Our Vision

We are a collective community/eco-village on the Big Island of Hawaii who have come together to build an alternative way of life. At Cinderland we have a vision of creating abundance in our lives. An abundance of simple pleasures. Pleasures that society has steered us away from, but ones that we find to be the most crucial to overall health and happiness. Just a few freedoms we have come to value are the freedom of wholesome nourishment, human connection, honest communication and cooperation. We have come to realize that the organic human rights we crave can only be manifested outside of the context of unfulfilling jobs, credit card debt, failed relationships, and disconnection from the landbase. We were drawn here to experience freedom in its purest forms, to get back into our beautiful bodies, and open our hearts to another world of existence. We are well on our way.

Goals

We have several goals. One is autonomous food cultivation. We are of the idea that we have to know where our food comes from. Food does not grow in little plastic packages in the supermarket. Because of modern nutrition habits we have fallen victim to disease, mutation, and self-mummification through preservatives, yellow #5, and high fructose corn syrup. We are through with feeling powerless at the truths which face us on every vegetarian pamphlet, in every new terrifying food study, and in our own bodies when we know we've eaten something our intestines were not made to handle. We want to know our farmers and trust that they are not pumping us full of chemicals to save a few bucks or to relieve the pressure from some company's financial department. So instead of gulping down the horrors we know exist and throwing up our hands in despair, we decided to become farmers ourselves. Ever since Jesus (pronounced Kh-e-ssoos) planted the first seed in the cinder soil over seven years ago, this land has blossomed into a fertile paradise. We have about three acres of banana trees, papayas, white pineapples, plus many other tropical fruits you may have never heard of, like rollenia, soursop, and the largest fruit in the world: jackfruit. And for our lunchtime salads, three main vegetable gardens have popped up over the last couple of years, two just in the last three months. They are vibrant and proud to boast a plethora of yummy greens, tomatoes, okra, cucumbers, beans, herbs, and tropical flowers. All is grown organically through a variety of techniques. We feed the land with food compost, animal and human compost, and mulch. By re-using our waste, more soil is created than destroyed, which is a truly sustainable practice.

Another goal is to build collective, community consciousness. We believe that two heads are better than one, and 20 get way more done than two. We've found that surrounding ourselves in an intimate, communal spirit truly breeds health, happiness, and love for us and those we touch. Realizing our dreams and accomplishing our goals begins with feeling comfortable, safe, and respected in our environment, and that is born out of a communal agreement of support.

One communal endeavor which has bloomed over the last year or so is our Sunday night ritual gathering called Jah Pizza. This is a collective effort to feed the community pizza and nourish them with a sense of togetherness. With pizza we can take back the power of one of America's favorite foods, and reclaim the health and joy in eating it without the saturated fat and corporate corruption it entails. Jah Pizza started as a vision of our resident cook, Adam, who was inspired to create an alternative to Krishna Pizza, which is held on the same night elsewhere in Puna. Jah Pizza comes with no religious dogma or rigid ritual, merely an opportunity to give, share, and spread the cooperative vibration, which drives us every day, with non-Cinderland community members . You can't go hungry with the 15 decadent pizzas Adam generously cooks up every week, plus the spread of appetizing salads, side dishes, dips, and fruits.The food is provided through contributions and donations from anyone who comes to partake. The oven is always hot, the drums are always beating, and our voices are raised in thanks and celebration. Prepare something with love, we'd love to enjoy it with you!

Land Projects

Land projects are a constantly evolving pursuit. Currently there is a communal kitchen, two dormitories (one male and the other female), a composting toilet, shower, tool shed, and individual resident camps (about 15 campsites). They are all built from recycled, donated, and harvested materials. Resident camps are made from any combination of bamboo, tarps, shadecloth, and wood. Almost all of them have running water, and if it doesn't, it could! The composting toilet is made of cement and wood (it's cozier than it sounds!). The kitchen and dorm spaces were constructed with bamboo, tarps, wood, glass, and whatever other materials presented themselves to create aesthetic and practical value. The women's dorm (Goddess Sanctuary) was just completed about a month ago, and so far it has attracted some very fruitful female energy. We feel so blessed to have the resources and skills to create a space like that. Plans are in the making for more structures, like more water catchments, another compost toilet, and a hot water shower. What do you like to do? Cinderland can find celebration for any and all passions.

Facilities : The Kitchen

We feel the kitchen deserves special note, as it is the most magnetic area on the land. It continuously attracts food, friends, musicians, art, musical instruments, fire, free boxes, books, kooky dishes, and revolutionary ideas. You'll never go hungry, as almost every meal cooked or prepared raw is open to everyone around. Fruit from the land belongs to all. We find through this communal spirit, our individual plastic bubbles are constantly being pushed and broken, allowing space for a more rewarding collective consciousness. The kitchen is placed just to the left upon entering Cinderland, so it is hard not to stop in there first to see what's going on. Those who come through are any variation of musicians, gardeners, painters, chefs, mechanics, engineers, poets, lovers, visionaries, anarchists, workers, healers, dancers, mothers, children, chocolatiers, and writers. We are all conscious, connected, divine, awake, and family.