The Life of the Land
Save the Bees, Save the Planet
…Listening to the Buzz with Bee Oracle Alison Yahna… By Marya Mann… A honeybee swarm came to Alison Yahna and it changed her life forever. The bees came in a swirling rush, alighting on a small cedar tree near her home. With help from a friend she moved the swarm from the tree into a [...]
The Plight of the Honeybee
…Big Island Honeybees are Vital to Keeping Us Fed, Our Skin Soft and Even Healing Cuts on Fish Fins… By Denise Laitinen… Raw honey may look like liquid gold, but it is the bees themselves that are worth their weight in gold. “Albert Einstein once said that without honeybees the human race as we know [...]
The Nene Project
…GPS Tracking Reveals the Hawaiian Goose Doin’ What Comes Naturally… By Fern Gavelek… Hawai‘i’s beloved state bird, the nēnē, is making a comeback, and a new Hawai‘i Island study has revealed some fascinating facts about the Hawaiian goose and how we can help it thrive. The good news is the birds’ population has rebounded from [...]
Money Does Grow on Trees
…Puna Programs Help Backyard Farmers Sell Excess Produce… By Denise Laitinen… When I was a kid my dad would say, “Money doesn’t grow on trees!” Well, it turns out Dad was wrong. Thanks to the efforts of two separate food co-op programs in Puna, people are tapping into a better exchange than money (in the [...]
A Whole New Palate
…Seed-to-Table Gives Kids a New Appreciation for Food …By Prana Mandoe… A group of middle-school cooks is hanging out by the blender on a picnic table at Kua O Ka Lā Public Charter School (KOKL). The kids just whipped up coconut-liliko’i smoothies… oh!—and grilled beef and lime with yacon (a tuber that looks like a [...]
The Story of `Iliahi
…Sandalwood: A Saga of Destruction and Rebirth …By Tim Hall… When the first humans stepped from their sailing canoes onto the shores of Hawai‘i, the islands were covered with (‘iliahi)—sandalwood. They brought with them a number of alien species; almost all were brought on purpose. Others were hitchhiking, hiding in the time capsule in which [...]
Taro, ‘Ohana and Jerry Konanui
…By Marya Mann… Lau or Lū’au ~ Leaf Turning over a new leaf this magical year of 2012? Think of making that a taro leaf. For a taste of the divine, simmer it into a soothing soup with coconut cream and garlic, or place cooked taro corms into a Manapua for a savory new delight. [...]
Mushroom in a Bottle
By Denises Laitinen… The mushroom—actually a fungus—grows on a lot of different matter in the wild, from tree logs to cow pies. It’s called “substrate,” as opposed to soil. In cultivation, the substrate makes a difference in the quality and shelf life of the end product, as we shall learn. Janice and Bob Stanga have [...]
Pilgrimage to the Sky: Mauna Kea
Pilgrimage to the Sky: Honoring Mauna Kea —Kuahiwi Kūha‘o i ka Mālie: Mountain Standing Alone in the Calm …By Marya Mann… The Summit Pu’u Wēkiu, Sunrise, Fall Equinox, 2011 – Shimmering in the first light of morning at the top of the world, the sun paints brilliant shades of red, orange, pink and gold on [...]
…A Flavorful Agribusiness: Vanilla
Growing a Flavorful Agribusiness: Vanilla —Hamakua Couple Takes on the Finicky Vanilla Orchid and Makes a Market for Hawaiian Vanilla …By Denise Laitinen… When Jim and Tracy Reddekopp purchased their property in Pa‘auilo back in 1998, they weren’t sure what they were going to build or grow. The two O‘ahu natives just knew that they [...]
The Life in Art
Up from the Ashes
…Pit-firing Ceramic Vessels with Tim Freeman… By John J. Boyle… A close examination of a pit-fired ceramic vessel created by potter and philosopher Tim Freeman reveals details reminiscent of Hawai‘i’s active volcano. The artist, who makes his home near Kīlauea’s burning, living fire, is exploring creation from clay with...
Carousel of Aloha
…Bringing a Dream to Life… By Alan D. McNarie… Juanette Baysa has a dream. It’s not a dream that will lead to an end to all war or a universal source of clean energy or anything that ambitious. It’s just the sort that helps to make life a little nicer. It involves a little park [...]The Life in Music
Community Building with...
…Andy Andrews and Fun with P.U.K.A…. By Shirley Stoffer… Andy Andrews, co-founder of the legendary ‘Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz in California, is now bringing his love of people, music and fun to the Big Island of Hawai’i. Those of us who know him were certain that it would only be a matter of time [...]
Driving Fast with Brittni...
…A Young ‘Ukulele Virtuoso Speeding Toward Stardom …By Shirley Stoffer… The music world keeps opening new doors for Brittni Paiva, the 23-year-old ‘ukulele star from Hilo. She has been making music since the age of four, when she started playing piano. At age 11, her uncle gave her an ‘ukulele and there has been no [...]
Konabob and the Unique Kona...
…By Shirley Stoffer… Bob Stoffer, known as “Konabob” to many people in Hawai’i and around the world, had loved Hawai’i and Hawaiian music for a long time before moving to the island. He listened to Hawaiian music at his bakery in the mountains of Colorado, with a picture of Gabby Pahinui and a map of [...]The Life in Spirit
Kaulana Hawai‘i
Na Wai Puna o Kona – Na Kupuna Kaulana Hawai’i lā Nā mea Aloha lā Eia ho’i ke ola lā ‘O Hawai’i Famous is Hawai’i Loveable things indeed Present is the life Hawai’i Kamehameha Hawai’i lā Mō’i ka moku lā Eia ho’i ke ola lā ‘O Hawai’i Kamehameha of Hawai’i Chief of this island Present [...]
Aia ke Aloha ke Nana Aku
…Love is There When We Seek …Na Kumu Keala Ching… ‘Ohu’ohu o ka lani i ‘ike aku Kūlia a’ela ka lā i ka lewa Wahi ola nā kūpuna i lōkahi ai Aia ana ke aloha ke nānā aku A mist of heaven is seen As the sun strives upon high A place where ancestors gather [...]
