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…
Ko Bo Kahui Ho‘oilina Ola: Bo Kahui’s Living Legacy
By Gayle ‘Kaleilehua’ Greco One person can make a difference, and everyone should try,” said John F. Kennedy in his 1961 inaugural address. Craig ‘Bo’ Kahui was seven years old at the time and living in Kalihi on O‘ahu. One…
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…
Adorning the Dancers: Understanding the Plants of Hula
By Denise Laitinen Standing next to the kahua hula (dance platform) that overlooks Halema‘uma‘u Crater at the Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, you can see a plume of steam and gasses rising from the crater, home of the volcano goddess Pele.…
Ka Puana: A Ranching Legacy Honored
“Smart’s enjoyment of life was in singing, acting, and ranch managing, in that order. That imposition of Broadway on ranch economics was ultimately responsible for certain adjustments to the supporting cast at Parker Ranch – that is, firings, new job…
The Life of Business: WaterWorks
Verne Wood, founder of WaterWorks, is a pioneer in the business of water catchment services and products on an island where many homes are independent of the County water system and rely on collecting rainwater. The company began more than…
The Life of Business: Hawai‘i Biological Dentistry
Dr. Randy Ressler may be the most musical dentist in town! “Music has always been a big part of my life,” says the owner of Hawai‘i Biological Dentistry in Kailua-Kona. He’s been performing since he was 10 and he helped…
The Life of Business: Island Edges Beads
Sharon Turner retired from being a high school theatre teacher in Arizona. Looking for something different and creative, she took a few classes in jewelry making. A native of Phoenix, the single mom of two boys taught there for 26…
The Life of Business: Big Island Coffee Roasters
Brandon Damitz and Kelleigh Stewart have combined their expertise in biological and culinary sciences and organic farming to create a business that offers the finest local products to the public along with support for other coffee growers in commercial roasting,…
Island Treasures: Hawaiian Macadamia Granola
Barbara Andersen, owner of the Shipman House Bed and Breakfast, developed her own special recipe for island-style granola to serve her guests at the breakfast buffet—something that reflects Hawai`i Island. “I started tweaking recipes, adding and subtracting ingredients, until I…
Island Treasures: Pele’s Glass Creations
Glass artisan Dave Karl, who lives close to actual lava flows in Puna, wanted to create the beauty of the lava eruptions. With Pele as his inspiration, he developed a special way of playing with glass to replicate lava explosions.…
Then & Now: Hawai‘i & Leviathan–The Fascinating Tale of Whaling Ships on Hawai‘i Island
By Pete Hendricks They had been swimming the Pacific Ocean for millennia. As humans extended their reach eastward, southward, and northward across the great ocean, leviathan and Polynesian often crossed paths. Thus, the first Polynesians to populate Hawai‘i incorporated the…
Contemporary Hawaii Woodworkers: the Wood, the Art, the Aloha
Koa is Hawai‘i. It provides that sense of place, that connection to the ‘āina (land) that is uniquely Hawai‘i. With a property known as chatoyancy (sha-toy-an-cee)—the ability to shimmer like a cat’s-eye gemstone—figured or curly koa wood is like no…
Warabi—Fiddlehead Ferns
By Sonia R. Martinez Whether you know them as warabi (Japanese), ho‘i‘o (Hawaiian) or ostrich fern (most of the mainland), the fiddlehead ferns are the young, edible, tightly coiled shoots of the fern that resemble the end of a violin…
Under the Radar: Ben Kaili is His Own Man
By Shirley Stoffer He appears at most of the major Hawaiian music events on the island of Hawai‘i and neighboring islands, playing slack key guitar and singing in his sweet, nahenahe style. He shares traditional Hawaiian music at music festivals…
The Road Less Traveled—Destination: Diane Renchler’s Toulouce Gallery
By Jessica Kirkwood When traveling up the Hamākuā coast I often I often turn makai (towards the ocean) off the main highway, just seven miles north of Hilo, in favor of the old Māmalahoa’s four-mile scenic route. Each time I…
Why Values? And Why “Manage with Aloha?”
Be true to your values.” It’s advice you’re likely to hear several times in your lifetime, and read in countless books and articles. What does it mean? Looking at it through the lens of ALOHA, it means, “Manifest your spirit…
Every Store Has a Story: K. Takata Store in Hawi
By Hadley Catalano Shiro Takata had no interest in working in his father’s grocery, K. Takata Store, during his childhood in North Kohala in the 1930s and 40s. He’d much rather play sports outside, and as the fourth son of…
A Journey Through Light and Stone: The Art and Architecture of John Wallis
By John J. Boyle A Place to Breathe in the Light The art of creating a space for a place to live suggests an attention to placement, form, and strength of materials. In designing for Hawai‘i, engineering and traditional construction…
A Brief History of Whales in Hawai‘i
By Peter T. Young The koholā (humpback whale) was well known to the early Hawaiians. In the Kumulipo chant—the Hawaiian chant of creation—the Second Era speaks of the birth of the whale: “Hanau ka palaoa noho I kai”—born is the whale…
Storytelling Quilts: From the Wisdom and Wit of Rozemaryn Van Der Horst
By Karen Valentine A storytelling quilt crafted by kupuna Rozemaryn Van der Horst is more than a beautiful rendering of fabrics, hand embroidery, colors, patterns and shapes that tell a story, it is a glimpse into the brilliant mind and…
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…
Hawaiian Monk Seal Recovery: Hawaii Adds Second Marine Facility to Protect One of Its Rarest Mammals
By Denise Laitinen In 2009 when KP2 (Kauai Pup 2), an orphaned Hawaiian monk seal in waters off Moloka‘i needed medical attention, he was transported roughly 2,500 miles to the University of California Santa Cruz Long Marine Laboratory for care…
Dan DeLuz: A Special Man Who Embodied the Hawaiian Spirit of Sharing Graciously
By Tiffany DeEtte Shafto A wave of grief swept through Hawai‘i’s woodworking community as news of the passing of a beloved mentor, friend, and master woodturner, made its way along the coconut wireless. Dan DeLuz inspired a generation of woodworkers…
Loulu Palm Is On The Rebound
By Barbara Fahs The Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden in Captain Cook doesn’t have a big neon sign that brags about its ongoing conservation efforts. Instead, Manager Peter Van Dyke and his small crew of helpers quietly go about the…
Mana in a Sacred Place: Keauhou Beach Resort ‘Ohana
By Marya Mann One of the last hula performances at the Keauhou Beach Resort appears before us, spellbinding and alluring. In his soothing baritone, Kumu Keala Ching chants the genealogical history of this powerful place, where kings and queens, leaders…
The Goddess and the Artist: Pele Dreaming
By Gayle Kaleilehua Greco At first glance, you wonder, are her eyes open or closed? Is she smiling or pensive? Is it lava flow or ocean? That is the mystery of MaryAnn Hylton’s casting of “Pele Dreaming.” The image of…
