December 2008-January 2009

Dec ‘ 08 / J a n ‘ 0 9

“The Life” A Magazine for those who Love the Kona-Kohala Coast

The Life in Spirit The Life of the People The Life as Art The Life of the Land

Peace

Premier Issue —

Subscribe at www.keolamagazine.com

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KE OLA

“The Life” A Magazine for those who Love the Kona-Kohala Coast

D ec ‘08/Jan ‘ 09

A holiday tradition in lights — Waimea Holiday Parade.

Bongo Ben’s Island Café BEST PRICES IN TOWN! OPEN 7AM TO 10PM

The Life in Spirit: 8 Ho‘ohanohano ka Mana (Honor the spirit)

by Kumu Keala Ching

The Life of the People: 12 The Many Faces of Josh Green —

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SERVING BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER

This doctor-senator takes multi-tasking to a new level.

It’s A‘ole Pilikia for Waimea’s “Parade Lady,” Lani Olsen-Chong

The Life as Art:

Portraits of a Culture: 20

The Life of the Land: 22 From Farm to Table: Touching the Earth Farm

and Blue Dragon Restaurant

Columns: 27 Leo Papa — Voice of the Land,

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by Nancy Redfeather Merry Mana — Musings of a spirit in search of paradise, by Marya Mann

Departments:

PUBLISHERS’ MANA‘O • 6 SCENE AROUND TOWN • 10 THE LIFE IN BUSINESS • 19 COMMUNITY Calendar • 31

Ka Puana — the Refrain:

BREAKFAST

The photographic artistry of G.P. Merfeld

Rock Garden, by Wayne Stier • 35

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Cover Art: “Peace,” a tender photographic portrait of Kamalani and his auntie Vicki, taken at his first year birthday party, by Kona fine-art photographer G.P. Merfeld. See artist’s profile on page 20.

Fine art quality prints of the cover of this premier issue of Ke Ola magazine are available, ready to frame. $15, including shipping.

Order online at: www.keolamagazine.com

UA MAU KE EA O KA ‘AINA I KA PONO.

The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.

[Its sustainability depends on doing what is right.]

Proclamation by Kona-born King Kamehameha III in 1843.

Later adopted as the state motto.

PUBLISHERS Barbara Garcia Bowman Karen Valentine

EDITOR Karen Valentine

MARKETING DIRECTOR Barbara Garcia Bowman

BUSINESS MANAGER Deb Sims

ART DIRECTION Karen Valentine

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mars Cavers, South Kona mars@keolamagazine.com

808-929-8356 Bob Dean, North Kona bob@keolamagazine.com

808-937-9770 Barbara Garcia Bowman, Kohala barb@keolamagazine.com

808-345-2017 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Keala Ching Bob Hogue Fern Gavelek Nancy Redfeather Marya Mann Hadley Catalano Wayne Stier

CALENDAR OF EVENTS Thanks to Konaweb.com

WEB MASTER Bob Stoffer

PHOTOGRAPHY Eric Bowman Fern Gavelek Hadley Catalano PRODUCTION MANAGER Richard Price

PRINTING Hagadone Printing Co. Printed on 100% recycled paper

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KE OLA is published by Hawai‘i Island Publishing, Inc. P.O. Box 1494, Kailua-Kona, HI 96745 www.keolamagazine.com Editorial inquiries & calendar submissions: editor@keolamagazine.com Subscriptions: www.keolamagazine.com or mail name, address and payment of $18 for one year to P.O. Box 1494, Kailua-Kona, HI 96745 808-345-2017 Fax: 808-882-1648

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A

Karen Valentine

s we sit near the ocean over breakfast, we can see the horizon clearly. A parasailer hovers above and a triathlete trains in Kailua Bay. On this late September morning, the Ironman Triathlon is just weeks away, and many are here to test their bodies in ways most of us wouldn’t try.

It makes us reflect about life on an active volcano. Pushing your body to the limits and living where the earth is testing its own limits as it literally creates and re-sculpts itself are both attributes of those who seek a higher level of passion in their lives. It helps if it also comes with ocean breezes, palm trees, fruit growing next to your doorway, and endless summers.

Sometimes the sky is hazy these days, evidence of Pele’s breath, and sometimes it gives us a good, clear look at why we live here.

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From the Publishers

Barbara Garcia Bowman

Ke Ola — in Hawaiian, “The Life,” is what this magazine is about. It’s time West Hawai‘i has a magazine it can call its own. A magazine not only for the people who live here (or dream of living here), it is brought to you by people who live here. In this premier issue, and all future issues, we will seek out ways to reflect to our readers’ pictures and stories that remind us of why we live here.

We’ll introduce you to some of the people who make Hawai‘i nei special in a regular feature, “The Life of the People”. In this issue we profile Hawai‘i newly-elected state senator, Dr. Josh Green. How has his career as a physician made a difference in his current political work? See our exclusive story by one of Josh’s colleagues, former state Senator Bob Hogue.

Waimea’s “Parade Lady,” Lani Olsen-Chong is someone you’ll also enjoy getting to know through Fern Gavelek’s profile.

“The Life of the Land” — Our land is rich in its ability to grow food and provide sources of natural energy. Sustainability is an important goal, and besides, locally-grown food tastes best! Local farmer and sustainability advocate Nancy Redfeather introduces a column, Leo Papa — the Voice of the Land. Restaurants are bringing food from the farm to the table and in another regular feature, we’ll be seeking them out for you, starting with the new Blue Dragon in Kawaihae.

“The Life in Spirit” — The poetic voice of Kumu Keala Ching shares messages from the awakening spirit of the land, through the language of the kupuna, which many such as Kumu Keala are keeping alive.

We will seek out ways to reflect to our readers’ pictures and stories that remind us of why we live here.

It’s a beautiful morning in Kailua-Kona...

“The Life as Art” — Artists are drawn to this island. It feeds their passion for creation and their spirit as they bring forth paintings, sculpture, photography and other forms of art.

Who are these people and how can we see this island through their eyes and talented hands?

G.P. Merfeld, this issue’s cover artist, sees life in many forms and transforms it from “just a photograph” to a work of art. G.P. shares his story inside.

We have brought together a wonderful staff (a dream team!) with many years experience in publishing. The reception we’ve received since announcing our plans for Ke Ola has been overwhelmingly positive. We are getting feedback that says, resoundingly, “Yes, we need and want this magazine! The timing is perfect for this!”

Let’s share the good things that are happening here with each other and let’s help build West Hawai‘i’s economy together while we’re at it!

Let us know what you think, by sending letters to the editor, as well as your ideas for stories and topics you’d like to see in the future, and submissions for our calendar and community resource directory to editor@keolamagazine. com. We look forward to hearing from you!

Ke Ola is available by subscription, on magazine racks in local stores, our advertisers’ businesses and at many local events. You can order your subscription or one for a friend at www.keolamagazine.com. (It makes a great gift for everyone you know who loves the KonaKohala Coast!)

It’s a beautiful morning in Kailua-Kona.

It’s a beautiful time to birth a new magazine, Ke Ola. Many mahalos for letting us be the positive voice of the Kona-Kohala Coast, Karen Valentine and Barbara Garcia Bowman, Co-Publishers FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS ISSUE: Kumu Keala Ching — A kumu hula, teacher of olelo (Hawaiian Language), oli (chant) and composer, Kumu Keala is also cultural representative for National Parks, practitioner of lomi lomi and ho‘oponopono, and founder of Na Wai Iwi Ola, a community-based educational foundation.

Bob Hogue — Formerly a Hawai‘i State Senator, coach and broadcaster, Bob Hogue is a regular sports columnist for Midweek newspaper, commissioner of the Pacific West Conference, and in his spare time, a novelist. His soon-to-be-published historical novel, Sands of Lanikai, takes place on Oahu on Dec. 7, 1941.

PHOTO: James Cohn

Fern Gavelek — 2006 Small Business Administration Journalist of the Year for Hawai‘i County, Fern has also written for Honolulu Magazine, This Week, Travel Age West, West Hawai‘i Today and Kona Views magazine. She is also a public relations professional and a volunteer for community organizations.

Nancy Redfeather — Nancy and her husband Gerry Herbert live on their 1.2-acre mini farm in mauka Kona.

Kawanui Farm is an experimental/educational model for home producers, school and community gardens. Nancy is also the Director of The Kohala Center’s Hawai‘i Island School Garden Network, and is a member of the Ad Hoc Committee rewriting the County of Hawai‘i Agricultural Plan.

Marya Mann — Marya has a PhD in creative arts with an emphasis in dance and anthropology. She is one of the co-authors of Healing Our Planet, Healing Ourselves.

In addition, she has written stage and screenplays and a novel. She is a therapist, creativity consultant, speaker and conductor of seminars and workshops.

Wayne Stier — Wayne has published seven books including the classic Hawai‘i Blue. He has also published photos from his travels around the world and from when he lived in Japan and Thailand. Wayne is an actor, playwright, and creator of koa wood sculptures. Currently he is working on a musical named “Kaona, the Renown.”

Susan J. Moss

Professional Member ASID

RESIDENTIAL | COMMERCIAL | HOSPITALITY Kamuela, HI PH: 808-885-5587 www.trans-pacificdesign.com

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Ho‘ohanohano ka Mana (Honor the spirit) ~ Na Kumu Keala Ching

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Mai ke kinohi o ka lā, puka i Ha‘eha‘e Pi‘i akulā i ke alo o Mauna Kea ā Hualalai Wahi kaulana o Kohala, Waimea, Waikoloa, Kona ‘Ākau ā Kona Hema ala Moemoeā i ka poli o ke ao, moe i Lehua Eia iho maila ke ola o nā iwi o Hawai‘i nei ‘Ike ihola ka mana o ka ‘āina, he mana ke ola Ola aku, Ola mai, Ola ke ola ē

From the beginning, the sun rises from Ha’eha’e Approaching the faces of Mauna Kea and Hualalai Famous is Kohala, Waimea, Waikoloa, North Kona and South Kona Dreams are in the clouds, sleep beyond Lehua The Life of the land is Hawai‘i See the spirit of the land, for the life is the spirit Live, Live, The life lives forever!

We are troubled often by not honoring our relationship of life found deep within the spirit of the land. We forget about the protocol of life that our beginning is our end and our end is our beginning. We honor our spirit by understanding our relationship with the land, because our relationship to our life is our spirit and our life is the land.

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Scene Around Town:

Kokua Kailua Village Stroll

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L to R: Shayne, Michelle, Allison, Kekai and Kaleo Tomas

Floyd and Donna Jones

Cami Heady

L to R: Larry Webb, Liz Zagorodney, Laura Dierenfield, John Simmerman

ne Sunday afternoon each month, residents and visitors come out to enjoy and appreciate all the charm of Kailua Village.

Held in conjunction with Hulihee Palace’s concert on the lawn, Kokua Kailua is sponsored by the Kailua Village Business Improvement District, the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce, Destination Kona Coast, Kailua Village Merchants Association and Hulihee Palace.

On the third Sunday of each month, Alii Drive is turned into a pedestrian mall from 3:00 p.m. to sunset. Musicians and artists take to the street in a fun, festive, family event where residents can listen to music, experience creativity at art demonstrations, shop for special items and dine at nearby restaurants. Upcoming Hulihee Palace Concert & Village Stroll dates: December 21 and January 18.

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Keiki hula dancers prepare for performance at Hulihee Palace.

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Tom Siebler and Maggie Artist Randy and Lokelani Dahl with painting of “Mana.”

50 is the new 30 There are 50 calories in 8 lychees Walking on sand can burn 50% more calories than walking on pavement Eating 50g of dark chocolate a day may reduce heart disease risk 15 minutes of hula dancing burns over 50 calories Kaiser Permanente celebrates 50 years in Hawai’i

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The Many Faces of Josh Green

Multi-tasking is an understatement for this Doctor-Senator

By Bob Hogue

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The Life of the People

It’s hard to believe that Josh Green sometimes gets criticized for working too hard—but he does.

Perhaps it might seem daunting to think that one person could hold down two full-time jobs on separate islands—as a doctor and a state legislator, and still find time to be a loyal family-man, open a free medical clinic, run a marathon, and even write a book of fiction.

But Green, the 38-year-old Big Island doctor recently elected to the Hawai‘i State Senate after serving two full-terms in the State House of Representatives, is as undaunted by the naysayers as he is about his tremendous workload.

“I’ve heard the criticism that no one can do justice to two full-time jobs, but I can handle it,” he says. “I work full-time as a legislator and I work full-time as a doctor, working 48 hours on weekends when the [legislature] is in session. I see a major nexus between being a doctor and being a legislator. All legislators should have second jobs; that gives them another perspective. Having that perspective is what the concept of being a citizen legislator is all about. I have a first-hand perspective [and] in my time in the legislature, I’ve only missed two days.”

Green is like the Energizer Bunny; he just keeps going and going.

“It’s a lot, but I’m very energetic,” he says. “I put so much into being a ‘Doc’; I have to give it my all every day. I feel the same way about serving

in the legislature. I talk to so many people [in his doctor’s office or in the emergency room] and I hear their problems and want to help solve them.

I recognize that it’s important that I give it my all in everything I do.”

It was that passion that got Green into politics in the first place.

After growing up near Pittsburgh, PA where he was an outstanding student and a high school tennis champion, the young graduate of Swarthmore and Penn State took advantage of a National Health Corps Scholarship and moved to one of the most remote places in the nation—Ka‘u on the Big Island—for his first professional job.

“It was a great experience,” he says of the four years he spent as the lone doctor at the Ka‘u Family Health Center in Na‘alehu. “I was the only doctor for nearly a thousand square miles. I took care of anything that walked in the door— everything from helping a child with a runny nose to diagnosing a brain tumor in an elderly person.

I saw the whole gamut. It became easy to become a big part of the community.”

Green also saw things that changed his life forever.

“It was at the height of the ‘ice’ crisis and I saw a lot of drug issues. Twice I saw children die in the emergency room due to the violence brought on by the use of ‘ice’,” he says. “It made me angry, and I wanted to do something about it.”

So Green, who had recently moved from

In the Senate, just as he was in the State House,

Green will be a strong advocate in the medical and health arena.

Ka‘u to Kailua-Kona, got into politics. In 2004, he ran for the State House seat representing the 6th District—North Kona, Keauhou and Kailua-Kona.

I continue to write. It’s an eccentric story, very whimsical. I find it incredibly satisfying and a creative outlet to balance the problems I see.”

“I walked door-to-door wearing my [doctor] scrubs, and I got a great deal of positive response,” he recalls. “I think people reacted well to a doctor running for office.”

Although the stories are not autobiographical, it would be easy to call Josh Green “The Idea Man”, too. You can also call him Doctor, Senator, Author, Athlete, Husband, and Father— all titles apply to one of the hardest-working people on the Big Island. n

Green won handily and was re-elected in 2006. This year, he ran for the 3rd District State Senate seat vacated by Republican Paul Whalen. Green, a Democrat, won the Senate seat by earning a landslide victory in the primary. He had no opponent in the general election. His new Senate district now extends from Kohala to Ka‘u, where, incredibly, he still finds time to work in both hospital emergency rooms.

In the Senate, just as he was in the State House, Green will be a strong advocate in the medical and health arena. He helped lead the fight for medical tort reform this past legislative session, and was angry that nothing got through the process.

“It’s disconcerting when the Judiciary Chair won’t even hear the bill,” he says. “Why couldn’t we even have a debate? Let’s get the issues out in the open and have a debate about it.”

Green is equally concerned about an impending doctor shortage on the Neighbor Islands.

“We recently lost three orthopedists on the Big Island. We don’t even have one neurosurgeon on the Big Island,” he says.

“Hawai‘i is the lowest of the 50 states in insurance reimbursement and the highest in costs. We’re losing doctors to California, New York, Utah, Texas, and elsewhere—something has to be done about it.”

Toward that end, Green has introduced a “5-Point Plan” that he believes will make a big difference. The plan includes health insurance reform and medical malpractice insurance reform, creating a Hawai‘i Health Corps to bring doctors to under-populated areas, investing in medical education, and building bridges between health care cooperatives and private-public partnerships.

Pau hana with daughter Maia.

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“I’m driven day to day,” he says. “I want everyone treated fairly. That’s what drives me—I’ve always been that way. Even when I was a kid, I was like that. When I see someone abusing themselves or not getting health care, I get mad. I want to do something.”

About the often-frustrating legislative process, he says, “It’s not about the pay. I like the fight.” He also believes strongly in expanding Hawai‘i’s educational opportunities, working on energy issues, and improving Big Island roads and highways.

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“It’s a collection of stories tied together about two boys who become men, from the ages of 5 to 90,” he said. “I started writing it when I was a Resident [physician] in Pennsylvania, and

Member of the American Associates of Oral and Maxilofacial Surgeons

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In addition, Green finds time for other activities, including being with his wife Jaime, and his two-year-old daughter Maia.

He’s run a marathon and he works as an emergency doctor each year for the Ironman Triathlon. He’s even written a book—a collection of short stories called “The Idea Man”.

Call today to schedule an appointment at the nearest office

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A necklace proclaims her can-do attitude in gold for all to see; it reads, “No Problem.”

Another pendant, with the Hawaiian words “A‘ole Pilikia,” also dangles from her neck; it too means “No Problem.”

It’s A‘ole Pilikia for Waimea’s “Parade Lady:” Lani OlsenChong

By Fern Gavelek

K

nown by many in Waimea as “The Parade Lady,” Lani Olsen-Chong is often recognized by her neatly coiffed hairdo and wide grin. Personable, while efficient; friendly, yet business-like; Olsen-Chong is a hustle-bustle volunteer in this upcountry ranching community where she has lived since 1968.

Positive energy seems to emanate from OlsenChong, who brushes away challenges and obstacles with the back of her hand. A necklace proclaims her can-do attitude in gold for all to see; it reads, “No Problem.” Custom-made for Lani 35 years ago, it echoes her often-said phrase. Another pendant, with the an words “A‘ole Pilikia,” also dangles from her neck; it too means “No Problem” and was gifted by her husband, Alvin Chong.

“I don’t like ‘no,’ I don’t like ‘I can’t,’” she states matter-of-factly. “Can’t means won’t in my book.”

A working wife, mother, grandmother and greatgrandmother—the 60-something O’ahu native has always found time to “lend a hand” for others, whether it’s sitting on the board of a credit union, selling annual Easter Breakfast tickets for the Lions Club or serving as events chairperson for this year’s Waiomina Centennial Celebration.

“I honestly don’t feel like I do a whole lot but I think it’s important to do something,” shares Olsen-Chong. “I think everybody, in some way, gains from volunteering in the community. It’s a chance to make where we live the best it can be.”

A mother of five, grandmother of 13, and great-grandmother of three, Olsen-Chong leads by example. She shows others how to “just make the time” for volunteering. “I would bring my kids along to various things and my older daughter, Shannon, was a big help as a dependable babysitter,” she details. “Today my entire family helps me; I couldn’t do it without them.”

Brought up in Windward O‘ahu, Lorraine “Lani” Alohilani McCorriston was raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She credits church activities with helping her become “more outgoing with others.”

“I was involved with speech, drama and taught the younger kids,” Olsen-Chong says. “The experience gave me the ability to work comfortably with others, to overcome shyness.”

When she was 23, The Parade Lady moved to Waimea with her late husband, Hartwell Olsen, and their young family. Lani had visited Waimea before, and when she brought along Hartwell, “he liked what he saw and so we decided to move here.”

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While the couple had more children, Lani was employed in various positions, mainly at the

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Her top community calling, however, is calling the shots for Waimea’s two popular parades.

She has chaired them both: the Aloha Festivals’ Paniolo Parade, from 1990-2005, and the Waimea Christmas Twilight Parade, which she oversees today. Held on the first Saturday of December, the enchanting evening procession is in its 48th year, and Olsen-Chong has been involved on and off since the 1970’s. The Christmas parade is actually

the day-long culmination of numerous fairs and activities at various Waimea locations. This year, the celebration expands to include participation with KHON-TV’s Lokahi Giving Project.

Continued on page 16.

Held this year at 6 p.m., Dec. 6, the Christmas Twilight Parade stages 40 illuminated “big rigs” that form a brigade through town, starting at Church Row Park and proceeding to Waimea Park.

Continued from page 15.

Mauna Kea Beach and Mauna Lani Bay hotels.

During this time she met many people and made connections. One of those people was Sam Kimura of Parker Ranch, an avid participant in numerous community committees, especially those involving scouting, HPA, sports and St. James Church.

“I think Sam saw potential in me and he introduced me to the Christmas Parade committee and other organizations,” recalls Olsen-Chong.

“He asked me to sit on the board of the Kamuela Credit Union (in 1968) and emcee the Lions’ Club fair.”

Olsen-Chong adds that “Sam was very inspirational” and a good role model for community volunteerism. “He would get me involved and then move on.”

Gloriann Akau, long-time Big Isle Aloha Festivals manager, recruited Lani to take over the Paniolo Parade in 1990. Olsen-Chong enlisted the help of Honolulu parade veteran Nelson Fujio to “show her the ropes,” including how to interface marching, equestrian and float units.

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“Having a vision for your parade is important,” adds Olsen-Chong, who spearheaded the Paniolo Parade for 15 years. “You work with a theme and fill your key parade positions and then other elements fall into place.”

“The parade is all about family and creating cherished moments and memories for our keiki,” explains Patti Cook, secretary of the Waimea Community Association, a parade sponsor.

“This is what inspires Lani, and she in turn, motivates dozens of her own family members and community friends to help.”

Cook says overseeing the holiday parade “takes a huge commitment of time and attention to detail,” sometimes requiring Olsen-Chong to work into the wee hours to finalize the script for the parade’s six narrator stations. Parade preparation

begins with bi-monthly meetings starting in April with a team of recruited volunteers who chair different tasks like security and publicity.

“That’s what makes this (parade) work, finding different chairpeople who can delegate and work cooperatively with others,” explains OlsenChong. “You’re successful if everybody does their job.”

The Parade Lady has put extra effort into this year’s event, securing O‘ahu TV personality Manolo Morales to serve as parade grand marshal.

The KHON-2 reporter will also emcee six hours of pre-parade entertainment at Waimea Center, as part of the Lokahi Giving Project. The theme of this year’s parade is “He Kalikimaka Lokahi— A Christmas Full of Harmony!”

“It’s going to be exciting and I think we’re privileged to have the Lokahi Giving Project coming to Waimea,” stresses Olsen-Chong. “We’ve been working on getting them here for several years; it will give our community the opportunity to share in the spirit of lokahi (unity).”

KHON-TV’s annual collection for the needy starts the day after Thanksgiving at Waimea Center, where Olsen-Chong’s daughter, Kalae, has arranged for Young Brothers to donate a van to store material donations. Monetary and gift card contributions can be made at American Savings Bank. All collected items will be distributed to Big Island Lokahi recipients.

Does Lani think she’ll be retiring any time soon as The Parade Lady? She claims there are no plans for that yet, as planning the parade is “something she enjoys.” Olsen-Chong admits her youngest daughter, Kalae Kawamura of Waimea, is her “right-hand person” and this year co-chairs the parade with her. Like her mother, Kawamura sometimes tows her keiki along to community planning meetings.

“If I died today, Kalae would pick up the baton and go on,” confides Lani. “No matter what I do, I couldn’t do it without the help of my family.” n

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      

& a h o l A Welcome!

With over 150 Big Island artists, a full presentation including paintings, photos, wood turned bowls, sculpture and koa wood furniture, Harbor Gallery offers visitors and local friends a chance to browse the finest in local art. Since 1990.

OPEN DAILY 11:30-8:30 ph: 808-882-1510 www.harborgallery.biz

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Located at Kawaihae Harbor Shopping Center next to Café Pesto.

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The Life in Business...

Kona Stories: If Brenda Eng was ever asked what her “dream job” would have been, it would have been to own a bookstore. “I just started talking about it like it was real” states Brenda. “I would go to independent bookstores and talk story with the owner and even started taking pictures of things I liked.” After several years of planning and dreaming, the Kona mauka book store, Kona Stories, became a reality, opening Thanksgiving Weekend 2006.

Brenda and her business partner, Joy Vogelgesang, had met in a Book Club in Roseville, California.

Brenda, who is a mother of three children and worked in the medical field before moving to Hawai‘i, decided it was time to open that bookstore she had dreamed of. So, one day she e-mailed Joy in California and said, “How’d you like to move to Hawai‘i and open a book store?”

Joy said, “Sure would!”

Joy’s experience working at both Borders and Barnes & Noble, and as an executive at a large corporation, prepared her for this “dream job.”

While attending dental school, Dr. Greco worked as a neonatal and pediatric intensive care nurse at the University Health Science Center in San Antonio.

It was there that she decided to specialize in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. “I was working in intensive care with babies who were born with a cleft palate and I saw how surgery made a huge difference in their lives.” From San Antonio she went to Emory University in Atlanta.

When the dental school closed, it was Dr. Greco’s chance to go to Louisiana State University (Charity Hospital).

While there she found herself yearning for island life. She opened her first office on the Big Island in 1994 and is also on staff at Kona and North Hawai‘i Community Hospitals. Dr. Greco is a past president of the Hawai‘i Island Dental Association, the Hawai‘i Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Tradewind Hawai‘i: John and Debra Repasky, owners of Tradewind Hawai‘i, have translated their love of home building and beautiful home products into a spacious, classy design showroom in Kailua-Kona. It features a select range of premium home product lines from around the world that will appeal to customers building a luxury home or thinking about upgrades to their current homes. Tradewind Hawai‘i has a select range of products designed to bring convenience, comfort and beauty to the homeowner. They carry top brands of premium appliances, sophisticated door and window systems and garage doors.

The business facilitates delivery and installation of all appliances and products. “We spend time with builders and contractors,” says Repasky “providing them with information and instructions for installing our products. It’s not just that we have unique products; we also offer expert advice.”

As a licensed garage door contractor, they offer installation, service and repair on all garage door products. The Repaskys say that what distinguishes Tradewind Hawai‘i is not just the unique product selection but the staff ’s extensive product knowledge and customer service.

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Tuesday mornings is keiki story time with songs and games. Special orders and gift shipping are extra services they offer.

Kona Stories is a welcoming stop at the Mango Court in Kainaliu in mauka Kona.

Don’t drive by next time. Stop and say hi.

Dr. Joan Greco: “I’m a dental phobic like most of my patients are, I empathize with them,” says Joan Greco, DDS, OMS. It is not just her professional experience, but her experience as a patient that guides her treatment style.

An oral and maxillofacial surgeon, Dr. Greco specializes in placement of dental implants, wisdom tooth removal, bone grafting, facial trauma, jaw surgery and facial cosmetic procedures such as BOTOX® Cosmetic, face lifts, rhinoplasty and more.

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Since opening, Kona Stories has expanded its book sections based on local interest and customer demand and created a series of author or book events every Saturday afternoon. Just like the big stores, it offers a place to read and enjoy a cup of 100% Kona coffee and a treat.

Glimpses into the stories behind a few of our ads

The Life in Art

PORTRAITS OF A CULTURE The Photographic Artistry of G.P. Merfeld

“Power: Lei Ohai Ali’i” — Part of the continuing “Lei Series,” calls attention to the uniquely Hawaiian tradition of adorning both the male and female form with flowers. Specifically, the concept of a muscular, male torso combined with an intricate, beautiful lei, is a special one, unique to the islands.

By Karen Valentine with G.P. Merfeld

C

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hances are, if you are a hula dancer performing at a local festival, a musician strumming at an outdoor concert, a proud member of the Royal Court, or a paddler in the Lili’uokalani Outrigger Canoe Races, then you may have noticed a man with a mustache wandering about the event, wearing a bandana, and holding a long-lensed camera, pointed your way.

With an eye for capturing the spirit of the dancer and the passion of the dance, the camera of G.P. Merfeld records mostly candid images that result in fine art available in galleries and homes in West Hawai‘i and Honolulu, as well as on the artist’s website, gpmkona.com. As an artist photographer, G.P. has dedicated himself to preserving and sharing “all things uniquely Hawaiian” through an artistic project called “Island Preservations.”

The prolific photographer has also provided imagery for a variety of professional clients, including the Hawaiian Airlines 2008 Hula Calendar, Bishop Museum, and Hokuli‘a Resorts.

As a young man, Merfeld traveled around the world on his own, visiting more than 21 countries, and exploring various cultures on a journey of self-education. Today he says he still loves to travel, and makes regular trips to the mainland and beyond, where he shoots various “urban tribes” using his candid approach wherever he goes. “But Hawai‘i is and always will be my home, where the Aloha Spirit never ceases to fill my heart and renew my soul.”

A Kona resident for more than 25 years, Merfeld formerly worked with a technique for preserving Hawaiian lei and orchids with a unique method of dehydration that retains all of the color and three dimensional form of the flowers. For 15 years, he exhibited these floral treasures in museums and resorts, and had a small gallery of his own in Kailua-Kona.

Since the process required the use of healththreatening chemicals, however, Merfeld decided to discontinue the work as he said it would have required the construction of a costly scientific

laboratory. So he put the project on the back burner until he could “someday retire as a wealthy man and resume the research as it should be done.”

Merfeld’s cultural portraits extend beyond the faces of the kama‘aina to include any and all details of the uniquely Hawaiian lifestyle, which he refers to as the “only in Hawai‘i kine stuff.”

Merfeld didn’t forget his love for flowers as an artistic subject, nor his dedication to preserving island culture. But he found a healthier medium while rekindling his first artistic love from his teenage years, and that was photography.

Not surprisingly, considering his past experience, one of his most popular series of images is an ongoing project called “The Lei Series,” which includes vibrant studies of Hawaiian lei on Hawaiian torsos, combining color and monotone elements in each image for a uniquely artistic vision. Also popular is “Jungle Cars,” an ever-growing collection of a familiar site to kama‘aina—those cars and trucks that are abandoned, only to let Mother Nature “reclaim them as her personal planters, while the jungle takes over and turns them into living sculptures.”

And then there are the animals of the islands: A green-eyed cat lounging under tropical leaves, a giant Honu on a secluded beach, a rooster proudly held by a local farmer.

“The advent of digital imaging re-opened the photographic world to me, allowing me to shoot to my heart’s content, and to process my images in the digital darkroom of the computer here in my humble ‘jungle’ abode in Opihihale,” he said.

Merfeld has not looked back since, and prides himself on his distinctive style of imagery and his hands-on approach to fine art processing from start to finish. “Perhaps it is a carry-over from the film and darkroom days, but I prefer to have complete control of the process myself, from initial shoot to final print. And in the process, it seems that I have developed a signature style of toning that is becoming recognizable in a lot of my work.”

Regarding his shooting technique, Merfeld says, “The majority of my work is candid portraiture while shooting at the local events and on the street. People know that I am there with a camera and just get used to me being around. I do not direct people verbally or pose them for pictures. I am trying to capture the character, the culture, the soul of a hula dancer performing, a paddler on the ocean, or a paniolo on horseback.”

Merfeld reflects, “Living in Hawai‘i for almost half my life has been the most special journey of all, and I am honored and humbled to partake of the immense beauty of the land and it’s people on a daily basis. I feel that it is my privilege and my obligation to share with the world the rich and endangered culture of these islands I call home. My mission is to photographically honor and preserve the Tribal Heart, Island Life, and Aloha Spirit that is Hawai‘i.”

Merfeld’s work can be seen at The Gallery at Hilton Waikoloa, Showcase Galleries in Keauhou and Kainaliu, Nohea Galleries on O’ahu, and at his website, www.gpmkona.com. n

Photographic Interpretations of the Hula “Learning The Dance” Young keiki dancers performing at the Malama Punalu’u Festival, Na’alehu, Ka’u, on the Big Island. The pride of Hawaiian Culture, its keiki, learning the dance, the discipline, and the values that will shape them throughout life as proud Hawaiians in heart and spirit. They are the living bridge between the past and future of this land and culture.

Get our NEW ed

“Na Koa Kia’i” (The Warrior Guards) — This image was taken at the HulaFest in Wai’ohinu, Ka’u, on the Big Island.

The two dancers are from Halau Hula O Kahikilaulani (Kumu Rae Fonseca). The concept of this image is the act of guarding, preserving and perpetuating the Hawaiian Culture through the practice of Hula.

ition KE OLA

.com Big Island Arts Annual or call 808/929-8356

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The Life of the Land

Touching the Earth farm workers pose along with owners Delphina and Bennett Dorrance, who also own the Blue Dragon. Left to right: Samson Cazimero Jr., Ben Nicholson, Delphina Dorrance, Orion Dorrance (keiki), Bennett Dorrance, Bert Rabang (maroon t-shirt), Gladys Prater, Curt Prater (bandana) and Darren Baculpo.

Fr o m Fa r m t o Ta b l e : Touching the Earth Farm and Blue Dragon Restaurant— it’s all in the family

By Fern Gavelek

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resh! That’s the best word to describe the culinary ingredients at the Blue Dragon restaurant. In fact, you can’t get much fresher. Most of the fruits and vegetables used at the Kawaihae restaurant are grown just 15 minutes away—as the crow flies—at the owners’ own farm in Hawi.

“We’ve got a vast array of fresh product to work with from the land and sea,” observes Blue Dragon Manager Brian Schultz. “Here at the harbor, the fish come to us straight from the ocean. We’re constantly in communication with the farms so we can utilize what they’re picking that day.”

Ben Nicholson, who oversees operations at the two farms, Touching the Earth and Sage Farm, agrees. “We harvest and an hour later the food goes down to the Blue Dragon,” he shares. “I talk to the restaurant chefs twice a

week. They tell me what they need and I tell them the availability.”

While other Hawai‘i restaurants also work intimately with farms, the relationship between Touching the Earth Farm and the Blue Dragon is unique—they both have the same owner.

Owning the farm came first, according to Hawi’s Bennett Dorrance, a proponent of sustainability. He explains, “We’ve had the farm for 10 years. It enables us to create a situation where we can grow and sell healthy food locally. We also support the local economy by employing people.”

The Kawaihae restaurant was purchased a couple years ago and opened last June. “It came along for sale and it gave us another excuse to grow food,” continues Dorrance. Wife Delphina adds that the couple had their first date there (the former Blue Dolphin) “and so it’s near and dear to us.” Delphina, who is a musician, says owning the restaurant gives them the

The innovative menu, which changes every three months, divides offerings using musical terms: preludes, intermezzos, segues, standards and finale. opportunity “to support musicians and arts on the island” as the Blue Dragon stages a lively entertainment schedule in its “Musiquarium.”

that showcase fresh island fish, free-range chicken, beef, lamb and shrimp.

Nicholson, who owns nearby Sage Farm, oversees both the fruit and vegetable crops at both farms, which are certified as organic. Touching the Earth Farm has 11 acres under cultivation—10 in fruit and one in vegetables.

Entrees range from a spicy green or “mellow yellow” Dragon Curry, to a savory upcountry chicken cacciatore (“Holy Mole”) to a satisfying Grilled Rib Eye Steak with Whiskey Horseradish Demi Glaze. All main dishes are accompanied with choice of mashed potatoes, jasmine rice or creamy polenta. A break from potatoes or rice, the novel corn polenta is concocted with the restaurant’s vegetable stock.

Planning what to grow for the restaurant was a team effort. Blue Dragon’s culinary team, Executive Chef Morgan Bunell and Sous Chef Thomas Lohmann, sat down with Nicholson and made a list—everything from

“The daily fresh fish can be ordered pan-seared, grilled or steamed with your choice of a lilikoi, lemon and roasted pepper beurre blanc or a lighter tomato vinaigrette with farm fresh vegetables,” describes Chef Lohmann.

The Blue Dragon’s culinary team has three kinds of beets — ruby, golden and the candy-striped chioggia — to choose from for the roasted beet (called Up-Beet) salad that’s served with crunchy carrots, apple and cheese from the Hawai‘i Island Goat Dairy in Ahualoa.

A beautiful and sumptuous plate of Seaside Grilled Veggies with tomatochutney and sauteed garden greens.

avocado to zucchini, including such exotics as dragonfruit and dryland taro.

“We’re trying to be creative and do something different with all our fresh ingredients,” explains Chef Lohmann, who most recently worked at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott. For example, the Blue Dragon uses three kinds of beets—ruby, golden and the candy-striped chioggia— and features them in a roasted beet (called Up-Beet) salad that’s served with crunchy carrots, apple and cheese from the Hawai‘i Island Goat Dairy in Ahualoa.

Blue Dragon, which bills its food as “coastal cuisine,” uses seafood in a variety of pupus and salads.

Top-grade ahi appears in the Poke Bowl: it comes with sticky rice, ocean salad and cucumber relish, adorned with colorful sliced avocado and mango. Poached prawns are featured in the Buckwheat Noodle & Shrimp Salad and the unique Dragon Ballz are polentacrusted lump crab served with a chipotle aioli.

“We do all our own filleting of fish and make our own fish stock,” adds Lohmann.

Schultz says the restaurant’s grains and flours are organic and “we make our own hummus and baba ghanouj.” The latter is a tasty puree flavored with spices that showcases the farm’s eg lant. It’s served with succulent Alladin’s Lamb Kebobs, accompanied with yogurt and Spicy Mint Chutney, quinoa tabouleh (Lebanese-style salad) and warm flat bread.

Continued on page 24.

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Blue Dragon Pastry Chef Tim Max creates the restaurant’s focaccia breads (they’re served with every

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In addition to salads, the just-picked veggies and fruit appear in a host of different ways: in the Rock’n Moroccan Tomato Chutney, as sautéed Garden Greens or in the Sake (To Me) Stir Fry. The innovatively prepared produce is integral to the culinary offerings

Daily fresh-caught fish can be ordered panseared, grilled or steamed with your choice of a lilikoi, lemon and roasted pepper beurre blanc or a lighter tomato vinaigrette with farm fresh vegetables.

Continued from page 23.

G•I•F•T•S with Aloha Shipped Direct for You! Sweet Spirit Farms Estate Grown 100% Kona Coffee Cultivated, harvested and processed with meticulous attention to detail to provide you with the high standard of quality that you expect in a gourmet coffee. FRESHLY ROASTED and WHOLE BEAN. 1 lb 100% Kona Coffee $25.49

Sweet Spirit Farms Ginger-Glazed Macadamia Nuts Try Sweet Spirit Farms’ crunchy macadamia nuts glazed with fresh Hawaii ginger and sugar. The nuts are locally grown and extremely fresh. This is a delicious snack you will love!

Ginger Glazed Mac Nuts, two 5.5 oz pkgs, $9.98

meal) and the luscious desserts. The Blue Dragon also fashions its own chips to complement the ceviche.

“We were hoping to make our chips using taro, but working with Brian, we learned the taro isn’t ready,” confides Chef Lohmann. “So we’ve substituted sweet potato and we’re happy with the result,” To satisfy the demand, Nicholson is growing three varieties of sweet potatoes.

The innovative menu, which changes every three months, divides offerings using musical terms: preludes, intermezzos, segues, standards and finale. The theme ties the food into Blue Dragon’s focus on performing arts, which are staged nightly. Fun names describe the style of music on tap: Melodious Mondays, Island-Style Tuesdays, Fun-Ky Fridays and Saxy Saturdays.

A curtained stage sits front and center inside the restaurant and, since the Blue Dragon has no roof, it’s dining and entertainment under the stars. There is no coverage charge, but patrons are invited to make donations.

“It took us awhile to remodel, and now that we’re open, we look forward to supporting the community through upcoming fundraisers,” adds Schultz. He says plans are in the works to promote local musicians performing at the Blue Dragon. The on-site sound studio has been busy recording “best of the Blue Dragon” sessions for a planned CD. Hours are 5-10 p.m. nightly with the lounge open until midnight or last call. Reservations usually are not needed, except for large groups, phone 882-7771. n

Sweet Spirit Farms Aloha Gift Basket What could be more delightful to friends, family, or business associates than to receive a gift basket filled with 100% Kona Coffee, tropical fruit & nut granola, dried fruit, ginger mac nuts, and mac pralines direct from Sweet Spirit Farms. (Custom designed woven lauhala basket and gift card.)

Send a special gift of Aloha!

Aloha Gift Basket, $48.00

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KE OLA

2009 Calendar: “The Naked Truth” Some lady coffee farmers in Kona have made a bold statement by baring all to draw attention to 100% Kona Coffee.

Introducing the 2009 calendar The Naked Truth About 100% Kona Coffee! Help support our efforts to strengthen labeling laws and protect real Kona coffee. Get an autographed copy from Miss September!

Order one (or more) today. A very unique gift for the holidays... one of a kind!

Kona Coffee Farmers Association 2009 Calendar $12.00

Order All Online at keolamagazine.com

Marya Mann, PhD Author, Speaker & Noble Friend

Loom of Love Events, Consultations & Seminars

“Now Create Your Fate”

808-345-0050

www.maryamann.com

More than 40 vendors offer a wide variety of craft and art based products, appealing to its largely tourist population, including home-made crafts, art and Hawaiian clothing and accessories. Kona Market also offers locally grown flowers, produce, macadamia nuts, Kona coffee, shave ice and some prepared food items.

West Hawai`i Farmers Markets:

South Kona:

South Kona Green Market Sundays, 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. www.skgm.org Amy B. H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Gardens in Captain Cook This market lives by the mission “From the Land, By Our Hand” created by founders Tim Bruno and Karen Kriebl of Luana Farms.

Promoting island sustainability, the market specializes in locally produced goods from 40-plus vendors.

Featuring local artists, fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs, handmade clothing, prepared food and drink, fresh coconuts, fresh fish, Kona coffee, “Sowing the Seeds” educational booth and live music.

North Kona:

Keauhou Farmers Market Saturdays, 8 a.m.- noon Keauhou Shopping Center parking lot www.keauhoufarmersmarket.com The 28 vendors at this market offer shoppers a “Buy Fresh, Buy Local” alternative. Offering a selection of jams, jellies, baked foods, Kona coffee, fruits, vegetables and Big Island wheatgrass juice. Visitors can also sample from a variety of fresh cut flowers and potted orchid plants. All must pass the locallygrown test. Sponsored by Kona County Farm Bureau.

South Kohala:

Waikoloa Village Farmers Market Saturdays, 7 -10 a.m.

Waikoloa Community Church Come early on Saturdays for the best selection of fresh fruits and vegetables. The small but social scene at the church parking lot attracts many island residents to try the wares of the four Kohala area vendors selling farm-grown fruits and vegetables. Woody Young’s produce and flowers are the backbone of this long-standing market. Fundraisers, local artists, and baking companies circulate throughout this venue.

Hawaiian Homestead Farmers Market Saturdays, 7 a.m.- noon Kuhio Hale, 64-759 Kahilu Road, Waimea 808-885-5627 This market has been thriving up-country since its conception in the early 1990s. It incorporates special first-Saturday-of-the-month vendors such as Mokuwai Piko Poi from Waipio and Honoka`a, natural grass fed beef and lamb from Kahua Ranch and island goat cheese from Hawai`i Island Goat Dairy in Ahualoa. The Kamuela market features location-specific wares such as Waimea eggs and tomatoes and Honomu hearts of palm as well as island-wide meats, vegetables and honey.

Under the Banyans Farmers Market Hawi town Saturdays, 7:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

A gathering place for the community of the northernmost district on the island, the Hawi market is located under the magnificent banyan tree at the intersection in the old sugar-cane town. Vendors sell fresh island flowers, fruits and vegetables, and as well as a variety of Hawi-grown organic produce.

       

Come, swim where the dolphins play.

Journey aboard the Dolphin TLC to swim among dolphins in their natural habitat, the beautiful Hawaiian waters.

w Half Day Trips w Dolphin-Whale Combo Trips w Manta Ray Dinner Trips w Private Charters

Reserve your excursion early: 808-329-3030 or 800-384-1218 www.dolphinjourneys.com

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The Waimea Town Farmers Market Saturdays 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

Parker School, Waimea 808-938-2897

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North Kohala:

KE OLA

Kona Farmers Market Wednesday-Sunday, 7 a.m.- 4 p.m.

Across from Hale Halawai in Kailua-Kona www.konafarmersmarket.com Located near the four-way intersection at Ali`i Drive and Hualalai Road, the village market is one of the oldest markets in the area.

Holualoa Farmers Market Saturdays 9 a.m.-noon Holuakoa Café garden, Holualoa town New on the farmers market scene, this Saturday market was established by Holuakoa Café owner Barbara Gerrits to bring fresh baked breads and locally grown produce into the up-country village as part of the Slow Food movement. The handful of vendors establishing this market offer Big Island grown fruits, vegetables, herbs, greens and flowers, as well as jellies, jams and other bakery items made to order.

It’s only a couple months old but this new farmers market already has a large following. Established as an in-town alternative to the Homestead Market, this venue features 15 vendors from the Kohala region.

Local fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers from such vendors as Kekela Farms, The Orchid People and Ka `Ohi Nani Farm, fill out the produce while area artists, beauticians and bakers offer a nice variety of goods. Be sure to check out the mobile stone oven of the Sandwich Isle Bread Company and their fresh, warm breads.

                                                •  •   •   •   

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 

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   

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Leo Papa – Voice of the Land

By Nancy Redfeather

K

e Ola, the life of the land and her peoples, is the foundation stone of Hawai‘i.

Today, as waves of economic turmoil wash over us, I hear a firm, steady call for the renewal of local agriculture.

We all like to eat!

Hawai’i Island is blessed with an abundance of natural resources and a relatively low population.

These blessings will translate into advantages in the new emerging economy. Although we are still in a state of rapid change, one thing is clear.

We need to move forward with development of sustainable, ecological, and renewable food and energy systems.

Where can we start? It’s already begun. Eating locally and seasonally, development of new educational opportunities from keiki to kupuna, development of new distribution channels, new ways to inspire the next generation of farmers, and educational development for the home producer are being talked about all around Hawai‘i Island.

Recently I attended community-visioning sessions conducted in six districts by The Kohala Center and Agricon, seeking out ideas on what agriculture should look like here in five years.

Overwhelmingly, people said that we need to become more food self-reliant, less dependent on imports, create new educational opportunities

to see how much food could grow on one acre, with no inputs from outside our island. We are organic and “sustainable,” offering community classes in vegetable production, orchard production, and home gourmet coffee production, and frequently conducting variety trials on numerous varieties of vegetables to see who wants to grow here, always looking for varieties that will produce seed in the tropics.

Everywhere I go, I observe new initiatives springing forth. The list is impressive.

Sustainable Kohala, New Moon Foundation’s agricultural visions, Puna and Kona’s agricultural directives in their respective Community Development Plans, Hilo Chamber of Commerce’s Malama ‘Aina Festival in November, Kona-Kohala Chamber’s Kuleana Green Business Program, the Know Your Famer Alliance’s community ag workshops, The Kohala Center’s Hawai‘i Island School Garden Network Program (after only one year, 45 of the island’s 75 schools are participating at some level), Craig Elevitch’s Hawai‘i Island Homegrown: Food Self-Reliance Workshops sponsored by Hawai‘i County, Slow Food Hawai‘i, and many other examples, point to the wider community stepping up to the dinner plate. These local initiatives sponsored by grassroots groups, non-profits, and the County, are working to form the new beginnings of a wider agricultural base for Hawai‘i Island. In future columns, I’ll be keeping my eye on these initiatives, and bringing the voices of food and farming home to you.

School gardens, community gardens, home gardens and orchards, new farmers’ markets, community supported agriculture (CSA’s), food shares (coming together for a potluck and food swap of extra farm produce), and roadside stands are all independently supporting community solutions to development of a local agricultural economy and greater food self-reliance.

These local initiatives sponsored by grassroots groups, non-profits, and the County, are working to form the new beginnings of a wider agricultural base for Hawai‘i Island. for all the agricultural partners on Hawai‘i Island (keiki, youth, home producers, and farmers), stewardship of our island’s natural resources, changes in zoning and tax laws to provide “incentives” for food production, and development of a “branding program” for local products.

According to the 2000 census, 86 percent of the producing farms on Hawai‘i Island are five acres or less. The small, family farm in the sub-tropics forms the backbone of agricultural production.

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Our own family farm at Kawanui in mauka Kona, started in 1999, is a 1.2 acre “mini-farm.” My husband, Gerry, and I grow 1⁄2 acre of fruits, nuts and spices, 1⁄2 acre of vegetables, berries, herbs, medicines, and pineapples, and 100 coffee trees of 12 varieties from around the world. Our idea was

Just in time. The events of the past months will certainly change our course from globalization to development of a local food economy. But a change in mindset is called for also. Eating locally and seasonally, integrating the foods of Pacifica into our more western diets, will begin to move Hawai‘i Island’s dependence on foreign and mainland food imports, promote a healthier population (fresh whole foods and exercise), allow money to begin to flow locally, and renew our commitment to stewardship of the Earth and her vast resources for future generations. E Ola – Let it live! n

Nancy and her husband Gerry Herbert live on their 1.2-acre mini farm in mauka Kona. Kawanui Farm is an experimental/educational model for home producers, school and community gardens. Nancy is also the Director of The Kohala Center’s Hawai‘i Island School Garden Network, and is a member of the Ad Hoc Committee rewriting the County of Hawai‘i ‘s Agricultural Plan.

The Secret Is Out!

“Merry Mana”

Musings of a spirit in search of paradise

By Marya Mann, PhD.

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RX: “Relax!

Come to your senses!”

Taste more strawberries and chocolate.

Smell homemade bread.

Gaze at a magenta flower.

Listen to Mozart.

Touch someone you love.

Signed: Mood Medicine Doctor of the Future

T

he best way to resolve any health care crisis is to stay well. Just don’t get sick anymore. Easier said than done, I know, but here’s the good news: healthy pleasures actually stimulate the biochemistry of enjoyment and set up a delicious cycle in which sensory delights lead to more health, more happiness, and even more delight.

So throw away your medical bills! Pick up a healthy pleasure instead.

  

    

  

 

Mood Medicine

When we listen to our favorite music, savor a tasty meal, enjoy the seaside, or marvel at the beauty of dance, we feed the pleasure-craving parts of ourselves, and that nourishes “feel-good” neurochemicals, immune system boosters, and other natural responses that make us robust and strong.

Robust people expect good things to happen. They enjoy their bodies, giving attention to what they’re actually feeling and thinking, as well as what’s going on around them. They know how to balance inner and outer experiences, feel centered, and generate more mana, or spiritual power, through the conscious movement of energy.

  

They’re flexible. They can often change what they’re feeling with a switch of their focus, check out new beliefs, restore a healthy heart rate, and stimulate enough “feel-good” neurotransmitters to foster ongoing positive relationships in all areas of their lives.

   

Sure, exercising, not smoking or drinking in excess, and avoiding sunburn all contribute to a long, healthy life, but mindful sensitivity to and appreciation of pleasure counters the materialism, workaholism, and brain imbalances which have racked our society with disease.

 

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So go ahead. Feel good now! It’s good for you!

Why Kill Yourself to Save Your Life? 





The wide use of “feel-good” pharmaceutical medicines— ProzacTM, ZoloftTM, and others, as well as the use of methamphetamines, alcohol, heroin, and crack—tells us that many people simply aren’t happy.

Well, who could be happy when we’re told that our health depends on not drinking the water, not breathing the air, giving up steak, and repetitive lifting of 20-lb. weights, while avoiding sugar, wheat, and chocolate?

All in the name of dodging the medical terrorists – cancer and heart disease. You can’t terrorize people into feeling good.

Take chocolate, for instance. A few years ago, research showed that a certain kind of chemical in chocolate had been shown to be associated with a certain kind of cancer. The headline read, “Chocolate Increases Cancer Tenfold.”

Behind the headline, a different story went unreported.

Chocolate eaters ate fewer carrots, which may have protected them from cancer, so it may have been the lack of carrots, not too much chocolate, that accounted for the association!

But nobody knew this because the news cycle is only 4.2 minutes long, and a few unfortunate chocolate-lovers added worry and guilt to an otherwise delicious encounter with a sensory pleasure. Worry is far more dangerous than simply eating a little chocolate and enjoying it!

Unhealthy shame can kill. Enjoyment is the key to health!

Crime and Pleasure

Miserable people are dangerous for the simple reason they don’t care whether the earth or other people survive or not.

They are so miserable that deep down they may think it would be better if everything were finished.

Only happy people would like for this planet to survive forever.

Doctors and teachers can help educate people to learn how to enjoy consciousness, have more awareness of the beauty right in front of them, and experience more life-affirming values.

Small changes add up to big changes. So begin today. Take a walk and enjoy the fragrant tuberose. Stretch your body.

Open your mind. Touch someone kindly. Get up and dance.

Remember: Hard work helps to shape who we are and give us vital meaning for the journey of life, but an imbalance of work and pleasure, study and celebration, or productive effort and inner awareness leads to stress.

Balance is the key.

A meaningful, pleasure-filled life gives you endless doorways to wisdom and wholesome living.

It improves not only your health, but the health of our world.

Take two arias and call me in the morning. n



Criminals are not necessarily evil. They are sick and need sympathy. Opening up the prisons and having a love-in is not the answer. Rather, we can help reduce crime in our culture and encourage more joy by teaching our children to have healthy inner lives that include healthy pleasures.

Love, tears, and laughter are three energizers that can bring people back to their senses. If people feel loved, they can be happy, and they will gush neurotransmitters. They will behave within reason, their bodies will be strong, and they will have many mana moments when they can choose to create, not destroy.

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  

 

   

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       

  

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  



  

 

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 

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KE OLA

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Show your customers you care about them and the world we share. Go green with our industry-leading PrintGreen initiatives—featuring zero VOC inks, FSC certified papers, and closed-loop recycling efforts like our FREE PaperBack and MailBack programs. Print, mail, recycle, repeat. It just might put a little green into your pockets. Come recycle with us and get a FREE MailBack tote bag (while supplies last). To learn more visit www.hagadoneprinting.com or call 847-5310.

808-847-5310 • 274 Puuhale Road • Honolulu HI 96819 • Neighbor Islands, call 800-491-4888

December/January Events Calendar December

Friday, Dec. 5 Christmas at Kona Village 20th Annual Culinary & Wine Extravaganza/Benefit The Big Isle’s premier holiday gala, Christmas at Kona Village, presented by the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Kona-Kohala Chapter Chefs de Cuisine. The elegant extravaganza, from 6-9 p.m., features tantalizing cuisine prepared by 20 top Hawai‘i chefs, island music by Nino Ka’ai of Kohala, and an impressive silent auction benefiting Kona Community Hospital Foundation. Debuting this year is a live auction of private-chef dinners; proceeds will fund local culinary educational endeavors.

Attendance limited to 500; tickets $85 per person. Private tables of 10 available for $1,000. Tickets on sale at Kailua Candy Company and Clark Realty and may be charged by phoning 329-2522. www.konakohalachefs.org Friday, Dec. 5 Prize-winning Violist at Kahilu Theatre David Aaron Carpenter, at age 20, first prize winner of the 2006 Walter W. Naumburg viola competition, has emerged as one of the world’s most promising young violists. 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 5. Tickets $35/$40.

Call for tickets, Kahilu Theatre Box Office, 885-6868, M-F 9-3. www.kahilutheatre.org Saturday, Dec. 6 Waimea Center Upcountry Christmas Fair & Parade The town of Waimea fills with crowds awaiting the “Twilight Parade”. The Upcountry Christmas Fair features free live music, keiki “make-and-take” crafts, sidewalk sales, over 50 artists and crafters, and of course, Santa! Beautiful wreaths entered into the “Big Island Bounty Wreath Contest”.

10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with parade starting at 6 p.m.Info: (808) 933-9772 or email amooninfo@bigisland.com

Monday, Dec. 8 Hospice of Hilo’s 5th Annual Holiday Dinner & Auction Hospice of Hilo’s 5th Annual Benefit Holiday Dinner & Auction features spectacular Hawai‘i Island cuisine

by Chef David “D.K.” Kodama of Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar. The evening begins with a champagne silent auction at 5:30 p.m., followed by a sumptuous seated dinner, wine, and a live auction with celebrity host Linda Coble and guest auctioneer Newton Chu. Tickets available at Hospice of Hilo, $85; reserved tables for eight $750.

Call 969-1733, email hospice@hospiceofhilo.org or visit www.hospiceofhilo.org December 9 - January 5 Charity Trees at Mauna Lani Now in its 15 year, this annual Yule event features numerous Christmas trees set up and decorated with special themes by various Hawai‘i Island charitable organizations.

Vote for your favorite creatively and festively decorated tree with a minimum $1 donation, helping these groups raise money for needed community services. Mauna Lani Bay Hotel on the Kohala Coast.

Call (808) 881-7002.

with Personal Professional Service

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ALOHA BUSINESS SERVICES – JEFF TURNER, CPA Consulting for Small Business

KONA TAX SERVICES – WILLIAM GLOVER, CPA Free initial consultation • Call for appointment • 329-9220

Jen Woodbury Licensed & Bonded Phone. 808-936-8957 jenwoodbury.com

Providing professional and personalized concierge and errand services to meet your property, business and individual needs.

Extensive services provided. Put me to work so you can relax.

Wholesale Florist Supplies and Design

www.hawaiiflowers.org Permanent Botanicals • Tropical Accessories Tropical Trees • Plants • Flowers • Arrangements Custom Designs • Home Consultations

Continued on page 32.

We Ship Worldwide • 808-329-7660 • 888-877-5709

Kamanu Street (Above Home Depot) Hale Ku`i Plaza #205, 2nd Fl Kaloko Business Park

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Saturday, Dec. 13 Kailua-Kona Community Christmas Parade Annual holiday parade begins at 5 p.m., from the Kekuaokalani Gym (near the Old Airport), going along Kuakini Highway, Palani Road, and Alii Drive, ending at Coconut Grove Marketplace. Santa will be at West Hawai‘i Today from 4:30 until 5 p.m., and after the parade at Coconut Grove Marketplace. Presented

by Kona Rotary Club. Time: 5 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Free to the public.

For more information, call 808-3295226, email konakolohe@yahoo. com or visit www.konaparades.com

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Dec. 7-14 Keoki Kahumoku’s Music Camp in Pahala Annual Hawaiian music and cultural experience for budding musicians and professionals both, featuring workshops in slack key guitar,

‘ukulele, acoustic Hawaiian steel guitar, slack key bass, vocals. The (unbelievable) lineup of instructors includes Keoki Kahumoku, George Kahumoku Jr., Dennis Kamakahi, Ledward Ka’apana, Sonny Lim, Herb Ohta Jr., Daniel Ho, Konabob Stoffer, Leilehua Yuen, and more!

To be held at Pahala Plantation House. See www.konaweb.com/ keoki for more info.

Helping Your Business Grow

December/January Events Calendar — Continued from page 31.

Saturdays, Dec. 13 & Jan. 11 Twilight at Kalahuipua’a - Talk Story Under a Full Moon An enchanted evening of storytelling and entertainment on the lawn of the Mauna Lani Resort’s oceanfront Eva Parker Woods Cottage.

Hotel guests, Hawai‘i residents are all welcome to join Danny Kaniela Akaka for “Twilight at Kalahuipua‘a” a night of music, dance and storytelling. Twilight at Kalahuipua‘a was designed to perpetuate the traditional folk art of storytelling.

This oceanfront location marks the piko spiritual center of the resort’s ancient Hawaiian fishponds. Call Mauna Lani Concierge at 808-881-7911 to confirm.

Great Books…

Great Friends…

Great Fun…

December 6 & 7, 2008 Kona Potters’ Guild Annual Holiday Open House and Sale Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., in South Kona. Ceramic creations of six local artists are the highlight of the sale. The artists are on hand to discuss their individual production techniques. 100% Kona Coffee, refreshments, and good cheer!

The Potters’ Guild is located on the Mamalohoa Hwy between mile markers 106 and 105 in Honaunau (makai side), housed in the lower level of the historic S.K.E.A. building. For further info, call 328-9665 or email carrollestate@maukafire.com.

Kona Stories Book Store

Open Mon –Sat Mango Court Kainaliu

www.konastories.com 324-0350

The Great Barusky Magic for Every Occasion Now Booking Christmas & New Years Eve Parties

December 6 Holualoa Festival of Light & Music From 5:30-8 p.m., witness the lighting of the town Christmas tree, hear musicians perform Christmas music, and receive treats from galleries and shops in this charming artists’ community in the middle of Kona coffee country.

Santa will be there, too! For more information call 322-5220 or email info@holualoahawaii.com

Intimate close up magic for cocktail & dinner events

936-2046 magician.org/member/barrygitelson

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December 12 First Annual Charity Fur Ball Hapuna Prince Beach Hotel.

Benefit for Rainbow Friends “no kill” Animal Sanctuary of Kurtistown with Christmas Market, Doggie Fashion Show, raffles, party games, dinner including entertainment and dance with ‘Force Enterprises Mobile DJ’. Supported by KARES and advoCATS. Time: 4 to 11 p.m. at Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel Courtyard & Grand Ballroom,

Kohala Coast. $100 per person.

Call 328-8455 or email beate@hawaii.edu or visit www.rainbowfriends.org December 12 to 21 “Disney’s High School Musical.”

Aloha Theatre in Kainaliu. The stage adaptation of the famous movie is centered around a group of energetic teens at East High School in an unspecified city. The jocks, the brainiacs, and the theatre geeks populate this fast-paced show, which has great heart, warm humor, hip and tuneful contemporary music, and an underlying message. Weekends Dec.13 & 14, 20 & 21. Saturday 2:30 and 7:30; Sunday 2:30. $12 adults; $10 students and seniors. Call 322-9924 or visit www.apachawaii.org.

December 17 “Christmas Holiday Treat” - The Kona Brass at the Blue Dragon, Kawaihae Enjoy fine food and music. The Kona Brass quintet performs elegant chamber music that spans 600 years of musical styles, from classical to jazz, holiday to Hawaiian, and a lot in between. Time: 8 to 10 p.m. at Blue Dragon Coastal Cuisine and Musiquarium, Kawaihae.

For more information, call 329-1705 or email susan@konabrass.com or visit www.konabrass.com December 21 Hulihe‘e Palace Monthly Sunday Concert and Village Stroll Free Hawaiian music concert featuring the Merrie Monarchs men’s glee club and dancing by the halau of Etua Lopez on the Palace’s South Lawn at 4 p.m., presented by the Daughters of Hawai‘i. Bring your own beach mat or chair. AFTER the Concert, stroll thru Kailua Village, enjoy outdoor cafe’s and restaurants, local musicians & artists. Special kama’aina pricing at participating restaurants & merchants. Stroll sponsored by the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce, Destination Kona Coast, Kailua Village Business Improvement District, and Kailua Village Merchants Association. For more info about the Palace concert, email hulihee@ilhawaii.net. For info about the Village Stroll, email info@ kona-kohala.com

December 20 and 21 Celebration of Christmas in Music — the Kona Festivale Chorale Under the direction of Carson Wilcox, the chorale presents its 21st annual holiday concert, featuring two performances: Saturday, December 20th at 7 p.m.; followed by a matinee on Sunday, December 21st at 3 p.m. Featuring both traditional and contemporary holiday music at the festively decorated King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel ballroom. Call the Kona Festivale Chorale Office at 331-1115, email kfchoral@hawaii.rr.com or visit www.konafestivalechorale.org Sunday, Dec. 21 Christmas Gala The Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity, in Kona, is sponsoring a Christmas gala concert: A Joyful Noise - The Sights and Sounds of Christmas. The concert features The Kona Brass and the Lutheran Holy Trinity Choir. The choir is under the direction of Francine Alexander. Doors open at 2 p.m.

Program at 3 p.m. Tickets: $15 per person. Tickets are available at the church – call 329-5733. The church is located in the heart of KailuaKona, at the bottom of Lako Street.

December 28 Wailea Village Historic Preservation — Annual Mochi Pounding Celebrate the New Year by watching and participating in traditional Japanese mochi pounding and making the sweet rice cakes.

Hearty local lunch included for $5.

Location: Akiko’s Buddhist Bed and Breakfast at 15-mile marker, Hwy. 19 on Hamakua Coast. 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Call (808) 963-6422 or e-mail msakiko@hawaii.rr.com

January

at Hualalai in 1997, the tournament has made a significant economic and charitable impact on Hawai‘i’s Big Island community. Nearly $500,000 has been donated to various island charities, including the Rotary Club of Kona, Kealakehe High School and Big Island Junior Golf programs. Charitable donations from the tournament have helped support the complete turf renovation of the Kona Soccer fields and public park facilities in Kailua-Kona, create a girls Pom Pom squad at the high school, and most recently, acquire stateof-the-art equipment for the local Kona hospital to diagnose and detect kidney stones. Contact (808) 325-8000 or visit www.hualalairesort.com

Helping Businesses in West Hawaii with QuickBooks Challenges!

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> Tax Preparation

Monday, Jan. 19 “Buckets & Tap Shoes” The Minneapolis Star Tribune says, “Feeling down, blue, traumatized?

This show’ll fix you right up. It’s the new tap generation, and it’s funky, fantastically fast, a little bit Zen, and lots of happy.” Catch the groove at the Kahilu Theatre, 7 p.m. Behind Parker Ranch Center, Waimea.

Monday, Jan. 19. Tickets $40/$45.

Call for tickets, Kahilu Theatre Box Office, 885-6868, M-F 9-3. www.kahilutheatre.org

> Payroll and Bookkeeping Services

Thursday, Jan. 22 World-Renowned Pianist Leon Fleisher Classical piano at its best. Kahilu Theatre, behind Parker Ranch Center, Waimea. 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 22. Tickets $40/$45. Call for tickets, Kahilu Theatre Box Office, 885-6868, M-F 9-3. www.kahilutheatre.org.

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Wed. & Thurs., January 30 & 31 He Lei Hiwa No Iolani Luahine Hula and Scholarship Award Festival This event honors Hawai‘i Island’s cherished cultural historian, legendary hula master and Living Treasure of Hawai‘i, Iolani Luahine.

Performance, talk story, workshops and films held on the front lawn of the Kona Inn overlooking Kailua Bay. Various hula masters will participate. 1- 8 p.m. www.iolaniluahinehulafestival.com

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Paula Wilson, EA 808-329-3403

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Ali'i Custom Gates Inc. High Quality Aluminum Alloy gates with stainless steel framing and poles

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January 18 - 26 MasterCard Championship at Hualalai Now in its 12th year, this annual PGA golf event at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai Golf Club is the first match of the year on the PGA Champions Tour. It features 36 top golfers who have won Champions Tour or other PGA majors or money events in a 54-hole competition for a total purse of $1.8 million. Since the Hawai‘i inception of the MasterCard Championship

Action Business Services

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Kealakekua showroom 808-322-0980 • www.AliiCustomGates.com

Ka Puana — the Refrain Rock Garden

By Wayne Stier

With what cauliflower costs in Kona I concluded it was time to start a garden.

I planned pragmatic rows of vegetables

Outside my home On the lower slope

of Mauna Loa where the land swirls into

Kealakekua Bay. That was the plan, but the land lay overgrown with chest-high, brush-bristle-thick, sticky molasses grass.

I set my jaw to the job, grabbed the weed cutter, scythed and hacked, broke my butt. broke the cutter and for what but rock!

ROCK! Beneath a foot of fist-size surface rocks I found disheveled knots of hairy roots.

I scalped my enemy, the weeds.

Their rot is the only soil I got— or need.

Another plan evolved.

I’d toss the rock beside the fragrant flower tree.

I could see the sunset while I sat if I built up this spot with unwanted rock.

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When my friend saw the rock pile he said, “Hey, a heiau (It grated on my nerves, that pun.)

It was, he thought, great of me and fun that I should honor one old Hawaiian lore: the secret—the huna—about mana alive inside of every stone.

And in a while the lava pile had grown in my eyes not just in size but into a power place, a temple, a throne with rocks I thought were waste.

From atop my two-foot tower I began to see more beauty Than I had ever known before.

Above the leaves of downhill trees Were sunset colors unfamiliar: Mauve and marigold, Tangerine, vermillion, Even a spark of chartreuse When the sun winked into the horizon.

One day as I scraped and cleared I found a rounded stone beneath the roots, a three-foot turtle’s back, not a’a black but pahoehoe grey.

“I’ll leave it lay,” I said as if I had a say.

As I struggled with the surface stone to find more soil, the turtle-rock transformed without my knowing.

An elephant-hide texture had grown into elephantine size.

The lava had been flowing in the form of a spiral mirroring the whirlpool of the land.

I was halfway done when the compost near the house began to reek like an outhouse in the sun.

So I dug a compost pit with a terrace next to it and two more after that where they would fit.

The compost pit was down below.

The rock pile was opposite up by the fragrant flower tree.

The “heiau smelled like heaven; the compost stunk like hell.”

No way, I thought would I go close to the smell of compost decay.

I merely wished to delay and rationalized the day of sitting in the sun and leaving work half undone Tree branches wavered under the weight of lighting birds.

Breezes tickled leaves of the sacred ti tree I’d rescued from the weeds In the center of the spiral about a fathom from my pebble pile.

My idle mind roams.

I saw the image of a bird appear in stone.

I took delight in the frivolousness of the game my mind was playing.

“Holy wait-a-moment,” I said aloud, alone.

I wasn’t looking at mere stone or garden plan.

I was looking at a poem the land had formed.

The vegetables?

“It’s shaped like a yin and yang,” Not yet. another friend of mine explained.

First I’ll plant the land So I changed my plan again. with wheatgrass to feed the earth.

I’d make a paisley garden patch.

Their growth will paint the plot with Good-bye to terraced plots with matched vibrant green rows of vegetables.

And echo the form of the yin-yang stone Instead I’d have a yin and yang: down from the pebble pile the yin bed growing, above the birthing compost soil the yang, the stone. inside Kealakekua’s coil where the land whirls toward the vortex bay.

Kealakekua, “Rock Garden” appears in the book, Blue, Tales from a place called paradise., ‘Pathway of the Gods’

by Wayne Stier, published in 1987.

KE OLA

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