Island Treasures: Holualoa Ukulele Gallery/Workshop—Hōlualoa
Sam B. Rosen was a jeweler on the mainland from 1956–1977. After moving to Hawai‘i Island in 1977, he became a goldsmith. Sam wanted to learn to play the ‘ukulele, so he went to an Adult Education Extension Class at…
Kiernan Music: A Legacy of Love from Father to Son
By Fannie Narte When you walk into Kiernan Music in Kainaliu, the guitars, ‘ukuleles, and musical paraphernalia that fill every wall and floor space overcome your visual senses. Without taking another step, you notice the unique instruments hanging on the…
Featured Cover Photographer: Dohn Chapman
A New England native, Dohn Chapman moved to Colorado to hike and explore the Rocky Mountains and ended up in the highest incorporated town in North America—Alma, a small mining town at a more than 10,000-foot elevation. In 1999, his…
A Place Like No Other: Dragonfly Ranch
Nestled in the South Kona hills, just along the treeline where the shade of great monkeypods cools the earth below, is a place so heavenly one could hardly believe it’s there. Descending the hill to Pu‘uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical…
A Brief History of: Kalalea Heiau
Peter T. Young Ka Lae is the site of one of the earliest Hawaiian settlements, and it has one of the longest archaeological records on the islands (included in the complex is the earliest recorded occupation site (124 AD.) (NPS)…
Every Store Has a Story: B. Ikeuchi & Sons, Inc. Hardware Store
By Barbara Fahs At the gateway to historic Waipi‘o Valley, in the town of Honoka‘a, the B. Ikeuchi & Sons, Inc. Hardware Store has been serving up essential supplies to local residents since 1918. It holds the record for being…
Celebrating a Long Time Advertiser: Trudy’s Island Arts
Shortly after Trudy and her husband Rick moved to Hawai‘i Island in 2003, Trudy met Katrina Bellak, who needed some help at her new art kiosk. Trudy worked a few nights a week until the shop moved to Ali‘i Gardens…
All Creatures Great and Small: Centipedes
By Stig Lindholm Off-island and rooting around in an English garden, my heart skipped a beat when turning over a rock I happened upon a centipede. Then, with surprised relief, I realized that an encounter with the British Isles’ cousin…
Managing with Aloha: Lōkahi
Lōkahi: the value of harmony and unity. The value of teamwork—collaboration and cooperation. Harmony and unity—people who work together can achieve more. Ninth in an ongoing series. By Rosa Say When I was young, my family bought a 21-foot fishing…
Signature of One’s Life: The Story of Ben Mahi Samson
By Gayle ‘Kaleilehua’ Greco A signature is an imprint, a sign of one’s self that signifies who we are. A signature comes in many forms, as common as a signed name to as subtle as a familiar color. What happens,…
Healing Plants: Pōpolo – Foundation of the Hawaiian Pharmacy
By Barbara Fahs Related to tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers in the nightshade family, pōpolo, also known as Solanum nigrum or black nightshade, was a common medicinal plant in Hawai‘i until modern times. Like its culinary relatives, pōpolo is a small…
What it’s Like to be Pā‘ū Queen
By Denise Laitinen It’s very humbling to be asked to be a pā‘ū queen,” says Anna Akaka, Pā‘ū Queen of the 2013 King Kamehameha Day Kona parade. Anna, the wife of Danny Akaka, Cultural Advisor for the Mauna Lani Bay…
World Wide Voyage: Wayfinding Around ‘Island’ Earth, Provisioning the Wa‘a
By Margaret Kearns E Lauhoe mai na wa‘a; i ke ka, i ka hoe, i ka hoe, i ke ka; pae aku i ka‘aina. Everybody paddle the canoes together; bail and paddle, paddle and bail, and the shore will be…
Pūnihi ‘o Mauna Kea
Written by the eighth grade class of Kumu ‘Ilikea Kam at Ke Kula ‘o ‘Ehunuikaimalino 2014 Hō‘anu ‘o Mauna Kea i ka pūnihi Pūnihi ka ‘ikena ma luna o nā moku Mauna Kea sits majestically in the cold The view…
Kolohe Diamond: Aunty Maile Spencer Napoleon
By Catherine Tarleton It could be “Twilight at Kalahuipua‘a,” or another cultural event on Hawai‘i Island where people gather to enjoy music, hula, and camaraderie by the ocean. As the audience waits for the first strum of ‘ukulele, the sun…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Blue Dragon Restaurant
Blue Dragon is an open-air live music venue and restaurant focusing on fresh and local ingredients. Chef Noah Hester serves creative and delicious dishes. He works closely with local farmers, ranchers, cheese makers, etc. to make sure they are serving…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Action Business Services
Action Business Services is a tax preparation and bookkeeping service owned by Paula Wilson, E.A. She has been an Enrolled Agent since 1994 and has prepared taxes for most of that time. She has offered bookkeeping and payroll services for…
Celebrating a Long Time Advertiser: Kona Center of Facial Surgery
When Dr. Joan Greco made the decision to move to Hawai‘i Island in 1993, she says she was met with aloha, and it has only gotten better from there. Dr. Greco is an oral and facial cosmetic surgeon—she’s known as…
The Pineapple: A Symbol of Hospitality
By Sonia R. Martinez Although the pineapple has long been associated with Hawai‘i, they are actually recent malihini (of foreign origin) residents of the islands. Pineapples (Anana comosus) are thought to have originated in Paraguay or Brazil and were used…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Yurts of Hawai‘i
People are becoming more aware of their own footprints on this planet and realizing that it’s time to simplify, time to take back control, and time to eliminate debilitating debt and the stress associated with it. Yurts are a great…
Island Treasures: High Fire Hawaii Gallery and Studio LLC – Hilo
High Fire Hawaii is a venue and resource for island artists offering instruction, materials, and representation in their gallery. It is dedicated exclusively to local art and local artists representing ceramicists, jewelers, painters, and textile artists. They offer classes for…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Lucy’s Taqueria
Lucy’s Taqueria is a casual, fun, and happy Mexican restaurant serving food, drinks, beers, and margaritas. Owners Gabriel (Tomas) Ramirez and Marlene Akana Hall met on O‘ahu in 1990 and then moved to Seattle in 1994. After their arrival in…
Island Treasures: Lavender Moon Gallery – Kainaliu
Long time Hawai‘i Island residents Patricia and Dux Missler opened Lavender Moon Gallery in December of 1999. The gallery is located in the quaint upcountry village of Kainaliu, just seven miles south of Kailua-Kona. It offers a unique collection of…
The Secrets of Generations: How Slack Key Guitar Grew Community and Culture
By Le‘a Gleason Anyone who’s grown up or even visited Hawai‘i will notice one thing: here in these islands, it is never silent. Instead, the air is filled with a rich array of sounds—from the din of wild roosters crowing…
Edwin Kayton: Advocate of Island Renaissance
By Margaret Kearns Ka’ū-based artist Edwin Kayton approaches his work in just the same way he lives his life: quietly with humility and respect for humanity, spirituality, culture, and nature. And it’s these very qualities that have endeared him to…
Crafting the Rhythm of Hula: Vea’s Polynesian Gifts
By Catherine Tarleton I had to make an ‘ulī‘ulī for hula class. If you don’t know, ‘ulī‘ulī is a rhythm instrument, a gourd rattle, decorated with a circle of kapa cloth to which feathers are sewn. Finished, it looks kind…
Kūpuna Talk Story: Kumu Raylene Ha‘alelea Kawaiae‘a, Native Hawaiian Cultural Practitioner
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 conversation exploring the cultural legacy they carry in their…
Ahu‘ena Heiau: “Malama i Ko Kākou Ho‘olina”—Preserving Our Past
By Fannie Narte “Ahu‘ena Heiau is probably the most significant historical site in the State of Hawai‘i because the things that happened there set the foundation for the Hawai‘i as we know it today.” Tom Hickcox, President and Director, Ahu‘ena…
Then and Now: Hulihe‘e Palace – From Mansion to Museum
By Fannie Narte Located in the center of Historic Kailua Village on Ali‘i Drive and surrounded by water on three sides is a museum called Hulihe‘e Palace. To its north is a small beach called “Niumalu,” where honu (turtles) often…
Ka Wehena: Lohe ‘ia ka ‘oe‘oe
Na Kumu Keala Ching ‘Ae, Lohe ‘ia ka ‘oe‘oe ‘I maila ka makani i lohe ‘ia Hā leo hāwanawana, kupaianaha ia Aheahe ka leo i lohe ‘ia Eia ko‘u leo, he ‘ūlāleo ē I uka o ka wao, he leo…
