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…
Fantuzzi: Global Troubadour at Home on Hawai‘i Island
By Mᾱlielani Larish Awakening to ocean breezes and bird song, Fantuzzi looks forward to a day of wrestling with rocks, planting trees, and honoring Pele on the land in lower Puna that he calls home. After months of performing in…
Castles in the Sand
By Catherine Tarleton On any given day, a sunset beachgoer might take the stroll along Kauna‘oa or Mau‘umae beaches and happen upon something remarkable. Spires and staircases of sand stand in wait for some tiny mermaid; tan-khaki-taupe hibiscus and plumeria…
Managing with Aloha: Ho‘omau Kākou
By Rosa Say This column for Ke Ola Magazine’s Business Feature section began with the January/February Hawai‘i Island issue of 2013. We have cycled twice through the 19 Values of Aloha presented in Managing with Aloha, Bringing Hawaii’s Universal Values…
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…
Featured Artists: Rita French & Tommy Adkins
Featured Cover Photographer: Rita French Rita French was born and raised in Montana, but knew from about seven years old that Hawai‘i was her real home. It only took her 55 years to get here! 11 years ago she sold…
Hawai‘i’s Endangered Birds
By Stefan Verbano Hawai‘i’s islands were once tropical paradises for birds. Ten million years ago, the winged founders of Hawai‘i’s endemic bird populations touched down on a partially formed, mid-Pacific island chain markedly different than any humans have since “discovered.”…
A Return to the ‘Āina: Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge
By Brittany P. Anderson Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1985, making it the first national wildlife refuge to encompass rainforests since the program was established in 1908. The 33,000 acres running above Hakalau along Maunakea’s eastern side…
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…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Team Sold
Derinda Thatcher was raised in the Canadian Rockies and loves the mountains. She’s a country girl at heart, and though she loves each island for its unique features, Hawai‘i Island felt like the best fit for her, with its three…
Ka Puana: Proverb 804—He manu ke aloha, ‘a‘ohe lālā kau ‘ole
Island Treasures: Puna Kamali’i Flowers, Inc.
Vicki Nelson, co-founder of Puna Kamali‘i Flowers, Inc., started her business with her husband in 1998 after searching for employment for her son with developmental disabilities. After realizing there were limited jobs available for him, Vicki said she saw a…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Ocean Sports
Ocean Sports has been providing exceptional ocean adventures to residents and visitors of Hawai‘i Island since 1981, when Waikoloa Beach Resort was first being developed. They currently operate two legendary sailing catamarans, Seasmoke and Manu Iwa; a well-appointed power catamaran,…
Seeds of a New Industry: A History of Cannabis on Hawai‘i Island
Editor’s Note: Our local agriculture feature story was originally planned to cover the production of Hawai‘i’s legal cannabis crop. However, due to circumstances beyond our control, we were unable to pursue it. Instead, here is an overview and history of…
Mālama Mokupuni—Caring for Our Island Environment: Helping the Hawaiian Hawksbill Sea Turtle Using Photo-ID
By Cheryl King Have you ever seen a Hawaiian hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), known as honu‘ea or ‘ea? If so, you’re lucky, since they are a rare sight compared to the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), or honu. Hawaiian…
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…
Local Food: Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō Trail & Island Birder Trail Mix Recipe
By Brittany P. Anderson One of my favorite hikes on Hawai‘i Island is the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō Trail, located off Saddle Road (Daniel Inouye Highway/Route 200) at the base of Maunaloa, between the 22 and 23 mile markers. The nearly 9-mile…
Ka Wehena: Eō Ka Wahine ‘Onipa‘a Mau
Na Kumu Keala Ching Eō ka wahine ‘onipa‘a mau I Pua kalaunu, Kui ‘ia lei hiwahiwa Kau mai i luna, He Ali‘i kupa mau E ‘onipa‘a ē, e ‘onipa‘a la Eō ka wahine ‘Onipa‘a Mau I ke kapa ke hau…
Celebrating a Long Time Advertiser: Basically Books & Petroglyph Press
David and Christine Reed have made their mutual love of books into a lifestyle. David’s mom, Frances, was the children’s librarian at Hilo Library from 1958–1968. His dad, Stephen, started Petroglyph Press publishing company in 1962, before the couple opened…
