Beloved & Humble Puna Stronghold—o Pohoiki
By Marcia Timboy “On her way to Kīlauea, Pele initially carved out a crater called Malama, inland of her landing place at Keahialaka. Pele was dissatisfied with this crater, and proceeded to excavate another nearby crater called Pu‘ulena, which she…
Halema‘uma‘u Rediscovered
By Gail Armand At the edge of the newly revealed Halema‘uma‘u, the only sounds are the breaths as visitors encounter the crater with its changes for the first time since Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park closed May 11, 2018. Along the…
Aha Pule ‘Āina Holo, A Prayer Moving Throughout the Land
By Mālielani Larish Embraced by bright sunshine and crisp breezes, a group of runners bearing a wooden Lono staff exit the busy Highway 19 and enter a verdant field near Anna’s Ranch in Waimea. A crowd of supporters welcome them…
Then & Now: Kaimū Beach, Kalapana, Kapoho–The Only Constant is Change
By Stefan Verbano Through a break in the shrubbery beside Highway 130, the lava field reveals itself for the first time. After a long, gradual bend in the road heading downhill from the turn to ‘Opihikao, strawberry guava-laden jungle falls…
Reforest Hawai’i: Feeding the Forest, Feeding the Soul
By Jan Wizinowich Aloha is at the heart of everything Joe and Kristen Souza do and when the forest spirits called, they answered by creating Reforest Hawaiʽi, whose sole purpose is to rebuild Hawaiʽi’s native forests where “the journey of…
Mālama Mokupuni–Caring for Our Island Environment: A Walk through a Home Food Forest
By Rachel Laderman Stepping onto the narrow path of a food forest, the first thing you notice is the cool, quiet peacefulness. In the dappled shade, you see a variety of leaf forms, textures, and colors—dancing oval katuk (sweet leaf…
Halema‘uma‘u Tribute
August 7, 2018: Civil Air Patrol captured this image of Kīlauea’s summit, providing a stunning view of Halema‘uma‘u and the collapsed area within the caldera. Prevailing trade winds have blown much of the ash emitted during earlier explosions to the…
Ahupua’a: Living Aloha
By Jan Wizinowich Beyond canoe plants and animals, the first voyagers to these shores brought the spirit of ahupuaʽa, a sense that they were of the land. On the most basic physical level, the ahupuaʽa is a dedicated land division…
2018 Lava Flow Tribute
On April 30, 2018 the lava lake inside Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater drained into the lower east rift zone followed by the lava lake at Halema‘um‘u Crater of Kīlauea Volcano and started its flow toward the sea. As we go to…
Hawai‘i Island’s Champion: Ed Olson at 87 Years Young
By Leilehua Yuen Ed Olson first traveled to O‘ahu in 1959. He had come to teach a swimming pool builder how to use some new equipment. “It was about three weeks after statehood, and I fell in love with the…
The Ala Kahakai Trail: A Walk through History into the Future
By Jan Wizinowich Hawaiʽi Island’s history can be found along its coastal and mauka (mountain side) to makai (ocean side) trails, a network imprinted by the hands and feet of those who came before. The coastal ala loa trail (Hawaiian…
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Celebrating a Crop that Brought Hope and Success
By Fern Gavelek Ten years ago, a group of folks were sitting on the lānai (porch) gazing out at healthy rows of Ka‘ū coffee trees laden with cherries. Beaming with pride and optimistic for the future, the neighboring Ka‘ū coffee…
Hāmākua Harvest: Bridging Community and Agriculture
By Britni Schock Hāmākua Harvest’s mission is to promote and advance Hāmākua agriculture by supporting local farmers, enriching the region’s social fabric, and promoting healthy rural lifestyles for the benefit of Hāmākua’s communities, economy, and environment. Located just off Māmalahoa…
Maunakea: A Mountain of Unmatched Amazement
By Britni Schock One of the most captivating mountains in the world is located in the Pacific Ocean on Hawai‘i Island. This dormant volcano, called Maunakea, is the tallest mountain on Earth, with its start about 23,000 feet below sea…
Lake Waiau
By Karen Valentine Like a deep and mysterious woman, she lies nestled in her bed of ancient lava within the majestic pinnacle of the sacred mountain Maunakea. One of the few tropical alpine lakes in the world, Lake Waiau has…
Kohanaiki: Connecting the Past to the Future
By Jan Wizinowich Tutu Papa moves quietly in the dark of his Kohanaiki mauka hale (mountain-side home) in final preparations for a makai (ocean-side) gathering journey, collecting the supplies he will need for the day and a lunch of dried…
Kohala’s Hawai‘i Institute of Pacific Agriculture: Growing an Interest in Food Farming
By Ma‘ata Tukuafu At the UH Hilo Commencement Ceremonies held in May 2017, the numbers of graduates in various fields were impressive. However, a disturbing trend surfaced, with only 18 graduates completing a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and fewer…
Kohala Watershed Partnership: Bringing Life Back to the Land
By Jan Wizinowich Kohala Mountain stands like a cloud-cloaked monarch, crowned with a 50,000 acre forest that feeds the streams and people of Kohala. The tradewinds bring warm water into the cool mountains and create a constant source of moisture…
Pu‘uwa‘awa‘a: Energy Ranch
By Jan Wizinowich Approaching Pu‘uwa‘awa‘a Ranch, a sylvan scene of sheep and horses grazing in pastures unfolds. Standing above this pastoral landscape is the Blue Planet Energy Lab, a powerhouse that produces 400 to 450 kilowatt hours of renewable energy…
The Worldwide Voyage of Hōkūle‘a
Mālama Honua Update The iconic Hōkūle‘a sailing canoe is now making her way back to Hawai‘i for a triumphant homecoming in June of this year through the middle of the Pacific. This is following a brief period of drydock at…
Kohala Youth Ranch
By Denise Laitinen A man is standing on the outer edge inside a round horse pen in scenic North Kohala trying to get a horse, who is standing in the middle of the ring, to obey his non-verbal commands. It’s…
Recycle Hawai’i: Promoting Reuse in a Big Way
By Paula Thomas Recycle Hawai‘i, a nonprofit organization based in Hilo, has a stated goal to increase resource awareness and to encourage recycling and sustainable practices in our community. Its mission? To promote resource awareness and recycling enterprises in Hawai‘i.…
Mālama i ka ʽĀina: The Dryland Forest Hui ʽOhana Gathers for the Forest
By Jan Wizinowich Expecting lush tropics, many visitors are surprised when flying along leeward Hawaiʽi Island, to see a landscape dominated by seemingly barren lava fields. There are treasures there, remnants of dryland forests that in the past stretched continuously…
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…
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…
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,…
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,…
May Day is Lei Day in Hawai‘i
By Leilehua Yuen May 1, celebrated around the world as a workers’ holiday, and in England and parts of Europe as a festival of spring, in the Hawaiian Islands has been known for some four generations as Lei Day. Don…
Tea Parties in Hawai‘i
Hawai‘i Island is known for great coffees. Did you know that it also has a small thriving industry in growing and producing tea? Tea was grown commercially in Hawai‘i from the time it was introduced in 1887 until 1892. The…
Unusual Wedding Locations: Ranches
Hawai‘i Island is unique in its rich paniolo (cowboy) history and nowhere is that more evident than in North Kohala. The first paniolos on island date back to 1833, when three vaqueros—Spanish/Mexican cowboys—arrived at Kawaihae Harbor to teach Hawaiians how…
