“The Life” Cele b rating t h e a r t s, cu l t u re, a n d s u s t a i n ab i l i t y o f t h e Hawa i i a n Isla nds First Anniversary Maui County Edition
April–May 2014 ‘Apelila–Mei 2014
Aloha from the Publisher “The Life” Ce l e b ra t i n g t h e a r t s, c u l t u re, a n d sust a in a bilit y o f t h e H a wa iia n Isla nds
April—May 2014 ‘Apelila—Mei 2014
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.
Publisher, Marketing, Operations Barbara Garcia Bowman, 808.442.3244 x1, Barb@KeOlaMagazine.com
Editor, Art Director
Kaualani Pereira, 808.442.3244 x 2, MCeditor@KeOlaMagazine.com
Advertising Consultant and Area Director
Kelley Shamblin
808.443.9843, Kelley@KeOlaMagazine.com
Sharon Bowling
808.557.8703, Subsribe@KeOlaMagazine.com
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Amorah St. John • Fern Gavelek • Shelley Maddigan © 2014, Ke Ola Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved
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Arts
13 Hula Flourishes in Maui Nui By Kekoa Enomoto
Culture 9 Kalo’s Growing Force Reinvigorating Hāloanakalaukapalili By Kaualani Pereira
Land 5 Raising Cane A Sustainable Organic Revolution By David Bruce Leonard, L.Ac.
WE MADE OUR FIRST BIRTHDAY! Hau‘oli lā hānau to Ke Ola’s Maui County edition! Most people reading this are probably aware that in the Hawaiian culture, a baby’s first birthday is and has always been a huge cause for celebration. In ancient Hawai‘i, it was rare for children to make it to the age of one. Children who beat the odds were honored with a huge feast, better known as a pā‘ina (Hawaiian feast) or ‘aha‘aina (gathering for a meal). In modern times it’s commonly referred to as a baby lū‘au , named after the taro leaves used to wrap the laulau served at the gathering. Ke Ola’s Maui County edition is no exception. It has beaten the odds and made it to its first birthday! I am a proud and happy “mom”! And I’m very excited to introduce Kelley Shamblin, a very experienced print advertising consultant. Kelley was instrumental in growing a start-up yellow pages publication on the mainland for many years so she’s ready to help Ke Ola with steady growth. She moved to Maui a year ago and we’re thrilled to welcome her to our ‘ohana. The reception Kelley is getting from the folks she’s been meeting has been nothing short of inspiring. She is just as excited about being part of our ‘ohana as we are about welcoming her. Kelley has also immersed herself in the Valley Isle Chapter of Business Networking International. We’re very happy to support all the Maui BNI chapters by helping get the word out about this exceptional organization with the ad on page 16. We truly embrace the philosophy that givers gain! Enjoy the inspiring stories in our First Anniversary issue and join us in this exciting adventure! Aloha pumehana,
Barbara Garcia, Publisher
Spirit 4 Na ‘Ono o ka ‘Āina The Delectable Taros of the Land By Cultural Practitioner Kaui Kanakaole
Ka Puana - The Refrain 18 Practice Aloha By Mark Ellman and Barbara Santos
Departments
12 Featured Cover Artist: Rachael Ray Au Hoon 16 Talk Story with an Advertiser 17 Island Treasures
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Na ‘Ono o ka ‘Āina
KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, April/May, 2014
The Delectable Taros of the Land
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| Submitted by Cultural Practitioner Kaui Kanakaole
O na kalo na ‘ono o ka ‘āina
The taros are delicacies of the land
Iwikuamo‘o no ka lāhui
Provide strength to the people
Hiwahiwa uahi-a-Pele
Highly esteemed is the uahi-a-Pele
O ke alo uahi i ka nui mi‘i
Of the smokey aura and the attractive appearance
Pi‘i mai o ka api‘i
The api‘i taro shows forth
A no ke kūlolo he ‘ono ‘i‘o ho‘i
And for kūlolo it is most delicious
Ho‘iho‘i i ka ‘elepaio
Return to the ‘elepaio taro
A no ka a‘ala o ke alaka‘i
For the fragrance, it is the leader
Kāī mai wale i na ‘ano kāī
Step over to the kāī family
I ka ‘ono loa o ka ‘ia ala pua
To the delicacy of its product
Ka lehua wehe i ka nani
The lehua taro displays its beauty
No na lani, ho‘oulu mana
For royalty it promoted strength
O ka mana ‘ulu, ulu ka mana‘o
Mana ‘ulu taro inspires the mind
Ulu ka mana o ke ola hou
Inspires the strength of new vitality
E ho‘i hou mai i na ‘ono o ka ‘āina
Return to the delicacies of the land
Iwikuamo‘o no ka lāhui
They provide strength for the people
Ae, he inoa no Kekuhikuhi
Indeed a name song for Kekuhikuhi
Na Kalani Meinecke & George Kahumoku, Jr. I Haku Ia I Ka Makahiki 1979 Composed by Kalani Meinecke & George Kahumoku, Jr. in 1979 Contact Kaui Kanakaole: kkanakaole@yahoo.com
Photo By Noa Lincoln
Raising Cane
Earth Medicine: Healing Our Home–Healing Ourselves
A Sustainable Organic Revolution
H
e ali‘i ka ‘āina, he kauā ke kanaka. Land is the chief, people are servants. ~ Hawaiian Proverb
In what practitioner Al Lagunero refers to as “The New Old Way”, Maui’s organic farmers take a cue from the ancients and look for opportunities to give back to the biosphere with gratitude. They view traditional agricultural “enemies” such as pests and weeds as resources. Or, they see them as an opportunity for creating a whole-systems approach to balancing the ever-present equation of cost versus benefit. They know themselves as part of a much larger system; rather than “ruling” the land they see themselves as partners with the land. And amidst all of this, an unexpected old friend has joined them at the center of this “new old” revolution: sugarcane. “I used to think of sugarcane as a symbol of environmental destruction. But sugarcane is now the backbone of my farm ecosystem”, says Ryan Earehart, a Maui farmer who grows organic food with his family on their ‘Ōma‘opio farm. Ryan’s mind was changed one day when he drank some fresh sugarcane juice. He loved it, and a light went on in his head–and on his palate. After doing some research, he was convinced he was on to something: an important resource that could help Maui’s organic farmers. Sugarcane is hardy, pest, salt and wind resistant. It also makes excellent mulch that can hold moisture down, keeping it in the soil for other plants to use. And, it tastes good.
KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, April/May, 2014
When Captain Cook landed here in 1778, the Hawaiian people had a completely sustainable system of farming, fishing and aquaculture. Everything the Hawaiians ate, made, and wore came from these islands and the immediate surrounding ocean. That is no small feat on an archipelago with an estimated population of 400,000–800,000 inhabitants. Today we have a 6 day supply of food in Hawai‘i–our survival is dependent on boats and airplanes. A new generation of conscious Maui farmers is working to change that, creating a sustainable revolution on our island home. They grow organic vegetables, herbs and fruits that they sell at local farmers’ markets, humanely raise livestock in harmonious surroundings, and enrich the soil through organic mulching and composting. This new breed of farmers is different, holding values that are more reminiscent of the values of our distant ancestors rather than farmers of the recent past. The traditional cultures of our ancestors often viewed the world as a continuum of interlocking parts, each dependant on the other to maintain stability. Maui’s organic farmers are deeply invested in the reclamation of that wisdom.
| By David Bruce Leonard, L.Ac.
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Kō ‘Ili‘ōpua and Kō ‘Ōhi‘a. Photo courtesy of Ocean Vodka
KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, April/May, 2014
Shay Smith, a fourth generation son of Maui and founder of Ocean Vodka is also a believer in organic sugarcane. “We grow and hand-harvest the organic heirloom varieties of sugarcane that go into our vodka. Using selective harvesting and other techniques, we are constantly aware of the need to keep our footprint as small and light as possible.” Shay’s company specializes in green manufacturing and boasts an all-solar facility. A large framed man with a strong work and environmental ethic, Shay embodies Ryan’s concept of a business as an ecosystem by forming mutually beneficial partnerships with other local like-minded farmers. He holds a vision of creating homegrown agricultural and educational industries that promote Hawai‘i on a global scale.
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Growing up surfing, fishing, and hiking with his father on Maui, Shay understands the appeal of Hawai‘i and knows all too well the need to preserve our unique natural resources. At Ocean Vodka, the farm tour is similar to wine tasting tours with a distinct difference: it is as much about education as sampling product. “People stop by to sample some local vodka, and they leave with so much more.” Shay, like Ryan, wants to make a difference. “We are not just selling a product; we are selling alternatives to business as usual.” When we think of pre-contact Hawai‘i, sugarcane is not the first thing that comes to mind. But in many ways, the history of sugarcane extends back far beyond the post-missionary boom days of the middle 1800s. Sugarcane was a canoe plant, first brought to Hawai‘i by Polynesian voyagers. Captain Cook, even before stepping foot on land in Hawai‘i noted in his journal “… we could observe several plantations of plantains and sugar-canes…” With more than 50 distinct varieties, the precontact Hawaiians used sugarcane for food, Shay Smith, Founder Ocean Vodka. medicine, thatching, Photo by David Bruce Leonard and windbreaks.
Kō Hāpai. Photo By Noa Lincoln
Kō ‘Ili‘ōpua. Photo By Noa Lincoln
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KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, April/May, 2014
The Hawaiian word for sugarcane is kō. The old varieties included kō niho puhi (eel’s tooth), named because of its’ sharp thorns, kō hāpai (pregnant sugarcane), referring to the plant’s wide internodes, and ‘ili‘ōpua (lazy dog) named because the stalks tend to fall over and root at the nodes. When most of us think of sugarcane we think of the sweet, ubiquitous, white substance that permeates Western grocery stores. As Ryan says, “Who would have imagined that sugarcane would actually turn out to be nutritious?” The juice of the cane plant is very different from that sweet packet of powder we stir into our coffee. White sugar, while made from sugarcane, is refined and processed into something far removed from its’ progenitor crop. Correlated to such illnesses as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity, the overuse of refined sugar is a frequently seen as a health problem within the medical community. Whole organic raw sugarcane juice, while also sweet, is different. Ryan notes, “White sugar is the only thing left after all the nutrition has been removed from the sugarcane. Important ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber and phyto-nutrients are taken out. Things like calcium and phosphorus are in there to help build bones and teeth.” Ironically, old Hawaiians used the sugarcane stocks to brush their teeth and keep them shiny. Sugars are carbohydrates. There is a lot of controversy about the appropriate percentage of carbohydrates in a healthy diet,
because all carbohydrates are not created equal. The sweetness in whole sugarcane comes from sucrose rather than glucose or fructose. Sucrose is absorbed more slowly into the body, hence has a relatively low glycemic index. This is good news for those wanting to keep their blood sugar stable. So how did sugarcane come to be such a large part of modern Hawai‘i’s history? In many ways, the story of sugarcane is woven into the fabric of island life. The first financially viable sugarcane plantation was started in Kaua‘i in 1835, and the commercial planting of sugarcane soon spread to the other islands. By the 1840s, steamships provided the support needed to expand the industry to ship products to the mainland. Because the Hawaiians of the 1800s already lived off the land by farming and fishing, they had no need to work in the cane fields, so immigrants were brought in to do farm work. In the decades between 1850 and 1890, 50,000 Chinese workers were brought to Hawai‘i. In later years, Japanese, Korean, and Filipino workers were also brought in bringing the total number of immigrants over 100 years to 337,000. In contrast to the ancient Hawaiian practices and the homegrown organic farmers of today, the corporate commercial sugarcane practices of the 19th and 20th century relied heavily on mono-cropping: the conversion of large tracts of lands into exclusive use as cane fields. Later, as the technology grew, larger machines, disposable plastic water pipes, chemical fertilizers,
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KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, April/May, 2014
and pesticides were introduced to manage these expanses. Today’s organic farmers undoubtedly view sugarcane differently than did Hawaiian plantation owners. The previous way of farming is being supplanted with a new, or perhaps resurrected, awareness of what it means to live on an island with limited resources. Rather than relying on only one variety in one large expanse of land, Maui’s organic farmers prefer to use many of Kō ‘Ili‘ōpua Cane. the old heirloom varieties Photo By Noa Lincoln brought by the Hawaiians and intersperse them with other crops. “I would never plant sugarcane as a monocrop”, says Ryan, “that does not make sense”. By utilizing different varieties of sugarcane and creating a farm as a complete ecosystem, Ryan seeks to simultaneously enrich the biosphere while effectively avoiding the risks associated with single crop agriculture. Of the diverse varieties of sugarcane that the Polynesians used, Shay has 28 of them at his Ocean Vodka farm. With names like manulele and ‘ula‘ula, these heirlooms are a constant reminder of the long tradition and heritage that sugarcane represents in Hawai‘i. To locate these heirloom pre-GMO sugarcanes, Shay went to Lāhāina to hunt down the old varieties that had naturalized there after the cane fields were abandoned. This hard work and attention to detail by our organic farmers has begun to pay off. Ryan cannot keep up with the demand for his produce at our local farmers markets, and Ocean Vodka recently placed among the top three in the Ultimate Spirit Competition, a national event that included hundreds of entrants. Knowing that we do not exist in a vacuum, organic farmers are aware of the need to engage family members and friends, and to reach out to others in the local community. Shay’s parents helped to plant his crops, pour the concrete, and build the building he now works in. Ryan’s children help in the garden, and at the market. This vision of an interactive ecosystem has permeated the transition from organic gardening to organic farming, where family helps friends and friends help neighbors. While the fabric of Hawai‘i may have changed, the old values and canoe plants that were brought here long ago remain strong and vibrant. Says Ryan, “Sugarcane is not what you think it is. It has a long history on Maui. Even if I were not selling it I would still grow it; I know how important it is”. ❖
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Contact photographer Noa Lincoln: nlincoln@alumni.stanford.edu Contact writer David Bruce Leonard, L.Ac.: www.EarthMedicineInstitute.com
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Pounding poi at the East Maui Taro Festival
Kalo’s Growing Force
Reinvigorating Hāloanakalaukapalili
island, the drive to Hāna alone offers a glimpse into old Hawai‘i. Passing through Ke‘anae and Wailuanui, one can look out onto expansive lands covered in taro patches, and see farmers caring for their lo‘i. The East Maui Taro Festival offers a place for taro farmers and visitors alike to share their appreciation for taro and Hawaiian culture. On Saturday May 3rd, Hāna will host its 22nd annual Taro Festival, lovingly organized by an all-volunteer, non-profit team of Hāna locals. The Hāna Ballpark will
‘Ula‘ula Kūmū. Photo by Seth Raabe
KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, April/May, 2014
W
e are in the midst of a cultural renaissance. Traditional Hawaiian agricultural practices which sustained the people of Hawai‘i for hundreds of years are being revitalized through the rediscovery and care of ancient lo‘i lands, wetland taro patches. Young farmers are learning from the older generations how to care for lo‘i, to grow quality kalo (Hawaiian for taro), and to ku‘i (pound) their own into poi, once the primary staple of the Hawaiian diet. Taro festivals held annually around the state have, in part, facilitated the rapid re-popularization of all things taro in recent decades. The East Maui Taro Festival, held annually in Hāna since 1993, began as a collaborative effort of many Hāna folks with the help of a co-founder of the Pacific Islands Taro Festival on O‘ahu, Mitsue Cook-Carlson. Mitsue traveled to Maui to facilitate the first meeting with the founding organizers of the festival, most of whom are still involved in the festival. East Maui is home to many taro farmers and is a natural host for Maui’s Taro Festival. For visitors from the other side of the
| By Kaualani Pereira
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come alive with educators, non-profit groups, vendors, hula dancers, musicians and taro growers. The Festival boasts a full schedule with hula and music performances, ‘ono grinds of all kinds, poi pounding, arts and crafts, and a farmers’ market. The following day, May 4th, festivities continue with a taro pancake breakfast at Hāna Bay and farm tours hosted by several East Maui farms, including Kahanu Garden, a National Tropical Botanical Garden. ‘Ula‘ula Poni. Photo by Each year at the festival, Seth Raabe keiki (children) and makua (parents) can be seen sitting on hala mats, pounding taro while listening to a kupuna (elder) tell stories from the Kumulipo. Hawai‘i’s creation chant introduces us to the taro plant in its twelfth (or thirteenth, depending on which version you are reading) wā (chapter, literal translation “era”). David Malo, in Hawaiian Antiquities, summarizes, “The first born son of Wākea was of premature birth and was given the name Hāloanaka. The little thing died, however, and its body was buried in the ground at one end of the house. After a while, from the child’s body, shot up a taro plant, the leaf of which was named Laukapalili,
KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, April/May, 2014
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quivering leaf, but the stem was given the name Hāloa. After that, another child was born to them whom they called Hāloa, from the stalk of the taro. He is the progenitor of all the peoples of the earth.” The preeminence of kalo as a food crop in Hawaiian culture is demonstrated by the incredible diversity of cultivars or varieties. Experts estimate that over 300 distinct cultivars existed in pre-Cook times, with that number dwindling to perhaps eighty Hawaiian taros today. Each cultivar has a story attached to it. Some taros were used for poi, others for kūlolo. Some were prized for their lū‘au (leaf), while others were used as medicines and even dyes. Taro varieties could be associated with types of fish carrying the same names and colorations, as with moi, ‘āweoweo, and kūmū taros. Different varieties were suited to certain climates and were popular in specific localities. It is probable that Koukou‘ai, an unclassified wild in old Hawai‘i each valley variety found in Kipahulu, Maui seven years ago. had its favored varieties, Photo by Seth Raabe uniquely adapted to local
Left to right: Lauloa ‘Ele‘ele Oma‘o, ‘Ele‘ele Mākoko, Lehua Maoli, Nihopu‘u, ‘Elepaio, ‘Ula‘ula Kūmū. Photo by Seth Raabe
Contact East Maui Taro Festival: TaroFestival.org Contact Taro Security and Purity Task Force: HawaiiKalo.org Contact writer Kaualani Pereira: MCEditor@KeOlaMagazine.com
KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, April/May, 2014
conditions, forming a tapestry of hundreds of types throughout the islands. Today, Hawai‘i imports a good amount of the taro that is made into poi in large factory mills and sold across the state. A lot of lo‘i lands, especially on Maui, are found on private lands. But not many who purchase land are interested in restoring the ancient agricultural systems that lay fallow in their backyards, or even know how to recognize the subtle dips in land that hint at forgotten lo‘i. Many ancient lo‘i are still found on public lands governed by the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), often in the most beautiful places where the cost of land is extremely high. The DLNR is required by law to lease their lands “by competitive bid and at fair market value”. High lease prices can be too much of a burden for taro growers who are lucky to get $1.00 a pound for their product. Access to water is also a big issue for growers. Whether running through the intricate ‘auwai (irrigation ditches) developed by early Hawaiians or through modern pipes, fresh water is the most crucial part of the lo‘i system. Taro cannot live without abundant water, nor can it live for long in standing water. This precious flowing water is usually distributed first to big agribusiness, hotels and resorts, and residential areas. The surplus is left in streams to feed ‘auwai and lo‘i. Control of invasive pests and diseases, such as apple snails and leaf blight, are also challenges for growers around the state. All these obstacles combined, it is amazing that taro farming is still practiced at all, and is a testament to these remaining growers and their love for the kalo plant and its culture. One group that has been an advocate for taro growers in recent years is the Taro Security and Purity Task Force, a group of taro farmers, agencies, University of Hawai‘i (UH) representatives, and other organizers. The Task Force was created by an Act of the State Legislature in 2008. Since then, its members have focused on assisting growers through education, guidance, outreach, and research, as well as creating bills to guide policy about taro. They sponsor events across the state, such as the Queen’s Challenge taro contest, Ku‘i at the Capitol, and kalo exhibitions, raising awareness about taro among the business community and the public as one step towards assisting taro growers to gain access to better markets across the State. A report for the legislature, done by the Task Force in 2010, was the product of dozens of farm visits across the State over several years. It contained hundreds of concrete “recommendations for positive change,” such as improving
“supports and resources for farmers to process their own poi for their communities”, “develop a taro farming grant program to assist taro farmers in need”, and “implement all court and administrative orders regarding stream flows and restoration.” This gave my lawmakers insight into the challenges facing today’s taro farmer. Their 2014 report, available online at HawaiiKalo.org outlines the work that has been accomplished since 2010. With representatives on each island, Maui County’s team is composed of Glenn Teves and Les Hoy of Moloka‘i, Lyn Scott, Namea‘aea Hoshino, and Penny Levin of Maui, all taro growers themselves. Penny represents Hawaiian taro collection efforts statewide. The task force is the first legislative body to be required by law to have no less than 50% taro farmers as its members, in hopes of having a real sense of what growers are faced with, and an accurate voice in policy-making. Currently, the Task Force is working with the DLNR and other agencies to create better lease conditions and access to lo‘i lands for taro farmers, and working to create better markets for them, so they can afford to grow taro. Task force members have supported, and helped secure grants and partnerships for a survey of soil practices and their impacts on crop quality, research and development of a locally-produced soil amendment that also controls the apple snail, and to protect and perpetuate the traditional Hawaiian taro varieties. A soil amendment produced by Pacific Biodiesel Technologies, a local Maui business, which is made from biodiesel co-products may enable taro farmers to get Kauiki Lind holds poi made from Kapahu good yields with Farm’s wetland taro. Photo courtesy of significantly less snail East Maui Taro Festival damage. Lab and field studies which will wrap up this year are encouraging. Collectively, Task Force members and “huli banks,” much like seed banks for taro, gave away an estimated half a million huli (taro starts) in the last two years. Moloka‘i’s Alton Arakaki, part of a growing network of Hawaiian taro varieties huli banks, gave away over 15,000 huli of an estimated 40 traditional Hawaiian taro varieties in 2013 to growers from all the Hawaiian Islands. “There are lots of little things going on all around the islands,” Task Force members say, “the presence of taro farmers is growing.” Hāloanakalaukapalili, ancestor and sustainer of the Hawaiian people, is being protected and nurtured by dedicated hearts and minds throughout the islands. Hard work and aloha, as well as a new generation of taro farmers, can ensure that the agricultural legacy of Hawai‘i continues to thrive. ❖
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Featured Cover Artist:
Rachael Ray Au Hoon By Kaualani Pereira
orn and raised on Moloka‘i, Rachael embodies the Aloha Spirit. She moved to Maui, where her passion and talent for art was encouraged by a few discerning teachers at a young age. Rachael’s Legend of the Taro, featured on the cover, was inspired by her namesake, taro farmer Rachael Naeole Naki of Moloka‘i who worked in her lo‘i until her late 80’s. Rachael remembers opening National Geographic magazine as a child and seeing Naki’s famous taro patches featured in its pages. While she was at Baldwin High School, Rachael connected to her roots and drew the Legend of the Taro in pastel. “Getting to know taro is getting to know who we are. Taro is more than a staple of our diet. It’s
a symbol of our culture,” Rachael says. Today, Rachael paints mostly with oil, and has a very unique technique. She recently opened U‘i Gallery in Kahului, where she showcases her own work as well as pottery, ‘umeke, jewerly and paintings by other Maui artists. Find U‘i Gallery at 360 Papa Place, Unit Z in Kahului, Maui. Contact Rachael Ray Au Hoon: RachaelRayArtCollection.com
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KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, April/May, 2014
PERSONAL TOUR GUIDES ON MAUI
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Experience the Sacred Sites of Maui Explore places that many locals have never seen. • Sacred outdoor temple with ritual pool in Iao Valley • A silent uninhabited valley once home to a highly evolved spiritual tribe of Hawaiians • The birthing pools at Ha’iku • The recently restored Pi’ilani heiau at Kahanu Garden • Bamboo forest with secluded pools and waterfalls
Offering you an experience that allows Maui to touch the deepest part of you. Sachin Hazen is a licensed, certified tour guide who has studied with Hawaiian cultural specialist, Charles Kapaa, and is also legally authorized to perform marriages.
808-495-5837 sachinhazen.com/#tours
Kamalani Kawa‘a Photo by Randy Jay Braun
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pril showers bring hula flowerings in Maui Nui. To mention a few, a kumu hula’s daughter seeks the Miss Aloha Hula crown to headline Merrie Monarch preparations on the Valley Isle; at least one new hālau is blooming; and, the Moloka‘i Ka Hula Piko Festival honors the Friendly Isle as the origin of hula.
Maui Nui Well Represented at Merrie Monarch
Miss Aloha Hula aspirant Kamalani Kaleimomi Kahalepoli Kawa‘a, 18, “has really blossomed and dedicated herself to hula and to our hālau,” said ‘Iliahi Paredes, co-kumu hula with wife Haunani of Central Maui’s Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi. “We are really blessed to have her.” Besides the solo pageant, group contests for wahine and kāne round out the 51st annual Merrie Monarch Festival hula competition April 24–26 in Hilo. KFVE televises and provides live streaming video of the event, considered the Olympics of hula. Attendees on-site enjoy Hawai‘i Island fare, such as savory laulau, while evening breezes cool the open-air Edith Kanaka‘ole Stadium venue. Merrie onlookers will hear Kawa‘a’s resonant tones as she chants to open her hula kahiko (ancient) presentation. The graduate of King Kekaulike High School’s Hawaiianlanguage immersion program is
Hula Flourishes in Maui Nui
| By Kekoa Enomoto
For hula kahiko, Kamalani Kawa‘a will recreate a hula noho pū‘ili (sitting hula with split-bamboo implement) entitled “Aia I Waiehu Pua Lokelani,” followed by the hula ‘auana (modern) “Lovely Sunrise Haleakalā.” For the latter number, she will wear a full skirt of shimmering champagne-colored silk satin and adornments of lokelani, or dainty Maui roses offering a “sweet, subtle fragrance,” Paredes said, to conjure “an elegant rosebud blooming on that stage.” The hālau also will inlcude 21 dancers, ages 13 to 36, in group kāne competition. In only their third Merrie Monarch appearance, the young men will try to improve upon last year’s runner-up finish in hula kahiko and fourth place in hula ‘auana. They will recreate “E Ho‘i Ka Nani O Moku‘ula” and a “Haleakalā Hula” medley in those respective categories. Meanwhile, Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka will compete in the solo and group wahine contests with hula honoring wahi kapu, or sacred places, threatened by modern development. As a third-year state Land Use Commission member, Kumu Napua Greig indicated she’s seen what one may call desecration of ancient sites and archaeological features. Thus, at Merrie Monarch, “I am focusing on those places that are being attacked,” said Greig, kumu hula of the Upcountry Maui troupe. “So both hula kahiko are for Mauna Kea.”
KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, April/May, 2014
fluent in ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i. Her parents are Llewellyn and Luana Kawa‘a, who is kumu hula of Hālau Kili‘o‘opu and who took her daughter as a 10-yearold to Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi. “One of the reasons Luana brought Kamalani to us is she really wanted to give her an opportunity to compete at the Queen Lili‘uokalani Keiki Hula Competition, which we were entering for the very first time that year,” ‘Iliahi Paredes recalled. “Kamalani came and has been with us ever since,” he said of the student, who was named 2011 Miss Hula O Na Keiki. Kamalani Kawa‘a strives to be part of a remarkable tradition of titleholders who are offspring of kumu, such as na kumu hula Alicia Smith, Aloha Dalire and Leimomi Ho. Smith’s daughter, Pi‘ilani, was crowned in 1989. Dalire’s daughters—Kapualokeokalaniakea, Kau‘imaiokalaniakea and Keolalaulani—were the 1991, 1992 and 1999 Misses Aloha Hula, respectively. Ho’s daughter, Kamalani, captured the 1996 title. Also, the late revered kumu hula and Maui native Aunty Mae Ulalia Loebenstein had groomed her hānai granddaughter, Maelia, to win the honor in 1993.
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Hulali Ka‘imi‘aina Ciera De Lima, 23, will represent Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka in the solo competition. She is a 2008 graduate of Kamehameha Schools Maui, where her mother, Lee Ann De Lima, is headmaster. The younger De Lima holds a BA degree in education from Brigham Young University-Hawai‘i and is pursuing postgraduate study in Honolulu. The hālau will present “I Waikapū Ke Aloha” in group ‘auana competition. “I was just listening to testimony on how archaeologists are removing ali‘i artifacts: kāhili and lei palaoa right there by Maui Lani (to make way) for more homes and a new Safeway,” Greig said, referring to ancient symbols of royalty unearthed at the 1,012-acre Maui Lani master-planned community overlapping Waikapū. “That’s why we are using our hula to ho‘omana, or bring back mana, to those places being attacked, (because) our need for compassion is falling on deaf ears,” she said. “That is kind of where my na‘au (gut, or inner, feeling) is for Merrie Monarch.” Hulali De Lima aims to follow in the hula footsteps of her hālau sister: reigning 2013 Miss Aloha Hula, Manalani Mili English of Waiohuli, Maui. After all, a trend is of Valley Isle
KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, April/May, 2014
Hulali De Lima
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practitioners winning the accolade in three of the last five years, and finishing in first and second place twice in the three most recent pageants. English just returned from a Japan trip that came with the Miss Aloha Hula title. “I feel very honored to have received this award. The Kumu Hula competition is always so Kahulu Maluo tight,” she said. “I was very excited to bring the honor and pride to my ‘ohana, to my hālau and to Maui, because they all deserve it.”
Wailuku’s New Halau is Blooming
After 18 years as the co-kumu hula of Halau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka with sister Napua, Kahulu Maluo began the new year by opening Hālau Kamaluokaleihulu in Wailuku. Kahulau says, “the new hālau is flourishing with 100 students, age 5 and older”. “I wanted to take my hālau more into learning the different mea hula (activities) that have almost disappeared—implement making, lei making; I want to focus a little more on learning opportunities. I plan to be at Hālauaola on Kaua‘i,” Maluo said, referring to a nine-day hula conference this July. “I miss my sister and the hālau, but we both can benefit from this opportunity for real growth.”
Men of Hālau Kekuaaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi
The Origins of Hula Celebrated at Annual Moloka‘i Ka Hula Piko Festival
Contact Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi: kalikopuailiahi.com Contact Hālau Kamaluokaleihulu: 808.280.0351 or 808.385.5722 Contact Moloka‘i Ka Hula Piko: KaHulaPiko.com Contact writer Kekoa Enomoto: Kenomoto1@hawaii.rr.com
Elsie Ryder (right) and Sulu Tafaoimalo lecture atop Pu‘u Nānā at the 2013 Moloka‘i Ka Hula Piko Festival (Photo by Kahealani Dizon)
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KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, April/May, 2014
Hula sprouted from the Friendly Isle, according to Moloka‘i oral tradition. And a three-day Moloka‘i Ka Hula Piko Festival honors this thousand-year-old legacy with hālau, musicians and mo‘olelo (stories) May 1–3. The late John Ka‘imikaua, founding kumu hula of Hālau Hula O Kukunaokala, had started the festival in 1991 to pass on numerous oli, or chants, of his mentor, Kawahinekapuheleikapokane. This oral tradition tells of La‘ila‘i introducing the hula artform on Pu‘u Nānā in the Ka‘ana district of Moloka‘i. Today, Hālau Hula O Kukunaokala members foster the tradition with a celebration including a workshop upon Pu‘u Nānā Thursday morning and a kumu hula panel Friday evening, culminating Saturday in daylong merriment with dance, song, food and crafts. The annual event “allows all kumu from all islands and all visitors to enjoy coming to excursions, attending lectures, and then coming to the ho‘olaule‘a and supporting the people of Moloka‘i,” said Elsie Ryder, ho‘opa‘a, or chanter, of Hālau Hula O Kukunaokala. She saluted Hālau Hula O Moloka‘i as a “driving force” in perpetuating the festival on the Friendly Isle, “the birthplace of hula, where Laka was born and raised.” “There’s so much chant and hula on Moloka‘i. You won’t see it anywhere else because we don’t go out and perform like before,” said Ryder, adding that hālau members dance near the end of the Prince Lot Hula Festival every July on O‘ahu. She said Ka‘imikaua had given her the Hawaiian name, Kaleihulukeaopoliahuolinolinoikanioloohaleakalā, which translates:
the white feather lei of Poli‘ahu (snow goddess atop Mauna Kea) gleaming on the summit of Haleakalā. “Plenty kaona,” or underlying meaning, she affirmed, “that I will still be here when he is gone, continuing on with the hula traditions.” Indeed, all things hula in Maui Nui crescendo at Moloka‘i Ka Hula Piko. ❖
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Lynette Pendergast, R(B), Equity One Talk Story with an Advertiser Lynette Pendergast Realtor, Broker
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KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, April/May, 2014
ynette’s first sale was to a couple that lived in a 600 square foot house with their two young sons. Their front yard was a parking lot. They searched and saved and were able to get into a 1250 square foot home with a garage and a beautiful yard in a neighborhood that allows the boys to play outside. Lynette says, “That is why I’m a Realtor, to help people make their dreams a reality.” Finding the perfect home or investment property for her clients keeps her excited about being a Realtor. She also helps people sell their property so they can move onto other things. Lynette and her husband had been visiting Maui several times a year since 2001. After moving from Montana in 2008, Lynette was looking for a new career path. She had been working as the Office Manager in a family owned business started by her father. As she thought about what she wanted to do in this next stage of her life in her new home on Maui, she decided that having lots of experience buying and selling properties in Montana, and with a love for meeting people, she’d become a Realtor. She proceeded to get her Realtor’s license and a few years later went on to qualify for her Broker’s license. Some of the challenges Lynette has experienced are that being relatively new to Maui, it was necessary for her to learn areas, street names, micro climates and inventory. She put on hundreds of miles a month driving around different areas to familiarize herself. She loves finding new roads or a cluster of homes on a road she hadn’t seen before. Her primary areas of expertise are Upcountry Maui, Kula, Makawao, Pukalani, Haiku, Central Maui, Kihei & Wailea. Equity One is a small, local “boutique” real estate office. Lynette comments, “We pride ourselves on our professionalism and the knowledge that we bring to a real estate transaction. We are proud to offer personal service. Lynette’s customers are very diverse and savvy. She has first time homebuyers looking for a way to get into a home and buyers looking for investment property. Also, tourists who fall in love with Maui and want to be able to come often and are looking for a vacation rental. She also has sellers moving off island or selling their family home after their parents have passed away. Lynette concludes by saying, “I am very aware that each person has their own story—and I love to hear that story.” Lynette is a proud member of the Upcountry Chapter of Business Network International (BNI).
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Equity One Real Estate, Inc. 3681 Baldwin Ave, Makawao, Maui, Hawaii 96768 808.633.3534 (cell) LynettePendergast@gmail.com www.equityonemaui.com
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Two Chicks In A Hammock
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wo Chicks In A Hammock, producing Backyard Juice Hawaiian chili pepper water, was founded by partners Michelle Jones and Katherine (Kat) Crosby in January of 2013. “Kat” as she is known by her friends, is the mastermind behind the sauces and Michelle is her trusty business-minded sidekick. Katherine has spent years perfecting the different ingredients in each product, trying them out on friends and family, until all agreed they were amazing and ready for market. Michelle spent 15 years as the vice-president of a non-profit organization serving people with autism and is now using those management skills to manage this company. Together, they are a power-team of good food and fun times! Both women hope to make Two Chicks in a Hammock their full time job some day. Michelle says, “Backyard Juice is our version of traditional Hawaiian chili pepper water. It goes well on all kinds of fish, dried, cooked or raw, grilled steak, grilled veggies, noodles, seafood such as shrimp, ‘opihi (limpits) and oysters, as a marinade for any protein, including tofu, as well as in stir-fry’s or on eggs or rice to add a kick of spiciness. Our chili water is made on Maui from mostly all local ingredients and sold in locally made bottles. We are excited to present this delicious product to the public.” Backyard Juice is a twist on the traditional Hawaiian chili pepper water recipe that most locals grew up with as a homemade staple condiment. Kat took her grandmother’s recipe and added a few of her own special ingredients to give it its addictive taste that keeps you coming back for more. Backyard Juice adds spice to anything you want to put it on. It’s great as a dipping sauce for any meat, as a marinade for tofu or seafood, adding heat to veggies, rice, noodles or soups. “We actually drink it on the side of our beer on weekends for a kick as well. Try it!” In regards to choosing their business name, Michelle says “We were just relaxing in our hammock in the shade of mango trees when the name came to Kat. We thought it was catchy and ever since then that’s what we’ve called ourselves.” Two Chicks in a Hammock Backyard Juice can be found in multiple locations on Maui and Lāna‘i. Please see their ad on page 6 for exact locations.
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Ka Puana–The Refrain Following is an excerpt from Practice Aloha, compiled and edited by Mark Ellman and Barbara Santos. Used with permission.
Do You PRACTICE ALOHA? It isn’t easy to explain it. What is the Aloha Spirit? The first time you feel it you understand. Then you can begin to live it...share it. We believe our stories will fill the world with aloha, at a time when we need to Practice Aloha more than ever.
Aloha is a Kiss – Brad Liko Rogers
As I thought about the word “aloha” and what it meant to me, I thought about a very special kupuna: Tutu Lydia Hale. I was going to school at U.H. Manoa. While sitting in her office, Tutu explained what she felt was the source of the word “aloha.” Kupuna Hale said that “aloha” is two Hawaiian words combined. “Alo,” the face of a person and “ha,” breathing in the air of life through the nose. According to Tutu Hale, two people kissing, face-to-face in the Hawaiian fashion, sharing a single breath of life, is where the word “aloha” comes from. I truly appreciate Tutu Hale’s sharing this meaning with me.
...and in Hawaiian
I ko‘u no‘ono‘o ‘ana i ka hua ‘olelo “aloha” a me kona mana‘o ia‘u, Hali‘a a‘ela au i kahi kupuna makamae loa. ‘O Tutu Lydia Hale kona inoa. I ko‘u wa e hele ana i ke kulanui o Hawai‘i ma Manoa, aia no keia e noho ana ma kona ke‘ena ma laila. Wehewehe maila ‘o Tutu i kona mana‘o no ke kumu o ka hua ‘olelo “aloha.” ‘I maila ‘o Kupuna Hale, ‘o ke “aloha” he ‘elua hua ‘olelo Hawai‘i i ho‘ohui ‘ia i ho‘okahi. ‘O “alo,” ‘o ia ho‘i ka helehelena o kekahi kanaka, a ‘o “ha”, ka hanu ‘ana i ke ea o ke ola ma ka ihu. Wahi a Tutu Hale ‘o ka honi ‘ana o ‘elua kanaka alo a he alo ma ke ‘ano Hawai‘i a me ka hanu pu ‘ana i ia ha ho‘okahi, no laila mai ka hua ‘olelo “aloha.” Mahalo nui loa au ia Tutu Hale i kona ka‘analike ‘ana i ia mana‘o me a‘u.
KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, April/May, 2014
Brad is a Hawaiian language teacher who lives on Maui. He wrote the Hawaiian blessing for this book. Available at Mark Ellman’s Mala Tavern restaurant on Maui and at Barnes & Noble, Lāhainā.
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