Maui: June-July 2014

“The Life” Cele b ra t i n g t h e a r t s, c u lt u re, a n d sust a in a bilit y o f t h e H a wa iia n I sla nds Maui County Edition

June–July 2014 • Iune–Iulai 2014

KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, June/July 2014

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“The Life” Celeb 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 I sla nds

June—July 2014 Iune—Iulai 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, Sales and Marketing Barbara Garcia Bowman, 808.442.3244 x1, Barb@KeOlaMagazine.com

Editor, Art Director

Kaualani Pereira, 808.442.3244 x 2, MCeditor@KeOlaMagazine.com

Subscriptions

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Distribution

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Maui Circulation, Inc.

Ambassadors

Amorah St. John • Fern Gavelek • Shelley Maddigan © 2014, Ke Ola Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved

Aloha from the Publisher Ke Ola is a magazine for people who live in Maui County, both full time and part time residents, and also frequent visitors–those who come year after year, and who value having a deeper understanding of our islands and their culture.

We’ve been hearing from many people how much they love the Maui County issue of Ke Ola. Our distribution company, Maui Circulation, tells us they “sell out” of every issue, in other words, all the complimentary copies of every issue are gone by the end of each two month cycle, so we know it’s being picked up and read by over 50,000 people. We feel really good about the stories we’re telling and we know our readers appreciate having a deeper understanding about all of these sacred islands. There are so many more stories to tell. Since each complimentary issue is brought to you by our advertisers, we are limited in the number of stories we can tell until more businesses see the value of perpetuating the arts, culture and sustainability of the land, ocean and people of Maui County. If you are enjoying Ke Ola and own a business or know someone who does, and would like to read more of these types of stories, I encourage you to drop me a line at barb@keolamagazine.com or give me a call at 808-442.3244, ext 1 to reach me directly. As small business advocates for more than 5 years, and with ads starting at $136 a month ($272 for each 2 month issue) for a full color, larger than business card size ad, we have something that will help nearly all businesses gain a massive reach for a very affordable cost. With a guarantee of never more than 40% advertising to 60% stories, Ke Ola will always be a storybook, perpetuating the stories of our island homes for future generations. We welcome you with open arms.

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Culture 5

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Land 16

Restoring “Target Island”

By Kekoa Enomoto

Me ke aloha pumehana (with warm aloha), Barbara Garcia, Publisher

Ocean 9

Standing Up To the Challlenge Moloka‘i 2 O‘ahu Paddleboard Championships

By Kama‘ema‘e Smith

An Evening of Tradition MAMo comes to the MACC

By Michael Ganancial

Spirit

Sustainable Ranching in Upcountry Maui

By Heatherlyn Gray

Departments

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Kamohio Puna o Kaho‘olawe

By Cultural Practitioner Kaui Kanakaole

Featured Cover Artist: Anna Fuernsteiner Talk Story with an Advertiser Island Treasures

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Kamohio Puna o Kaho‘olawe

KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, June/July 2014

| Submitted by Cultural Practitioner Kaui Kanakaole

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Mai ke kumu o Lani Kau Ka maka o Lonoka‘ehokuānuenue E pili i ke kumu o Kahiki Ke kumu o Moa‘ulanuiakea i hanau ‘ia Kumu uli pa‘a o na kūpuna Mai ke kihi o ka hono ‘o Kamohio i hikina Ka wai puna pua o Kane Me ka wai he‘e o Kanaloa Na wai wili lua ke kau nei Kaulilua i ka pu‘u ke ‘apu iho Nihi pali ke alo o na wai Kumanamana ka pohaku kau pueo‘ula Mai ke alo i Wakea ho‘ohaulani moku ‘i‘o Ku ha‘ililani kapu o Kanaloa ‘Ulalena ka ua ke nihi nei Kuku ka ‘ale o ka makani Hololua holopili holokake Kuakea ka ‘ili o ka honua Molehulehu ke alo o ka honua Hele nahe ka hoku ke kau nei Mai Komohana, Kukuluhema, Kukulu‘akau, Hikina Naue mai ke aloha no ka ‘āina Kanaloa Kaho‘olawe

From the source from heaven above The eyes of the god Lonoka‘eho who stands on the rainbow Whose knowledge comes front the creation of Tahiti Born from the kahuna class of Moa‘ulanuiakea With deep knowledge of his ancestorsʻ teaching And from the east bend of Kamohio bay Spring forth the flower waters of Kane With the squid waters of Kanaloa Which is hidden high in the cliff It is cool and refreshing to drink The trail leading to the springs is dangerous to traverse The pillar rock above is like a red owl The presence of the god Wakea Towards the land brings good feelings The heavens declare the taboo on Kanaloa The rain is creeping over the land and looks reddish The wind is stirring up white caps on the ocean The wind is blowing from three different directions The ocean is covered with white caps Itʻs beginning to get dark over the land The evening star is slowly appearing Followed by the stars from West, South, North and East I love this island of Kanaloa Kaho‘olawe

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Chant Resource: Harry Kunihi Mitchell

ncle Harry Mitchell (1919-1990), born and raised in Ke‘anae/Wailuaiki, Maui, was a prominent leader and advocate in the fight to end the bombing of Kaho‘olawe and revitalize a return of traditional cultural practices on the island. He was a taro farmer, lā‘au lapa‘au, fisherman, hunter, and songwriter to name a few, but also he was an inspiration to many at a time when Hawaiians were experiencing a resurgence of cultural practice and pride. In this chant relayed by Uncle Harry, it tells of the kahuna line that is established on the island, its water source from Kāne and Kanaloa and the hō‘ailona (auspicious signs) that reveal itself when the kapu (taboo) is set.

Contact Kaui Kanakaole: kkanakaole@yahoo.com

Restoring “Target Island”

By Kekoa Enomoto

Photos Courtesy of Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC)

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wo decades ago the ocean deity Kanaloa resurfaced at Kaho‘olawe. That is, life was restored on the 27,800-square-foot isle dedicated to Kanaloa, one of the four major gods in Hawaiian culture, manifesting often as the octopus or the squid. This year, Native Hawaiians celebrate the 20th anniversary of the conveyance of Kaho‘olawe to the State of Hawai‘i.

After half a century of military exercises on the formerly nicknamed “Target Isle”, the U.S. Navy returned Kaho‘olawe on May 7, 1994, with ceremonies at Palauea Beach, Maui. The state is holding the island in trust until formation of a sovereign Native Hawaiian governing entity.

“For the very first time, lands that were ceded when they became U.S. bases, were ceded back to the trust for the newly recognized Native Hawaiian entity,” said Noa Emmett Auwae Aluli, Moloka‘i physician and 21-year member of the Kaho‘olawe Emmet Aluli at Island Reserve Commission Hale Hakioawa (KIRC). “The ceded lands on Kaho‘olawe, were coming back, and it in 2009 will be re-ceded back to the nation. That was the most heartfelt emotion at the time of the signing of papers,” said Emmet, who calls the isle Kanaloa Kaho‘olawe.

The trumpeting of conch shells one hundred times and the beating of pahu drums fifty times opened the conveyance ceremonies. Then, Kekuhi Kanahele and Taupōuri Tangarō chanted a 73-line genealogy of Kanaloa Kaho‘olawe. Finally, Emmet, along with U.S. Navy and State of Hawai‘i officials executed a transfer of the deed for Kanaloa Kaho‘olawe. They signed the documents on a piece of furniture owned by the late Harry Kūnihi Mitchell of Ke‘anae, who was among many elders supporting repatriation of Kanaloa Kaho‘olawe.

Cultural practitioners from Maui and O‘ahu present ho‘okupu (offerings) atop Pu‘u Moa‘ulanui, the highest peak of Kaho‘olawe.

“At the festivities, we were remembering all the kūpuna who believed in us. Even signing the documents with Governor John Waihe‘e on Uncle Harry’s kitchen table was kind of like the celebration of the success of grass roots,” he said about the symbolic use of a humble tabletop. The conveyance had followed decades of lobbying and hearings, and the 1977 deaths at sea of Kaho‘olawe activists George Helm and Kimo Mitchell.

Against a backdrop of “growing militarization and neglect of the kingdom lands,” Emmet noted the event celebrated “the cultural From left: Pearl Harbor Commander claims and the spiritual claims made against the Navy, and their Rear Admiral William Retz, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy recognition of that.”

William J. Cassidy Jr., Governor “One (island) down, seven John Waihe‘e and Kaho‘olawe Island more to go,” is his mantra for a Reserve Commission Chairman Dr. continuing push to demilitarize Noa Emmett Aluli sign transferand decommercialize native lands. of-deed documents conveying Emmet alluded to recent Kanaloa Kaho‘olawe island from the U.S. Navy to the State of Hawai‘i.

Kaho‘olawe-related remarks by retired Kamehameha Schools Chief Executive Officer Dee Jay Mailer, “It struck me as so visionary of her. She said, ‘You’ve taken an island of war and made it an island of life.’”

Nevertheless, the island of life has had a conflicted recent history and in the wake of such events, a University scholar brought 19thcentury perspectives to the process of preparing the conveyance ceremonies program.

“When we were planning the ceremony, we said, now we should look to see the protocol when Great Britain was returning independence to Hawai‘i in ceremonies at Thomas Square,” said Davianna Pomaika‘i McGregor, Hawaiian historian, author and

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KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, June/July 2014

professor of ethnic studies at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.

“So I went to look up newspaper records for that. Admiral (Richard) Thomas went down on one knee, the Hawaiian flag was raised, and he offered a formal apology.

“We didn’t require anyone to go down on their knees, but when we went to camp on the island, there was a ceremony to lower the American flag and raise the Hawaiian flag. It was something we had talked about that had occurred on July 31, 1843, at Thomas Square,” she noted, adding that the ensuing 1994 scenario offered a “huge… really, really beautiful program.”

The 20th anniversary of the return of Kanaloa Kaho‘olawe now provides an opportunity to salute some of the campaign’s notable warriors. “The whole Kaho‘olawe movement was spearheaded by George Helm and Emmett Aluli at the time, so (this anniversary celebration) is in remembrance of their sacrifice,” said Hardy Spoehr, executive assistant of the former Kaho‘olawe Island Conveyance Commission.

Hardy and Emmet, both 70, have long been involved with Hawaiian health. While Emmet is medical Executive Director of Moloka‘i General Hospital, Hardy recently retired after serving 20 years as executive director of Papa Ola Lōkahi, certifying agency of the statewide Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems.

Hardy paid tribute to the Protect Kaho‘olawe ‘Ohana “for bringing that whole (repatriation) issue to a head, and kudos to Pat Saiki.”

The former U.S. representative had championed the matter with her Republican contemporary, President George H.W. Bush. “Yeah, that was very fortuitous, and we need to commend Pat Saiki for the work she did as well as the late Senator (Dan) Inouye and our other congressional delegates,” Hardy said. “But really it was Pat Saiki who got the ball rolling.”

Hardy said the conveyance of Kanaloa Kaho‘olawe represented the “return of a native resource. A part of ka pae ‘āina (the archipelago) returns to the family.” He called the isle a wonderful pu‘uhonua, or place of refuge, and wahi pana, or storied site.

“Kaho‘olawe is unique in that it was set aside, specifically by a congressional act, as ‘āina for that Native Hawaiian governing entity; so it serves as a model for the future generations as the Hawaiian community moves toward a government structure,” he said.

Michael Nāho‘opi‘i Currently, Michael Nāho‘opi‘i is the Executive Director of KIRC Executive Director of KIRC, guiding the isle into “a transition to a sovereign native government on island,” he said. Michael’s personal history is inextricably bound up in that of the previous “Target Island”. As a 15-year-old Kamehameha Schools Kapālama student, he was in the first high school group to make a legal trip to Kanaloa Kaho‘olawe in 1981. A U.S. Naval Academy graduate, Michael was the Navy lieutenant named to oversee the decade-long federal cleanup of ordinance at Kanaloa Kaho‘olawe.

Now his civilian role involves travel between Kanaloa Kaho‘olawe, KIRC headquarters on Maui, and legislative corridors at the State Capitol on O‘ahu—the latter to help “establish future funding for the island.”

“We are at a key threshold, a key point in time to determine in which direction we are going to move; it depends on if we are funded,” he said. Michael also described an ongoing nine-month strategic planning process with surveys, community input, and hearings. He anticipated collating the input this summer, “looking at major themes of what those inputs are, and then getting specific about accomplishments we’d like to see in the next decade,” he said.

For starters, Michael wants to expand the agency’s Kīhei boathouse property to establish a Native Hawaiian museum and

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cultural center. There residents and visitors would learn about Kanaloa Kaho‘olawe, reforestation efforts and Hawaiian cultural practices.

The South Maui venue would be “dedicated to indigenous peoples, to explore how they see water and land, their relationship with their environment,” he said.

Meanwhile, just as the ocean deity re-emerged at Kanaloa Kaho‘olawe two decades ago, one must wrap tentacles around the island’s future potential.

“I think now we’re on the threshold of the next strategic plan of the island, and the challenge is to have everyone in Hawai‘i be supportive of our efforts to keep this island as a sacred place of learning about our culture,” said Davianna, a stalwart of the Protect Kaho‘olawe ‘Ohana.

“Just as we had the support of everyone on that day to celebrate the ending of bombing, and the island was coming home to our people,” she said, “now we need to join together to return the island to its original sacred status of being the center for mastery of our Hawaiian culture, arts and sciences; for our future generations to continue to have our culture to grow and innovate.

“The island has given us that connection to our Kanaloa form of deep, ancestral knowledge,” Davianna concluded. “And we need to continue to delve into (and) develop our culture, and our religious beliefs and practices as well. So we need the support of everyone in Hawai‘i to announce and protect it for appropriate development.” ❖

POST CONTACT HISTORICAL TIME LINE OF KAHO‘OLAWE . Pre-1941 – The Pedro ‘ohana operates a cattle ranch on Kanaloa Kaho‘olawe. . 1941 – After the Dec. 7 Pearl Harbor attack, the federal government takes

control of Kanaloa Kaho‘olawe. . 1953 – Feb. 20, President Dwight Eisenhower transferred the title for Kaho‘olawe to the U.S. Navy with a stipulation that it be returned to Hawai‘i in a condition for “suitable habitation.” . 1976 – The “Kaho‘olawe Nine” (Emmett Aluli, Kimo Aluli, George Helm, Ian Lind, Ellen Miles, Stephen Morse, Gail Kawaipuna Prejean, Walter Ritte and Karla Villalba) occupy Kanaloa Kaho‘olawe. . 1980 – The Protect Kaho‘olawe ‘Ohana gains access to Kanaloa Kaho‘olawe

after final judgment in the 1976 Noa Emmett Aluli, et al., v. Harold Brown case. . 1981 – March 18, Kanaloa Kaho‘olawe is placed on the National Register of

KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, June/July 2014

Historic Places. . 1990 – Oct. 22, The George H.W. Bush administration directs an end to Kaho‘olawe

bombings. . 1993 – Jan. 1, “Kaho‘olawe Island: Restoring a Cultural Treasure: Final Report of the Kaho‘olawe Island Conveyance Commission to the Congress of the United States,” authored by Noa Emmet Aluli, Hannibal M. Tavares, and 3 others, published. . 1994 – Congress approves a 10-year, $400 million ordnance cleanup of Kanaloa

Kaho‘olawe. . 1994 to present – The Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC) helps

continue Protect Kaho‘olawe ‘Ohana’s efforts to restore cultural, spiritual and environmental well-being to Kanaloa Kaho‘olawe. . 2013 – KIRC Members urge Hawaii State Senators to sue the U.S. Navy for $1

Million, to complete cleanup of the island; so far 75% of island has been cleaned up.

Kaho‘olawe from above

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Featured Cover Artist:

Anna Fuernsteiner

Hina of Molokai “It is not what you look at…it is what you see”.

Anna believes that ‘to live as an artist is to see the world as one composition after another.’ Living on the island of Moloka‘i is all the inspiration she needs to create works of art that honor Hawaiian culture and places. Anna, originally from Vienna, strives to express through her canvases the people and customs of Hawai‘i, as well as marine and tropical beauty of the Hawaiian islands. She hopes her paintings allow the viewer a glimpse into the life of the artist and that her art mirrors the spirit. Anna’s works can be found on Moloka‘i at Moloka‘i Art From The Heart, Blue Monkey, and Hotel Moloka‘i; as well as on O‘ahu at the Hilton Hawaiian in Waikiki.

KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, June/July 2014

Contact Anna Fuernsteiner: annasislandart.com

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Standing Up To the Challenge

Moloka‘i 2 O‘ahu Paddleboard Championships

| By Kama‘ema‘e Smith

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Travis Grant and Terrene Black won SUP divisions finishing in 5 hours, 53 seconds and 5:40:40 respectively. In the prone paddleboard division, Brad Gaul’s repeat (5:05:32) and Jordan Mercer’s three-peat (6:10:00) completed an Australian sweep.

This year, American past champions Connor Baxter, Kai Lenny, Andrea Moller, Jenny Kalmbach, and Talia Gangini Decoite are back; so are Travis Baptiste and Joanna Bilanciera. Australian Zeb Walsh and American Jack Bark will vie again for the men’s stock prone title.

Thirty-Two Brutal Miles to Endure

Unless you are in the race, it’s hard to understand how difficult it is. Like the Ironman Triathlon, start and finish are not the story. The challenge comes in mid-channel, testing competitors’ endurance, heart and mind.

When asked what this intensely long race is really like, Maui champion big wave surfer and paddleboarder Zane Kekoa Schweitzer had this to say: “Imagine just standing in one place on the ground for seven hours. Now add to that a couple of squats and pull-ups every minute. That’s hard enough, but we are balancing, battling the wind, and calculating every swell, every current. That gives you kind of an idea.” Extreme distance tests raw endurance; cross winds, big ocean swells, and tides challenge honed skills. On July 27th, Schweitzer will join Connor Baxter and Kai Lenny–all Maui racers on the World Tour and Paddleboard

KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, June/July 2014

addling alone for thirty-two miles across some of the most treacherous ocean in the world, tossed by huge ocean swells, battered by gusting winds, and towed off-course by eddies and currents, sounds like a devilish nightmare. Not so for 300 international paddleboard elite athletes. To face the dreaded Ka‘iwi Channel in the Moloka‘i 2 O‘ahu Paddleboard World Championships is just too tempting–too thrilling–to resist. Just finishing this race is a personal triumph; to win on July 27th is a victory worth any amount of training, expense and self-sacrifice.

Renowned Maui paddleboarders, in peak condition fill a field that will face an “Ocean Seven” stretch of water rougher than the English Channel. They will analyze sea conditions and choose a course to paddle surf from Kaluakoi, Moloka‘i to Maunalua Bay, O‘ahu. Kanaloa, the ocean itself, will determine men’s and women’s winners in two disciplines: prone and standup paddling.

Divisions for the race are based on the type of paddleboard competitors choose to ride: 12-foot rudderless “stock” boards or unlimited length boards with or without adjustable directional fins. Other divisions are prone paddling relay teams of 2 or 3 persons, and a special division for 14-foot boards.

This crowning glory of paddleboarding sold out just 48 hours after online registration opened. A short wait list of hopefuls may get a shot to race if someone pulls out before race day.

On July 27, entrants from 15 countries will test their skills against Hawaiian and Australian paddlers who have dominated the winners’ circle for the last 18 years. In 2013, Australians

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Mike Takahashi Photo courtesy of M2O

World Series circuit–for the M2O World Paddleboard Championships. “This year I’m focusing on standup for this race,” says Zane, “I still love big surf and I compete in World Tour Windsurfing events because those other skills help me in this race.”

Straight paddling and muscle is the only way to achieve forward momentum in flat, calm seas. However, if swells and winds are favorable, Zane and his fellow contenders paddle up the swell and surf down the trough. This “connect the bumps” strategy increases pace and reserves precious energy for the approach to O‘ahu, where inshore land formations generate currents and wind shifts that push against exhausted paddlers seeking landfall. Paddlers must be mentally prepared for a lonely four and a half to eight hours of racing against the ocean itself.

To fulfill a dream and gain the privilege to compete in this “Ironman for paddlers” even the best athletes have to train hard and post excellent qualifying times.

Champion paddlers are sober, humble, and extremely focused. Camaraderie and mutual respect dominates competitions–a distinction that can be traced to paddleboarding’s Hawaiian cultural origin.

“Waterman Skills” to Read Ocean Conditions

KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, June/July 2014

Mikey Cote, 2008 and 2009 M2O solo winner and men’s stock team winner with Jack Bark in 2011, prefers to race in the traditional prone style. “The playing field is pretty level with everyone on a stock board. For watermen it’s a ‘feel’ for the conditions more than anything else. Nobody can understand as much as you do– unless they are there.” Cote agrees that surfing skill is the key to winning this race– working with the swell pattern and current, reading the waves and riding a wind swell. Last year’s weather conditions were the most difficult anyone remembers, when a distant Pacific hurricane created a blustery north wind. “Nature threw us a curve ball. At the start we were riding the bumps along Pelican Banks, off Moloka‘i.

Then the water got real big, with giant swells and eddies. On the O‘ahu end, people on a southern course got into trouble off the “Ledge” (headland between Makapu‘u and Koko Head) and had a hard time fighting their way up into Hawai‘i Kai against a strong south current.”

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Creating a Paddling Championship

A Waterwoman’s Skill Set Plus Passion and Spirit A 2014 contender is Maui’s own Andrea Moller, a Jaws towin big wave surfer who won the solo women’s M2O in 2010 and 2011. She came to SUP from outrigger canoe paddling.

Andrea calls M2O “the world title event” for paddleboarders. In 2005 she and Maria Souza became the first “girls” to compete in the world championships–entering as a 2-person team. “It’s a very welcoming event where women are respected for their accomplishments,” Andrea says. Even though M2O women’s prizes are equivalent to the men’s, women paddlers have to sacrifice more to enter, because they have less sponsor money and less media attraction. Moller smiles, “I keep coming back

KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, June/July 2014

Last year’s M2O weather conditions rivaled 1997, the first year of the race. Prone paddleboard racing was growing as a sport, but stand up wasn’t even on the horizon. Ancient Hawaiian chants say King Kihapi‘ilani surfed between islands and Duke Kahanamoku did some paddling in the 1930s, but since World War II only a few lifeguards and watermen had ever crossed the Ka‘iwi Channel on a traditional board: Gene Smith, Tommy Zahn, Laird Hamilton, Buzzy Kerbox, Clark Abbey, Pōhaku Stone, and Pat Caldwell.

M2O Race Director Mike Takahashi recalls, “Back in 1996, waterman Dawson Jones wanted to start a race across the Ka‘iwi, after he returned from his first 32-mile race between Manhattan Beach and Catalina. Ka‘iwi was where Eddie Akau went missing, and the idea sounded crazy, but Garrett McNamara and I helped him organize a race, and 44 guys signed up. Nobody knew what to expect or how to train for this distance. A wild 30-knot wind with gusts and huge swells nearly did us in, and Australian Mick DiBetta won because he was the only guy who knew how to train for long races.”

Now Hawai‘i paddleboarders precision train for this event.

SUP is one of the hottest outdoor sports for people of all ages.

M2O rides this wave of popularity, attracting the best world competitors. Many entrants are 20/30 Club paddlers, surfers who have caught a 20-foot wave under their own power, and paddled 30 miles without stopping. “The main criterion for entrants is still personal-best race times in the last year,” says Takahashi. “With this kind of talent and conditioning, everyone has to put in a top

performance to win. Unfortunately, we cannot safely increase the field, and I still feel bad turning down so many people.”

The field is tight because safety requirements are so stringent, but logistics are massive too. Three hundred entrants and their equipment have to get to Kaluakoi, Moloka‘i at least one day before the race. Each paddler or team must also provide a U.S. Coast Guard approved escort boat and crew, should an injury or emergency arise during the long, daring crossing.

Divisions of paddlers take off with flotillas of boats following at a distance. After 30 minutes, the pack spreads out as paddlers choose northerly or southerly rhumb lines to O‘ahu. Within two hours, racers are hundreds of yards apart, often out of sight of one another. Escorts have a tough time keeping abreast of contestants in the unpredictable and tortuous seas of the Ka‘iwi Channel. Paddlers must be mentally prepared for a lonely race.

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KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, June/July 2014

for the same reason every paddler does–it is my passion.” She adds, “The more I do it, the more I am opening doors for women behind me.” Besides a full training and racing schedule, Andrea serves her Maui community as a paramedic.

“Downwind paddling is what makes me love this challenge so much,” says Andrea. “Maui paddlers seem to do better in this event because they are often training in downwind conditions.”

She emphasizes the need for a full watermen’s skill set–for flat water, stacking ocean swells, wind changes, tide changes and squalls. “Actually, being mentally prepared is the most critical thing. You will have to make decisions on which route to take, northern or southern. Then you will have to make choices to pace yourself or go all out. Sometimes you have to just hold on.

Spiritual fortitude helps, too.”

Champions say the M2O race really begins after 3 hours.

Andrea explains, “Islands have their own inshore currents that push north or south. As you approach O‘ahu we face a new current, depending on which way the tide is running, and from which directions the wind and swell are coming. The tide will be different for sure, and whatever worked for you coming off Moloka‘i will not help you reach O‘ahu.”

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Top conditioning, mental toughness, endurance, and a broad range of water skills put these elite athletes in contention for the mighty M2O challenge. Kanaloa and the four winds will dare them to stay the course. Which top paddler in the world will prevail? On July 27 a few will take home trophies, but all will walk up Maunalua Beach proud that they survived the Ka‘iwi.

Follow race news at www.M2O.com. This exclusive high-caliber event isn’t televised live, but M2O provides live social media updates from the safety boat, so fans and amateurs can watch the world’s best paddlers tackle the Ka‘iwi. A full documentary will run later this year on Ocean Paddler TV OC16 (Channel 12) and HD TV Channel 1012. ❖ Contact Writer Kama‘ema‘e Smith: HonuMaui@gmail.com Contact M2O: M2O.com

Hawaii Water Service Company Proudly providing high-quality water and wastewater utility services to Hawai’i since 2003.

Hawaii Water Service Company 68-1845 Waikoloa Road, Unit #116 Waikoloa , HI 96738 (808) 883-2046 • (877) 886-7784 toll-free www.hawaiiwaterservice.com

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An Evening of Tradition

MAMo comes to the MACC

| By Michael Ganancial

Wahine Toa Designs, Designer Nita Pilago at center

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tep, step, step. Pause and pose; a solemn stare into a million photographic stars. Turn, and step down the runway into the next outfit. A certain shade of this green and a peculiar hue of that blue blend into the daring design of a fabric canvas.

Draped over a body of Greek mythology, the wearable canvas can either shadow the carefully positioned steps of the bearer of a solemn stare in an endless train or barely conceal any flesh at all.

From Paris to Los Angeles; Milan to Miami; London to New York; it seems as though every name in bold letters on a world map claims home to its own fashion show to host checkstand magazine designer names. But what about our own large name in bold letters, calling from the center of the Pacific Ocean on a world map? What about our own designers whose names are only known from family and friends’ passionate word-of-mouth promotion? How can the world learn more about the Hawaiian culture through wearable art? The answer will be making its Maui debut at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center (MACC) on June 28, as the MAMo Wearable Art Show hits center stage.

The Maoli Arts Month Wearable Art Show (MAMo Wearable Art Show), is a showcase of local artists from across the islands of Hawai‘i that can’t be compared to any other fashion show found on this planet, nor is it just a fashion show.

The MAMo Wearable Art Show was conceived in 2006 by Vicky Holt Takamine, Executive Director of PA‘I Foundation, a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit based in Honolulu. The first show was held in 2007. Beginning as a sit down dinner and fashion show featuring five or six designers that drew an attendance of a little over 150, the MAMo Wearable Art Show has grown to about eight designers each year with around 750 attendees. Though the sit down dinner portion is no longer a part of the evening, attendees can look forward to a silent auction and trunk show in addition

to the main celebration of not just wearable art and fashion, but also cultural practices that are, according to Ka‘iulani Takamori of the PA‘I Foundation, “beautiful and make up who we are as kanaka maoli.”

For its inaugural Maui show, MAMo is set to feature Maui artists Keali‘i Reichel and Koa Johnson, along with cultural practitioners Kapono‘ai Molitau and Hōkūlani Holt. For these Maui artists to showcase their art without the need to travel to O‘ahu, Ka‘iu says, “[they] now have the opportunity to experience [MAMo] first hand on their own ‘āina, with Pu‘u Kukui standing tall in the background.”

As for the residents, what excites Ka‘iu most is, “the people of Maui experiencing this sense of pride when they see artists from their own ‘āina up there, showcasing what makes Maui truly special.” In addition to the Maui artists and practitioners, Nita Pilago, Marques Marzan, Danene Lunn, Maile Andrade, and Keone Nunes will also be featured from the neighbor islands.

Now with seven shows since its beginning, the word has gotten out around the islands about MAMo. According to featured cultural

A design from Puamana Crabbe

Hina Hawai‘i

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The work of traditional tattoo artist Keone Nunes

KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, June/July 2014

Manuheali‘i

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Hawai‘i fiber artist Marques Marzan displays his work at the 2013 MAMo Wearable Art Show

practitioner and Cultural Programs Director at the MACC, Hōkūlani Holt, she was “fascinated by the diversity and creativity of each of the designers [at the O‘ahu Show], from ready-to-wear one of a kind couture items, to jewelry and accessories.

Each presentation was a fine example of native originality.”

Being well-versed in Hawaiian culture, including dance, storytelling, visual arts, chant, music, dramatic arts, and language, Hōkūlani tries, “to provide a diverse program that can help us all appreciate the past, the present day, and where these arts will take us into the future. All cultures need to be dynamic in order to live into the future, Hawaiian culture is no different. Culturally however, we celebrate our past as a way to take us into the future.” Sharing with the people and visitors of Maui will be Hōkūlani’s Hālau Pa‘u O Hi‘iaka. Pa‘u O Hi‘iaka will be sharing with attendees the art of making and designing Hawaiian kapa, along with a few traditional uses. Attendees can also look forward to traditional chants, tools, and exhibition of this Hawaiian art form.

So, what makes the MAMo Wearable Art Show different and special from any other art and fashion show?

“It’s the fact that everything that goes on the ramp is from the mind and na‘au of a Hawaiian,” says Ka‘iu.

“What I notice is that all Hawaiian[s], when creating, draw inspiration from their kūpuna, and their mo‘olelo.

Everything that goes on the ramp is ancestral knowledge presented in a contemporary manner, but the fact of the matter is that it is conceived out of ancestral knowledge.

When you draw upon that ‘ike, you are presenting Hawai‘i and all of its beauty.”

Ka‘iu adds, “we don’t have to draw ‘ike from other cultures

and imitate, we are unique and it is showcased on the ramp.”

Hōkūlani agrees that, “Whether they do ready-to-wear to couture designs and everything in between; whether they exhibit in a traditional or contemporary way, whether they exhibit simplicity or complexity, it is all done by Hawaiian artists.”

Though the MAMo Wearable Art Show is a celebration of Hawaiian art, the reality of the arts being cut from the educational system is always present when budgets are in favor of less creative matters. Hōkūlani feels that the arts are, “what makes each of us whole human beings.” Unfortunately for Maui, no place exists where Hawaiian art is the focus. Hōkūlani says that, “Hawai‘i constantly benefits from its use of Hawaiian cultural arts for its primary industry, tourism, but there is no place dedicated to support Hawaiian art like there is for western art. There is nothing like the Honolulu Museum of Art or The Contemporary Museum where Hawaiian visual, performing, and literary arts can be learned and exhibited. Hawaiian cultural arts are as viable as any western art form…we are not for entertainment alone. Additional support for those artists who wish to further Hawaiian cultural arts is needed.”

With the expansion of the MAMo Wearable Art Show to Maui, as well as to Waimea on Hawai‘i island this year, more opportunities are possible for Hawai‘i’s artists. According to Ka‘iu, the MAMo Wearable Art Show now has, “more fans from around the world thanks to word of mouth and social media.” Ka‘iu would also love to see the show reach the major fashion capitals, believing that, “we have artists that are more than talented enough to hold their own in those places! Plus, I believe it would be a breath of fresh air for the world to see what it is like to have fashion that is truly Hawaiian, and not just something you buy from the ABC Store or the Swap Meet.”

Hōkūlani hopes that all who attend the show will, “see the depth and breadth of the vision and creativity of each of the designers.” Ka‘iu hopes that “Maui residents and visitors gain a sense of awareness that, (quoting Vicky Holt Takamine), ‘Art is not just something you frame and put on a wall. Art is also what we wear and put on our bodies.’”

The MAMo Wearable Art Show, a production of the 501c3 nonprofit based in Honolulu, PA‘I Foundation, will take place at the MACC on Saturday, June 28, at 7:30pm. Tickets are available at the MACC or online, with prices at $35, $45, and $60 for premium seating. ❖

Maile Andrade, 2013 MAMo Wearable Art Show Awardee of the Year, with her models

KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, June/July 2014

Contact Writer Michael Ganancial: msg@hawaii.edu Contact MAMo Wearable Art Show: www.MaoliArtsMonth.org

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Sustainable Ranching in Upcountry Maui | By HeatherLyn Gray

f you’re adventurous enough to navigate the wildly curved slopes of Haleakalā, through the brilliantly-colored jacarandas and wind-swept gulches of Maui, you’ll find yourself in one the last outposts of paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) culture in upcountry Maui: ‘Ulupalakua. The land has a history deeply rooted in agriculture; beginning with its days of sugar production to the cattle ranching it is most known for now. Due to the efforts of the ‘Ulupalakua Ranch, helmed by the Erdman family for over 50 years, the Ranch exists today as a testament that traditional values and modern advancements can work together to preserve and protect a piece of Maui’s rich culture, and the environment.

The story of the land on which ‘Ulupalakua Ranch sits today begins in 1845 when James Linton Torbert founded the area as Torbertsville. It was then renamed Rose Ranch by Captain James Makee in the 1850s and became a favorite destination of King Kalākaua and his royal party. The land would trade hands three more times until finding its most enduring ownership with the Erdman family. In 1963, C. Pardee Erdman seized the opportunity to buy what was then an isolated cattle ranch still operating in the 19th-century traditions of Hawaiian paniolos.

Today, the Ranch’s 18,000 acres of land are the stomping grounds of nearly 2,500 head of cattle, 130 head of elk, and 400 head of sheep and goats. “Average days” are nonexistent on this working cattle ranch. For Land Manager Kaimi Kona‘aihele, who has been with the ranch since 2004, being able to work outside with the animals is the best part of the job. The physical nature of working on a ranch and the problem-solving challenges that arise keep his work varied and interesting. One day, ‘Ulupalakua Ranch cowboys might be involved in processing hundreds of weans (calves ready to be weaned from their mothers), sorting them into pens and branding. Another, they might have to navigate tour buses and several hundred cars coming from Hāna through Ranch access roads after rain has washed out the way back into Kula.

“I love that I have two offices—the one I’m sitting in now and my truck. The view’s better from the truck,” quipped Kaimi.

Maui cattle.

Photo courtesy of ‘Ulupalakua Ranch

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A day in the life of a cowboy might also mean moving herds from one area to another to allow grazing lands to properly rest, a practice in the holistic management approach that ‘Ulupalakua Ranch employs. For the health of the land and the cattle, animals are systematically rotated through pastures to allow the land to recover and to prevent overgrowth. According to Administrative Director and Store Manager Diana Azevedo, this approach can be likened to, “consistently managing your lawn and mowing it at the right intervals, so it stays looking good,” a sign of the health of the land. Unbeknownst to the cattle, and probably most people on Maui, they’re also providing a much needed service: eating invasive plant species.

Invasive plant species reduce resources available for native plants, causing native plants to die out. Bringing back native plants and replanting native trees are part of the ranch’s land management plan. The Ranch has native plant specialists on staff to support efforts toward restoring the dryland forests of the Auwahi ahupua‘a it calls home. This attention to the importance of native plants in the balance of the ecosystem that makes up the ahupua‘a led to an endemic reforestation project, in partnership with biologist Art Medeiros and the Leeward Haleakalā Watershed Restoration Partnership, which continues to this day.

“It’s a privilege to be a part of something that does so much for the island, for all of us. The Erdmans are stewards of the land, they take that very seriously and we’re all blessed because of them,” said Diana, who’s been with the ranch for 12 years.

In addition to working their work with the Auwahi restoration project, in 2009, the Erdmans donated over 11,000 acres as agricultural easement to the Hawai‘i Islands Land Trust which

Ranch Elk. Photo courtesy of ‘Ulupalakua Ranch

practices, values and traditions of ‘Ulupalakua Ranch through every dish prepared fresh or served hot off the grill.

Another way that the ‘Ulupalakua Ranch Store and Grill connects with people is through “Sunday Drive” events. Along with the Tasting Room of Maui’s Winery, the store will be hosting their next “Sunday Drive” on July 20, 2014 from 9am–4pm. The public is invited to “come for the drive and stay for a while” at this Western-themed event that will feature a Chili Appreciation Society International (CASI) sanctioned competition where local chili chefs and connoisseurs will come together to taste the best of what Maui has to offer. The winner of the cook-off will have a chance to represent Hawai‘i when CASI’s international showdown takes place in Texas later this year. There will also be a pepper-eating contest for those brave souls with cast-iron stomachs and Shaka Pops (Maui made artisan ice popsicles) will also be on hand. All proceeds from this event will go to Maui 4-H Livestock Association.

For the managers and cowboys, being a part of ‘Ulupalakua

Ranch is more than just working a job; it’s a way of life.

“Being able to work with the Erdman family and being a part of ‘Ulupalakua Ranch has been amazing. It’s more than just a company, it’s a life,” said Diana, who along with the cowboys, reside at the Ranch so that they can be on-call at all times in case of emergencies at the Ranch or with the animals. ❖ “It’s my whole life, it’s a 24/7 job, and it’s a privilege,” says Diana.

The ‘Ulupalakua Ranch Store and Grill is open daily from 9:30am–5pm, with the grill serving burgers, sandwiches, and plate lunches from 11am–3pm.

Contact HeatherLyn Gray: hgray@hawaii.edu Contact ‘Ulupalakua Ranch: www.UlupalakuaRanch.com

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guarantees that nearly two-thirds of the land will remain safe from development and exploitation. Preserving and protecting the land is the mission of the Erdmans and selling off parcels for development is not something that was looked to when faced with the rising costs of running a cattle ranch in Hawai‘i. Instead, the Erdman family looked to diversification. Diversification in ranching is what brought the elk, sheep and goats to the ranch; it’s also what created partnerships that promote renewable energy, sustainable farming and support Maui-grown products.

One of those partnerships led to the formation of the Maui Cattle Company, a collaborative venture that ‘Ulupalakua Ranch jointly owns and operates with six other Hawai‘i ranches.

‘Ulupalakua Ranch is the second largest cattle ranch on Maui.

Most of the calves from the Ranch are marketed locally through Maui Cattle Company. ‘Ulupalakua Ranch has developed ways to reduce individual cattle expenses and the Ranch tries to keep as many animals on Maui as possible, but for calves that can’t stay on the island, which may occur due to not enough feed because of drought conditions, they may find themselves at the Ranch’s 2,800 acre White Deer Ranch in Oregon which supplies beef to the Northwest.

In 2010, after Maui Pineapple Company ended production of its “Maui Gold” pineapples, Pardee Erdman was one of the investors that helped keep pineapple agriculture on Maui through the formation of the Hali‘imaile Pineapple Company. The new company licensed the “Maui Gold” trademark and has continued to grow the signature island crop. It’s in this partnership that a cycle of sustainable practices can be easily illustrated. According to Diana, some of the pineapple grown by the Hali‘imaile Pineapple Company ends up at Maui’s Winery to be crushed and made into their popular pineapple wines and then what’s left after the processing by the winery becomes part of the feed for the Ranch’s cattle. This is a fitting example of how the agribusiness partnerships can lead to sustainable practices that reduce waste and turn out quality products.

The Ranch has also gone in the direction of renewable energy for Maui through a recent partnership with Sempra U.S. Gas & Power to make way for the Auwahi Wind project. Over the years, ranching expenses have increased with the rising costs of feed and fuel, but the cost for cattle hasn’t really kept up. Through a licensing agreement between Sempra and ‘Ulupalakua Ranch the land could be preserved for ranching and wind turbines began generating electricity for Maui in December 2013.

“The wind farm is part of the renewable energy movement, moving us in the right direction,” said Kaimi. Under the current leadership of Sumner Erdman, following in the footsteps of his parents, the dedication to keeping the paniolo culture and holistic agricultural practices alive makes the ‘Ulupalakua Ranch a model for sustainability and reinforces traditional values in our evermodernizing world.

For most of us, seeing the inner workings of the Ranch, the dayto-day happenings behind the scenes isn’t a possibility. What we can experience, though, is the ‘Ulupalakua Ranch Store and Grill, the public face of the Ranch. Open since 1849, the Ranch Store is an eclectic homage to cowboy culture and Maui agribusiness.

“The store represents the Ranch, it represents agriculture and it represents the cattle industry,” said Diana, who tries to stock the store with products made on Maui or with items that keep up with the cowboy theme.

What really sticks in the minds of visitors is the menu featuring fresh, local ingredients. Designed by Executive Chef Will Munder, the menu at the Store and Grill showcases Ranch-raised beef, elk and lamb and other Maui-grown produce. In keeping with the Ranch’s vision of sustainability, Chef Munder uses as many local products as possible and has started a garden on-site to raise produce to be used in dishes prepared at the Ranch Store. If food is a way of connecting with people, then the visitors that come through the doors of the Store and Grill are connected to the

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Bamboo Grille

Talk Story with an Advertiser Kimberly Endo, Owner, with daughter Ryanne and mom Clarita

K

MAMo KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, June/July 2014

Wearable Art Show on Maui

Saturday, June 28, 7:30 pm Yokouchi Pavilion Tickets: 808-242-SHOW or MauiArts.org

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imberly Endo was practically brought up in the restaurant business on Maui, following in her mother’s footsteps. When she was approximately 10 years old, her mom was working at Tasty Crust and Kim would help serve the water. Now her mom works for her!

As an adult, her dream was to open her own restaurant. She was able to do just that when she opened Bamboo Grille one year ago, on June 18, 2013. Kimberly says, “I opened this place because I was hungry—hungry for good food!”

Bamboo Grille is located in Wailuku in Pu‘uone Plaza (across from Wailuku Community Center) on Lower Main.

Once you get there, drive up the ramp and park on the 2nd or 3rd level. Some people may remember, it’s where Nazo’s used to be, although it was closed for five years until Kimberly opened her restaurant.

Kimberly works with Norman Williams (the chef) and his wife Francine and their sons. Norman is a great cook with great recipes. Their sons work in the restaurant and are making their dad proud by taking over where he leaves off.

Years ago, Kimberly worked at Cupie’s in Kahului where she first learned how to make breaded teriyaki. Over the years, she perfected the recipe and modified it to her own liking. It has become a customer favorite at Bamboo Grille. Other specialties of the house are fried rice, ox tail soup and moco mania—all different kinds of loco moco’s. They also serve “local style” Hawaiian, American and Asian dishes and are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Bamboo Grille’s customers are mostly Maui locals, friends and family. Kimberly likes talking to her customers, getting to know them and their families. She loves the customer interaction. She misses them when they don’t come in and says “I actually get concerned when they don’t come in for a few days”.

Kimberly has four children, three who currently live on Maui: two sons and one daughter. Her oldest daughter, 22, is graduating from UC San Francisco soon and will be moving back to Maui to help her mom run the restaurant. Her other children are 9, 4 and 3 years old. She says, “This restaurant is really for my kids, to pass down to them. Maybe we’ll open more locations sometime. I would love to have a spot in Lāhainā.”

Kimberly loves supporting other local businesses, and one way she does that is by displaying local artist Rachael Ray Au Hoon’s art on the walls. It’s a lovely touch, and a lovely restaurant.

Kimberly’s vision of providing good food has become a reality!

Bamboo Grille 1063 Lower Main St. (upper level), Wailuku 808. 419.6132 facebook.com/bamboo.grille.1

Maui Feather Lei

Island Treasures:

Island-Made Products and Where to Find Them

M

KeOlaMagazine.com | Maui County, June/July 2014

aui Feather Lei is primarily a Native Hawaiian feather lei making school owned and operated by Patricia Hanna.

The school is also fortunate to have a small retail area on a walking street in downtown Wailuku.

Patricia’s granddaughter runs the retail shop afterschool and on the weekends, while Pattie teaches classes four days a week (M, T, TH, F) from 11:30am to 9pm. Students are coming and going all day and projects change every few hours. An average days classes include sewing hatbands at 11:30, gourd carving at 2pm, Hawaiian quilting at 4pm, then back to lei hulu at 5pm.

Other teachers are Aunty Paulette, who was certified in 2009, and Uncle Ron Daniels (a Kaunoa haumana of lei hulu) in 8 foot kāhili. They also offer classes in kāhili once or twice a month.

When asked how she came to teach feather lei making, Aunty Pattie says “10 or so years ago, Lana Quedang from Kaunoa Senior Services approached me at the Bailey House Holiday event and asked me about teaching lei hulu, ‘Nah, I don’t teach, but I will donate my feathers to someone who wants to teach. It’s been awhile since I have sat and sewn feathers.’ Lana explained ‘there are NO teachers left, please come to Kaunoa, I will teach you how to teach!’”

Patricia taught at Kaunoa for a few years, then added Hana Art Barn, the Kiwanis building, UHMC and Hale Mahaolu, teaching 4-5 classes a week. This included packing and unpacking many pounds of feathers and lei supplies every few days to keep up with demand.

Eventually, they were able to open their own school in Wailuku and students are coming to them now! Most of the students come to learn or relearn the art of feathers because they want to leave a legacy for their ‘ohana. They are currently striving to become a legal non-profit.

Come to Maui Feather Lei… create an heirloom Maui Feather Lei 58 Central Avenue Wailuku 808.280.1517 mauifeatherlei.com

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H A W A I ‘I ’S M O S T H A W A I I A N H O T E L

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