The Life in Business: Concrete Technology of Hawai‘i
The mission of Concrete Technology of Hawai‘i is “to transform all boring and plain concrete into a beautiful long lasting and durable solutions for all of our customers. To cover all of Hawai‘i one slab at a time.” So says…
A Passionate Kanaka Maoli*: Keoki Kahumoku—Inspiring the Next Generation with ‘Ukulele, Guitar and Life Skills
*Native of this land By Shirley Stoffer Keoki Kahumoku is a passionate guy. His beautiful musical talent comes naturally, genetically, from a family that’s well-known in Hawaiian music. But it’s almost secondary to his passions — about many things, from…
Gary Washburn: Jazzing Up a High School Band
By Catherine Tarleton It’s a bright, windy afternoon in Honoka’a for the Peace Day Festival, and the Honoka‘a High School Jazz Band is rocking the field with some big, belted-out blues by a diminutive female vocalist. The kids play with…
The Art of Clayton Bryant Young: Former Green Beret Creates Paintings with Spirit
By Karen Valentine When you consider that artist Clayton Bryant Young was once a Green Beret, spending 11 years in the U.S. Army, you might wonder how being a soldier has affected his art and his art career. The luscious,…
Fallen Trees Turn to Art with Tai Lake and Family—Fine Furniture and Art Collaboratives
By Margaret Kearns At the very top of an unmarked, dead-end road in charming Holualoa Village lives a unique family of Lakes, five in all. Fired by vision, passion, and inextinguishable energy, this family is headed by internationally-acclaimed artist and…
Crafting Papahe‘enalu: From Tree to Sea: Traditional Wooden Surfboard Shapers
By Hadley Catalano Every surfer remembers that first surfing experience… When Bob Russell began as a child, he surfed on blue and yellow canvas rafts along the Kona Coast. When Keith Tallett grew up in Hilo his father couldn’t afford…
Pilgrimage to the Sky: Honoring Mauna Kea—Kuahiwi Kūha‘o i ka Mālie: Mountain Standing Alone in the Calm
By Marya Mann The Summit Pu’u Wēkiu, Sunrise, Fall Equinox, 2011 – Shimmering in the first light of morning at the top of the world, the sun paints brilliant shades of red, orange, pink and gold on the mountain, igniting…
Growing a Flavorful Agribusiness: Vanilla
By Denise Laitinen When Jim and Tracy Reddekopp purchased their property in Pa‘auilo back in 1998, they weren’t sure what they were going to build or grow. The two O‘ahu natives just knew that they wanted to get away from…
Navigating the Universe from Mauna Kea: Science and Sensitivity
By Marya Mann On the astronomical clock, our sun isn’t very old. Estimated by scientists to be 4.5 billion years young, the mighty sun helped spawn the early Earth. Out of light, action and inter-planetary collisions – or collaborations —…
Kaliko Beamer-Trapp: A British Transplant and his Love Affair with ‘Olelo Hawai‘i
By Alan D. McNarie Kaliko Beamer-Trapp sits with two students in a tiny conference room at the offices of Kahuawaiola, the teacher training and certification program for Hawaiian language immersion schools, in a redwood “temporary building” on the University of…
Young Entrepreneurs Grow Organik: From Coffee Bags to Recycled Plastic, It All goes into Clothing and Accessories.
By Hadley Catalano It was a rainy day in late spring and Ed Fernandez had to pick up coffee bags. Not for harvesting purposes but for his popular organic and sustainable clothing and accessories company, Organik. Traversing through the windy,…
Chefs of the Future Benefit from “Christmas at the Fairmont”—Dining with the Chefs: 22 Years of Delicious!
By Devany Vickery-Davidson It’s the Big Island’s largest Christmas party and it’s all for a good-tasting, good cause. Each Christmas since 1989, The American Culinary Federation (ACF) of Kona Kohala Chefs have worked to raise funds for culinary education while…
Then & Now: David Kalākauaʻs Hawai‘i—The High-Tech King and a Famous Visit to North Kohala
By Pete Hendricks On November 16, we celebrate the birthday of King David Kalākaua, Hawai‘i’s monarch from February, 1874, to January, 1891. This Hawaiian King is well known as a champion of Hawaiian culture, hula, and song. Lesser known is…
Ka Wehena: Ku‘u One Hanau e
Na Kumu Keala Ching Eia ku’u one hānau ē E ku’u ‘āina Kaulana ē Eia ho’i ke aloha pau’ole ē Aloha ku’u one hānau ē ‘Onipa’a ka ‘i’ini laha’ole ē I ka nani pili maila ē Halihali ko ka mana…
Canine Professionals: Hawai‘I Island Dogs Perform and Go Where Man Cannot
By Denise Laitinen They may look like any other dogs, but Kaimi can tell if a fire was intentionally set. Nalu can tell if you have drugs in your car. If you’re lost, Magnum will find you, and if you’re…
Nā Maka O Ka ‘Āina: Couple Seeks to Broadcast Hawaii’s Reality
By Marya Mann To carry on traditions, some people sharpen their tongues or sharpen their pens. Others sharpen their spears. Joan Lander and Puhipau of Nā Maka o ka ‘Āina—“The Eyes of the Land”—sharpen their focus, creating no ordinary picture…
Herb Kawainui Kāne, Larger Than Life
By Karen Valentine Setting sail in the weather and sea conditions of home port, we begin our journeys in life. As we stretch out across the vast seas of experience, our course is adjusted with input from sources that reveal…
Aloha Music Camp: Awakening Hawaiian Spirit—Keola Beamer and Mohala Hou ‘Ohana
By Marya Mann Slack key artist Keola Beamer, world traveler, performer, composer and master musician—a Hawaiian who has earned a place on Billboard’s Top World Music Albums chart – also has a sense of place. Today it’s Keauhou, a historically…
At Home with Mary Koski: Artist, World Traveler, Lover of Fairies
By Catherine Tarleton In the Waimea home of artist Mary Koski live flowers in windowsills, in bottles and pots on cupboards and table tops. There are two overstuffed puffy cats in the chairs, and smiling children framed on every wall.…
Then & Now: Ka‘u Landings
By Pete Hendricks Mauna Loa Volcano had almost taken its present form when the first Polynesians began to fish, live, and farm in the Ka’ū District. The Ninole Volcanic Hills, seen above Punalu‘u, date from eruptions long before Mauna Loa…
Ka Wehena: Maluhia, He Aloha o Mauna Kea
Maluhia Na Kumu Keala Ching Pi’o mai ke ānuenue I ke ala o ke Akua Noho maila ka maluhia I ke alo o ka lani Nani ku’u ‘ike I ka malu o ka mauna Manua kū kilakila I mua o…
A Breadfruit Lunch with Chef Olelo Pa‘a: Love for the Land Sparks Joyful Cooking
By Fern Gavelek Olelo pa‘a Faith Ogawa respects and loves the land through the preparation and celebration of food. The private chef and food educator, who prepares meals for Fortune 500 executives and celebrities, will participate in the Breadfruit Festival–Ho’oulu…
The Story of “Lefty” the Sea Turtle
By Margaret Kearns Green sea turtles (honu in Hawaiian) are among Hawai‘i’s most popular, positively charming marine creatures. Revered by ancient Hawaiians, one legend tells the story of a mystical honu, Kauila, who resided in the waters off Hawai‘i Island.…
A Vegan Evolution: 40 Years without Meat
By Cynthia Sweeney It’s easy to dismiss peace of mind and peace on planet Earth as utopian ideals. However, a visit with our vegan friends, with 40 years of a truly peaceful lifestyle under their belts, gives us tangible proof…
High-Tech Textiles Feature Hawaiian Cultural Motifs
By Denise Laitinen Hilo, Hawai‘i, might not be the first place that springs to mind when you think about cutting-edge clothing manufacturing, but one local company is changing that. Punawai, a digital textile printing company, is using state-of-the-art technology and…
The Life in Business: Jet Vacation
The slogan, “Helping you create those magical memories,” explains the philosophy of Jet Vacation travel agency. Owner Linda Nagai says she followed her father’s dream of having a customer-service-based travel agency located on family property in Kona. Linda, who was…
The Life in Business: Village Toy Shop
Janet Louise, owner of Village Toy Shop, comes from a family of entrepreneurs. Her grandparents ran retail, tailoring and lodging enterprises and her parents owned an Italian restaurant, Giovanni’s Pizza, in Fullerton, CA. Growing up with these role models inspired…
The Life in Business: Ali‘i Woodtailors
Tom Sorensen and Paul Endresen are the owners of Ali‘i Woodtailors custom woodworking shop in South Kona. The two master woodworkers became partners and opened their first business in Washington state in1984. The two men moved to Hawai‘i in 2005…
The Life in Business: Fireplace & Home Center
Jeffrey Mermel, founder and owner of the Fireplace & Home Center in Historic Downtown Hilo, says he learned about fireplaces or wood stoves back in 1979 when his fiancé, Sally, owner of The Most Irresistible Shop in Hilo, suggested he…
The Life in Business: Paradise Plants Home and Garden Center
Lesley Hill, owner of Paradise Plants Home and Garden Center, has worked hard over the past 30 years in business to keep up with the changes in the marketplace. Today, more than selling just tropical plants, the Hilo-based retailer has…
