The Destruction of Hedonisia Hawaii
On May 26, 2018, lava from the Kilauea volcano eruption destroyed the Hedonisia Eco-Community. Approximately 75% of the property is now covered in lava.
One of the founding principles of Hedonisia was the Buddhist concept of “loving non-attachment”. Our community was located in Lava Zone 1, on Kilauea Volcano’s Lower East Rift Zone. We always knew there was a chance we could be affected by an eruption. But, like many, we never thought it would happen to us.
However, it did. We loved our community. Now it has been taken away in a flood of lava and the principle of loving non-attachment is really hitting home for us as we grieve the loss of our community.
Before the Eruption
To give you a little taste of what our community was like before the 2018 eruption, we have a wonderful documentary about our community which we made in 2015:
During the Eruption.
I was allowed one brief visit to load up a carload of personal possessions on May 10, 2018. This video documents that day when I just had 20 minutes to load up my car and see my property for the last time before it was taken by lava two weeks later.
May 26, 2018: The day Hedonisia burned . . .
Community Director Mojo’s personal home was called the Jungle Cottage. You can see it burning in the photo. My home for 14 years, the Hedonisia Eco-Community was taken by the Kilauea Volcano. 75% of the property is now covered but there is a beautiful Kipuka of green land remaining.
After the Kilauea Volcano Eruption
We’re currently working on a new video outlining our rebuilding program. This video was the first I made in early 2019 in my first visit after the eruption destroyed Hedonisia.
We want to return and rebuild when it is safe to do so.
Post-Volcano Lodging & Volunteer Opportunities
While we prepare to return to our pre-volcano land, in the interim, we offer lodging and volunteer opportunities at two nearby properties: