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Episodes (5)
Hawaii - Where the Earth Talks Back About Sovereignty, Sunsets & Sparkling Mead With Mandy Powers Norrell
Hawai'i has been called paradise, battleground, kingdom, and colony — sometimes all at once. In this episode of Wherever It Leads…, LUNASHARK Producer David Moses dives into the real story of the Hawaiian Islands: from Polynesian voyagers and the coup to overthrow Queen Lili'uokalani to Pearl Harbor, the push for statehood, and the devastating 2023 Lahaina fires that continue to reshape Maui today. David sits down with South Carolina attorney and former state legislator Mandy Powers Norrell — who is a passionate advocate for Hawai'i culture and responsible tourism — for a conversation about finding community on the North Shore, navigating the housing crisis, respecting indigenous culture, and why the grocery store sushi might be the best on the island. Whether you're planning your first trip or your fifth, this episode will change how you see the 50th state. Slippers are mandatory. Mainland angst is not invited. Thanks for sharing the spirit of aloha with us… Wherever it leads. Episode Resources ⚖️ Mandy Powers Norrell — Attorney at Law 🏛️ The Overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom — Queen Lili'uokalani's Story ⚓ Pearl Harbor National Memorial — Plan Your Visit 🔥 Lahaina Recovery & Community Resources — Maui County 🪖 The 442nd Regimental Combat Team — America's Most Decorated Unit 🍯 Manoa Honey & Mead Company — O'ahu's Sparkling Mead 🌺 Office of Hawaiian Affairs — Native Hawaiian Governance & Culture Stay Tuned, Stay Pesky and Stay in the Sunlight...☀️ Premium Members also get access to all new bonus episodes, video episodes, case files, live trial coverage and exclusive live experiences with our hosts. CLICK HERE to learn more and join https://bit.ly/3BdUtOE. Luna Shark Merch With a Mission shop at lunasharkmerch.com/ Support Our Show, Sponsors and Mission: https://lunasharkmedia.com/support/ Quince - Hungry Root - Bombas Find us on social media: instagram.com/whereveritleadspod Instagram.com/TrueSunlightPod youtube.com/@LunaSharkMedia tiktok.com/@lunasharkmedia instagram.com/moseswanders bsky.app/profile/mandy-matney.com Instagram.com/mandy_matney *** Alert: If you ever notice audio errors in the pod, email [email protected] and we'll send fun merch to the first listener that finds something that needs to be adjusted! *** **Portions of this episode's production have been assisted by Ai models according to LUNASHARK's privacy and Ai Policies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 16, 20261h 18m
Charleston: 'Where Rivers Meet at the Holy City' from Beauty to Brutality & Everything In Between
We are excited to release a new kind of content at LUNASHARK... Pack your bags... and welcome to Charleston, South Carolina—the 'Holy City' where church steeples pierce the sky and cobblestone streets whisper centuries of secrets. In this episode of Wherever It Leads…, host and LUNASHARK Producer David Moses takes you beyond the pastel houses and shrimp and grits to explore Charleston's story—the magnificent and the uncomfortable truths. From the hallowed halls of Mother Emanuel AME Church, to Fort Sumter's cannons and how the Gullah Geechee people preserved West African traditions against impossible odds. SALT Training Fitness App Founder Jenny Fisherjoins David and journalist Mandy Matney to share her favorite local spots and experiences, emphasizing the importance of supporting local businesses and engaging with the city's history. We’re also touching on Charleston's challenges, including gentrification, traffic, and flooding, and how visitors can positively impact the community by shopping locally and respecting cultural traditions. Charleston is a city where beauty and brutality intertwine, where church bells toll for the Emanuel Nine, and where every brick holds a story demanding to be heard. Dive Deeper With Maps & Images On lunasharkmedia.com: lunasharkmedia.com/wherever-it-leads-charleston Episode Links Learn How You Can Get Salty With Jenny Fisher International African American Museum Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Mother Emanuel AME Church The Bench by the Road Project - Toni Morrison Society Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim The Pink House On The Battery Stay Tuned, Stay Pesky and Stay in the Sunlight...☀️ Premium Members also get access to all new bonus episodes, video episodes, case files, live trial coverage and exclusive live experiences with our hosts. CLICK HERE to learn more and join https://bit.ly/3BdUtOE. Luna Shark Merch With a Mission shop at lunasharkmerch.com/ Support Our Show, Sponsors and Mission: https://lunasharkmedia.com/support/ Quince - Hungry Root - Bombas For current & accurate updates: instagram.com/whereveritleadspod Instagram.com/TrueSunlightPod youtube.com/@LunaSharkMedia tiktok.com/@lunasharkmedia instagram.com/moseswanders bsky.app/profile/mandy-matney.com Instagram.com/mandy_matney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 2, 20261h 15m
Jamaica: From Sam Sharpe to Hurricane Melissa, A Story of Resilience That Rewired The World
Jamaica is far more than turquoise waters and reggae rhythms—it's an island that rewired global culture while fighting for freedom across five centuries. Today, LUNASHARK producer and Co-Host David Moses dives deep into Montego Bay and St. Anne's parish, exploring the birthplaces of Bob Marley and Marcus Garvey, the ground where Samuel Sharp's 1831 rebellion accelerated the abolition of slavery, and a nation still rebuilding after Hurricane Melissa devastated 41% of its GDP in October 2025. We spoke with Ilia Tomlinson, Digital Platforms Manager at Chukka Caribbean Adventures, who shares insider knowledge on authentic experiences, local food spots, and how to engage respectfully with Jamaican culture. But we also confront harder truths: the legacy of political violence, ongoing corruption challenges, and the environmental impact of Chinese-owned bauxite mining operations threatening sacred Maroon lands in cockpit country. This isn't your typical travel guide. We explore how tourism dollars can support hurricane recovery, why community-based experiences matter more than resort walls, and what it means to visit a country caught between global power politics and its own extraordinary resilience. Jamaica gave the world so much—now it's asking for something in return: honest engagement and some high-impact tourism… Episode Resources Visit Jamaica (Official Tourism Board) – 🇯🇲 Official travel planning, festivals, events, and safety information Chukka Caribbean Adventures – 🐎 Book tours, learn about their community foundation and farm-to-table experiences Kobe_1_Love_Tours - a travel service in Jamaica that provides personalized tour experiences for visitors led by Damien Wilson. (876) 561-9054 Bob Marley Museum / Nine Mile – 🎸 Plan your pilgrimage to Marley's birthplace and final resting place American Friends of Jamaica (Hurricane Relief) – 🤝 Donate to ongoing hurricane recovery and community development efforts Netflix Documentary: "Who Shot the Sheriff" – 🎬 Deep dive into the 1976 assassination attempt on Bob Marley Transparency International – Jamaica – 📊 Dive Deeper With Maps & Images On lunasharkmedia.com: lunasharkmedia.com/whereveritleadsjamaica Stay Tuned, Stay Pesky and Stay in the Sunlight...☀️ Premium Members also get access to all new bonus episodes, video episodes, case files, live trial coverage and exclusive live experiences with our hosts. CLICK HERE to learn more and join https://bit.ly/3BdUtOE. Luna Shark Merch With a Mission shop at lunasharkmerch.com/ Support Our Show, Sponsors and Mission: https://lunasharkmedia.com/support/ Quince - Hungry Root - Bombas For current & accurate updates: instagram.com/whereveritleadspod Instagram.com/TrueSunlightPod youtube.com/@LunaSharkMedia tiktok.com/@lunasharkmedia instagram.com/moseswanders bsky.app/profile/mandy-matney.com Instagram.com/mandy_matney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 19, 20261h 15m
Scotland: Bagpipes Guide Us Through Witch Trials, Ancient Battles and The Modern Struggles Along The Way
From the telephone and penicillin to golf and the steam engine, this nation of 5.5 million helps shape our world. But beyond the inventions, dramatic Highland landscapes, and Outlander filming locations lies a more complex story that every traveler should understand before visiting. In this episode of Wherever It Leads…, journalist Grace Hills takes you deep into Scotland's soul—from the geological forces that created Ben Nevis and Loch Ness to the dark history of witch trials that claimed thousands of lives, 85% of them women. Through conversations with tour guides Lesley and James Kennedy from Tour Guide Scotland and historian Juniper Claybourne from Witches Tour Edinburgh, you'll discover what makes this country extraordinary while confronting the challenges it faces today. With roughly 1 million American visitors annually, Scotland is experiencing serious growing pains. Edinburgh hosts 5 million tourists in a city of 530,000 residents. The Isle of Skye's 10,000 residents sometimes welcome 2,000 cruise passengers in a single weekend. Grace provides concrete strategies for visiting responsibly—from supporting local businesses to timing your trip strategically—so you can be part of the solution rather than the problem. Because Scotland's beauty isn't just for us to behold, it's for future generations to enjoy. Episode Links Learn more about Lesley and James Kennedy & Tour Guides Scotland 🦌Witches Tour Edinburgh 🧙Peter Murrell due in court over embezzlement charge 📰A Survey of Scottish Witchcraft 🌐Confessions in the Salem Witch Trials 📰Visit Scotland 🌐The Corries - Massacre Of Glencoe 📺 Should Scotland be an independent country? 📰Podcasts: What Scotland Thinks 🎧 Global Conversations, From Scotland 🎧Beyond Borders Scotland Podcast 🎧 Stay Tuned, Stay Pesky and Stay in the Sunlight...☀️ Premium Members also get access to all new bonus episodes, video episodes, case files, live trial coverage and exclusive live experiences with our hosts. CLICK HERE to learn more and join https://bit.ly/3BdUtOE. Luna Shark Merch With a Mission shop at lunasharkmerch.com/ Support Our Show, Sponsors and Mission: https://lunasharkmedia.com/support/ Quince - Hungry Root - Bombas For current & accurate updates: instagram.com/whereveritleadspod Instagram.com/TrueSunlightPod youtube.com/@LunaSharkMedia tiktok.com/@lunasharkmedia instagram.com/moseswanders bsky.app/profile/mandy-matney.com Instagram.com/mandy_matney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 19, 202656 min
Savannah: The Hostess City That Beauty Saved and Moss Covers + The Whole Truth About Seven Stubborn Women and a City Worth Saving
LUNASHARK Co-Founder David Moses lived in Savannah for nearly a decade. He and Podcast Journalist / CEO / Co-Founder Mandy Matney fell in love there. And they'll be the first to tell you — this city will absolutely break your heart in the best way possible. On this premiere episode of Wherever It Leads..., David and Mandy take you deep into one of America's most hauntingly beautiful cities: the squares, the Spanish moss, the dead literally buried beneath your feet, and the history you won't find on a ghost tour brochure. They cover Oglethorpe's radical founding vision, the yellow fever epidemics that shaped everything, Sherman's famous Christmas gift, the Gullah Geechee culture that is the soul of the Lowcountry, the seven stubborn women who saved this city from parking lots, Jim Williams, Forrest Gump, and the legendary Chatham Artillery Punch… AND then we get to St. Patrick’s Day... with an in-depth conversation with Savannah local and cultural insider Tara Reese. This is Savannah, fully exposed — the beauty, the history, the contradictions, and the truth about how to visit it well. Episode Resources Listen: Tara Reese’s Savannah Irish Podcast 🎙️ The Current GA 🌐 📰 The Must-Have Christmas Gift of 1864 🎁 Pin Point Heritage Museum 🐚 James Edward Oglethorpe: A Brief Biography ⚔️ Chatham Artillery Punch Recipe 🍹 How the Historic Savannah Foundation Continues the Legacy of Its Founding Women 👩💼 Davenport House Museum 🏡 Experience Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil 🌙 Jim Williams, Mercer House, and the Real Story Behind Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil 📖 🎬 Savannah History Museum 🏛️ Stay Tuned, Stay Pesky and Stay in the Sunlight...☀️ Premium Members also get access to all new bonus episodes, video episodes, case files, live trial coverage and exclusive live experiences with our hosts. CLICK HERE to learn more and join https://bit.ly/3BdUtOE. Luna Shark Merch With a Mission shop at lunasharkmerch.com/ Support Our Show, Sponsors and Mission: https://lunasharkmedia.com/support/ Quince - Hungry Root - Bombas For current & accurate updates: instagram.com/whereveritleadspod Instagram.com/TrueSunlightPod youtube.com/@LunaSharkMedia tiktok.com/@lunasharkmedia instagram.com/moseswanders bsky.app/profile/mandy-matney.com Instagram.com/mandy_matney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 19, 20261h 11m