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.…
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.…
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…
Bringing Hawai‘iʻs Scenery Indoors: Plein Air Painter Sita Soesman Finds Joy in Landscapes
By Margaret Kearns Long-time Hawai‘i Island resident and O‘ahu native Sita Soesman is a rare talent—one of those fortunate individuals gifted equally with excellent business, marketing and sales skills, and amazing artistic talent. Mix all of that with unbridled enthusiasm,…
Saving the Nightingale: Four-Legged Coffee Farm Workers Now Unemployed and Endangered
By Margaret Kearns One of Hawai‘i Island’s most charming creatures—known as Kona Nightingales—played an integral role in island heritage, especially in the history and development of the island’s Kona coffee industry. These beloved donkeys bray from farm to farm at…
Time-Out with the Amazing Bosco: Troubador, Kona Icon, Recording Artist and New-Age Musical Alchemist
By Marya Mann The man may be ahead of his time, but time is running short this day for Bosco as he stuffs electrical cords and mechanical contraptions into his bags. Check. Preparing for his performance at the seaside Kona…
Master of Light: Artist Kay Yokoyama
By Alan D. McNarie Kay Yokoyama seldom seeks the limelight—which is ironic, because her paintings are all about light. A Yokoyama painting will immediately stand out, even if it’s in a wall full of other paintings. Hers is the one…
The Many Expressions of Mayumi Oda: The Goddess Garden Path to Saving the Planet
By Marya Mann “I just returned from Japan. I arrived there the day of the earthquake. I had traveled to Japan to visit a village where I had been asked to come and help create a Buddhist utopia.”–Mayumi Oda, Hawai‘i…
Telling Grandpaʻs Story: How to Preserve Lifeʻs Experiences
By Fern Gavelek Everyone has something to say, and there’s a science to recording it for future generations. When you ask Grandpa what it was like working on the sugar plantation, you had better know how and what to ask…
The Art of Noho Lio O Paniolo: Making the Hawaiian Tree Saddle
By Denise Laitinen Few pieces of equipment are as important to a paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) as his/her saddle. Just as a golfer needs good clubs and a mechanic needs good tools, so does a cowboy need a good saddle. “My…
Ka Wehena: Pū‘olo
By Kumu Keala Ching He pū’olo waimaka kapa i ka lani Aia ka ha’i ‘ōuli, ke aloha pau’ole Aniani ho’i ke ala, kau ka maka i mua Ha’aha’a ke ola, ho’omalu ka ‘ike Hāmama ka pu’uwai, ho’owehe ke aloha Aia…
Feng Shui Hawaiian Style: Expand, Grow and Manifest your Dreams with the Wood Element
By Marta Barreras Have you been faced with a need to change your life plans lately? Has the economy or other recent challenges impacted your business, your vitality or your relationships? As job loss, foreclosure and unexpected events have continued…
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…
