Ka Wehena: Lanikepu
Na Kumu Keala Ching I uka, kua mana o Lanikepu Waiwai Kohakohau, i ola ai Wahi uluwehiwehi o Waiaka Ua Uakoko i Hōkū‘ula Noho ‘ia ka wahine i laila nō Pu‘u Pu‘ulaelae hānau hānauna Pali Kapu o nā li‘i o…
Uncle Billy Paris Talks Story
By Fern Gavelek He makes the best guava jelly and can sing a mean rendition of “Kona Kai ‘Opua.” Uncle Billy Paris has done many things during his 90 years of life and easily recalls all of them with pinpoint…
Ka Wehena: Kumu Ali‘i Kō Kona
Na Kumu Keala Ching ‘O Kamanawa a Kālama noho iā Kūāiwa, he ali‘i kō Kona Hānau ‘ia ‘o ‘Ehu, ka makua o ‘Ehunuikaimalino he ali‘i ‘O Laeanuikaumanamana ke keiki a ‘Ehunuikaimalino Noho ‘o Līloa, he ali‘i Akua o Waipi‘o a…
Ka Puana: Maile Connects with Her Ancestors
An excerpt used with permission of the publisher KoaBooks.com Late that night…A gecko straddled the limb of a guava tree above the freshwater pond, alert to the rustle of Maile coming down the jungle path. Passing beneath the lizard’s perch,…
Kama‘āina Land Child: Barbara Kamilipua Nobriga
By Denise Laitinen Look up the word kama‘āina in the dictionary and chances are you won’t see Barbara Nobriga’s name and photo. But you should. Literally translated, kama‘āina means land child. According to the hardcover edition of the Hawaiian Dictionary…
Aunty Elizabeth Malu‘ihi Lee: Lifelong Weaver Seeks to Pass on Hawaiian Tradition
By Cynthia Sweeney Growing up in Kohanaiki in the 1930s during the Great Depression, Aunty Elizabeth never imagined that one day people would come to Kailua-Kona from around the world to learn lauhala weaving from her. “I never knew I…
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…
“He Mo‘olelo kō ka Lei”: A Story of the Lei
By Gayle ‘Kaleilehua’ Greco The very symbol of aloha is the lei. And the most cherished expression is that of a child, “He lei poina ‘ole ke keiki,” meaning, “A beloved child is a lei never forgotten.” A celebration and…
Then & Now: Hawai‘i, Maui, and the ‘Alenuihāhā
By Pete Hendricks Prevailing winds travel thousands of miles east to west across the vast Pacific Ocean in the latitudes of the Hawaiian Islands. These winds are known as “tradewinds” for their ability to push sailing ships around the world…
Ka Wehena: Kai A Ke Akua, Aia Kahi Kapu Ola
Kai A Ke Akua Na Kumu Keala Ching I ke aloha kapu o Kai a lua (I) Uka ala kahe ‘ale i Niumalu Hu‘a (ka) wai a Kāne, pili (ke) kai a Kanaloa Ola maila ke one malu ke Akua…
A Brief History: Hula
“Hula is not just a dance, but a way of life, an ancient art that tells of Hawai‘i’s rich history and spirituality.” (this is attributed to many) Peter T. Young In 1830, Ka‘ahumanu issued an oral proclamation in which she…
Mālama Honua—Care for the Earth: The Worldwide Voyage of the Hōkūle‘a and the Hikianalia
By Keith Nealy It is no surprise to the majority of people in the world that our planet is suffering from climate change; the depletion of natural resources; the degradation of our land, sea and air—conflicts that result from overconsumption…
Kūpuna Talk Story: Herb Kawainui Kāne, Father of the Hawaiian Renaissance
By Keith Nealy As a filmmaker and storyteller, I have been blessed with the gift of sharing the mana‘o (knowledge) of more than 60 of Hawai‘i’s most revered kūpuna in spirited conversations exploring the cultural legacy they carry in their…
Hula Instruments: The Rhythm of the Dance
By Denise Laitinen “I le‘a ka hula i ka ho‘opa‘a”—the hula is pleasing because of the drummer. The well-known quote from Mary Pukui’s seminal book, ‘Ōlelo No‘eau, means that although the attention is given to the dancer, the drummer and…
The Fabric of Community: Kapa Artist and Kumu Hula: Micah Kamohoali‘i
By Stephanie Bolton Micah Kamohoali‘i is a professional artist who was born and raised on Hawai‘i Island. His family members are descendants of the Pele clan and the shark people of Waipi‘o Valley. He is the Executive Director for The…
Then & Now: 50 Years of Merrie Monarch Festival–Nānā I Ke Kumu…Look to the Source
By Karen Valentine Something extraordinary happened in Hilo, Hawai‘i, in 1963—something no one would have guessed would blossom into the pinnacle of celebration and recognition of excellence in the Hawaiian cultural practice of hula. This year, the Merrie Monarch Festival…
Ka Wehena: Kīpaipai
Na Kumu Keala Ching Pi‘i mai ka lā i Ha‘eha‘e Hālau ola kū i ka lewa Waiwai ka ‘i‘ini e holomua Ua kau ka ‘ike i ka nu‘u ala E ala mai, E naue mai, E noke mai e Pi‘o…
Waiho‘olu‘u: The Ancient Practice of Natural Dye Making with the Kukui Tree
By Renée Robinson In Hawai‘i the kukui tree, distinctive in its pale green, silvery foliage, is a symbol of enlightenment, protection, and peace. Kukui (also known as candlenut) was a canoe plant. Its seeds were brought to Hawai‘i by the…
Makahiki—Codes for Regeneration
By Marya Mann Excitement filled all the hearts. It was a November night before Makahiki, around the time of the new moon, and the faint group of white-blue stars, the Pleiades, was about to rise in the east, signaling the…
Hawaiian Petroglyphs Tell Stories of the Past
By Margaret Kearns K‘i‘i pōhaku – the name Hawaiians gave their petroglyphs – are found scattered throughout the island chain. The largest, most concentrated fields of ancient rock carvings, however, are found here on Hawai‘i Island, where smooth, pahoehoe lava…
Pages from Cowboy Romance and Reality: Paniolo Preservation Society Saddles Up
By Catherine Tarleton When I was a little girl, I caught horse fever early and as fervently as a suburban D.C. kid could. I read every horse book in two libraries, drew pictures, wrote stories and fought my brother for…
Navigating the Universe from Mauna Kea: Science and Sensitivity
By Marya Mann On the astronomical clock, our sun isn’t very old. Estimated by scientists to be 4.5 billion years young, the mighty sun helped spawn the early Earth. Out of light, action and inter-planetary collisions – or collaborations —…
Nā Maka O Ka ‘Āina: Couple Seeks to Broadcast Hawaii’s Reality
By Marya Mann To carry on traditions, some people sharpen their tongues or sharpen their pens. Others sharpen their spears. Joan Lander and Puhipau of Nā Maka o ka ‘Āina—“The Eyes of the Land”—sharpen their focus, creating no ordinary picture…
A Vegan Evolution: 40 Years without Meat
By Cynthia Sweeney It’s easy to dismiss peace of mind and peace on planet Earth as utopian ideals. However, a visit with our vegan friends, with 40 years of a truly peaceful lifestyle under their belts, gives us tangible proof…
Ranch to Rodeo: Hawai‘iʻs Paniolo Culture
By Ashley Welton Folks from around the world associate Hawai’i with sun, sandy beaches and surfing, but they are often unaware of the importance, impact, and prevalence of ranching on the islands. Paniolo culture, and the families that have grown…
Telling Grandpaʻs Story: How to Preserve Lifeʻs Experiences
By Fern Gavelek Everyone has something to say, and there’s a science to recording it for future generations. When you ask Grandpa what it was like working on the sugar plantation, you had better know how and what to ask…
Folk Art of Bobbi Caputo Brings Family Coffee-Picking Memories Back to Life
By Hadley Catalano It’s summer vacation for Bobbi Caputo. It’s the late 1950s and though she hasn’t yet reached adolescence she’s already versed in the ways of the coffee farming world. Sandwiched between Leonora and Faustino Orpilla, her mother and…
Terri’s Vision: Showcasing Native Hawaiian Art
By Prana Mandoe “I want our people to know we can succeed,” says Terri Napeahi, proprietor of Papa Mū Gallery and President of Perpetuating Indigenous Hawaiian Arts, or PIHA, a nonprofit venue for Native Hawaiians to develop and show their…
Then & Now: Murder & Movies in Old Honoka‘a Town
By Ann C. Peterson For many decades, sugar was king throughout the island chain, and in no place was this more so than in the folksy village of Honoka‘a in the northeast district of Hamakua. At its core, Honoka‘a embodied…
Ka Puana: I Mua e Nā Wāhine
By Jackie Pualani Johnson Our backs twist together, nā wāhine o ke kai. We plunge our paddles as one, forcing the Pacific Under the ‘ama, the canoe piercing the incoming swell Salty spray clinging to lashes, lips, Filling the bottom…
