’ll want to listen to every one of these thoughtfully produced pieces.
Oh, and if you want even more spooky tales, here’s our recent story with locals sharing spine-chilling ghost stories.
Listen on ghostloreofhawaii.com
Photo: Courtesy of Hawai‘i Magazine
Have Aloha Will Travel
Our sister brand Hawai‘i Magazine‘s podcast, hosted by editor Kevin Allen and writer Catherine Toth Fox, delves into all things Hawaiʻi with lots of fun and humor. A sample of past topics: 36 Hours on Kauaʻi; We Got Maui on Our Minds; and How to Get Hitched in Hawaiʻi.
Photo: Courtesy of Hawai‘i Public Radio
Hawai‘i Public Radio’s Manu Minute
There’s a simple, soothing charm to this little HPR-created podcast. Each episode shines a spotlight on a different Hawai‘i bird, offering not only information about its environment and conservation, but downright lovely audio of the bird’s unique song set against ambient sounds from Island forests.
Listen on hawaiipublicradio.org
Photo: Courtesy of Bishop Museum
Bishop Museum
The museum hasn’t added new podcast episodes for a while now, but if you’re new to its content, you’ll still have fun catching up with available tracks from the past couple of years. Unlike your typical podcast, Bishop Museum’s series is a collection of audio recordings of events and presentations hosted by the museum, so you get to hear from some of the experts and scholars who have contributed to the work there.
Photo: Courtesy of Hawai‘i News Now
The Other Side of Paradise with Lynn Kawano
Polished travel content and social media-ready tropical imagery about Hawai‘i is easy to find, but if you’re looking for discussions on some of the less camera-ready headlines, this Hawai‘i News Now podcast by its chief investigative reporter will pique your interest. Real local stories of murder, corruption, scandal and even espionage will crop up here, making your commute just a little juicier while also catching you up on some of the latest current events.
Photo: Courtesy of Hawai‘i Business
The Hawai‘i Business Podcast
Another of our sister publications, Hawai‘i Business, goes behind-the-scenes with influential local business and community leaders. Past guests include Elisia Flores, CEO of L&L Hawaiian Barbecue; East-West Center President Suzanne Vares-Lum; and Patrick Sullivan, founder and CEO of Oceanit.
