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…
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…
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…
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…
Tiana Malone Jennings
By Mālielani Larish ”You are supposed to do music,” Aunty Mahealani Kuamo‘o-Henry said as she gazed steadily into Tiana Malone Jenning’s eyes. “Hawai‘i is opening up your path and refining you for your purpose in the world.” Tiana left Aunty…
Kea‘au, A Point in Time
Compiled by Peter T. Young and Barbara Garcia ‘Ōla‘a or Kea‘au? What happened to ‘Ōla‘a? That seems to be the question for some, because in the district of Puna, what once was called ‘Ōla‘a is now called Kea‘au. Forests once…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Team Nakanishi
Hawai‘i Life Real Estate’s Team Nakanishi boasts a family of team members— some related, and some adopted—all who have come together for the greater good. Denise Nakanishi became a Realtor® nearly 30 years ago, in 1990. Her eldest daughter Mealoha…
The Sweetest Mistake, with a Recipe for Pains de Macadamia
By Brittany P. Anderson Macadamia nut tree orchards are a common and welcoming sight on Hawai‘i Island. Many a summer afternoon I find a cool respite in the shade of their branches. Greedily, I’ve filled the pockets of my overalls…
Featured Artists: Melissa Michelle Chimera & Georgia Michalicek
Featured Cover Artist: Melissa Michelle Chimera Melissa Michelle Chimera is a Honolulu native of Filipino and Lebanese ancestry, who moved to Honoka‘a almost a year ago with her husband and son. Melissa studied natural resources management at University of Hawai‘i…
To Seek Far: ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center Reaches Out to Students of All Ages
By Stefan Verbano “So, what’s one way we can tell the age of a volcano?” Punawai Rice asks the audience of fourth graders seated before him. No hands shoot up. “Well think about this: how can we tell one volcano…
Managing with Aloha: Ka lā hiki ola says, “Soar!”
“It is the dawning of a new day.” Optimism, Promise, and Our Sense of Hope. Last of Series Two on Managing with Aloha By Rosa Say My coaching copy of Managing with Aloha is annotated with quotes I’ve found which…
Preserving Natural Resources by Protecting Native Forests
By Sara Stover When Maunaloa erupted in 1926, it was impossible to stop the lava from destroying much of the forest found within what is the modern-day Kona Hema Preserve. Stopping bulldozers and building plans from taking their toll on…
Ka Puana: Proverb 405—Hahai no ka ua i ka ululā‘au
Ka Wehena: Ahupua‘a o Kealakehe, Eia ku‘u ‘ike
Ahupua‘a o Kealakehe Na Kumu Keala Ching I uka (o) Hualālai, Ahu ā ‘Umi I Keala o ka hē, hele i Ālula Ālula Kai ‘Ōpua, malu ku‘u ‘āina ‘Āina kamaha‘o kō Kona i ka la‘i E aloha E aloha E…
Keeping up With Kapa: Jani K. Puakea Fisher
By Ma‘ata Tukuafu Pre-contact Hawaiian kapa was some of the most exquisitely made barkcloth in the entire world. After contact, cotton muslin and other fabrics were introduced to the Hawaiian Islands by settlers, and the intricate art of kapa making…
Hilo’s History Through the Banyan Trees
By Denise Laitinen During the 1930s, a virtual who’s who of celebrities, sports stars, and politicians including our nation’s 32nd president all made their way to Hilo. While here, many participated in planting a banyan tree on the Waiākea Peninsula.…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Kilauea Lodge & Restaurant
The historic Kilauea Lodge and Restaurant is a rainforest retreat in beautiful Volcano Village, Hawai‘i. This TripAdvisor Hall of Fame-winning lodge features 16 unique accommodations, including four off-site cottages. Amenities include tropical gardens, an on-site restaurant, and a resort hot…
