Interesting Islanders

Meet Al Konishi

Who da guy? Who da guy?
Who da guy wearing a bright pink bandana around his neck?
It was a day of regatta canoe club races at Hilo Bay. Hundreds of people lined the shore. Many chose the shade of temporary canopies lined with wooden paddles. All were waiting for their next race or cheering on others in their respective club.
Yet, there was this guy with a pink scarf. He stood out from among the large crowd.
It was more than the bold choice of neckwear, however. He was joking and laughing with his teammates while cooking hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill. It was obvious this beacon of pinkness was having more fun than anyone on the beach.
It was time for a closer look. Auwe. Da kine had pink sleepahs and a wallet to match too.
Who was this man who actually looked pretty in pink?
Turns out it was Hilo resident Al Konishi, the county clerk for the entire island. A lawyer by trade.
But, that's just his day job.
His passion, his "real" passion is the ocean. This love affair began on Oahu, where Al grew up. This 1970 graduate of St. Louis spent much of his youth surfing at various beaches around the island.
Unlike Peter Pan in Wonderland, however, Al had to grow up and get a job. His only hope was finding a job near the ocean. That happened when he moved to Hilo and became a member of the Keaukaha Canoe Club.
"This is my dream come true," Al said. "I was a beach bum then, I'm a beach bum now and I'll be a beach bum forever."
When the 51-year-old wasn't racing in the senior division, he was busy as a boatholder for the various races.
That meant Al had the important job of holding the individual canoes before each race. It was his job to keep the narrow boat from drifting. It's a difficult job, he said, involving a vast amount of treading in the water, waiting for the boats to complete their quarter mile to one-and-a-half mile races.
At the end of the day, however, it urns out the county clerk's pink wardrobe isn't a fetish. Al said he started to wear pink slippers, rash guards, fins and the rest to ward off thieves.
"It all started with slippers," he said. "I noticed if you wear pink slippers that no one steals them."
Now, Al said, it's his identity, a trademark that has turned into a conversation piece.
"It's just fun," he said. "People wonder about it. It's a unique thing because a lot of men won't wear pink."
It certainly worked for me.
Unfortunately, Al doesn't wear a pink hat because he hasn't found one he likes yet. Don't worry Al, It's time to clean out my closet. I'm sure there is one in there you can try on for size. Anyone else?
After all, you da guy!