Four Seasons Resort Hualalai

Four Seasons Tenure

• Since 2022
• First Four Seasons Position: Current

Employment History

• Punahou School, Honolulu, Hawaii; Kanehunamoku Voyaging Academy, Kaneohe, Hawaii; Wilson Elementary School, Kahala, Hawaii

Education

• Kamehamaha School, Kapalama, Hawaii; Bachelor’s Degree, Communication Studies, Emerson College, Boston, Massachusetts; Master’s Degree, Curriculum Studies, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii

Birthplace

• Kaimuki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

Languages Spoken

• English, Hawaiian

Kaaiohelo McAfee-Torco is on a mission to spread wonder about her home, and as Cultural Manager of Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, she has the perfect platform to do it. “I’m here to represent Hawaii and educate our Ohana Hualalai -- inclusive of guests, members, and employees-- about our rich culture.  I love sharing the stories and history of our islands, while relating Hawaii’s illustrious past to how we celebrate Hawaii today and its global connections.”

Working with a team of Hawaiian culture experts from the Kaupulehu Cultural Center overlooking the 18^th hole of the Resort’s championship golf course, McAfee-Torco oversees a raft of complimentary and interactive offerings relaying the culture, history, and aloha spirit of Hawaii.

There are lessons featuring hula, lei, and ukulele; expert hands-on instruction in the weaving of lauhala leaves and experiencing the technique of Hawaiian quilting; and surveys of the history and culture of Hualalai, once a fishing village, now a magnet for spirited travelers from around the world. “The essence and energy of the village is here with us,” she says of perpetuating the presence of what preceded the Resort. “We are very fortunate to still have access to some of the original families that grew up here.”

McAfee-Torco also leads classes in Hawaiian language, drawing on her extensive immersion background in the same to teach guests, members, and employees the beauty of the islands’ native tongue. A little knowledge can go a long way, she says. “Language is an important tool for empowering our Ohana Hualalai a to feel confident about sharing where they live. We’re all ambassadors for the Resort, but also for Hawaii, and language is a integral part of that.”

Born on Oahu, five islands away from Hawaii Island, a firm foundation in the culture and traditions of Hawaii was first established for McAfee-Torco through immersion schools and music from the Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus. She also attended Kamehamaha Schools, a private educational system established by the estate of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop of the Royal Family of the Kingdom of Hawaii, which gave her a foundation for her kuleana (responsibility) to Hawaii and its people.

Enrolling their daughter in such programs was a bold move for McAfee-Torco’s parents, she remembers. “Neither of them was ever really taught about our culture, and when my half-Hawaiian grandmother grew up, it was looked down upon to be Hawaiian. People used to tell my parents I wouldn’t be successful if I learned in Hawaiian first. But they believed it was important for me and my brother to embrace our heritage.”

She went on to earn a degree in communication at Emerson College in Boston and returned for her master’s in curriculum studies from the University of Hawaii before committing to her career in education.

While content with where her career was headed, McAfee-Torco also felt she was missing practical life skills to accompany her immersive knowledge of all things Hawaiian. So she began spending time learning hana noeau or traditional practices from elders and masters at the Bishop Museum in Honolulu, many of which she now relays at the Resort.

She also joined Ohana Waa (the Polynesian voyaging family), which includes Makalii, Hawaii island’s very own double-hulled voyaging canoe based in Mahukona and Kawaihae. She spent three months traveling on Hokulea, a double-hulled voyaging canoe originally launched by the Polynesian Voyaging Society in 1975 from Nova Scotia through the lock systems of the Great Lakes to Virginia, and came away inspired by much more than the scenery. “I’m not much of a sailor, but I was fascinated by the way people work together to make a voyage,” she remembers. “When you think about it, voyaging is like a thriving community. It’s more than the navigators who read the stars: It’s the woodworkers, rope makers, farmers who grow the materials and food for the crew.”

So, what finally led McAfee-Torco to Four Seasons? She took a long walk on the beach during a visit to Hawaii Island in 2022 and “literally stumbled” upon ancient petroglyphs and the Resort. “I fell in love right away,” she remembers. “The position for Cultural Manager just happened to be open two days later, and it felt right for me.”

That fit is made even snugger by the fact that McAfee-Torco is only the third Cultural Manager to lead the Kaupulehu Cultural Center. The second was Earl Regidor  – affectionately known to guests and employees alike as “Uncle Earl” – who was part of the opening team at  the Center along with the Resort in 1996. “I was fortunate to spend a few months working with him. He is beloved by guests and has developed the Cultural Center into what it is today. I hope to continue this legacy, while leaving my own imprints along the way-- imparting my deep education in Hawaiian and genuine love for Hawaii and our people through everything we do.”