Realtor Broker, R(B )-12705 ABR, ASPM, CLHMS, CRS, GRI sharly.ward@compass.com
NEW LISTING IN KAILUA-KONA 75-294 MALULANI DRIVE
Homes like this rarely come on the market, so take advantage of the opportunity for wonderful views and great breezes in a safe gated community. The home is in original condition with the addition of new laminate wood floors, and an expanded back patio.
2 Bed | 2 Bath | 1,207 SF $879,000 | MLS 666731
“After selling the house for much more than we expected, Sharly expertly guided both the buyers and sellers through the escrow process in a very timely manner. Sharly was able to minimize the costs associated with prepping the house for sale, post sale negotiations and many escrow related fees. Sharly’s recommended vendors were all excellent and reasonably priced.”
“Sharly Ward is great. From Staging to Sales to Marketing, Sharly never quits working. The only difficulty is choosing from the multiple offers she brings in, even in the middle of a pandemic. If you have a house for sale, Sharly’s your lady. “
With 43 years of experience, Sharly has an extensive background in real estate on the Big Island, which allows her to provide historical perspective and depth of knowledge. As a commerical, Resort & Luxury real estate specialist, Sharly has listed and achieved the highest price for sellers of every type of property. Contact Sharly to find out how she can help prepare your home to get top value in this market.
Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage.
Hawai‘i Island’s Community Magazine January – February | Ianuali – Pepeluali 2023
Sampans, Mahai‘ula Bay, and the Big Bang 28
By Pete Hendricks
Education on the Ocean: Pua Ka Ilima 34 Treats Keiki to Sailing Adventures
By Ma‘ata Tukuafu CultureBeauty and the Beasts: The Art and Craft 12 of Hawai‘i’s Big Game Lures
By Jim Harrold‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima: Making 18 Paddling Accessible
By Mālielani Larish
E Palekana Me Ka Manō: 10 Be Safe With Sharks
By Wendy Noritake
Mālama Mokupuni: Caring for Our Island 38 Environment A Rare Night Visitor: ‘A‘o, the Newell’s Shearwater
By Rachel LadermanKōnea o Kukui: To Restore the Light 24
By Jan WizinowichFront cover: Hawaiian Tiger Shark, an oil painting by Ginger Sandell. Table of contents: Keauhou Bay by Moonlight, a photograph by Tina Clothier. Read more about the artists on page 53.
In our last issue, we wrote a sincere letter explaining the situation Ke Ola Magazine was in, asking for your financial support to “keep the stories coming.” We sent a modified version of that letter to approximately 2,500 business owners and managers on the island in mid-November, via email. We were “crossing our fingers” that more business people would read our heartfelt request and feel a kuleana (responsibility) for keeping Ke Ola going. It is unfortunate our outreach didn’t garner enough empathy from new supporters, although there are a few people who did take action—for them and all our longtime advertisers—we give huge thanks. Since its inception, Ke Ola’s editorial focus has been on the arts, culture and sustainability of Hawai‘i Island. We chose to quote King Kamehameha III in our masthead starting in the first issue: Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka ‘Āina I Ka Pono, the life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness. We added, “Its sustainability depends on doing what is right.” To sustain something means to support what we love and value, not just with words and thoughts, but with actions.
If you’re reading a copy of this issue in hand, you’ve already noticed the new paper. We had no choice other than to downgrade, as escalating paper and shipping costs had already become unsustainable on the previous paper stock. With deep sadness, and also compassion for the process, it is time for us to annouce the closure of Ke Ola Magazine after 14 years. We have a stellar record of ontime publishing—in all these years, the magazine arrived late only twice, due to hurricane conditions preventing the bargeʻs arrival from Honolulu.
To give a sense of what we have produced in 14 years, it comes to 83 Hawai‘i Island issues, 15 Maui County issues, 5 Wedding and Special Occasion editions, plus a Kings’ Shops biannual magazine. I feel pride in this accomplishment, yet I’ve said from the beginning, Ke Ola always had a life of its own, very separate from mine. I was only the “ringleader” who kept things moving forward. When Karen Valentine and I hatched the idea for Ke Ola in mid-2008, during the last recession, it was Karen’s and my vision to offer a community magazine, primarily distributed for residents and frequent visitors, as an affordable alternative to costly advertising in the daily newspapers. Ironically, nearly every day for 14 years, I hear from readers, “I love Ke Ola so much, it is the best magazine ever published here.”
For unknown reasons, it was always difficult to get the message out about how all those “free” copies were paid for, except for a relatively small percentage of business people who
did understand and kept the stories coming to readers across the island all these years. The irony is the high amount of testimonials we received regarding the efficacy of advertising, even though some chose it just to support the effort. If you’re reading this and it stings a little because you think to yourself, “I meant to support that magazine some day, too bad it’s too late,” hopefully you’ll remember that feeling next time an independent publication or any other type of small business opens up. We can continue supporting the big box stores along with the corporate media, but when a small, locally owned business closes beacuse we didnʻt acknowledge our kuleana to keep them around, it needs to become our collective responsibility.
Personally, I am relieved and excited to move on to the projects I’ve been waiting to pursue for several years now. It does make me sad, though, because I was looking forward to Ke Ola’s future by training Cynthia Sweeney to take over as editor, and with this issue, we had just started working with Igor Milhomens as our graphic designer. Tanya and I were hoping with their fresh energy, they could help us stimulate sales revenue; however, it turned out to be too late, and it took us this long to come to terms with the imminent irrelevance of this business model. If anyone creates a local publication in the future, it will need to be a completely different business model. To stay up to date with possibilities, email subscribe@makaalamedia.com.
We plan to keep Ke Ola Magazine’s website active for the forseeable future, giving our readers an opportunity to purchase access to our story archives and buy previous issues while they are still available.
Wishing you a peaceful 2023, amidst our changing world.
Aloha, Barbara GarciaThank you for the gift of Ke Ola Magazine!
Fourteen years ago, Barbara Garcia and Karen Valentine blessed the Big Island with this beautiful publication that did so much to shine a light on our island, its culture, and its people. From the oli of Kumu Keala Ching to “Talk Story with an Advertiser,” the offerings were authentic and heartfelt. The world is a better place having shared Ke Ola! Mahalo pumehana, Barb.
Lorraine Kohn, KonaKe Ola Magazine recognizes the use of the ‘okina [‘] or glottal stop, as one of the eight consonants of (modern) Hawaiian language; and the kahakō [ā] or macron (e.g., in place names of Hawai‘i such as Pāhoa). Ke Ola Magazine respects the individual use of these markings for names of organizations and businesses.
Lei hulu mamo ia, kau mai i luna He ‘i‘ini lipolipo i hali‘a ‘ia
He aloha e Waiahi Nou ia lei
Lei hulu poepoe, puni ke aloha Kū hulu wili ‘ia pūkahi kua ē
He aloha e Waiahi Nou ia lei
Lei hulu kāmoe, moemoeā ē Moe a‘e wili ‘ia pūlua kūkahi ē
He aloha e Waiahi Nou ia lei
Puana ‘ia mele i lohe ‘ia Lei hulu mamo ia, kau mai i luna
He aloha e Waiahi Nou ia lei
Puana ‘ia mai kū ke aloha Nou ia lei o nā kūpuna
He aloha e Waiahi Nou ia lei
He mele aloha, he mele ia e Waiahi
Precious lei honored majestically Cherished one fully remembered
Indeed a lei Waiahi For you this lei
Precious circular lei of aloha Honored feather woven upon a foundation
Indeed a lei Waiahi For you this lei
Precious reclining lei of dreams Firmly resting second feather woven
Indeed a lei Waiahi For you this lei Shared song that is heard Precious lei honored majestically
Indeed a lei Waiahi For you this lei
It is heard, majestic aloha For you this lei of our ancestors
Indeed a lei Waiahi For you this lei
A cherished song, a song for you Waiahi
Ho‘omana‘o i lei hulu mamo i wili ‘ia, he lei hulu poepoe ia ā he lei hulu kāmoe ia. Nui ke aloha i wili ‘ia i ia lei kupaianaha o nā kūpuna. Huli maila ke ola pūkahi ā pūlua o nā hulu kūpa‘a i kaula kahua ia. Nou ia lei!
Remember this precious lei that is woven, Lei Poepoe and Lei Kāmoe. Full of aloha woven within this amazing lei of our ancestors. Seek upon the first and second foundation of the feather secured upon a foundation. For you this lei!
A tribute to a dear friend, Brandy Waiahi Patoc, celebrating her significant 60 years!
For more information on Kumu Keala and Nä Wai Iwi Ola, visit: nawaiiwiola.org background photo courtesy of Karen Valentine
I have a daily ritual of swimming in the ocean, enjoying nature, and anticipating what magic I might see. One morning in October, I swam with a friend in the warm turquoise waters at Nishimura Bay, in North Kohala. Over the large volcanic boulders near what’s called “China Wall,” I could see a shark heading toward me, its body swishing back and forth as it approached. There was no mistaking that movement, the head swinging in one direction, the tail in another.
As a PADI dive master, I’ve been scuba diving for more than 20 years, escorting groups of divers all over the world. I’ve spent a lot of time around sharks—tigers, oceanic white tips, hammerheads, Galapagos, nurses, also white and black tip reef sharks. I’ve done night dives while dozens of sharks frenetically fed off the reef fish, often following the ulua (giant trevally) who would stir up the smaller fish.
It’s always breathtaking to see one of the top predators of the ocean realm. I have a huge respect for these magnificent creatures who command attention, their large bodies sleek and muscular. Sharks play an important role in the ecosystem, keeping the reefs and oceans in balance. It’s the humans who are creating the imbalance, killing millions of sharks each year by cutting off their fins for soup and leaving them to die, unable to swim. Fishing nets, long line fishing, disease, garbage, and climate change all contribute to their declining numbers.
Because I have dived frequently with sharks, I find that they aren’t interested in humans. Sharks aren’t even attracted to human blood or urine, but they are attracted to certain fish blood. They’re curious creatures who investigate. Their mouths are sensory organs and they taste something by biting. The Jaws movies and Shark Week shows, which portray them as vicious, man-eating killers, have given them a bad rap. More people die from snake bites than fall prey to a shark. The Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File (ISAF) reported only six shark attacks in Hawai‘i in 2021, and no fatalities. They also reported that 39 percent of shark attacks worldwide were to swimmers, six percent to body surfers, and four percent to snorkelers and free divers.
As the shark at Nishimura Bay came within a couple of feet, I briefly wondered if I might have to use a redirection maneuver, basically a means to push it away. I learned this from Ocean Ramsey, a marine biologist and conservationist who specializes in the sharks of Hawai‘i. I’ve not had to use the tactic, but I’ve seen her do it many times in her videos. Locking your elbow with arm straight, you push the shark’s nose and head down and away from you. It’s a tactic similar to martial arts, using the opponent’s momentum to push it past you. Don’t put your hand under the nose or head of the shark, but on top. You don’t want your hand to accidentally go inside its mouth!
Acutely aware as the shark approached, I pirouetted around, making myself as upright and as large as possible. I never took my eyes off the shark as it made a sweeping 360 degree turn around me. I snapped photos as I watched. Then, the shark came in close again. I could tell by the white triangle on the dorsal fin that it was a white tip reef shark, not known to attack humans, but they are inquisitive and territorial.
The blacktip reef shark is among the most abundant sharks inhabiting the coral reefs of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and prefers shallow, inshore waters. This one was spotted in the Palmyra Atoll, where shark sitings are common.
As it came toward me that second time, I faced it with my fins in front of me, batting it away. The next moment, the shark veered off and swam into the blue. I let out a sigh of
photo courtesy of Tommy Adkins
A gray reef shark, seen here in the Palmyra Atoll. photo courtesy of Tommy Adkins
relief through my snorkel. With the excitement and adrenalin rush, what seemed to take hours in slow motion probably took less than a minute.
Swimming on the surface of the sea is far different from scuba diving with sharks, and connecting with them at eye level. We are in their backyard, their terrain, every time we enter the ocean. At the surface, you might look like an injured fish or animal, splashing and kicking through the water. It’s always a good idea to look directly behind you often when you’re swimming in open water, because that’s how sharks can approach, from behind and by surprise.
One of my freediving friends recently showed me a video he had taken as a result of turning to look back while he was swimming. He faced the shark that was coming directly at him. It swam just below the surface, and I’m sure the dorsal fin was cutting through the water like a knife. The shark swiftly moved in, but finally it turned and swam away. That’s when I noticed the vertical gray stripes on its body: a tiger shark. That is not a scene I wish to encounter. Never swim by yourself in open water if you can help it. A couple of years ago three of us were caught in a nasty current at Kaiholena, a bay on the Kohala Coast. We were struggling to swim back to the entry point, literally crawling and inching along. That’s when the large white tip shark appeared. It swam below and to the right of me, and I thought, “Oh no, here we are, flailing and kicking like injured seals, and looking like dinner!” I truly believed that it wouldn’t have done anything even if I was by myself, but because there were three of us, we may have looked too large to bother with. After a while, it tired of us and swam away. If you are swimming alone, staying closer to the reef or shoreline is better than deep, open water.
I always wear a Sharkbanz on my ankle when snorkeling.
This
has been carried down through the generations. It speaks of the land and plants in relation to the ocean and its creatures, and how humans are affected. In Hawai‘i, some families and individuals believe that sharks are their ‘aumākua, (deified ancestors) bringing good luck blessings and a watchful presence over the household. All are sacred, we are all connected, and we have no reason to be fearful.
That said, I do believe we need to have some amount of fear, and not let our guard down while we’re in the ocean. Don’t take anything for granted.
For more information: wendynoritake@mac.com
It houses a powerful magnet which supposedly disrupts the magnetic field in their brains and causes them to bolt. I’ve seen videos where bait was hung off a boat along with a Sharkbanz, and sharks would come to the bait ball and abruptly move away. I have also seen where sharks swam to the bait ball and ripped it off the rope along with the band. I tell myself that I would be satisfied if it worked just once. Maybe it did.
When I told my freediving instructor about my shark encounter, he reminded me that our conversation was during “Sharktober.” Our local kupuna, Aunty Maile Spencer Napoleon, confirmed that “this [October] is the time of year when the wiliwili trees are in bloom and the sharks are biting.”
Aunty Maile went on to say that the ancient Hawaiians had documented the creation story in the Kumulipo, a chant that
white tip reef shark appeared on the sands at Mahukona, North Kohala. photo courtesy of Wendy Noritake.
A white tip reef shark at Nishimura Bay in North Kohala swam by to check out this story's author. photo courtesy Wendy Noritake
If you ever venture on a Kona sportfishing charter, you’ll likely note that the fanciful handcrafted lures trolled behind the boat don’t look anything like common bait for ono, mahimahi, ahi, and marlin. The colorful lure heads, with their large eyes and fluttering skirts, their sparkles and mother of pearl accents, seem more like creatures from another planet than ‘ōpelu, aku, mālolo, and squid—favorite fare of big game fish. Yet, they catch!
These same lures also attract fishermen, those wanting to buy and drag such eye-catching creations in the hope of hooking the biggest fish of their life. What many don’t realize is that the impressive cottage industry of engineering and crafting successful big game lures began on Hawai‘i Island decades ago. In fact, charter captains from around the world, from Cape Verde to Cabo San Lucas, to Florida and Australia, would all agree that the island’s influence and leading role has never waned. If anything, it continues to grow.
For centuries, fishermen of the Pacific islands fashioned bone, shell, wood, and olonā (plant fiber) into functional hooks and primitive line for catching large ocean fish. In Hawai‘i, local fisherman paddled their canoes to promising near-shore spots to drop a stone. Using this ancient method, they’d wrap fish chunks, a baited hook, and a stone with a large leaf. The hand line connected to the hook would have a few wraps around the assembly. After lowering the assembly over the side and dropping it to the desired depth, they’d yank on the line to release the stone and allow the ground fish chunks and baited hook to attract a passing hungry tuna or other fish.
Over time, however, with the influence of nonnative peoples and the advances of the modern age, methods for catching fish grew and improved exponentially. Motorboats entered the scene, allowing fisherman to patrol large swaths of ocean. Geared fishing reels, factory-made fishing line, and stainless
steel hooks significantly raised catch rates. Add to this the introduction of big game fishing lures.
The first generation of lure trollers pulled lures that ranged from large wooden plugs with dangling hooks to scoop-faced and feathered lead heads. While bait fishing remained the dominant and preferred means to reel in pelagic fish, Kona charter fisherman Captain George Parker, in 1945, changed that—almost by accident. Always experimenting, as lure makers do, George created a basic cylindrical trolling plug using dowel rod and chrome towel bar pipe salvaged from a Kona Inn remodelling project. To add excitement and stability, he skirted the assembly’s trailing end with innertube rubber sliced into strips and pieces of oil cloth. He ran leader line through a centered hole drilled in the dowel’s length and buried the attached hooks in the skirt. During the lure’s initial
fishing trip, George landed a 500-plus pound marlin, the first of many monsters to gobble up his handiwork.
With the basic cylindrical tube shape established, another Kona fisherman and boat captain, Henry Chee, stumbled upon a material that would send big game lure making in an entirely new direction. His secret sauce? Plastic, the very two-part resin used to make fiberglass boats. When he saw how the mixed liquid hardened and assumed the shape of whatever container that held it (shot glasses included, the shape of Chee’s early lure creations), the proverbial lightbulb flicked on. Not only did this propel Henry’s future in the world of lure making, but it sparked inspiration across the islands and beyond. In turn, it led to the casting of lures through two-part molds containing an endless variety of cavities that promised to yield winning lure shapes. With the lure head polished and completed, installing skirts and a hook or two transitioned the shop-made creation into a functional fish slayer.
After removing the hardened lure shape from the mold, Gary Eoff begins polishing it at the lathe with a wet/dry fine-grit sandpaper. He'll later complete the polishing at the buffing wheels.
Gary Eoff, an internationally known Kona lure maker with more than 42 years of experience, breaks down the making of a big game lure head into four steps. He’ll tell you, however, that the complete process demands more than 100 steps, plus a full shop with several unique workstations.
Step 1 Gary first fashions an insert of poured lead and brass leader tube, then dresses it with mother of pearl veneer and stick-on eyes.
Step 2 He places the insert in a two-part silicon mold having a lure-shaped cavity. This he fills with plastic resin and sets it aside.
Step 3 Once the lure head hardens, Gary secures it in a mini lathe and smooths the surface with wet/dry sandpaper, graduating to 1,000 grit.
Step 4 He achieves the final glassy finish at the coarse and fine buffing wheels using a buffing compound.
While big game lures evolved in subtle ways, the hard plastic models handcrafted locally and statewide enjoy international fame and show up in all the major tournaments, including the island’s Firecracker Open, the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament, and Hawai‘i’s Lure Maker’s Challenge. Naming the entire pantheon of legendary lure makers and showing their work far exceeds the scope here. Still, the following list of successful big game lure styles and lure makers pictured in the photo on page 16 represent some of the very best:
1. Super Plunger by Joe Yee, Honolulu
2. Marlin Magic (blue dichroic glass) Ruckus by Marlin Parker and Gary Eoff, Kailua-Kona
3. Medium Poi Dog plunger by Eric Koyanagi, Hōlualoa
4. Green and Yellow Magilla scooped-face plunger by Bomboy Llanes, Kailua-Kona
5. Tada scooped-face and jetted plunger with shell chips and gold and silver glitter by
6. Bullet (dichroic glass) by
Note that local charter and tournament captains follow a catch-and-release policy aimed at sustaining the ocean’s marlin population.
• In 1954, Captain George Parker of Kailua-Kona caught the first blue marlin grander in Hawaiian waters with one of his legendary handcrafted Parker lures. (A grander fish weighs more than 1,000 pounds.)
• The largest marlin ever cranked in on rod and reel was off O‘ahu in 1970. It tipped the scales at 1,805 pounds. Cornelius Choy set the hook using a George Lum lure with a fish head design.
• Eighty percent of strikes in ocean waters come from pelagic fish snapping at lures; however, only 20 percent of these result in happy endings for the fisherman as many fish escape.
• Big game lures by famous makers Henry Chee and Joe Yee can set you back over $500 per masterpiece.
• According to lure and fishing expert Jim Rizzuto, Joe Yee’s Super Plunger holds the record for catching the most granders.
Lures courtesy of: Big Game Lures Hawaii and Pacific Rim Fishing
Consultant/lure maker: Gary Eoff
All photos courtesy of Tom Carey
On a bright Sunday morning, half a dozen members of ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima respectfully hold the hull of a sleek canoe while Kahu (Reverend) Kauila Haumea invokes a Hawaiian prayer of blessing. ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima (the canoe family with many helping hands) is one of the few canoe clubs in the state of Hawai‘i dedicated exclusively to giving individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to learn the sport of paddling.
The club holds twice-weekly practices at Hilo’s Bayfront beach that fosters teamwork and social skills amongst its members, with a focus on each athlete’s personal best, rather than on competition. Thanks to the first annual inclusive canoe race that the club co-hosted last summer, the club’s membership swelled and a solid group of 30 athletes with disabilities, and more than 20 volunteers, enjoyed the ocean and each other’s company in the safe, welcoming, and nonjudgmental environment that the club cultivates. There are also a few canoe clubs on O‘ahu and Maui that organize practices for paddlers with disabilities, on a more infrequent basis.
Kahu Kauila is the club’s president and founder. His personal philosophy is to never let anything slow you down or stop you from doing what you love, and expresses itself fully in the club’s activities. Although Kauila was born with a rare neuromuscular disorder that impairs his walking, speech, and eyesight, he is fiercely independent and actively involved in the community. He had been attending the University of Hawai‘iʻs
recreational paddling classes for 10 years, and when they were suspended with the onset of Covid, he knew that he needed to form an independent canoe club.
According to Kauila, “The club’s mission is to give people of all abilities a connection to the ocean and the Hawaiian culture.”
The club established itself as a nonprofit in January 2022, with the logistical savvy of Ian Kow, the club’s director of operations and a direct support worker who assists Kauila. The club has attracted a core group of accomplished paddlers who instruct and coach the athletes on a volunteer basis: David “Tavita” Cooper, Kalei Kalili-Burdman, and Daryl “Sammy” Sampaga, who runs his own nonprofit named Operation Sammy Muscular Dystrophy (OSMD). Sammy graciously entered into a sharing agreement with ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima, allowing the club to use the canoes and the hale (shelter) that belong to OSMD.
On this particular Sunday, volunteers gather around the canoe to ensure that the paddlers board safely as the canoe’s bow sits in the sea. One of the athletes—a young man named Dusty with an unwavering smile—is excited to test out a new one-armed paddle purchased through a generous donation by a club member. ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima also uses a customwelded adaptive seat that makes the canoe accessible for athletes in wheelchairs.
After launching the canoe, the six paddlers fall into a comfortable rhythm. Tavita, who hails from Samoa and serves as the club’s director of paddling, sets the pace in the number one “stroker” seat. Sammy shouts encouraging words from his position as steersman while the paddlers slice through the glassy water in unison: “Great job, numbers one through five!” Meanwhile, a volunteer named Rachel Saquing sits behind Dusty, helping him to adjust to the new one-armed paddle.
After gliding over towards Moku Ola (Coconut Island) and waving to a crew from Kamehameha Canoe Club, the ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima team traverse the bay and return to shore, where they are greeted by a new wave of athletes eager to board the canoe for the next practice run. Sammy enthusiastically greets everyone in his path while he helps Kauila advance up the slope to the shade of Hale Kenoi, the
brother, Desmond Haumea, was a Hōkūle‘a voyager in one of the first crews. His aunty, Mary Fragas, was a renowned lomilomi massage therapist. Kauila’s last name, Haumea, is the name of the Hawaiian goddess of fertility and childbirth, who is the mother of Pele and Hi‘iaka. His first name, Kauila, refers to an endangered dry forest tree with the same name. It’s endemic to Hawai‘i Island, Maui, and O‘ahu, and produces a wood so dense that it will sink in water.
Kauila loves to share songs and chants; the delay that he sometimes experiences while speaking evaporates when he relaxes into a melody. He has performed at Abled Hawai‘i Artist expos, the Kukuau Studio, the Hilo Coffee Mill, and the Lava Shack in Pāhoa. For the past 29 years, Kauila has also rung the bell for Salvation Army’s annual Christmas fundraiser, often caroling for the passing shoppers. He is a board member
canoe house that Sammy named in honor of former Mayor Billy Kenoi. Kauila and Sammy have been friends since the age of five, and besides sharing an overwhelming love for the ocean, they have both made amazing contributions to their communities in the face of daunting challenges.
Gazing out at the tranquil waters of Hilo Bay, Kauila says, “The ocean is like my second home.” Kauila’s personality reflects the deep, calm waters of the bay, so it is not surprising that he works as a professional healer who offers traditional oli (chanting), pule (prayer), lomilomi massage, reiki, and house blessings. Healing and seafaring are in his blood; Kauila’s elder
of Disability Rights of Hawai‘i and served as a long-time member of the Hilo Crescent City Lions Club. The community contributions that he is most proud of include advocating for equal beach access to Richardson’s Beach and helping organize the first canoe regatta for people with disabilities.
Sammy believes that the ocean is a powerful healer, and he has been sharing that conviction by helping people with intellectual and physical disabilities experience the sport of paddling since 2014. Sammy is especially attuned to the challenges of people with unique needs, as he was born with muscular dystrophy. He recalls experiencing depression as a young child when he was denied the opportunity to play baseball and other sports, and his world changed when he
discovered that he excelled at canoe paddling. As he paddled competitively for various Hilo canoe clubs, he observed again and again that paddlers with disabilities were excluded from races.
All of that changed in June of 2022 when both Sammy and Kauila fulfilled a long-cherished dream by co-hosting the first annual King Kamehameha Awesome Athletes Inclusive Canoe Race along with the Arc of Hilo. The event, which was made possible through a grant from the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, attracted more than 51 athletes of all ages and more than 100 volunteers. The race also honored the birthday of King Kamehameha I, who launched 10,000 canoes from Hilo Bay in his mission to unite the archipelago. Ian notes that the race tripled the number of athletes registered with ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima and significantly bolstered the club’s number of volunteers.
Sammy’s nonprofit, Operation Sammy Muscular Dystrophy, owns three canoes that he shares with ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima. These are top-of-the-line canoes, and Sammy was able to
purchase them through an epic mission that he called “Paddle and Walk for Dreams.” Starting in 2014, Sammy walked and paddled around the perimeter of the Big Island to raise the funds needed to purchase a Sonny Bradley Lightning (whose design has garnered the most wins in the annual Moloka‘i
From left to right: Michelle Ishiiki, Connie Siler, Hi ‘ilani Kiakona, Darwin Nagamine, David (Tavita) Cooper, and Kalei Kalili-Burdman practice at Hilo’s Bayfront during a special training session held in partnership with Access Surf from Honolulu.
Channel race) and a Tiger Force Five, insisting that people with special needs deserve the best. He continued his mission by walking and paddling around Kaua‘i, Maui, Lāna‘i, Moloka‘i, and O‘ahu, sharing his anti-drug and anti-bullying message and spreading awareness about muscular dystrophy at schools, churches, and drug rehab centers. Sammy asked respected paddlers to choose the names for these cherished canoes, which have been so instrumental to fulfilling ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima’s mission: Kamehanaokalā (on a beautiful blessed day), Kamana ‘Olana (to give hope), and Nai‘a ‘ele ‘ele (black dolphin).
Alyson Yanagihara speaks with emotion when she reflects on the impact that ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima has had on her 23-year old daughter Mikayla, who graduated from Waiākea High School in 2021. In addition to increasing her confidence
on the water, Mikayla has benefitted tremendously from the opportunity to socialize with her peers during practice sessions. Many of the club’s participants have few opportunities to socialize with their peers in a meaningful way, so the teamwork required by paddling provides fertile ground for helping athletes grow in their social skills as well.
“It is truly, truly inclusive,” Alyson says gratefully. As a nurse in Hilo, she has spread the word to other parents of special needs children about how much of a positive experience ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima participation has been for the family. The simple opportunity to connect with other parents and talk
about life and how their kids are doing has been a huge source of support for Alyson as well.
Seeing athletes light up with joy when they are on the water motivates the leaders and volunteers of ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima to keep serving. Kauilaʻs advice for individuals who may be interested in trying paddling? “Face your fears and never let things hold you back from your dreams.”
All photos courtesy of ‘Ohana Wa‘a Laulima For more information: ohanawaalaulima@gmail.com
By Brittany P. Anderson
Bowls of creamy red curry teeming with chunks of kabocha squash, eggplant, and green beans quickly leave the kitchen. The cook expertly ladles from an oversized pot, choosing the perfect amount of vegetables and broth while avoiding the aromatic spices floating at the top.
The entire restaurant smells of sweet heat and citrus that only increases as the bowls of curry are shuttled to eager diners.
Lemongrass is one of the key fragrant spices used in Thai curry and other Asian cuisines. For thousands of years, lemongrass has been flavoring soups, curries, and teas. The plant provides a light citrusy flavor and aroma to dishes and benefits the body as well as the Hawai‘i Island garden.
Commonly mistaken for a weed, lemongrass grows in thick clumps of stiff, upright stalks with green bladelike skinny leaves. As its name suggests, it looks like an unassuming tuft of grass–until you brush against it and release its lemon scent. A native of Asia, Africa, and Australia, lemongrass thrives in tropical locations like Hawai‘i Island because it enjoys full sun and damp soil. Cultivation is relatively easy for even the novice gardener. The stalks can easily be divided from the clump and take root quickly once replanted.
Within the Hawai‘i Island garden, lemongrass offers three distinct benefits—soil retention, mulch, and pest control. When planted along slopes, lemongrass clumps help prevent soil erosion and bolstering terraced landscapes—if using it as a border for sloped garden beds, regularly trimming the lemongrass prevents the clump from taking over and provides an endless supply of green mulch.
In addition to being a lovely scent, the blades of the lemongrass are a wonderful green mulch that helps keep the soil cool while adding to overall soil health. One of the best uses for lemongrass in a Hawai‘i Island home garden is its ability to ward off mosquitos.
Gardening in the middle of the day under the hot Hawai‘i Island sun is absolutely brutal. As the sun starts to go down, it’s the most pleasant time to transplant young vegetable starts or take a stroll about the yard. Unfortunately, mosquitos favor that time as well—that is, unless you have lemongrass planted nearby.
Lemongrass contains citral and geranyl acetate, which are both very effective at repelling mosquitoes. Rustling the blades of lemongrass releases the natural compounds warding off pesky insects so you can enjoy your evening.
The benefits of lemongrass go beyond the garden gate and the dinner table; it is a strong remedy for the body. Lemongrass is rich in folic acid, folate, zinc, magnesium,
copper, potassium, iron, phosphorus, manganese, calcium, and vitamins A, B, and C. It is no wonder that lemongrass has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine.
Lemongrass tea, brewed from the leaves and tough stalk, acts as a tonic for reducing joint pain, boosts the immune system, and aids with digestion. Lemongrass is recognized for its remarkable antifungal and antibacterial properties and for helping the body combat bacteria and viruses. Scientific studies also show that drinking lemongrass tea can help stop the growth of some cancer cells.
In mystic traditions, it is used to provide clarity and remove mental blockages. More than just a remedy, drinking tea made from the fragrant grass promotes homeostasis to keep you healthy. It is noted that pregnant women should not use lemongrass tea and oil. Always speak with your primary care provider before using lemongrass to treat what ails you.
Lemongrass essential oil smells bright and energizing, while the tea tastes light and lemony with a hint of ginger. The whole stalk can be added in soups and curries, but remove it before serving because the tough stalk is inedible. To release more of the delightful lemon flavor, pound or bend the base.
The outer layers of the lemongrass stalk can be peeled back like an onion to the tender core. This inner portion is more easily chopped for tea or made into a paste with a mortar and pestle.
To make lemongrass tea, steep any and all parts of the plant in boiling water for several minutes. It is delightful hot or cold, with its lemony flavor without any of the acidity that accompanies lemon.
By
With the passage of time, a place becomes layered with the spirits of beings and events that hold the stories and wisdom of those who have gone before. Many may not notice or recognize the spirit of the land, but on Hawai‘i Island, it is still very much alive, if one listens to what Hawaiians call mana.
Nani Svendsen is one such person. Along with the hearts and hands of many others, she has created a beautiful refuge, called Kōnea o Kukui. “Kukui means light or enlightenment [and kōnea means to restore health]. I didn’t give it that name; it’s been in my family for seven generations,” said Nani.
Roots in the Land Holding Steady
Nani had an ideal, land-based childhood. “I grew up on the Kohala ditch; we were the last family to live there. My parents’ job was to regulate the water. I was born in Kohala, but I was raised in Waiapuka, two miles up where they used to start Flumin’ Da Ditch. There was nobody around us, the stream ran next to the house, and we were isolated from everyone else. Off the grid. So, it was furo [Japanese bath], kerosene lamps and stove. Lived like that until I was 11,” remembered Nani.
Nani’s ancestors came to Kohala during Kamehameha’s time. “They were from Hāna, Maui and they were stewards to the heiau [temple] on the bluff at Kēōkea,” said Nani. Since that time, the land has gone through many phases and witnessed many family events. At times it’s been a home dwelling, while at other times a refuge.
Perched above Kēōkea, the botanical residents of Kōnea o Kukui cluster around a stream whose journey feeds into the Pacific at Kēōkea Beach Park. I arrived at the garden on a sunny day in May, and Nani greeted me at the top. The first view of the garden was from the perspective of a floating cloud just above a lush, orderly jungle of greens and flowers. To the left is a lo‘i kalo (taro patch) and in the center is a small house and a pavilion.
Nani and I talked story for a few moments and during that time, I felt the pull, an irresistible invitation. The trail to the garden slopes downhill and is lined with red and green ti, ferns, coconut palms, begonia, and hala trees. The first thing I noticed is that everything slows, like there is no time at all. A switchback led us further down. We stopped on the trail to
be welcomed by a Java rice bird who sat on the branch of a ti plant—it had a lot to say that morning. When it was done talking, we were allowed passage.
A bridge crosses the stream at the bottom of the trail and then we were in the heart of the matter. We passed a pond with lotus blossoms as we climbed up the bank on the other side. Looking downstream I saw into a community of connected beings, a chorus of welcome.
Nani’s many years as a florist are reflected in the garden. The place spoke to her of color, contrast, and balance. Where there were disconnected pools, Nani saw a channel of flowing water.
The Kohala of Nani’s childhood began to be overshadowed by outside pressures that affected both her immediate family and the community. Dismayed and determined to do something about the problem, Nani, Dennis Matsuda, and community members led a successful effort to build a drug rehabilitation house for recovering men in Hawi. When the house was set up, Nani turned her focus on her own healing process.
“I decided I wanted to build what, for me, was going to be my happy place. It was about the life or death of me. To find my peace. I knew this property [Kōnea o Kukui] had a stream running through it and I started chopping. I had no idea where I was going to take it, but I wanted to remember my beautiful life. I need to feel this, see it, smell it, be in it,” recalled Nani.
Using a chainsaw, machete, shovels, and ō‘ō bar, Nani began an odyssey of self-discovery. Then she got a call from Wes Markum, director of the rehabilitation house in Hawi, and he asked her about inviting the residents to come work with her. Her first response was, “No.” After all, hadn’t she done enough? Then her heart spoke, and she realized that “most of these people, they’re all islanders removed from their culture and that is one of the important facets to recovery.”
The men came every Wednesday for a few hours. Their hearts came alive with memories. They said things like, “This reminds me of when I was with my grandma and grandpa,” and, “This is like Waipi‘o.” She asked every person about their profession and discovered skills among the men, such as rock wall building and landscaping, just waiting to be tapped.
Eventually student groups were coming, and soon Nani was pitching a 20-by-20-foot tent for meetings and classes. She
shared, “My husband, Don, decided to build the pavilion. We had to haul everything down this trail. Everybody worked like a team, passing station to station, all the way down the hill. It took about four weeks.” Working together with the volunteers changed her husband’s life—and it changed hers, too.
Nani has come full circle and a forgotten treasure has been brought back to life, touching her life and the lives of the many
who came to Kōnea o Kukui to work and be healed. “This is a restoration project of a lifetime, hopefully not just my lifetime. It’s layered. So many layers to the existence from this place,” reflected Nani.
When Nani began the garden odyssey, the land was covered in hau and java plum trees. It was also populated with mosquitoes. When they started to clear it, they discovered a taro farm that hadn’t been used since the mid-1950s. “Once that stopped, the hau became the straight tall timbers that were used by the voyaging canoes,” recalled Nani.
During this initial clearing, Nani’s daughter, Punahele, was attending Kanu o ka ‘Āina school. At that time, teachers and voyagers ‘Ōnohi Chadd Paishon and Pomai Bertelmann were looking for materials to repair the voyaging canoe Makali‘i, and to build Alingano Maisu, (another voyaging canoe) for master navigator, Mau Piailug. They could see that Kōnea o Kukui had what they were looking for. “They brought the students down and they harvested and packed it up the hill. When they built the canoes, they used hau from here,” said Nani.
As the excavation continued, “We could see the terraces, the original walls and the ‘auwai [ditch]. The walls were carbon dated by archaeologist Dr. Michael Graves and he found they were dated between 1570 and 1650. From the head of the ‘auwai down to Kēōkea,” said Nani.
“Maybe a cultural place, maybe a healing place, maybe a safe place. While I still try to put my finger on it, I get to feel like everything stops. Whatever hassle is going on, whatever trouble I have, whatever trouble somebody else has. If I slowly walk down the trail something shifts, and you walk easy with
a little more light in your heart. Maybe I can do this, maybe a week, maybe I can just do this,” reflected Nani.
It was not only the men who were healed. “I had a lot of older women coming to give support. They were like the tūtū for the young men, and they worked alongside them. They gave of themselves and they too were healed,” said Nani.
Despite the closing of the Hawi rehabilitation house in 2013, weekly meetings continue at Kōnea o Kukui, with the spirit of the land inviting returning visitors into a healing circle.
Kōnea o Kukui is an unusual project because it doesn’t survive on grants as much as on passion. Ninety percent of this is from people’s good-heartedness. “All I am doing is to try to steward this place and keep it with the right intention,
to just have a safe space, a feel-good space that honors the ancestors, honors the culture, honors each other,” said Nani. “We are responsible for each other. We are all connected. I believe in energy and I believe that if you are not at your best, there is energy out there to help,” she added.
The spirit of the land waits patiently and when we call out it answers. “I struggle with the sustainability of the place. Along with everything that has been here, there has been trust that it’s going to work,” Nani reflected. “There is an ‘andʻ—itʻs this ‘andʻ it’s nature. I can hear the birds here. I can feel the wind. There’s a connection. We forget. We get caught up so much with daily struggles, that we forget where to go to get our own healing.”
For more information: Vist the food truck at Niuli‘i in North Kohala, Thursdays–Sundays The auwai were restored forming a flow into the lo‘i and from there back into the Niuli ‘i stream, forming the waterfalls. photo by Jan Wizinowich Looking downstream where the stream meets the ocean at Kēōkea Beach Park. photo by Jan Wizinowich
I was enjoying a pleasant morning one day back in 1996, snorkeling at Mahai‘ula Bay (now known as Kekaha Kai State Park) in North Kona. Just off one of the lava fingers of the reef, I spotted what looked like an old metal rack on the shallow ocean floor. A closer look made me hesitate. The rack contained five drums, which looked like miniature oil barrels, with a hole in the center on each end. From my US Navy service, I recognized what might be a depth charge rack with charges included. They were partly covered with sand, coral, and algae. There was also a large engine block nearby, as well as what looked like a tank, maybe used for fuel. After my swim, I noticed some large, desiccated timbers and some smaller wooden debris above the high tide and debris lines. This widespread scattering of objects was intriguing. After a bit of research, I found out that a US Navy patrol vessel had wrecked on Mahai‘ula reef in January 1943. It turned out that the YP-183, as it was named by the Navy, had
been used locally as a sampan. These boats were originally Chinese fishing boats—distinctive-looking, relatively flatbottomed, wooden boats, that sometimes have a small shelter on board.
Numerous sampans had been taken over by the US Navy shortly before and after the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack and were converted into patrol vessels. I shot some pictures of the YP-183 wreck with an underwater camera—just a cheap disposable camera in a plastic case. I became really curious. Could I have found a weapon used against enemy submarines?
In 1997, crew from the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Marine Option Program were able to make a field trip to the site, accurately locating and mapping what was confirmed to be the remains of YP-183.
Then, thanks to a friend at US Army Pōhakuloa Training Area (PTA), we made contact with the Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit (EOD) at Pearl Harbor, O‘ahu; the State Parks
By Pete HendricksOn the left, a diver inspects the depth charge rack before removal from
five
approximately
Aeriel view of current day Mahai‘ula Bay. photo use licensed by dreamstime.com, credit Dirkr
Mahai ‘ula Bay. On the right,
corroded drums,
20 by 36 inches each. The writer took these underwater photos in 2002 with a disposable camera and a plastic housing. photos courtesy of Pete Hendricks
Preservation office; the State Conservation and Resource Enforcement office; and the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Marine Option Program (MOP). Soon we were all working together to research what was lying beneath Mahai‘ula Bay. Plans were made to assess and remove the materials, which were eventually identified as a gravity-fed depth charge rack with five charges, which looked like miniature 55-gallon fuel drums. Several of the depth charges had rusted through; however, there were still approximately 1,200 pounds of explosives on site. Apparently I had discovered something significant and potentially dangerous!
On a Wednesday morning in 2002, while the beach park was closed, the EOD team arrived with a 2.5-ton military 6x6 truck and a Humvee. Also, just offshore, a 25-foot Mako fishing vessel was standing by, thanks to the State Conservation and Resource Enforcement Division (DOCARE). The wrecked depth charges were raised by lift bags (strong inflatable vinyl balloons) tied to the charges and filled using air from SCUBA diving tanks. The charges were then towed ashore and
dragged up and onto the beach. The husky EOD team then wrestled the charges up into the truck.
The Navy chief in charge said to me with a smile, “Pete, if you see a puff of smoke in a little while up toward Saddle Road, that was us.” I was not able to join the team for the drive up to PTA for the “big bang.” But my friend at PTA, who witnessed the explosion from all the charges exploding together, said the blast was “pretty impressive.” Meanwhile, down at Mahai‘ula Bay, hundreds of people had been swimming and snorkeling over that cache of explosives since World War II!
Today at lowest tide and calm weather, you can just make out from shore the engine of YP-183, which was likely destroyed after grounding in a winter storm. It was formerly a classic Hawaiian commercial fishing sampan, 71 feet long, built by Seichi Funai, a well-known boatbuilder of the 1930s in Hawai‘i. Several large hull timbers of the sampan, now far up behind the beach, were likely deposited by the destructive tsunami of 1946.
The original Japanese sampan, a 34-foot sail powered fishing vessel, was brought to Hawai‘i on a freighter in 1899 by shipwright and boat builder Gorokichi Nakasugi. The word sampan comes from the Chinese san-3, pan-board, which originally meant a small skiff-like vessel.
Gasoline, and then diesel engines were soon added to the growing Hawai‘i fleet. Modifications to similar vessels built in Hawai‘i eventually resulted in 450 or so unique boats in the fishing fleet before World War II. The distinctive Hawaiian sampans—with their high, sharp bows and side sponsons (a projection that extends outward from the hull)— traveled among the islands and eventually several hundred miles offshore on multi-day trips, chasing aku (skipjack tuna) and ahi (yellowfin tuna). Much larger catches of tuna by the sampan fleet stimulated the growth of fish canneries in Hawai‘i.
World War II (after Pearl Harbor) almost eliminated the largely local Japanese ownership of the sampan fleet, and wartime conditions severely restricted offshore fishing. An Army general was acting governor, personal rights were restricted, and martial law persisted until 1944.
After the war, the sampan fleet never regained its dominance in the industry. By the time Hawai‘i became a state in 1959, few big sampans fished in the traditional style with live bait, a spray of water over the stern to excite the fish school, and a barefoot crew with bamboo poles and artificial lures pulling
in the tuna from the excited school behind the boat. By 1971, only 15 large sampans were fishing. The advent of long line fishing around the islands by 1990, with vessels setting thousands of baited hooks, helped industrialize the Hawaiian fishing business.
A local survivor of the sampan fleet is the “haole sampan,” a modified version of the traditional Japanese design, and now considered a Hawaiian vessel. An example is the Mona H, a wooden fishing craft used for many years out of Kailua-Kona by Captain George Parker. Another fiberglass sampan out of Hilo is Sea Tractor. Local sampans originally crafted of wood are now popped out of fiberglass molds and completed by a new generation of technicians; however, many of our local modern fishing boats retain features of the traditional sampan, with its high bow and fine entry. They enable Hawaiian artisanal commercial and recreational fishing in local waters and support local markets and retail sales.
References:
Sea of Opportunity, The Japanese Pioneers of the Fishing Industry in Hawaii, Manako Ogawa, UH Press, 2015
A New Use for an Old Idea: A Small Multi-purpose Hawaiian Style Fishing Boat for Developing Fisheries in Island Areas, Robert T. B. Iverson, NMFS, NOAA , Honolulu 1975
For more information: Pete Hendricks, oldsaltp@yahoo.com
By Arliss Dudley-Cash
The last couple of years have been challenging for businesses in one way or another. Many businesses did not survive the shutdowns of the pandemic which makes many wonder how those businesses that did survive managed to be resilient. Resiliency is our ability to bounce back from challenging situations which impact every area of our lives. Often when we think of being resilient, we think of pushing ourselves to our limits and beyond. What if I told you there is a different, more gentle way, to step into resiliency and more easily bounce back from adversity through the superpower of compassion in business? There is! Let’s dive in.
According to the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research at Stanford University, compassion is a “concern for the wellbeing of others,” and “is the feeling that arises in witnessing another’s suffering and that motivates a subsequent desire to help.” How does this relate to business resiliency?
Circumstances like the pandemic impact both the customer/ client and business, alike. The business who recognizes that shared suffering and reaches out to their customer/client with compassion deepens connection, and creates a culture of acceptance and brand loyalty. Business owners who reach out to their employees and support staff with compassion create safe work environments, and foster creativity and a feeling of belonging and teamwork. Owners who treated themselves with compassion are more likely to pivot when met with a challenge, release self judgement, and make hard decisions from a calm and mindful place. This process of compassion starts with self-compassion on the part of the business owner and has a ripple effect out to the employee, customer/client, the community, and beyond.
Author Dr. Kristen Neff highlights the importance of self-compassion and how this is the seed for having more compassion for others. According to Dr. Neff, self-compassion is made up of three components: kindness, shared humanity, and mindfulness. Kindness is the practice of being warm and understanding with ourselves, especially during times when we feel we have made a misstep or fallen short. This contrasts with the societal norm of ignoring an experience of suffering, or shaming/blaming ourselves when a misstep is perceived. Shared humanity is knowing that we are not alone and that there are other people who have made it through challenges similar to the ones we are experiencing, because we are all human. This contrasts with the societal norm of isolation and feeling like we are the only ones making missteps or
falling short. If you are looking for a deeper discussion on the practice on mindfulness check out the September–October 2022 edition of Ke Ola Magazine. When we step into a place of compassion in our business, we are saying that we are willing to be kind, understanding, and nonjudgmental with ourselves and others. Talk about a superpower for resiliency!
Dr. Kristin Neff also offers a free self-compassion assessment on her website: self-compassion.org. Itʻs a great way to see where you are at. The results may surprise you!
In the last few decades, we’ve seen a rise in more businesses integrating compassion into their business model. Businesses have the power to shape the societies in which they operate. Imagine a world filled with businesses with compassion as one of their core values. That is a world I want to live in. We can be drivers of compassionate change or stick to the old “dog eat dog” status quo. We each get to choose how we operate in our business and life. What are you going to choose?
Here are a few ideas:
• Speak to yourself and others in a kind, encouraging, and positive manner
• Frame failures or mistakes as learning experiences
• Take time for rest and relaxation and set boundaries around time spent working
• Encourage open and honest dialogue around your own and your team members’ mental, physical, and emotional well being
• Take time to rest and recover when sick and encourage team members to do the same with generous health benefits and sick time
• Take time for major life events like births, deaths, and marriages, and give team members the same grace to deal with similar events
For more information: soullutions.com
How can we practice self-compassion and compassion for others in business?
for Ralph Blancato and his crew to pilot a 42-foot sailboat from California to Hawai‘i Island. In July 2022, Ralph and his team of three people sailed successfully into Hawaiian waters after traversing 2,200 nautical miles. A mariner with 50 years of sailing experience on the ocean, Captain Ralph said the trip was demanding, but pleasant.
“It’s not for everybody,” he says. “It can be very challenging; you can have a beautiful, easy trip, or it can be hell. Sailing really helps people develop character and to be in touch with who they are, as well as work as a team. You are remote with rough oceans, or hurricanes, and there is always the possibility of not making it.”
With more than 62,000 sailing miles under his belt, Ralph has sailed from New Zealand to San Francisco and all over the Pacific Ocean. He has crossed the ‘Alenuihāhā Channel 92 times, saying he picks the days, currents, wind conditions, and weather, and yet has experienced 18–22-foot waves on the crossings. His love for the ocean shows as he captains Pua, the 42-foot Hunter 420 sailing vessel, on a charter out of Kawaihae
on a boat tour. “I couldn’t believe how many kids, born and raised on Big Island had never seen a whale or a dolphin, much less been out on a boat.” This is a consistent story of
Hawai‘i Island children, as many live below the poverty line and these types of opportunities are seldom. In January 2022, Da Whale Boat, and other boat companies, including Pua Ka Ilima LLC, began offering boating experiences to children and teens.
Partnering with after-school programs, charter schools, counselors, foster care providers, homeschoolers, youth groups, and families around the island, For Children to Flourish has invited more than 250 individuals to experience a boat ride on 30 trips in 2022. Renee Perrington, project coordinator, says their organization exists to inspire the community in a new or renewed passion for the ocean and life around it. Renee shares, “Children flourishing physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually are the fruit of a healthy community.”
Pua Ka Ilima’s mission is to educate youth from all races and all socioeconomic levels. The sloop-rigged sailboat Pua can hold 10 to 15 keiki plus crew, and has a big flush deck which is great for the students to spread out. The head and main sails are self-furling, and the sails can be pulled in quickly if they need to be adjusted for radical weather. The sailboat also offers easy access for passengers to get into the ocean. Though the boat has many instruments, Ralph says it is still vital to know the currents, and to look at the weather and position of the sun. Keiki are taught survival skills, as well as lessons from educators and ocean-connected people invited onto the boat.
“We bring on marine biologists, lifeguards, ornithologists, and whale researchers,” Ralph says. “These educators offer an out-of-the-box education that is not taught in schools. The kids learn about teamwork, cooperation, and how to be aware and conscious of other people’s needs. We invite people
from National Geographic who might be here on vacation, humpback whale researchers, and many of the talented ocean people we have here on the Big Island.” The potential for careers other than sailing is also there when children are exposed to opportunities like this.
Tobias Perkins, a crew member who will soon be a captain, jokingly says he is Ralph’s secretary and handyman. He was part of the crew that sailed Pua to Hawai‘i and says it was quite the adventure. For the first three days of the trip, he and the other two crew members were seasick.
“Our captain was thinking he was going to be the only one sailing home,” Tobias says. “He didn’t complain or make fun
of us, he was the captain and just told us to get better. It was our first crossing, and our bodies were getting used to the motion. Once we all recovered, we started our rotation of two hours on and six hours off. Every day became the same, like in the movie Groundhog Day. And I thought we were going to have sunshine all day and stars at night, but it wasn’t like that. There was no light pollution at night. It is an experience I’ll never forget.”
Tobias currently does everything from boat maintenance to overseeing the program for kids. He tells the story of how his grandfather and Ralph got their captain’s licenses together “back in the day,” and how he met Ralph when he was about 10 years old while on vacation here. Though his mother grew up in Hawai‘i, Tobias was raised in Austin, Texas. After that one meeting, there was no communication between Ralph and him until Tobias came here on a trip and ran into Ralph at the Parker School Farmers’ Market in 2021. He began crewing on Sapphira, and has been crewing on other boats, ever since. He says that the sailing aspect is what he loves most, and “that being on a boat is awesome, but being on a sailboat is the best.”
“Being able to glide through the water with no power is amazing,” Tobias says, “with no engine, and just pure wind in the sails, it’s quiet. I see it as a quiet success, everyone is happy, and it’s thrilling too.”
Being from Texas, and with no background in sailing, to be able to say he is crewing on a sailboat within a year of reconnecting with Ralph is something Tobias is proud of accomplishing. He enjoys the opportunity of taking underprivileged kids out onto the ocean and offering them a different perspective on life. There isn’t an actual syllabus for
the program, and Tobias says each sailing experience is different. For him, the keiki who are excited to be on board a sailboat—the ones who are curious—is what he loves best. Both boys and girls ages 12–17 are the target age group, and though some may be afraid of open ocean swimming, he says they hop into the water with them to make them comfortable.
Another aspect of the sailing program is to raise awareness within the youth about over-consumerism and the problem of humans producing too much trash— both in the sea and on land. By teaching keiki about the amount of trash we generate, we can make them aware of ways to alleviate the problem. Captain Ralph’s great love for the ocean is evident in how he treats it, the people aboard the sailboat, and the respect he has for his crew.
On September 11, 2022, a blessing for the sailboat Pua was held at the small boat harbor in Kawaihae. Members of Makali‘i’s Na Kalai Wa‘a Moku o Hawai‘i have been very supportive of Pua Ka Ilima’s endeavour to educate children and to promote positive character development among the youth. Blessed by Ma‘ulili Dickson, the first serving of food was wrapped in ti leaves, and offered up to the ‘aumakua (gods) of the
Big Island students after a complimentary sail. photo courtesy of Pua Ka Ilima LLC the ocean legacy in view of Pu‘ukoholā, home of the whales and a heiau (temple) to guide seafarers home.
For more information: Pua Ka Ilima LLC: 512.910.7197 ForChildrentoFlourish.com
The strange, croaking-squawking calls started in August. Was it a sick chicken? A keiki’s squeaky toy? A lost donkey? I asked neighbors, I did a web search. I stayed up to listen closely: it had to be a bird. The sound came and went. It first called just after dark, flying in from the ocean, and then again at 4:30am, circling for an hour—calling loudly.
Finally, I searched the web for “brays like donkey night bird Hawai‘i” and there it was: “‘A‘o, Newell’s Shearwater, 30-to35-inch wingspan. Black top with a white underside… breeds only in Hawaiian Islands, mainly in highlands of Kaua‘i. Listed as threatened under Endangered Species Act. Nocturnal with a call that sounds like a braying donkey,” according to Hawai‘i Marine Animal Response.
I emailed a recording of the bird to the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DLNRDOFAW), where Ian Cole responded, “It’s a Newell’s!” This was very exciting, because Hawai‘i Island’s number of ‘a‘o are very low, and our area off the southern Hāmākua coast is not known to be one of their few breeding sites.
‘A‘o are one of several endemic colony-forming seabirds, once so plentiful they darkened Hawaiian skies when returning at night to their breeding burrows. In the last century, due to hunting and predation from rats, cats, pigs, and mongoose, the birdʻs population crashed; ‘a‘o were thought to be extinct statewide from 1908 to 1947.
Their population on Hawai‘i Island is now estimated to be in the low hundreds, but according to Alex Wang, wildlife biologist for DLNR-DOFAW, because of their nocturnal habits, it is not well known. Jay Penniman, manager of the Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project, thinks the status of the ‘a‘o is actually endangered, rather than threatened, a more serious level of concern and one given the bird by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
‘A‘o spend the first six or seven years of their lives at sea, only returning to land to breed from April through October. They usually choose steep, mountain slopes, under dense cover such as uluhe ferns. With their beaks and feet they dig a burrow, and lay a single egg in June. Most chicks fledge by November, and are on their own, flying far out to sea to pursuit-dive, meaning they dive, then use their wings for propulsion underwater.
“Seabirds are really important ecosystem engineers,” says Steve Hess, National Wildlife Research Center, USDA. “They bring in tons of nutrients from the ocean to their nesting colonies on land.
Ancient agriculturists didn’t need to add fertilizer because guano was so abundant all over the mountain.” Steve adds that guano, or seabird excrement, was the finest fertilizer available in the 1800s, and is the reason the United States created the 1856 Guano Island Act—to claim islands and mine them for guano. Few fertilizers were available before the invention of synthetic fertilizer in 1903; seabirds provide it for free.
Adult ‘a‘o fly far out to sea to dive for fish and squid. photo courtesy of Alex Wang, DLNR
Once Out of the Burrow, More Dangers Ahead When the fuzzy-headed ‘a‘o fledglings emerge from their burrows in the mountains, having survived the dangers of predators, they take flight towards the sea, navigating by the moon. ‘A‘o then face a serious problem. Bright artificial lights look like the moon, and some circle until exhausted, and fall to the ground. In one fledgling season alone, the Kaua‘i Save Our Shearwater program picked up 2,000 downed ‘a‘o. Powerlines, fences, and wind turbines are also dangerous obstacles that can hurt or kill ‘a‘o.
Our visitor may have been “prospecting,” seeking out a good nesting site, Jay suggests. Maybe it will be back in April, but it won’t be safe.
An ‘a‘o after recovering from a mongoose attack, treated by the Hawaii Wildlife Center. photo courtesy of HWC
There is hope of bringing back colonizing seabirds by creating sanctuaries that exclude predators.
1. Ask your senators to pass the Recovering Americas Wildlife Act, for funding predator-proof fences to provide safe havens for ‘a‘o and other threatened Hawai‘i Island species.
2. If you spot a rare native bird (or think you hear a donkey braying late at night), contact Hawai‘i County DLNR-DOFAW at 808.974.4221. Biologists can use this information to work towards protecting nesting areas.
3. Use seabird safe lights that face downward and have less than two percent “blue” content at your home or business.
4. Keep cats indoors.
5. If you find a grounded seabird, for rehabilitation contact: hawaiiwildlifecenter.org.
Rachel Ladermani’s articles are sponsored thanks to Lynker Sustainable Pacific Program, Hawai‘i Island.
By Brittany P. Anderson
“Like furikake onda rice?” the question comes over the poke counter. The patron hesitates and looks around quizzically. “Say, ‘yes,’” the local man behind him encourages.
Furikake may be Hawai‘i Islandʻs favorite condiment. The basic formula is dried seaweed, dehydrated fish powder, and sesame seeds, but many variations exist. Furikake can be put on just about anything from rice to Chex Mix. Is there anything we won’t cover in furikake?
Seaweed has a long history of being eaten by many different cultures. Archeologists found evidence of cooked and partially eaten seaweed in the most ancient human settlement located in Chile. Hawaiians harvested and ate limu, a Hawaiian seaweed. Even modern Native Alaskans gather black seaweed from the outer coastal lands as their ancestors did for centuries. Dulse, common in North Atlantic countries like Iceland, Scotland, and Ireland, has been eaten for thousands of years.
The common thread between all these vastly different cultures is their proximity and dependence on the ocean. Harvesting abundant seaweed from the shorelines gave access to minerals and nutrients when fish were unavailable, or the sea was too volatile.
Seaweed is an excellent source of magnesium, calcium, iodine, and potassium. It also offers protein, dietary fiber, and vitamin C, all of which your body needs to stay healthy.
Unlike traditional food made with seaweed, furikake is a modern convention. From the late 1800s to the early 1900s, the population of Japan nearly doubled. The empire of Japan was expanding, and food shortages ensued. A bright pharmacist named Suekichi Yoshimaru saw calcium deficiencies becoming more and more widespread across the population. Suekichi decided to make a calcium supplement out of ground fish bones, but it needed to be palatable.
Suekichi mixed the fish bone meal with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and nori (seaweed), calling his concoction “Gohan no Tomo,” or “A Friend for Rice.” It was a hit among the public! A Friend for Rice inspired other adaptations using slightly different ingredients. Seiichirō Kai was a grocery retailer who developed his own flavor called “Kore Wa Umai,” or “This is Tasty.” Instead of a fish bone meal, Seiichirō used a white fish flake. As his retail stores expanded into different parts of Japan, he created unique furikake blends for each area using regional ingredients. For instance, when his store opened in Tokyo, he made a furikake with dehydrated eggs.
In 1959, The National Furikake Association formed and gave birth to the furikake condiment class. The association formally recognized Suekichi Yoshimaru as the father of furikake and unified all the variations. In Japan, furikake is still used to boost health and vitality.
The name furikake is a blending of the Japanese verb ‘furi kakeruʻ, which means to sprinkle over. What a fitting name for the condiment Hawai‘i Islanders sprinkle over everything.
Today, furikake is available in various flavors and uses
different seaweed types. Furikake can include anything, from bonito (fish) flakes, dehydrated egg, miso powder, and shitake powder.
Exiting the poke joint, the patron sits on a bench to enjoy his purchase. He looks at the rice topping, playing with it a little using his fork, trying to figure out why this green sprinkle tastes so good. The man, resigned to the fact that he is too embarrassed to ask what the topping is, shovels the rice and poke into his mouth. The local exits, sees the satisfaction on the man’s face, and throws him a shaka. Another furikake fan is born.
Furikake
1/2 cup white and/or black sesame seeds
2-3 seasoned nori sheets
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp dried shiitake mushrooms
1-3 Tbs bonito flakes (optional)
1/2 tsp sugar (optional)
In a small food processor, pulse sesame seeds one or two times so that the seeds are partially ground, leaving some whole. Place the seeds in a cast iron skillet (or sauté pan) on low heat, stirring every minute or so until they become fragrant and lightly toasted, approximately 7–8 minutes. Stack, fold, and cut the nori sheets into small strips, then cut them into even smaller pieces. You can also pulse the nori in the food processor. Add the nori to the sesame seeds in a small bowl, salt, and any optional additions. Store in an air-tight container for up to six months.
By Mary L. Moody
When I first met Jerry and Leina‘ala Benson in October 2011, I was unaware that their neighbor and good friend, Herb Kāne, had died earlier that year, in March. Having recently moved to the island from my native California, I also didn’t have a clue who that legendary person was. Throughout my relationship with the Bensons, however, I would come to learn about Herb’s partnership with Jerry, how it was a powerful part of the Hawaiian cultural renaissance in the 1970s, and the legend that Jerry himself has become.
As part of my kuleana (responsibility) to the ‘ohana (family) I worked with, I would take a crew of coffee pickers up to the Benson farm every other week. I would stand there on the slopes of Mauna Loa, with the sun still rising and a burlap bag at my feet picking coffee cherry. Leina‘ala (Lei) would pick alongside me and we would soon be joined by Jerry. They
were both 67 at that time, and showed no signs of slowing down. As each of us engaged with our own relationship to the ‘āina, (land) I began to understand aloha—sharing of breath and life.
The Bensons’ paradise is nestled high in the ‘ōhi‘a forest atop Kealakekua Bay. The house is built from Jerry’s hands and imagination, decked out with polished ‘ōhi‘a posts. It feels like you’re in the belly of an ancient ship, with remnants of sea relics pridefully placed around the home.
Jerry would always generously invite me to their lānai (deck) after I had my fill of cherry picking, as smoky jazz simmered through the screen door. His arms covered in tattoos of sharks and canoes, he would cross them as he would rock back and forth on his hand-built rocking chair. I took it all in with awe as I sat on the yellow sofa below the carved plaque that displayed
Jerry Benson sharing knowledge of canoe building with his grandson, Ka‘iwa. photo courtesy of Krystal Meisel
the farmʻs name, Kupaianaha.
Over the years, we’ve moved beyond the lānai, surrounded by koa paddles, custom built furniture, and countless original paintings by their friend, Herb Kāne. Lei and Jerry are getting older now, so I make sure I’m the one cooking the food when we visit and make sure to mālama (take care). Jerry sits on the couch facing the expansive view. I feel a need to start capturing these moments, so I ask him if I can record our talk story sessions. I begin by asking him how he got into canoe making.
“I started on my journey by making surfboards. Shaping them, developing an eye, working with tools, and fiberglass, are skills you need to develop to continue on that path,” he says. “I worked in a number of surfboard shops, and also some boat shops. I ended up at a canoe shop on Pi‘ikoi Street
in Honolulu making four-and six-man racing canoes. This is where I built my first fiberglass, 22-foot, four-man canoe. It was perfect, as I lived in a beach house at Kawela Bay on the North Shore. That canoe got me hooked.”
Thinking about the stories, and his legacy, I ask him what he wants to be most remembered for. “Mainly, that I was an especially good sailing canoe designer.” Benson canoe designs are legendary and he beams when I ask him about the canoe business he ran for decades. “Later I moved to Kona and started my own canoe shop. I was making canoes for the local canoe clubs and also three-and-four-man canoes for individual enthusiasts. Herb Kāne, the Hawaiian artist and designer of the first 60-foot voyaging canoe, Hōkūle‘a, moved to Kona and we decided to go into business together, and Kāne & Benson canoes was established. That was more than 45 years
Jerry examining a canoe in his shop. photo courtesy of the Benson family
ago. We made more than 100 canoes.” He pauses and adds thoughtfully, “I learned a lot from Herb. He would design the canoes and I would make the molds and build them. Hōkūle‘a was the catalyst for a revival, a whole renaissance in canoe sailing.”
Jerry then explains what motivated Herb to come up with the voyaging design. “He wanted to recreate a voyaging canoe that would disprove what various anthropologists thought about how the different island groups were populated: that it was by accidental drift,” he says with a little irony in his voice. “The Polynesian people say that they sailed to these different places and provisioned up as they went. They did it on purpose, and some of it was against prevailing winds. Herb wanted to create a canoe as close to a design as he could come up with to the original measurements, size, and looks of an ancient canoe, and they built the Hōkūle‘a. That canoe has sailed many thousands of miles and of course has already been all the way around the world now.”
It wasn’t smooth sailing for the Hōkūle‘a in the beginning. Jerry recalls, “I went in and did a complete rebuild of that canoe after it turned over with the whole crew that one time,” he says with sadness in his voice. “I feel so fortunate to have
known Herb and to have had the opportunity to learn so much from him. I guess, at this point in time, you would call me a canoe freak. I love canoes and will never stop designing and building. I no longer do the production I once did, but am presently building a 21-foot, three-man fiberglass canoe for my mo‘opuna [grandchild].”
Whenever the Bensons’ grandchildren come to visit, I like to ask them how Jerry has inspired them in their lives. Ka‘iwa, 16, responded that he’s always admired the quality of his grandpa’s work and his artistic mindset. Like Jerry, he is a talented surfer and spends his free time drawing and spray painting. His sister, Leina‘ala, 14, noted that her favorite thing about her grandad is that he lives life by his own set of rules. Of course, he also lets her eat ice cream for breakfast.
Kawela Benson, 28, recalls, “Growing up, seeing my grandpa ho‘omau [persevere] in his projects has always helped push and inspire me in life. My favorite memories are when he would take me to his shop and I would get to watch him build these beautiful masterpieces.”
The Making of the Makali‘i Jerry says a favorite project to date has been a community project led by the Bertelmann family, Chadd Paishon, and
many others from the Waimea area. “Another voyaging canoe I got involved with was the Makali‘i, a 54-footer. Building the Makali‘i was the most beautiful, satisfying, and fun canoe I ever did. I had made the mold and had two hulls in front of my shop when they came to me with the idea of building their own voyaging canoe. The hulls went to Waimea, and with very little money and a lot of enthusiasm, we started. My brother and I led the project as we were the only ones who knew anything about fiberglass and boats. We basically got her going in the beginning of construction. Kind of proud of that. It’s faster than the other ones. I like that.”
Chadd Paishon shed more light on the Makali‘i as a movement, saying, “As we continue to sail and share all that has been shared with us, we carry on the work that was originally envisioned by Clay Bertelmann and everyone else. Ola, it lives. It’s not left to a book, not left to just stories. When I was growing up thatʻs all we had were the stories of voyaging, ‘cause there wasn’t a voyaging canoe yet being built in Hawai‘i until Hōkūle‘a.”
It’s clear that Jerry holds himself confidently, and rightly so, as his contributions to canoe sailing in Hawai‘i have been monumental. I ask how it feels to be a part of the genealogy of these legendary vessels. He hesitates as he considers the honor. “I feel like I’m fortunate to have been involved in it and been able to work on these beautiful canoes that have sailed all over the place. The men and women of Waimea were fantastic. Together we brought the Makali‘i into existence. A beautiful, strong, and fast canoe. She has been many thousands of miles throughout Polynesia and Micronesia. We started Makali‘i over 20 years ago, and she is still going
Jerry taking a sailing canoe out for a spin. photo courtesy of the Benson family
strong with a very successful sailing and Hawaiian educational program for local youth.”
Chadd also reflected on what it takes to make something as special as the Makali‘i come together. “It’s never about one person, itʻs always about all of us that come together. For me itʻs always honoring our kūpuna that came before us.
A constant companion in Ginger Anne Sandell’s life is the creative force that drives her to the easel and compels her to lay paint on canvas. Her mother, an artist herself, encouraged her in the arts. She allowed Ginger and her sister to play outdoors year-round and so she became immersed in the beauty of nature, which forged her love of the natural world.
Raised in Bethesda, Maryland, Ginger remembers the scents, sounds, beauty, and magic of each season. The forest near her home was filled with a canopy of trees, luminous flowers, and sparkling incandescent lightening bugs. Fall was an explosion of vibrant colors and falling leaves. Winter was a wonderland of snow and ice, then spring would burst forth filled with new life and the scent of fragrant, kaleidoscope-colored flowers and budding leaves on the trees.
The family moved to San Pedro, on the west coast of California, when Ginger was 10. There, she grew to love the grasslands of the rolling hills and the wonder of tidal pools. “The freedom that I felt as a child is recreated when I am painting. I love pristine places in the natural world, and I hope to inspire viewers to cherish the exquisite splendor of the earth,” Ginger says.
In 1974, she traveled to Hawai‘i on vacation. She fell in love with the ocean and the beauty of the islands, sold all her possessions and moved to Hawai‘i Island. Gingerʻs love of nature inspired her to begin painting in 1979. As a single mother of four sons, however, she was forced to postpone her art career. Ginger earned a M.A. in business administration, obtained a Certified Public Accountant credential, and started her own CPA firm in 2004.
Then, with the same determination she used to raise her boys, Ginger refocused her skills toward her true passion— painting. At the Academy of Art University, in San Francisco, she earned her M.A. in Fine Arts in December 2019, and retired from her CPA firm in 2020.
“I use both intuition and my artistic experience to create dynamic paintings and paint both en plein air and in the studio,” Ginger says. “I use many layers of paint in order to create depth and interest. For mark making [the different lines, dots, marks, patterns, and textures] I use various tools such as brushes, palette knives, rags, and sponges. I like the contrast between warm and cool colors and often mix the cools into the
warms and the warms into the cooler pigments.” Ginger says her style is “painterly realism” using the alla prima method of painting, where paint is applied wet on wet without letting earlier layers dry. She has exhibited her work internationally and domestically and has collectors from all over the world. “Each painting is as if I am traveling somewhere where things are hidden and unknown. The art becomes a world of its own. The painting is dictated by intuition, surprise, discipline, perseverance, and experimentation. My goal as an artist is to create art that will resonate emotionally with others.”
For more information: gingersandellfineart.com gingerannesandell.com
Clothier
Tina Clothier has lived in the state of Hawai‘i for more than 50 years. In 1979 she moved from O‘ahu to Hawai‘i Island and settled in Kailua-Kona. She founded Jack’s Diving Locker in 1981 and ran the retail operations through 1991. During her time at Jack’s, she enjoyed creating underwater videos for her dive customers.
After leaving Jack’s, Tina enjoyed a decade and a half long career with the American Cancer Society. During that time, she traveled to Bhutan, armed with her point and shoot camera and tried to capture that life changing experience through photos. From that moment on, she was hooked! Her interest accelerated after discovering the vast possibilities of images within the digital world, and especially what can be composed in the nighttime landscapes.
In late 2010, Tina retired from the American Cancer Society, and became the executive director of PATH (formerly Peoples Advocacy for Trails Hawai‘i, now People for Active Transportation Hawai‘i). During her free time, she explored her love of astrophotography, astronomy, weather, and the magic of long exposure.
Tina retired from PATH in late 2020 and is now pursuing photography full-time. She is grateful to live on Hawai‘i Island and cherishes the dark sky that offers some of the best star gazing in the world.
For more information: Instagram: @hawaiiannightskies 808.561.9212
Table of Contents Photographer: Tina Featured Cover Artist:Dawn Kāneali‘i-Kleinfelder’s dream as a young entrepreneur was to open a small burger shack offering pastas, salads, sandwiches, plate lunches, and of course her family’s famous butters.
That dream came true in 2011 with the opening of the Liko Lehua Café in Hilo, also the home of the family’s butter manufacturing facility.
Years before, the family’s business began as a fundraiser for local soccer teams. Then, as word got out about their delightful island delicacies, business quickly grew. Liko Lehua was established in 1996 by the Kāneali‘i ‘ohana (family).
What makes their products so ‘ono (delicious)? The tropical flavors and scents in each jar of Liko Lehua Butter are flavored with childhood memories for many in Hawai‘i, including liliko‘i (passionfruit), guava, mango, coconut, pineapple, Tahitian lime, vanilla, and special seasonal offerings.
The butters are handcrafted spreads (similar to a curd), and every jar is hand poured, labeled and packed with care by the Kāneali‘i ‘ohana. Liko Lehua is devoted to crafting premium products in small batches using locally sourced products and uplifting local employees to be part of their ‘ohana.
When she was a little girl, Dawn’s great-grandmother would tell stories of the ‘ōhi‘a lehua trees’ beautiful red blossoms surrounding her childhood home, and Liko Lehua was named for the love of the groves and has inspired generations of the family.
At the café, locals and visitors alike enjoy garlic shrimp pasta, crab cake sandwiches, a grilled local “kulana” hand-packed hamburger, salad with sauteed and Cajun crusted mahimahi, and strawberry shortcake with layers of butter cake, whipped cream, fresh strawberries, guava butter, and strawberry puree.
The Liko Lehua ‘ohana is also developing a farm, “a dream in progress,” 10 acres of land located in Ola‘a (between Hilo and Volcano on the slopes of Mauna Loa). The family grows a number of specialty crops like cacao, liliko‘i, kalo (taro), citrus, māmaki, avocado, bananas, starfruit and more. They are raising chickens and bees, they harvest their own eggs and honey, and they are also building an agricultural processing center that will enable the company to grow, produce, and sell more products.
Out of concern for the environment and future generations, their facilities utilize solar energy to power their equipment and delivery vehicles. At the heart of the operation are their keiki: Alexis, Adam, and Maya, who are learning to operate Liko Lehua Butter, the café, and the farm—the future blossoms of Liko Lehua.
Liko Lehua Café
177 Kaumana Drive, Hilo 808.315.8484 likolehua.com
Planning for, and making, end-of-life decisions is not easy. Neither are navigating issues regarding divorce and child custody. That’s why E.F. (Eddy) Cash-Dudley provides a variety of legal services with a caring and personal touch. Her advice to clients is, “Protect yourself and your family.”
Eddy has been practicing law since 1982, and has been licensed in Hawai‘i since 2008. She has taught Community Property and Issues in Family Law classes at Laurence Driven School of Law at Humphrey’s College, as well as conducted seminars at Modesto Community College, Stanislaus County Library, and various paralegal clinics. She has authored three books, and has been a certificated mediator since 2003.
Eddy’s current family law practice includes divorce, child custody, child support, adoption, wills, and trusts. Clients say she is “a caring and seasoned attorney,” and have praised her compassion while she helped guide them through unexpected experiences.
Born and raised in the San Joaquin Valley, California, Eddy took the Hawai‘i State Bar examination in 2007, and was sworn in to the State Bar of Hawai‘i in 2008, before her move to Hawai‘i Island in 2014.
Seeing the need for low-cost estate planning, Eddy began by preparing last wills and testaments and advance health care directives for seniors.
“Take the time for yourself and your family to determine what is important at the end of your life,” she advises. “Put your estate plan in place so that your choices are honored at end of life and after death. By putting these powerful documents in place, your family can be protected during their greatest time of need.”
In addition to estate planning, Eddy has a limited family law practice, primarily in the South Kohala District Court. She conducts appointments that are convenient for her clients, including by phone, Facetime, Skype, or Zoom.
With offices in Waimea and Captain Cook, Eddy also provides low-cost estate planning documents including durable financial powers of attorney, and revocable transfer on death deed, and trusts. She has expanded her family law practice to include adoptions, custody, and paternity cases.
Eddy is married to an animal nutritionist and has three children, seven grandchildren, and seven granddogs. She is an active member of the North Hawai‘i Rotary and North Hawai‘i Domestic Violence Action Committee. She is also on the board of the Waimea Community Theater, participates in 100 Women Who Care, and pledges quarterly donations to small nonprofits on the island.
E.F. Cash-Dudley Estate Planning & Family Law PO Box 814, Kamuela 808.854.5912 efcashdudleylaw.wpcomstaging.com
UA MAU KE EA O KA ‘ĀINA 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 Hawai‘i state motto.
Barbara Garcia, Call/Text 808.345.2017, Barb@KeOlaMagazine.com
Tanya Yamanaka, Call/Text 808.747.4410, Tanya@KeOlaMagazine.com
Editorial Assistant
Cynthia Sweeney, Call/Text: 808.557.0932, Cynthia@KeOlaMagazine.com
Tanya Yamanaka, Call/Text 808.747.4410, Tanya@KeOlaMagazine.com
Tanya Yamanaka, Call/Text 808.747.4410, Info@KeOlaMagazine.com
Subscriptions
Subscribe@KeOlaMagazine.com
Big Island Brochure, Inc.
Kai and Charles Ruff, 808.765.7947
Igor Milhomens, Graphic Designer, 808.333.4755 igormilhomens.com
Webmistress and Proofreader
Michelle Sandell, Michelle@KeOlaMagazine.com
Ambassadors
Emily T Gail • Fern Gavelek • Keala Ching • Mars Cavers
Sharon Bowling • WavenDean Fernandes
Ke Ola Magazine is a member/supporter of:
To purchase access to our story archives and buy previous issues while they are still available, visit KeOlaMagazine.com
Ke Ola Magazine PO Box 492400, Keaau, HI 96749
© 2008-2023, Ke Ola Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved KeOlaMagazine.com
ELEGANT W/ GUEST QTRS., N. KONA
4 Bed | 3 Bath + 1 Bed | 1 Bath | 2,925 total sf | 23,727 sf lot $2,750,000 | MLS 663448
Sprawling single level with fully permitted 800 sf guest quarters. Exquisitely landscaped grounds with large saltwater pool and spa plus 1,000 sf covered pavilion for outdoor enjoyment. Fully owned photovoltaic system.
4 Bed | 5 Bath | 4,132 sf interior | 10 acre lot $2,500,000 | MLS 663550
Inviting, private and secluded equestrian property located south of Hawi. Flowing floor plan with chef’s kitchen, huge family room with fireplace, expansive primary suite and three car garage. Ocean views from both levels. Solar heated pool with large covered lanai.
3 Bed | 2.5 Bath | 2,104 sf interior | 10,199 sf lot
$1,200,000 | MLS 667010
Spacious easy flow, single level floor plan in Keahole Heights subdivision. Three bedrooms plus a large office. Gourmet kitchen with center island. Roomy great room with ocean views. Inside laundry, attached 2-car garage, outdoor shower.
“Kelly is the woman for the job! What an incredible blessing she was to our family of 6 as we prepared to sell our home and move to the mainland. She made sure all the i’s were dotted and the t’s were crossed for a smooth sale of our home.”
Another Satisfied Seller - Realtor.com
Ideally located custom-built home with unobstructed, 180° coastline and ocean views. Private backyard offers an expansive lanai, solar heated salt-water pool, tropical plantings and over a dozen fruit trees. This uniquely designed home features two separate structures. The single level main home boasts an open floor plan with generously proportioned great room and chef’s kitchen as well as three ensuite bedrooms - two with spectacular ocean views. The air conditioned second structure offers two additional bedrooms and a full bath. Ceiling fans, split-zone air conditioning, luxury flooring, granite countertops and oversized showers are just a few of the property’s desirable features. A fully owned photovoltaic system offers energy savings. This property is being sold turn-key furnished.
Aloha Friends and Neighbors,
Am I the only one that felt as though the past year just flew by? My hope is that you had a memorable 2022 and that 2023 will bring you a year of happiness, prosperity, good health and peace.
With Aloha, Kelly
