Interview by Mitchell Kuga
Photography by Hunter Wyndham
The first Butthead of the Month for 2012 comes to you from the 50th U.S. State of Hawaii — birthplace of President Obama, and home to killer waves and the bronzed surfers who ride them. After his shift at a local bar on the Waikiki strip, Hunter and I had a chat about his journey to the island of Oahu, his Playgirl cover shoot, and his volcanic sexual fantasies. When he’s not mixing up Mai Tais and making leis, Hunter is keeping busy as a graphic designer slash photographer slash tattoo artist.
You look very Hawaiian. What’s your ethnic background?
Norwegian, Japanese, Black, Scottish, English, Ainu, and Cherokee-Blackfoot.
Which ethnicity do you identify with the most?
I mostly identify with the Japanese side. My grandma is from Japan, and I’m close to my grandma. I’ve been to Japan and studied Japanese. I’ve always been fascinated with Japanese culture.
It’s funny because the cover of Playgirl describes you as ‘Hawaiian Hunter’, but you’re not actually from Hawaii are you?
But I look it. I have the tattoos. I grew up around Portland, Oregon and moved out here after high school.
What was being shot for Playgirl like?
I had modeled as a kid, but this was different. It was my first time modeling nude. I was nineteen and had just come into my body. At the end of the day, it was basically about staying hard.
Was there a lot of fluffing involved?
Uh, yeah.
Who was the lucky guy?
My right hand. It doesn't take much.
Were there a lot of other people around?
Just the photographer, and some construction workers working on the house next door. They could literally see everything.
Do you think most models in Playgirl are gay?
I think so.
Did you have to have sex with any women?
No, it might’ve been a little harder to stay hard.
Did posing for Playgirl change your life?
Although it was very low paying, it did enable me to buy a plane ticket to go back home so I could go to art school. It was liberating, and it gave me confidence.
What did your mother think?
My mom was actually proud. She has the cover on her fridge.
Have you always had an exhibitionist streak?
Growing up, I liked to perform, but I wasn't comfortable with my body. I was super skinny, a late bloomer. The Playgirl shoot marked the beginning of being comfortable with my body, but that’s as much as I’ll ever do with porn.
What brought you to Hawaii?
I’ve always felt drawn to the island, but I also looked like I was from here. In Oregon, I stuck out, and here I blend in — not that I want to blend in. It was just that I didn't have to prove anything here. One of the reasons why I’m here is the indigenous culture. It’s one of the things that fascinates me about Hawaii. It’s so alive…
Did coming to Hawaii have an effect on you?
Definitely. For a number of years, I was a drug addict. I would be dead or in jail if it wasn't for Hawaii. Being here separated me from what I was indulging in on the mainland. It woke me up. Just going out into the forest or the beach on my own — something called to me.
Do you enjoy sex in nature?
There’s nothing more beautiful than sex in nature, especially on the beach or in the forest. It would be very powerful near Kīlauea on the Big Island, with the lava flowing all around. That whole island is creation, and you can feel it. You can feel the earth shake, the heat.
Tell me about your tattoos?
They’re kind of pan-pacific. Some of them have been tapped on with traditional tools. Tattoos were part of my therapy. They are a reminder of my ancestors, my family, and of paradise. A majority of them are about positivity and beauty, but they also have darker aspects, like this kamikaze that’s crashed at the bottom of the ocean.
Aesthetically, they’re very masculine, but there’s femininity in the details, especially the flowers.
I saw my great aunt a year and a half ago. She’s old school Japanese, and when she first saw them she wouldn't talk to me because she thought I was yakuza.
What do you see in this inkblot?
Two nude men facing each other. Then a badger’s face.
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