Celebrating a Long Time Advertiser: Lava Rock Realty
REALTOR® Broker Peggy Yuan was licensed in 1990 and loves her Hawai‘i real estate experience. Peggy says it was always her dream to own and operate her own company, and when an opportunity presented itself 10 years ago, she took…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Parker Ranch Store
The Parker Ranch Store is locally owned and operated and has been in business since 1988. Owners Randy Kurohara and Connie Ichinose saw the tremendous opportunity that the Parker Ranch Store had to support their vision of promoting their Aloha…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Mason Termite and Pest Control
Years ago, Tommy Mason followed his twin brother from O‘ahu to Hawai‘i Island, fell in love with it, and they never left. When they started doing termite and pest control, Tommy never thought he’d one day own a business doing…
Island Treasures: Ipu Kane Gallery
Artist Michael Harburg carves and dyes gourds in the Ni‘ihau technique, an ancient art that had died out until Doctor Bruce Kaimiloa Chrisman, a local dermatologist, rediscovered how to do it. Michael read an article about Bruce and became curious…
An Evening with the Multifaceted Lito Arkangel
By Le‘a Gleason Before we begin, let’s get one thing straight: Lito Arkangel is kolohe. He’s not just the literal English translation of the word, “rascal.” There is something much deeper to the spirit of this 40-year-old trickster-turned-musician/teacher. He’s much…
Becoming Mele‘uhane: Spirit of Song
By Le‘a Gleason Most Kailua-Kona residents are no strangers to the surname Lindsey, as it signifies a family notorious for playing Hawaiian music and well-known for their ties to the ranching industry. As a boy, Lindsay “Keikilani” Lindsey was raised…
Preserving a Community: Kona Historical Society
By Le‘a Gleason The stories that stem from the history of communities in Hawai‘i are diversified because of a blending of cultures and influence of immigration, growth of population, and the birth of industry. It was during this period of…
Navigating From the Na‘au: Worldwide Voyage Update with Celeste Ha‘o
Navigating From the Na‘au By Le‘a Gleason In the car on the way to meet Celeste Ha‘o, navigator of the Hōkūle‘a, I wonder if I might cry during our interview. Some people just wear certain integrity on the outside, and…
The Man Behind The Makery: Dr. Neil Scott
By Le‘a Gleason There’s a saying that if you can dream it, you can build it. At Hilo’s The Makery, if you can build it, you can learn to make it. That’s way this new workshop-meets-art-gallery is one of inspiration,…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Closets ‘N Things
By Le‘a Gleason New to Kona’s Old Industrial Area is Closets ‘N Things, a business that provides affordable yet elegant solutions for closet storage systems. Owners Beth and Robin Wells offer customers an alternative to the production-line construction methods that…
Island Treasures: Isaacs Art Center — Kamuela
By Le‘a Gleason Isaacs Art Center has developed a reputation over the years as one of the most important collections of Hawaiian art in the state. It’s part of Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy (HPA) and operates on a mission to raise…
Island Treasures: Tai Lake Fine Woodworking — Holualoa
By Le‘a Gleason For the last 35 years, Tai Lake has been creating finely crafted wood pieces here on Hawai‘i Island. Part of what sets him apart from the many excellent woodworkers that work and reside in Hawai‘i is his…
Every Store Has Its Story: The Greenwell General Store becomes ChoiceMART
By Le‘a Gleason Standing on the event lawn at Kealakekua Ranch Center (KRC), looking all the way down to the sun-kissed Pacific Ocean, it’s easy to tell there’s something special about this place. In fact, a rich history surrounds KRC,…
Music Legend in the Making: Sean Robbins
By Le‘a Gleason The article “The Secrets of Generations: How Slack Key Guitar Grew Community and Culture,” in the March-April 2014 Ke Ola, referenced slack key guitar as “the secrets of generations.” In days past, celebrated music legend Gabby Pahinui…
Through the Years: Hawai‘i Museum of Contemporary Art
By Le‘a Gleason Lourdan Kimbrell is running late. It’s because he’s at the airport picking up photographs for an upcoming show of Kohala’s archeologically significant areas. Inside the Hawai‘i Museum of Contemporary Art (HMOCA), it’s not just the Director, Lourdan,…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Aloha Aina Wellness Center
By Le‘a Gleason “You have changed my life forever,” begins a letter written by Ann Hemmingway. This letter is to Mary Dressler and the staff at Aloha Aina Wellness Center (AAWC). Her letter goes on, “My experience of going through…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Aloha Metal Roofing
By Le‘a Gleason Where can you go for quality roofing supplies whether you’re a contractor, do-it-yourselfer? Aloha Metal Roofing is a one-stop-shop that provides “service with aloha,” says manager Jon Hunter. Jon has been in the business more than 10…
Island Treasures: True Hawaii Blue—Waimea
By Le‘a Gleason Jamie Hoskinson has always worn an apron. She grew up a farm girl in Mt. Hood, Oregon and wore her first apron as a child while making plum jam with Grandma. Later, she sold strawberries on the…
Island Treasures: High Fire Hawaii Gallery & Studio—Hilo
By Le‘a Gleason Shannon Hickey was born and raised in Chicago and has lived in Hawaii 25 years. She holds a degree in Art from the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo and was deeply involved in ceramics and printmaking during…
World Wide Voyage–Threads That Tie: The Hōkūle‘a Crew Connecting Hawaiian Culture to the World
By Le‘a Gleason Hawai‘i is a place where we navigate community and culture, finding a delicate balance between reverence for the past and enthusiasm for the future. It’s with this same careful attention to culture that we watch from afar…
What Withstands the Test of Time? The Lyman Mission House
By Le‘a Gleason Imagine sailing for six months, leaving the cool Atlantic Ocean, and passing into the breezy Pacific Ocean to land in a foreign place. The rain soaks the thatched roof of your new home creating an ever-present dampness…
If Walls Could Talk: APAC’s Long History at the Aloha Theatre
By Le‘a Gleason Every town has its theater. That place where people go to escape the confines of reality, get lost in a performance, or lose themselves on stage. To become something or someone else—as if to try on masks—has…
The Secrets of Generations: How Slack Key Guitar Grew Community and Culture
By Le‘a Gleason Anyone who’s grown up or even visited Hawai‘i will notice one thing: here in these islands, it is never silent. Instead, the air is filled with a rich array of sounds—from the din of wild roosters crowing…
Bruddah Waltah: The Father of Hawaiian Reggae
By Le‘a Gleason It’s amazing—and not surprising—how many people in Starbucks recognize Walter Aipolani. To them, he’s Bruddah Waltah, a 30-year music sensation sometimes called “the father of Hawaiian reggae.” “My family was always into music,” he explains. Walter was…
Where Art Found Its Place: Donkey Mill Art Center
By Le‘a Gleason Nineteen years ago—before a collaboration like this existed for South Kona—a group of artists gathered to share a vision. It was this decision to come together to “develop and expand opportunities in the community to enrich lives…
Craftsmanship that Sings: Big Island Ukulele Guild
By Le‘a Gleason I am no stranger to the tangy smell of sawdust and the intense groan of power tools, as my father is an ‘ukulele and guitar builder who has successfully made a name for himself over the last…
The Man Behind the Flowers: Peter Honeyman Transforms Botany Into Art
By Le‘a Gleason Peter Honeyman stands inside a booth at the Hilo Farmers Market addressing passersby. “That’s not silk, it’s not a fabric, not a synthetic. They’re all the real thing,” he says, pointing. It’s hot. Everyone who passes by…
From Provence to Puna: Kalani Oceanside Retreat says “Mahalo” to Founder
By Le‘a Gleason Standing in the middle of the expansive lawn at Kalani Oceanside Retreat, Richard Koob waves down two passing guests. “Come join us for volleyball,” he grins, charisma and charm infectious. He hands each a puakenikeni flower to…
