9 minute read
TRIBUTE TO VALERIE KANESHIRO
Special tribute to a unique, ‘one of a kind’ treasure. Valerie Taguma Kaneshiro 1957-2020
Whether you knew Valerie personally, are reading about this unique, ‘one of a kind’ beautiful soul for the first time, or were lucky to have been a part of her life, I hope that it will give you pause and some reflection. I hope that it will inspire you to live a life of Aloha and that her shining example of passion and dedication to the well-being of the people and animals in our community will be an inspiration to all of us.
Kaua`i farmer Valerie Kaneshiro, partJapanese and Native American, grew up on the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe reservation in northern Wisconsin. Her favorite food memory growing up on the reservation was “waagaagon,” a fern shoot which holds a wonderful flavor.
when her father deceived her into a oneway visit to Kauai with him. “The traumatic circumstances of our arrival here, left me with years of longing to go home. Then one day, I decided to change my mind and just be happy wherever I am.”
When she was 20, Valerie got married and began working on the Kaneshiro Farm owned by her husband’s family, which is where she cared for approximately 1,000 hogs. Anyone who has worked on a farm knows the blood, sweat, and tears it takes to operate it and make it a success. No one knows how she has done it for such a long time, but Valerie made it work, and she did it in style.
Valerie moved to Kauai at the age of 15 Valerie was a loving kind soul, who shared her love with everyone around her, especially her hogs. In fact, her love for her hogs ran so deep that she kept documentation on all of her hogs, including their personality traits and physical character. She was able to point at any of them and provide information on that specific hog.
Valerie was very generous sharing her vast knowledge of hogs. She had a passion for educating youth in Kauai’s 4-H Program. For many years, she had provided the Kauai County Farm Fair with quality hogs, and had also donated pigs for their petting zoo.
Valerie truly saw a hog farm as a classroom. From construction to genetics, getting the hogs from the farm to the table in the most humane, healthy and efficient means available had been her lifelong calling. In order for her to achieve this, Valerie was constantly keeping up with the latest information on nutrition, reproduction, health, housing, and record keeping.
Valerie had also served as the President of the Hawaii Pork Industry Association.
She was truly one of a kind and a treasure to our community. Her dedication to Kauai residents and visitors is an inspiration. Valerie was idolized, loved and adored and she will truly be missed. “When you’re traveling a bumpy road of life experiences, you can either choose to let it rock you, or learn to pave it and make the most out of it”. Growing up on the reservation, Valerie learned that they must persevere to sustain for their children and future generations, also guided by a similar Japanese saying, “kodomo no tami ni,” meaning “for the sake of the children.” “Throughout the hardships and losses in life, I know that God is with me. No matter how hard life gets, I know that there’s someone, somewhere, who has it worse than I do. I know that I’m a lucky girl!” Valerie’s given Ojibwe Indian name is Bima`aigeAsszhogeKwe “One who skims and skips over the water like a dragon fly!” Valerie believed that happiness is a state of mind, and even though her life changed instantly and unexpectedly, she decided to find happiness wherever she ended up, and she found it on a hog farm on Kaua’i!
Rest in love and peace, until we meet again.
Take your family to
Kīlauea Point By Thomas Daubert
Photo by Hob Osterlund
When was the last time that you and your keiki saw a Mōlī (Laysan albatross), `Ā (Red-footed booby) or `Iwa (Great frigatebird) in flight? When did you last visit the Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge and lighthouse when there were very few visitors sharing this precious space with you? When did you last watch a Nēnē (Hawaiian goose) casually snacking on a hala seed pod?
Now is a great time to plan a visit to Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge with your `ohana to enjoy these sights and many more. As our community continues to face the challenges of low tourism and it’s resulting impact upon many businesses on Kaua`i, we each have an opportunity to show our support for the places, spaces and businesses that enrich our lives, our island and our community. Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), along with Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge and Hulē`ia National Wildlife Refuge, is part of the Kaua`i National Wildlife Refuge Complex – a network of federal lands managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. These spaces help maintain the rich diversity of native wildlife and plants by providing protection for native, threatened and endangerd seabirds and wetland birds, removing invasive plant and animal species, and restoring and maintaining native plant and 42
wildlife habitats. These refuges help us remember the natural history of our island and preserve it for future generations. At Kīlauea Point NWR, you may also learn more about the history of the Daniel K. Inouye Kilauea Point Lighthouse, which was built in 1913.
Kīlauea Point NWR is open Thursday through Saturday from 10am to 4pm (please check online as operating hours may be adjusted due to COVID-19 precautions). To plan your visit, you must make a reservation by visiting www.recreation.gov. Annual Kama`aina passes are available for $20 each and provide access to the refuge for four adults. Keiki 15 and under are always free. Are you looking for ways to help support this local treasure? Visit the Friends of Kaua`i Wildlife Refuges at www.fkwr.org to learn more about our island’s refuges and how you and your `ohana can help.
Flipping Over
Tiffany Dick of Aloha Dance Studio took over Kauai Gymnastics Academy in June and is having so much fun with all the coaches that continued to stay with the gym! Everyone is so thankful that we are keeping the gym open for so many happy gymnasts new and old! With Aloha Dance Studio & Kauai Gymnastics offering classes for ages 1 year old through adults, it’s extremely important to all of our mental health to have an outlet and keep everyone active during these trying times.
We have something for everyone from beginning to advanced classes. With our coaches and instructors wearing masks, new sanitization procedures every hour, temp checks, hand sanitizing or washing hands, we are doing our absolute best to keep things safe for you and your keiki.
Our goal is to work towards having everything under one roof someday to allow everyone to continue to thrive with movement of all styles. We feel so blessed to be able to carry on Coach Jack and Kay’s legacy here on Kauai! Call For A FREE Trial Class!
Offering Instruction for ages 3 years old through adults. Hip Hop, Tap, Jazz Funk, Lyrical, Ballet, Pointe, Musical
Theater, Break Dancing & Adult Heels Jazz Funk.
We offer at both locations recreational class through advanced competition teams. Kauai Gymnastics Academy 808-245-8863 | KauaiGymnastics.com Aloha Dance Studio 808-245-1810 | AlohaDanceStudio.com
Offering gymnastics instruction for ages 1 year old through 17 years old.
Day Camp enrichment program to help supervise distant learning and providing a fun and safe learning center for
We Won!
Board Games Promote Health in Families
A good old-fashioned family game night may be just what the doctor ordered. This kind of quality family time promotes family bonding, creates joyful memories and decreases the body’s stress response according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
In addition to colors, numbers and vocabulary, games help children develop life skills necessary to become successful adults according to the AAP. Following rules and taking turns develop self regulation skills while communication and conflict resolution with other Checkers – Strategically move your
players develop social skills. Games are also an opportunity for children to exercise creativity, collaboration and problem solving.
Here are a few of the best board games to get your family game night going.
Perfect for Little Ones
Relish in the nostalgia while engaging the youngest members of your family with these classic childhood board games.
Candy Land – Practice colors and counting while racing along the rainbow path towards sweet victory for the player who reaches the Candy Castle first. Blokus – Challenge your spatial thinking
Chutes and Ladders – Help your children navigate numbers as well as the good deeds that launch you up the ladders and the naughty deeds that send you sliding down the chutes.
Operation – Young children practice fine ailments like a headphone headache. Wait for everyone to squeal with joy when the tweezers touch the side of the cavity and Sam’s nose lights up and the buzzer goes off. Challenge Accepted
To win these games, you must focus, strategize and out-smart your opponents. Clue – Become a detective and delve deep into a who-done-it murder mystery. Was it Mrs. Peacock with the lead pipe in the library? checkers diagonally square by square as you capture your opponent’s checkers one by one. Sorry! – Hope for lucky cards and plan your plays wisely to be the first player to get all their pawns safely home. Just don’t be Sorry! and get sent back to the start. motor skills while removing Cavity Sam’s
while trying to get all of your pieces onto the board by filling your territory and blocking opponents. Aggravation – Up to six players must try to send their marbles all the way around the board using die rolls and potentially dangerous shortcuts. Monopoly – The classic property-trading game has room for eight players and lots of competition. Themed Monopoly boards are available ranging from Star Wars to national parks so hold a family meeting and pick the perfect board. Holiday 2020 45
