Legend of the Gourd, a Legend of Ka‘ū
Retold by Caren LoebelFried Long ago in Ka‘ū, Hawai‘i, there lived a young man and woman who loved each other very much. Although they were both from families of ali‘i, their parents did not approve of the relationship. And so…
Koehnen’s Interiors
Koehnen’s Interiors has deep roots in Hilo and the home furnishings store has survived more extreme challenges than most—two tsunamis, four floods, several sugar strikes and all of the fluctuating economies since 1929! Karyl Franks, manager, tells the story: “My…
Then & Now: Mahaiula Bay–Surfing & Shipwrecks
By Pete Hendricks When the northwest ocean swell is big—usually in fall and winter—a large offshore patch of surf can be seen clearly from Ka’ahumanu Highway, three miles north of Keahole Airport. Mahaiula Bay—now known as Kekaha Kai State Park—has…
Sailing 101: The Sailing Club at Hilo, Na Hoa Holomoku of Hawai‘i
There is nothing like being out on the bay in Hilo, especially on a sunny and windy day, one perfect for those who enjoy sailing these deep blue waters. You can expect an ever-changing pattern of cloudy skies and rain,…
Coffee Wives Created a Cottage Industry with Lauhala
By Fern Gavelek Times were especially tough during the 1930s Depression Era in Kona. Cash was scarce among residents of the Kona Coffee Belt along the slopes of Hualalai. To help subsidize their families between coffee seasons, Holualoa wives and…
A Paniolo Family’s Tale: Ichiro Yamaguchi, Son of Parker Ranch’s First Japanese Cowboy
By Catherine Tarleton In 1920, American women voted in their first presidential election; commercial radio was born; and the Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees for $100,000 and a curse. In the Territory of Hawai‘i, Waikiki boasted five…
Community Sharing, Local Style at a Hands-On Lu‘au
By Andrea Dean Ever been to a lu‘au and got to make your own lau lau? (Say that 10 times fast!) Ka Hana No‘eau and the Hawai‘i FFA (Future Farmers of America) Foundation have created the Kohala Style Lu‘au, where…
The Enchanted Gardens of Ira Ono
By Devany Vickery-Davidson In the fern forest of Volcano Village is a magical place, full of art, music, wonderful food and enchanting gardens. The spot is Volcano Garden Arts (VGA), and Ira Ono is the maestro who orchestrated this virtual…
Saving Kanaloa
By Denise Laitinen When a rare Blainesville’s beaked whale—which resembles a dolphin—stranded on Maui’s south shore last August, a volunteer alert was issued via Facebook and email. Volunteers with the Hilo Marine Mammal Response Network (HMMRN) were put on notice…
Ken Love: Hawai‘i’s Fruit Guru & Avocado Advocate
By Devany Vickery-Davidson Ken Love personifies the word “localvore.” He has been passionately preaching about local fruits and vegetables long before it was in vogue. I first heard of Ken in 2008, when reading Adam Leith Gollner’s book, The Fruit…
A Bit of the Bayou in North Kohala: This Louisiana Boy Farms Hawaiian Crawfish
By Richard Mark Glover Barefooted, Lance Caspary wades into the rice pond and lifts a triangular trap out of the water. As white caps curl below in the sea along the rugged North Kohala coastline, the sun sparkles from Lance’s…
Ka Wehena: Ho‘ola Hou
I ke alaula, ke ala o ke Akua Ho‘āla ‘ia (‘o) Ka‘ōnohiokalā Kūkuna ke ola, pi‘i i ka lani Kūlia a’ela i ke au houKūlia a‘ela i ke au houI ha‘eha‘e la o Kumu Kahi Puka maila ka lā, Pi‘i…
Rob Yamanoha: One Akamai Hilo Music Man
By Colin John Driving over Saddle Road and into Kaumana, on the mauka side of Hilo, I am looking forward to speaking with the multi-talented Rob Yamanoha. Still a young man, Rob wears many musical hats: guitarist, songwriter, producer, performer,…
The Mindscapes of Ken Charon
By Marya Mann If we could climb inside Ken Charon’s dreamy paintings for a fantastic journey, we might feel the summer breeze on our faces as we trek up an emerald green volcano and wake up in a manger where…
Lee Michael Walczuk: the Man Behind the Mask
By Alan D McNarie It’s evening in Hilo, a couple of nights before Halloween. In the workshop space in the utility building behind East Hawai‘i Cultural Center, Lee Michael Walczuk is holding a special mask-making class. It’s not to make…
Dancing with Paint: Artist Kathleen Kam Choreographs the First of a Series of Downtown Hilo Murals
By Alan D. McNarie “I can paint faster than I can write. I have a nickname: “Dances with Paint,” jokes Kathleen Kam, as she works in a face of a lauhala weaver that she’s painting on the wall of downtown…
Ka Puana: Pu‘uhonua
By Linda Ching In the Hawaiian world order, there was always room for forgiveness. Transgressors of the strict and sacred laws of the land could always find redemption and a second chance waiting if they could make it to the…
The Life in Business: Paradise Found Realty
After attending college and enjoying traveling to Europe, India and Nepal Lorraine Kohn moved to the Big Island in 1977, and found it was a great place to raise her two sons, Chris and Donny. She became a Realtor in…
The Life in Business: Aloha Business Services
Jeff Turner came to the Big Island 20 years ago. As a CPA who also had real-life experience as an entrepreneur, he found he understood the challenges of business owners better than most accountants. He started serving Kona clients in…
The Life in Business: Down to Earth
Down to Earth is a Hawaii-born pioneer of healthy eating. It was started in 1977, when a group of friends in Wailuku, Maui, turned their vision into a business dedicated to improving the health of Hawaii’s island communities. Since then,…
The Life in Business: Shipman House Bed and Breakfast
What is now the Shipman House Bed and Breakfast Inn has been in Barbara Andersen’s [Shipman] family since 1901. Seventeen years ago, when she returned to her childhood home of Hilo, she says the house “looked like the movie set…
John Keawe: Hawai‘i Island-Born Slack Key Master
By Ke Ola Music Correspondent Colin John It’s a slightly overcast, late summer day in the little town of Hawi in North Kohala—one of those typical Kohala mornings where blazing sunshine mingles with the threat of rain. Clouds march majestically…
The ABCs of Making Cheese
By Noel Morata Among the forgotten skills of homemade foods in a fast-food world is the fine art of crafting cheese. Taking a cheesemaking class is a great introduction to learning this craft; you do not have to invest in…
Extra Helpings for All: No One Goes Hungry as Island Restaurants and People Pull Together
By Fern Gavelek An old Hawaiian proverb goes: O ke aloha ke kuleana o kahi malihini—”Love is the host in strange lands.” The saying is given a profound explanation in A Little Book of Aloha, Hawaiian Proverbs and Inspirational Wisdom:…
Crafting Hawaiian Woods
By Denise Laitinen Milo. ‘Ohi‘a. Koa. These are just some of the beautiful woods native to our island. As interest surges in using all things local, so does interest in using Hawaiian woods. Big Island woodworkers are turning out dining…
Between a Rock and a Soft Place: Hawai‘i Island Retreat at Ahu Pohaku Ho‘omaluhia
By Cynthia Sweeney Jeanne Sunderland recalls first being brought to the “gathering place of the stones” by her teacher, Kumu Tommy Sullivan, over 20 years ago. They arrived by canoe and were silent as they explored the land. Like a…
Kalani Honua: Creating Heaven on Earth—Earth Art, Tomato Teachings, and Hula Blessings
By Marya Mann On a sun-drenched afternoon, I find myself walking the sacred grounds of Kalani Honua, the original nature, wellness, and Hawaiian cultural eco-village in the heart of Puna’s lush, green southern coast. Richard Koob, dancer, farmer and raconteur…
Scott Seymour Nurtures a Family Floral Tradition
By Fern Gavelek Scott Seymour has an eye for decorating with plants, whether it’s planting on a sloping hillside or designing a table centerpiece, the self-taught, flower-arranging guru is the go-to guy in Kona for spectacular flower arrangements. A landscape…
Tail-Wagging Aloha
By Denise Laitinen Sydney Andrade’s face lights up when I walk into his room, but it’s not me that he’s excited to see. It’s my companion Clancy. A pit bull mix I adopted from the Hawai‘i Island Humane Society’s Kea‘au…
Superfoods! Made Here on Hawai‘i Island
By Fern Gavelek In the search for healthier eating, many people boost their diets with supplements. Hawai‘i Island is not only a cornucopia of locally grown foods, but it’s also home to some highly regarded supplements. These locally made products…
