Then and Now: Reflections on World War II and Its Current Relevance
By Pete Hendricks 2020 marks the end of World War II in the Pacific in 1945, 75 years ago. The fear, uncertainty, and anxiety in the days after the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack changed the way of life in Hawai‘i…
Hawaii Brown Bag Ministry: Helping Hearts, Serving Our Community
By Lara Hughes Helping people is a common theme that both John and Theresa Kaiwi have enjoyed throughout their lives. Theresa and John run Hawaii Brown Bag Ministry, in Hilo. John graduated from Kamehameha Schools and University of Hawai‘i at…
200 Years at Mokuaikaua Church: Preserving a Beacon of Faith in Kailua Village
By Fern Gavelek The first Christian church established in the Hawaiian Islands lives on today as an active and caring fellowship called Mokuaikaua Church. Founded in 1820, the church is commemorating its 200th anniversary with a massive preservation of its…
Hobby Garden: A Happy, Sustainable Learning Center
By Stefan Verbano Every other day, the big four-engine seaplanes would roar over Johnson Lum’s grandfather’s home on the main Fiji island of Viti Levu. The Sunderland Flying Boats were on rescue and reconnaissance missions over vast, isolated stretches of…
Holualoa Gallery: A 30-Year Retrospective with Matthew & Mary Lovein
By Kristina Anderson For more than 30 years, Matthew and Mary Lovein’s Holualoa Gallery anchored the center of this small art hamlet in the lush upcountry of Kailua-Kona. Not only was the gallery location central and highly visible, the Loveins…
Wood Valley Temple and Its Fascinating Historical Journey
By Karen Valentine Those who wonder how a small, yet world-renowned, Buddhist temple ended up in a remote valley not far from an active volcano, may realize that a scholarly account isn’t adequate to tell the story. There must be…
Hāmākua Jodo Mission, A Beacon for Peace
By Jan Wizinowich Like a guardian spirit, the Hāmākua Jodo Mission (HJM) sits on a slope above the old plantation community of Pā‘auhau, backed by the gravestones of the many generations of members who attended and contributed to the temple.…
Every Paddler Knew the Voice of Aunty Maile
By Karen Valentine Kapono It’s race day at Hilo Bayfront. The summer outrigger canoe paddling season is in full swing. Colorful canoes are lined up, ready to race. Canoe club T-shirts with club insignia move through the crowd on paddlers…
Paddling for Hope: Derek Park Fundraises for Breast Cancer Education and Early Detection
By Karen Rose The “Prince of Preachers,” Charles Haddon Surgeon said that hope itself is like a star—not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity, but to be discovered in the night of adversity. Nine years ago, paddler Derek…
North Kohala Rocks with KNKR Radio!
By Eila Algood On the windy northern tip of Hawai‘i Island is the district of North Kohala. Whether you approach Hawi-town along the coast or over Kohala Mountain, once you’re within a few miles you’ll want to tune into 96.1…
For the Love of Horses: Linda Tellington-Jones Proves Touch is Worth a Thousand Words
By Karen Rose It’s been said that a horse doesn’t care how much you know, until she knows how much you care. Local horse whisperer Linda Tellington-Jones would agree. Linda is founder and owner of Tellington TTouch Training, a global…
Puakõ’s Historical Hokuloa Church
By Ma‘ata Tukuafu Driving through the tropical coastal community of Puakō, one will notice that huge mansions have replaced many of the humble beach shacks that once populated the little village of 163 homes. There is one building that is…
Kumu Paul Neves: Peaceful Warrior and Ambassador of Aloha
By Marcia Timboy Kumu Hula Paul Neves is a familiar and esteemed presence to many on Hawai‘i Island: a cultural practitioner, community organizer, vocal proponent of Native Hawaiian rights and sovereignty, and a high chief in the Royal Order of…
To Walk with the Ancestors: Lapakahi and the North Kohala Coast
By Jan Wizinowich Lapakahi State Historical Park (LSHP), a significant cultural complex along the leeward coast of North Kohala on Hawai‘i Island, is a time portal through which we can glimpse the thriving life of Hawai‘i’s early settlers and a…
Kepā and Onaona Maly: Saving History
By Ma‘ata Tukuafu Sharing stories is what Kepā Maly and his wife Onaona have been doing for almost 40 years now, working as record keepers and cultural historians for the people of Hawai‘i. This dynamic husband and wife team have…
Rat Lungworm Disease: Optimism Comes with Education
By Stefan Verbano Inside garden hoses, along the walls of rain catchment tanks, between the folds of lettuce leaves, the slugs and snails slither. Although they look just like their harmless mainland cousins, these Hawaiian gastropods harbor a strange and…
The Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island
By Mālielani Larish Embraced by trade winds and an expansive view of the bay, 100 members of the Hilo Boys & Girls Club sing “Ho‘o Nani” to bless the afternoon meal. With a “Pa‘i ka lima!” from their leader, the…
The Road to Recovery Began with a Road
By Stefan Verbano A side of the perched lava channel fed by Fissure Eight collapses, sending a river of pāhoehoe barreling northeast through Leilani Estates toward Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV). By the evening of May 29, 2018, the breakout flow…
Tong Wo Society’s Historic Kapa‘au Building Opens Once a Year
By Ma‘ata Tukuafu Situated high on a hill in Kapa‘au is a colorful historical building constructed by early Chinese immigrants in 1884. Called the Tong Wo Society building, it served several purposes: a spiritual Taoist gathering place, a meeting house…
‘Tis the Season to Share More Aloha
By Karen Rose The celebratory season is upon us, and nothing brings out community generosity like the spirit of the holidays. Sharing aloha is a year-round activity in Hawai‘i; however, there’s something special about winter celebrations that compel us to…
Tutu’s House: Celebrating 25 Years of Community, Health, and Wellness
By Jan Wizinowich Nowhere is the aloha spirit of the Waimea and Hawai‘i Island communities more evident than at Tutu’s House. Dropping by on any given day, one can find a constant flow of activities where community members are making…
How One Boy’s Wish Benefits Thousands: The Jonathan Dale Miller Foundation
By Fern Gavelek A nine-year-old boy has left a legacy that’s been helping Hawai‘i Island’s needy families since 1999. To date, the Jonathan Dale Miller Foundation has personally touched approximately 4,000 families, affecting 15,000 underprivileged keiki (children) and 500 kūpuna…
Ladies of Aloha: K.T. Cannon-Eger and Dinnnie Kysar
By Marciai Timboy “When ordinary people decide to do extraordinary things, they transform their lives and the lives of others around them.” —Oprah Winfrey Daily, Hawai‘i Island residents and visitors engage in diverse activities in beautiful settings. While they enjoy…
Start Fishing! The Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament Celebrates 60 Years
By Karen Rose On August 21, 1959, statehood was granted to the territory of Hawai‘i, making it the 50th state in the union. Two days later, the first Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament (HIBT) was introduced to Kona. This year marked…
Animal Rescue Goes Hi-Tech Grassroots: Lava Flows and Dairy Farm Closures Help Create a Rescue Response
By Lara Hughes With the recent lava flow and dairy farm shut downs happening on Hawai‘i Island, a number of grassroots animal rescue organizations have sprung forth from the ashes. There was suddenly a movement to save animals from suffering…
Look For The Helpers: How Hawaii Tracker Became a Pivotal Community Resource
By Denise Laitinen Mr. Rogers, the beloved children’s TV show host, is known for saying, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You…
Kawaihae I: Bringing an Ahupua‘a Back to Life
By Jan Wizinowich During Kamehameha’s time, the ahupua‘a (land parcel) of Kawaihae fed thousands of people with its rich ocean resources and highly developed field system, irrigated from the abundant Kohala watershed. Now there are only remnants of that time…
ʽĀhua A ‘Umi Heiau: King ‘Umi’s Legacy
By Sara Stover Across a high plateau between Maunaloa and Hualālai lie numerous ‘āhua (stone piles) that appear to be the remains of an ancient structure. The man who initiated the building of this heiau was more than the commoner…
Aunty BJ Pa: Tahitian Dance Pioneer Paved the Way
By Tiffany DeMasters 82-year-old Betty Jane “BJ” Pa is the perfect role model for helping kūpuna (elders) live their lives to the fullest, as she continues to fulfill her passion as a hula dancer, despite her own health issues, and…
The Meaningful Construction of Daifukuji Soto Mission
By Fern Gavelek The burgundy-colored building with white trim on Highway 11 at the entrance to Honalo (South Kona) is the landmark Daifukuji Soto Mission. The temple sits a bit off the road on the mauka (mountain) side, adjacent to…
