David Young

David Young was born in Honolulu in 1948. He married Ronnie Wilson in Kona in 1970 and there they raised two daughters, Amy and Melissa. He owned and operated The Sandwich Shop a popular restaurant in Kailua in the 1970’s. In 1981 he got his general contractor’s license and built many custom homes at Mauna Kea Fairways, Puako Beach and Kona Bay Estates. He has always been interested in the art and culture of Hawaii and in 1999 published Na Mea Makamae: Hawaiian Treasures, a book about the artifacts of the early Hawaiian culture and their use. The book also has a section with pictures and information about native Hawaiian woods. This interest in the different woods of Hawaii and their early use led to his current ambition of using the exceptional native woods to create replicas of Hawaiian canoes , `umeke, ihe and pahu. He also carves and decorates Hawaiian gourds in the Ni`ihau method. http://www.nameamakamae.com