Sonny’s Healing Journey Began with Music
By Carole Gariepy If you’ve stopped at Punalu‘u Bakery in Nā‘ālehu on a Thursday or Saturday, you’ve likely had the pleasure of enjoying the mellow music of Sonny Ramos. His Hawaiian and American melodies fill the air and provide an…
Meet Bernie Waltjen
By Carole J. Gariepy It’s a special treat when a snowbird from Massachusetts has an opportunity to hear the life story from a native Hawaiian who has many skills, diverse experiences, and a rich Hawaiian history. When I stopped in…
Mikey “Redd” O’Shaughnessy: In Search of One Perfect Wave
By Stefan Verbano “One wave will change your life.” This is the motto of big wave surfer Mikey “Redd” O’Shaughnessy, who throughout his 29 years of life in Hawai‘i has seen those words play out in the best and worst…
Kevin Rhinehart—Always Pushing His Limits
By Ma‘ata Tukuafu Life for Kevin Rhinehart changed drastically when he suffered a life-threatening stroke in January 2012 at the age of 53. At the time, his career as a successful psychotherapist was flourishing and he performed regularly as a…
One Hawaiian Voice: Kimo Pihana
By Karen Valentine It is truly rare to know a pure-blood kanaka ma‘oli (native) today, as most Hawaiian koko (blood) is mixed with that of many other heritages. Kimo Keli‘i Ka‘aha‘aina Pihana is a 100-percent Hawaiian man. Much of Kimo’s…
Dr. Joan Greco Inspires Students while GIving Back to Our Island Community
By Brittany P. Anderson There’s something extraordinary about a woman who rises to the top in a male-dominated field. It takes strength, grace, intellect, fearlessness, and the courage to never accept “no” for an answer. That woman is Dr. Joan…
The Bray ‘Ohana—A Talented Family’s Deep Connection
By Catherine Tarleton The story of the Bray ‘ohana reaches back through generations—from Hawai‘i, back to Tahiti, back to ancient knowledge, history, culture, and wisdom. “I have a book written by my great-grandfather,” says Lelehua Bray, hula teacher, travel professional,…
Tūtū Lanakila Manini: A Hula Gem and Hawaiian Music Renaissance Torchbearer
By Lara Hughes Hose Lanakila Manini, known to many affectionately as Tūtū (grandpa) “Kila” Manini, has been singing and playing Hawaiian music for more than 50 years. Kila, who turns 89 in 2020, got his musical start in 1966 in…
For the Love of Horses: Linda Tellington-Jones Proves Touch is Worth a Thousand Words
By Karen Rose It’s been said that a horse doesn’t care how much you know, until she knows how much you care. Local horse whisperer Linda Tellington-Jones would agree. Linda is founder and owner of Tellington TTouch Training, a global…
Kumu Paul Neves: Peaceful Warrior and Ambassador of Aloha
By Marcia Timboy Kumu Hula Paul Neves is a familiar and esteemed presence to many on Hawai‘i Island: a cultural practitioner, community organizer, vocal proponent of Native Hawaiian rights and sovereignty, and a high chief in the Royal Order of…
Kepā and Onaona Maly: Saving History
By Ma‘ata Tukuafu Sharing stories is what Kepā Maly and his wife Onaona have been doing for almost 40 years now, working as record keepers and cultural historians for the people of Hawai‘i. This dynamic husband and wife team have…
Stan Kaina: The Voice that Connected to the Aloha in Us All
By Sara Stover Hula dancer Pi‘ilani Rodrigues of Hilo passed by the enduring trees of Banyan Drive, their roots descending from thick branches towards the ground below. Heavenly music floated out of Uncle Billy’s Hilo Bay Hotel, carried into the…
Fantuzzi: Global Troubadour at Home on Hawai‘i Island
By Mᾱlielani Larish Awakening to ocean breezes and bird song, Fantuzzi looks forward to a day of wrestling with rocks, planting trees, and honoring Pele on the land in lower Puna that he calls home. After months of performing in…
Castles in the Sand
By Catherine Tarleton On any given day, a sunset beachgoer might take the stroll along Kauna‘oa or Mau‘umae beaches and happen upon something remarkable. Spires and staircases of sand stand in wait for some tiny mermaid; tan-khaki-taupe hibiscus and plumeria…
Aunty BJ Pa: Tahitian Dance Pioneer Paved the Way
By Tiffany DeMasters 82-year-old Betty Jane “BJ” Pa is the perfect role model for helping kūpuna (elders) live their lives to the fullest, as she continues to fulfill her passion as a hula dancer, despite her own health issues, and…
Ha‘akoa: Perpetuating Tradition, Creating Cultural Practice
By Marcia Timboy A custom can be a protocol or belief that has been practiced by an individual or a group for a long time. When a custom is transferred from generation to generation, it takes the form of tradition. Tradition…
A Dream of the Heart: Island Artists Jane and Linus Chao
By Jan Wizinowich In the most positive sense, the Chinese saying “May your life be interesting” certainly applies to Jane and Linus Chao, island treasures who have been creating and teaching art for the last 50 years. Primarily watercolor artists…
Russell Ruderman: A Lifetime of Adventure and Purpose
By Lara Hughes Many of us know Russell Ruderman as a Hawai‘i State Senator and owner of the local Island Naturals stores. What many of us may not know is Russell’s background, and how he arrived on Hawai‘i Island. Starting…
Louise Hawkins: A Centenarian and World Angler
By Paula Thomas How many people do you know who are 100 years old and I.G.F.A. World Record holders? Hawai‘i Island resident Louise Hawkins is in both rarefied categories. Louise’s past is rich with stories of exploits with all kinds…
Kūha‘o Zane: “Hula is the vehicle for my identity to be passed on to me.”
By Marcia Timboy Kūha‘o Zane is a successful Hilo-based design professional. He’s also a cultural practitioner deeply rooted in ancestral traditions, with an esteemed hula lineage inherently connected to Hawai‘i Island. Kūha‘o has danced in 20 consecutive ho‘ike (exhibition) programs…
Hawai‘i Island’s Most Prolific Church Builder: Rev. John D. Paris
By Denise Laitinen Dotting the landscape along main highways and backcountry roads, historic churches in West Hawai‘i range from small wooden chapels to impressive stone structures. It may surprise people to learn the same man, the Reverend John D. Paris,…
Chuck Leslie: The ‘Ōpelu Man
By Karen Anderson One day in the late 1990s, third-generation Napo‘opo‘o fisherman Chuck Leslie headed north toward Keauhou in his 56-foot longlining vessel, Hana Like, when suddenly and inexplicably he passed out at the wheel, just outside of Pu‘u ‘Ohau…
Try Look Inside: Yvonne and Keoki Carters’ Artistic Life
By Ma‘ata Tukuafu A life with deeper connection is what husband and wife team Yvonne Yarber Carter and Keoki Apokolani Carter strive for. With their creation of original music, their professions in land-based cultural education to steward native plants, trees,…
Kumu Kele Kanahele: A Unique Son of Ni‘ihau
By Paula Thomas Tucked away in “the boonies,” as he calls it, is the tidy, unsuspecting home of one of Ni‘ihau’s sons, Kumu Kele Kanahele. Kumu Kele is famous for making prized necklaces, chokers, and earrings from the shells that…
The 11th Annual Keiki Fishing Tournament Rocks at Punalu‘u
By Karen Valentine Not long after sunrise at Punalu‘u Black Sand Beach, light sparkles on the waves, tipping the bright blue sea as it splashes on the black rocks lining each tide pool. The parking lot is already filled with…
Community Leader Howard Pe‘a: Talented Family Man, Haku Ho‘oponopono
Na Puanani Woo and Pualani Louis ‘Ohana Howard Kahale Pe‘a, or “Uncle Howard” as he is known, is a talented family man. Genuine. He was born, raised and still resides in Hawaiian Homelands in Keaukaha-Pana‘ewa, Hilo. In his late 60s…
Grammy Dust: Charles Michael Brotman is Sparkling with it!
By Catherine Tarleton It’s difficult to describe Charles Michael Brotman in words. He’s a lifelong musician, songwriter, producer, mentor, and Grammy Award winner. Yet, sitting barefoot in his studio, picking the bass line for a new track—sharing it, listening, tweaking…
Louis and Leifi Ha‘o: A life well lived. A life of purpose. Legacies of aloha.
By Marcia Timboy Renowned Hilo couple and revered kūpuna, Louis and Leifi Ha‘o have contributed much to our Hilo and Hawai‘i Island communities. After decades of community service, they continue an active lifestyle filled with projects, ceremonial blessings, and tending…
It’s Tiki Time! Three Island Artists Turning Idols into Art
By Karen Rose Romanticized images of Hawai‘i and Polynesia abound in Hollywood films and dramatizations of island life. One of the most iconic images of Hawai‘i adopted by popular culture is the tiki. Tikis are wooden carvings created to represent…
Kūkahi and the Love Machine
By Ma‘ata Tukuafu Kūkahi Allan Nu‘uanu Lee was only seven years old when he wrote his first song. Very interested in music at a young age, he was drawn to the piano and taught himself to play by ear at…
