Hawai‘i Island Festival of Birds
By Alan D. McNarie It’s one of the biggest, yet least-noticed spectator sports on earth. More people participate in birdwatching than go to NFL football games, according to at least one study. There are websites, magazines, and festivals devoted to…
Ke Ola Pono: Lā‘au Lapa‘au—What is it?
By Leilehua Yuen What is lā‘au lapa‘au? Is it herbal medicine? “Witch doctor” stuff? Homeopathy? Bush medicine? Is it real? Bogus? Compatible with biomedicine? I have seen practices of lā‘au lapa‘au that would fit any of the above. Lā‘au lapa‘au…
Building with Bamboo, Local Style: One Man’s Crusade to Prove it Can be Done
By Karen Valentine There has been a lot of talk over the years about the viability of locally grown bamboo as a building material in Hawai‘i. Here we must distinguish between building homes imported from elsewhere and building homes from…
Rupert Tripp Jr. Continues to Joyfully Sing
By Alan D. McNarie It’s Thursday night at Café Pesto in Hilo, and Rupert Tripp Jr. is singing and playing his guitar. It’s not easy. Café Pesto is famous for its food, yet the many glass windows and the high…
Worldwide Voyage: Hōkūle‘a connects Hawai‘i with Canada’s First Nations
Crew members were welcomed by the Nova Scotia community, dignitaries, and members of the Mi’kmaw (pronounced “Meeg Maw”) Nation on the Yarmouth dock. The celebratory arrival ceremony featured cultural dances and the rhythmic beating of drums. Feathers were presented by…
The Evolution of Kumu Auli‘i Mitchell: Dancing from Hawai‘i to Aotearoa for the Love of Hula
By Megan Moseley Kumu Auli‘i Mitchell’s life story is one of song, dance, ‘ohana, and aloha. His practice has taken him around the world and he has touched many lives. “I was birthed in the sands of Kakuhihewa, the island…
Living Pono: Bula Akamu
By Mālielani Larish Sitting on the white sands of Kamakahonu Beach, framed by the lush slopes of Hualālai Volcano and the dazzling waters of Kailua Bay, Bula Akamu closes his eyes and breathes deeply. Two hundred years of history unwind…
Featured Cover Photographer: Jack Jeffrey
Photographer and Hawai‘i Island resident Jack Jeffrey lives his life for the birds. His passion for nature photography and training as a wildlife biologist have made him a powerful force in the effort to preserve and raise awareness of Hawai‘i’s…
Edible Bamboo
By Sonia R. Martinez Bamboo is a grass. That was news to me. I knew you could eat the bamboo shoots or young canes, as I had eaten the canned varieties many times, however, I did not know what to…
Island Treasures: The Kona Coffee and Tea Company
Before Jan and Dan Bolton were the owners of The Kona Coffee and Tea Company, they were running Bolton, Inc. a Hawai‘i Island construction company. In 1997, they planted coffee on a plot of their 254 acre farm. When the…
Island Treasures: Volcano Art Center Gallery
Voted year after year as the best gallery in East Hawai‘i, the Volcano Art Center Gallery is a must-see stop in Volcano. Located in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park near the Kīlauea Visitor Center, the gallery features both traditional and contemporary…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Law Office of Lee Mattingly
Lee Mattingly first came to know Hawai‘i Island when she was paddling for Lanikai and participated in the Queen Lili‘uokalani race. She has been licensed to practice law in the State of Hawai‘i for the past 15 years and moved…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Mana Cards
Catherine Becker, owner of Mana Cards: The Power of Hawaiian Wisdom, says it was with a deep respect for Hawai‘i’s culture that these Hawaiian-like tarot cards were born. Whether it was the surf at Honoli‘i or the sacredness of Mauna…
Celebrating a Long Time Advertiser: Mountain Gold Jewelers
Mountain Gold Jewelers is a well-known specialty retailer exemplifying the best of hand-crafted, artisan gold jewelry on Hawai‘i Island. Founded July 1977 in Lāhainā, Maui, Mountain Gold Jewelers has a long history offering fine jewelry and related services that are…
Ka Puana: Managing with Aloha, second edition
Aloha Ho‘ohana ‘Imi ola Ho‘omau Kūlia i ka nu‘u Ho‘okipa ‘Ohana Lōkahi Kākou Kuleana ‘Ike loa Ha‘aha‘a Ho‘ohanohano Alaka‘i Mālama Mahalo Nānā i ke kumu Pono Ka lā hiki ola Aloha is a value, the outpouring and receiving of the…
Ka Wehena: Oli Hi‘uwai—Oli Ho‘ōla
Na Kumu Keala Ching He wai ua, ua ka ua Ua iho mai ka wai ola Ola a‘e ka wai Lono Ho‘olono ka leo Leo o nā kūpuna Puna wai a Kāne ēKāne ā ka wai Kanaloa ā ke kai…
Hawai‘i Island Waterfalls: Hamakua Coast
By Shana Wailana Logan “He Mele no Kāne He Wai a KāneAia i-hea ka Wai a Kāne? Aia i-lalo, i ka hōnua, i ka wai hu, I ka wai kau a Kāne me Kanaloa He wai-puna, he wai e inu,…
More Than Mere Stripes and Crosses: The Hawaiian Flag at 200 Years
By Kate Kealani H. Winter From team banners to national pennants, a flag fluttering in a breeze raises intense feelings and inspires loyalty as well as patriotic passions. This year marks the 200th birthday of the Hawaiian flag, the only…
I hea e Mūkīkī ai nā Manu? Where Will the Birds Sip?
He Mele no Ka ‘Ōhi‘a-Lehua Aloha ka ‘āina maika‘i Aloha nā makani, ka hā o Ke AkuaAloha ka ‘āina kapu Aloha ka hū, ka hā o Ka Wahine Aloha ke kuahiwi Aloha ke kula ēAloha ka wekiu Aloha ka noe,…
‘Ōhi‘a-Lehua Legend
By Leilehua Yuen Long, long ago on the island of Hawai‘i in the district of Puna, there lived a beautiful girl. Lehua was her name. She had a face as round and glowing as the moon with eyes that glimmered…
Hawai‘i Island Nonprofits Help Fukushima Victims
By Mālielani Larish Fukushima Kids Hawai‘i Standing on a narrow Tōkyō street while the ground beneath her shuddered violently, Yumi Kikuchi looked up at the swaying ancient skyscraper that she had just abandoned. Yumi decided to return to the building,…
Ke Ola Pono: Ka ‘Ili (the skin)
By Leilehua Yuen Whatever we may believe to be the causes, climate change is here. When I was a girl, Mauna Kea was blanketed in snow from about Thanksgiving to Easter. On chilly days, girls would wear t-shirts or turtlenecks…
There’s Only One Uncle Earl: Uncle Earl Regidor at the Four Seasons Resort Hualālai
By Gayle Kaleilehua Greco Greeted by an engaging smile and embracing hug, the word Aloha takes on its true meaning as a seed is planted in the hearts of those who meet Uncle Earl. His stately presence, reminiscent of the…
The Lim Family of North Kohala: The Third Generation of Hawaiian Music and Hula Royalty Carry Traditions Forward
By Karen Valentine How one family can encompass so much talent is almost beyond the comprehension of us mere mortals. Yet, in the presence of Hawaiian music and hula royalty, the Lim Family makes it seem easy as they share…
Managing with Aloha: Aloha—For Real
Metaphorical acronyms for Aloha. You’ve seen them. You may even have one of your own. The one above, is composed of values from Managing with Aloha. Therefore, I should be pleased, a fan, right? Usually, no. I’m not. I’d rather…
Pāpa‘aloa Rejoices in its New Old Store
By Alan D. McNarie At the back of the Pāpa‘aloa Country Store and Café, near the new monkeypod counter where customers pick up orders from the renovated kitchen, are the faded inked outlines of shoe soles, each one slightly smaller…
Featured Cover Photographer: Andrew Richard Hara
Local photographer Andrew Hara aims to embody the essence of his subjects in each and every picture. Whether he is capturing the spirit of the island, from the magnetism of the volcano to the serenity of the Pacific, or highlighting…
Worldwide Voyage: Private Sacred Ceremony between Two Ancient Cultures
Hōkūle‘a captain, pwo (master) navigator, and Hawai‘i Island resident Kālepa Baybayan of the Polynesian Voyaging Society led his crew ashore on Piscataway lands on May 14, 2016. The delegation from Hawai‘i followed Hawaiian cultural protocol to ask permission of the…
Trickey House
By Denise Laitinen Over the years, finding Robert Trickey’s house had become something of a Don Quixote adventure for me. When my quest began, I didn’t know that the house belonged to Robert Trickey or that a famous architect designed…
The Pause that Refreshes
By Sonia R. Martinez Living in a tropical climate where fruit is abundant year-round and temperatures usually do not vary more than 5 or 10 degrees either side of 75°F, it is very refreshing to turn to “aguas frescas; fruit…
