Elizabeth Theriault’s Journey with the Drum—A Pathway of Heart
By Ma‘ata Tukuafu When Elizabeth Theriault moved to Hawai‘i in 1985 with her husband and son, she came with eagerness to integrate into the Hawaiian culture. Elizabeth, a lifelong creative artist, grew up in a diverse multi-cultural family of hunters,…
Mālama Mokupuni: Caring for Our Island Environment—Take These Broken Wings…
By Rachel Laderman The Hawai‘i Wildlife Center (HWC) is Hawai‘i’s only comprehensive facility for rehabilitating native winged creatures. Linda Elliott, the founder, president, and director, says, “Here we are, the extinction capital of the world. Our state has the majority of the endangered…
Chris Berry: Mastering Improvisation in the Land of Fire and Water
By Sara Stover For Grammy award winner, singer, songwriter, and drum master Chris Berry, the most important lesson in school wasn’t even part of the curriculum—improvisation. Born and raised in Sebastopol, California, Chris was just 12 years old, learning to…
Ka Wehena: E Welo Mau Loa
Na Kumu Keala Ching E welo mau loa ku‘u Hawai‘i E welo mau loa ku‘u Lāhui E welo mau loa ku‘u kūpuna E welo mau loa ku‘u hanauna Ua mau ke ea o ka ‘āina i ka pono Ua mau…
Hawaiian Kingdom Lives on at Uncle Robert’s Awa Bar
By Stefan Verbano Big Polynesian hands hoisted the massive tile “puzzlepiece” mural upright at last, and Rika Blue took a step back to admire her creation for the first time in its rightful place. This moment was the vindication of…
What Lies Beneath: Coral Reef Education Institute
By Brittany P. Anderson On a clear day in Kamuela you can see everything—from the top of Mauna Kea, across the pasture lands, and down to the blue Pacific. Birds glide overhead, as trees bend in the winds of the…
Ikaika no Kohala: A Community Connects through Story and Art
By Jan Wizinowich When the historic Kohala Village HUB’s (KVH) main building was lost to fire in March 2019, a heart center of the community vanished. A year later Covid hit, disrupting community connections. These dual tragedies inspired folks at…
Cool as a Cauliflower, and a Recipe for Roasted Cauliflower with Pesto
By Brittany P. Anderson Cauliflower is making a comeback as broccoli’s cooler, more versatile cousin. In supermarkets today, you can find riced cauliflower, cauliflower pizza crusts, even tortillas made from cauliflower. While it is now popping up in unexpected places,…
Stepping Beyond the Water’s Edge with Adventurer and Artist Joshua Lambus
By Sara Stover Joshua Lambus is literally paddling through a sea of foam noodles. Clinging to these bright green, blue, and pink cylinders are visitors of all ages, many of whom have never been snorkeling before today. As he scans…
Life in the Lava: The Anchialine Habitat
By Rachel Laderman Nestled in the cracks and dips of Hawai‘i’s rugged coastline are sparkling pools filled with tiny, darting red shrimp. These pools are just the tips of an incredible labyrinthine habitat that goes far under the lava, and is…
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…
Traditional Hawaiian Lomilomi Is Alive and Well
By Nancy S. Kahalewai, LMT It wasn’t too long after the return of the inaugural Hōkūle‘a voyage, and wave of cultural pride in its aftermath, that Hawaiian lomilomi massage also experienced its own resurgence. Hōkūle‘a navigated the Polynesian triangle, sailing…
Iopa Maunakea: Standing Firm with the Men of PA‘A
By Ma‘ata Tukuafu Dry land taro plants are being hand-watered by two young men, one with headphones and the other holding a sprayer, in the Pāhoa morning sun. Banana trees, young la‘i (ti leaf), coconut, ‘ulu, and other thriving endemic…
Savoring the Moment with Kailee Spark
By Sara Stover It was 1997 and Kailee Spark was sitting in a sunny patch on the floor in her California home, listening to her parents’ CD Wacky Favorites over and over. The more that little, sapphire-eyed Kailee played the…
Local Foods: Family Traditions, and a Recipe for Lomilomi Salmon
By Brittany P. Anderson A holiday wouldn’t be complete without at least one night filled with traditional lū‘au foods. Family favorites are slightly sour fermented poi, slow-roasted kālua pua‘a (pig), squid lū‘au, and lomilomi salmon. Each dish is served in…
Big Impact, Small Footprint: Urban Farming on Hawai‘i Island
By Brittany P. Anderson Most people envision Hawai‘i as a place to get away from city life, slow down, and reconnect with the land. But, according to US Census data, almost 92% of Hawai‘i State’s population lives in urban areas.…
A Kipuka for All: Kaulana Manu Trail
By Rachel Laderman Near an ancient trail in the saddle between Hawai‘i Islandʻs two largest volcanoes, at 5,600-feet elevation and often wrapped in a misty cloud, is an oasis. It is a rejuvenating place for human travelers, and for birds, too.…
Ka Wehena: Auwē Ke Ola ē
Na Kumu Keala Ching Lu‘ulu‘u ka maka o ka ‘Ōpua Uē ka ua kani Lehua Uē ka ua pulu ‘ole ka ‘āina Uē ke ola o Ke Ola ē Auwē, Auwē ke ola ē I ka ‘o ‘Ōneo Kupu maila…
Makahiki at Mālamalama
By Stefan Verbano Students at Mālamalama Waldorf School in Kea‘au will ring in the Makahiki season a little differently this year. Gone will be the crowds of spectators, the buffet tables groaning under the weight of steaming pots of taro…
A Wa‘a Named La‘i‘ōpua
By Gayle Kaleilehua Greco Being birthed on the ‘āina of Hawaiian homelands at the Villages of La‘i‘ōpua in Kailua-Kona is a wa‘a (canoe) by the same name, La‘i‘ōpua. Not since the Makali‘i was constructed in 1993, has there been an…
Ka‘apuni da Big Island (Keep on Pedaling)
By Lillian Lim It was late summer 2020 and Covid had already changed island life dramatically. One of the joys that still remained and could be safely done without risk to others was cycling. One afternoon, a handful of cyclists,…
The Playground of Champions: Recipe for Oatmeal Recovery Bar
By Brittany P. Anderson Home to the Ironman World Championships, Hilo to Volcano Ultra Marathon, and the invite-only Ultraman World Championship, Hawai‘i Island is an endurance athleteʻs paradise. The unpredictable weather coupled with unforgiving terrain makes Hawai‘i Island the ultimate…
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…
Mālama Mokupuni—Caring for Our Island Environment: Cats vs. Pups—A Feline Parasite Threatens Monk Seals
By Rachel Laderman When you’re at a Hawai‘i beach park, you’ll often spot free-roaming cats dashing between the shadows. Well-meaning cat-lovers can be seen restocking kibble in dishes left for cats. This animal-loving activity sadly contributes to a disease that is the…
How Running Found Jockey-Turned-Coffee Horticulturist, Jon Kunitake
By Sara Stover Growing up in Hōlualoa, Jon Kunitake’s knowledge of horses was limited to the paniolo (cowboys) of Waimea. His early life revolved around coffee, leaving little time for any extracurricular activities. Born in a house on a coffee…
Justin Young Keeps Moving!
By Sara Stover Justin Young was drifting off to sleep on what seemed like a grassy knoll near South Point when a roar of thunder shook the night. The thunder woke up a dog, which woke up its owner, who…
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…
The Night Lava Returned to Halema‘uma‘u Crater
By Stefan Verbano Bruce Miller and Ed Clapp headed to the crater overlook that fateful December night to stargaze and celebrate the solstice. A cold, wet mist hung in the mountain air, surrounding them. They approached the volcano’s rim as…
It’s a Family Affair at Āhualoa Farms
By Barbara Garcia Born and raised on a citrus ranch in Southern California, farming runs in Chad Cleveland’s blood. His father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were farmers and Chad has always loved having his hands in the dirt. He went to…
