Mason Akuna grew up on the island of Kauai. He is of Hawaiian, Chinese and Filipino descent. After serving two tours of duty in Iraq, he became an apprentice to a ukulele craftsman upon his return home. He eventually took over his mentor’s business. He currently handcrafts all the instruments in his home workshop with plans for future expansion. Mason is part of a small breed of artisans who continue this tradition, as most ukuleles are now factory-manufactured outside of Hawaii.