September–October 2021

Hawai‘i Island’s Community Magazine The Life |

ARTS CULTURE SUSTAINABILITY

September – October Kepakemapa – ÿOkakopa

A Waʻa Named Laʻiʻōpua One Hawaiian Voice: Kimo Pihana Cats vs. Pups: Feral Cats and Monk Seals

2021

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

Keauhou

Veterinary Hospital, LLC

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Front cover: You Are Here, a painting by Cindy Coats.

Table of contents: Last Ride of the Day, a painting by Anthony Dohanos.

Read more about the artists on page 45.

The Life

Hawaiÿi Island’s Community Magazine September – October | Kepakemapa – ÿOkakopa 2021

Ka Wehena: The Opening Kaulana Ke Aloha Na Kumu Keala Ching

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Arts

A Waÿa Named Laÿiÿōpua 20

By Gayle Kaleilehua Greco

The Playground of Champions 29 Recipe for Oatmeal Recovery Bar

By Brittany P. Anderson

Business

Talk Story with an Advertiser 46 Tanya Power, RS, NextHome Paradise Realty Studio 7 Fine Arts

Community

Mikey Redd, In Search of One Perfect Wave 10

By Stefan Verbano

Kevin Rhinehart–Always Pushing His Limits 16

By Maÿata Tukuafu

Kaÿapuni da Big Island 26

By Lillian Lim

How Running Found Jon Kunitake 38

By Sara Stover

By Sara Stover

Culture

One Hawaiian Voice: Kimo Pihana 30

By Karen Valentine

Sustainability

Cats vs. Pups: Feral Cats and Monk Seals

By Rachel Laderman

Ka Puana: Closing Thoughts

2132: Māmā Hilo? Ae, māmā Hilo i ka wai ÿole Mary Kawena Pukui. Olelo Noeau: Hawaiian Proverbs and Poetical Sayings

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Justin Young Keeps Moving 42

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Lloyd Frazier, Owner

From Our Publisher

Ke Ola Magazine recognizes the use of the ‘okina [‘] or glottal stop, as one of the eight consonants of (modern) Hawaiian language; and the kahakō [ā] or macron (e.g., in place names of Hawai‘i such as Pāhoa).

Ke Ola Magazine respects the individual use of these markings for names of organizations and businesses.

Iʻm sitting at my desk, wearing a tank-top I purchased at a local store that says, “Why Be Normal?” Indeed, I have frequently been accused of not being normal, and laughingly embrace that about myself.

For inspiration to write this letter, I took a walk around my yard. The trees that I’ve written about in previous issues are now bearing fruit. I’m eating fruit from my own yard, what a joy!

Yet, I’m anticipating this chapter ending soon, and moving forward again.

There is so much change on the island these days, and that goes for me and Ke Ola Magazine, too. After 18 years on the island (nine on each side), Iʻm transitioning towards retirement, or as a friend calls it, reinvention, which means a move to the mainland to be closer to my daughter, at least temporarily. As of press time, Ke Ola is for sale, and Iʻm trusting that the right person or people will step in to take its reigns and forward the mission and vision that Karen and I created in 2008. If anyone is interested, you are welcome to contact me or look for the listing on bizbuysell.com. We will at least be completing 2021ʻs November/December issue, and have every reason to believe Ke Ola will continue on into the future. I would love to stay involved if that works for the new owner—we will see how this story evolves.

Aloha pumehana, and imua, Barbara Garcia

From Our Readers The Fate of Ahu‘āila‘au: I enjoyed the article in the July-August Ke Ola Magazine, especially the photo by Ikaika Marzo. This man definitely has an eye for the smallest things that actually represent such a big thing.

Carol Zakahi, Kona

KeOlaMagazine.com Facebook.com/KeOlaMagazine Instagram.com/KeOlaMagazine LinkedIn.com/in/BarbGarcia Twitter.com/KeOlaMagazine

Send us your comments, letters, and photos!

We accept email, snail mail, submissions through our website, or posts on Facebook.

HIeditor@KeOlaMagazine.com

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

We were inspired to dedicate this issue to some of our island’s athletes, people who have heeded a call to challenge themselves and motivate us to do the same. When you read the stories about those who have run or bicycled around the island, such as runner Justin Young and the folks in Ka‘apuni da Big Island bicycle club, or someone who surfs the highest waves in the world, as does Kalapana born Mikey OʻShaughnessy, it will leave you in awe! Kevin Rhinehart is a stroke survivor who competes in Ironman and Jon Kunitake went from being a jockey to a marathoner, all while coffee farming. The sky isn’t the limit for these folks, they keep surpassing their dreams. To fuel them, Brittany Anderson offers a recipe for Oatmeal Recovery Bars, which sound delicious as well as nutritious. We couldnʻt have done this issue without the help of writer Sara Stover, who knows many of the athletes we feature here. Mahalo, Sara!

We are honored to share stories about kupuna Kimo Pihana, a descendant of Kamehameha I. Karen Valentine visited with Kimo and wrote this beautiful story for us. We also welcome Gayle Kaleilehua Greco back for this issue. Gayle wrote a story about the brand new La‘i‘opua wa‘a. Itʻs the first educational canoe to be built by keiki on Hawai‘i Island since the Makali‘i was launched in 1993. More inspiration!

Last, but definitely not least, we have an educational piece in our sustainability category called Cats vs. Pups. How many people understand the effect that feral cats have on monk seal pups? After reading this, we all will.

The natural beauty that surrounds us on Hawai‘i Island reminds me of the divine nature of life if we let it stay in its natural state. Itʻs typically the invasive species that alter the environment, and many times, itʻs not for the ultimate benefit of the ‘āina, moana, or its inhabitants. I urge us all to move forward with aloha and compassion for each other and our environment.

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Custom baskets and floral arrangements for every occasion!

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Ka Wehena

Kaulana Ke Aloha Na Kumu Keala Ching

Kaulana ke aloha o kēia ‘āina Aloha aku, Aloha mai He aloha palena‘ole puni ke ola He aloha nui nou ē

Aloha ē, Aloha lā Aloha o kēia ‘āina ē He ‘i‘ini ke aloha o kēia ‘āina Lōkahi aku, Lōkahi mai ‘Onipa‘a launa‘ole kū ke kanaka He aloha nui nou ē Aloha ē, Aloha lā Aloha o kēia ‘āina ē Kū ha‘aha‘a o kēia ‘āina Mālama aku, Mālama mai He kukui lama‘ole, malu ka ‘āina He aloha nui nou ē Aloha ē, Aloha lā Aloha o kēia ‘āina ē Puni ka ‘oia‘i‘o o kēia ‘āina Aloha aku, Aloha mai He aloha palena‘ole ola ke ola He aloha nui nou ē Kaulana ke aloha

Famous love of this land Love within, love understood Surrounded with unconditional love forever Love for you always Gentleness lives unified Love of this land Gentleness is desired of this land Shared unity, received unity Steadfast people of this land Love for you always Pleasantry in truth Love of this land Firm humility of this land Honored knowledge, recognized vision Brilliant land protected by the light Love for you always Humility of patience Love of this land Enclosed truth of this land Observed patience, Acknowledged patience Respect returns to life forever Love for you always Famous the love

‘O ke aloha ka mea i ho‘ōla ai ma kēia ‘āina nei, ‘o Hawai‘i. He ‘i‘ini nui ko‘u i kō kākou ho‘i i ka mea i ho‘ōla ai i ke ola kanaka. ‘Oiai he mau hewa i ‘ike ā lohe ‘ia ai ma kēia ‘āina, he wahi leo ‘onipa‘a i ke ola aloha, ‘o ke Akahai ‘oe, ‘o ka Lōkahi ‘oe, ‘o ka ‘Oia‘i‘o ‘oe, ‘o ka Ha‘aha‘a ‘oe ā ‘o ke Ahonui ‘oe—ka mea i ho‘ōla ai! E ola!

Love brings healing of this land, Hawai‘i. It is my desire for everyone to return to what heals people. Because there are wrongs done as seen and heard to this land, this voice is steadfast to live ALOHA, Gentleness, Unity, Truth, Humbleness, and Patience—is what will heal! Let it live!

Mikey “Redd” O’Shaughnessy

In Search of One Perfect Wave

By Stefan Verbano

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

“One wave will change your life.”

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This is the motto of big wave surfer Mikey “Redd” O’Shaughnessy, who throughout his 29 years of life in Hawai‘i has seen those words play out in the best and worst possible ways. The towering cliffs of crashing blue ocean that several years ago propelled him to international fame and growing fortune in the competitive surfing world are the same ones that other times have flailed his limp body to and fro like a rag doll, filled his lungs full of seawater, and mercilessly catapulted him head-first into the reefʻs jagged, rocky jaws.

These waves have given great purpose and meaning to his life, but in a handful of brief, unlucky moments out there among the breaks, they’ve also nearly taken it away from him altogether. So, he has come to know both extremes: the potential and the peril; the glossy surf magazine covers emblazoned with his confident smile as he rides a sparkling, perfectly shaped barrel, as well as the painful days spent in hospital beds hooked up to lifesaving machines after wiping out and being dragged unconscious back to shore by fellow surfers.

To cope with the emotional roller coaster, Mikey has adopted what he calls a “warrior mentality.” It is this mindset, he says, that gives him the confidence to stare down some of the worldʻs most dangerous waves.

“Iʻm a daredevil, a warrior,” Mikey says. “Iʻve had that mentality since I was a kid—since I was just learning to ride.

I knew that Iʻve always wanted it…from a very young age I knew I couldn’t let anything get in the way. Going out there is like going into battle.”

The word “dangerous” does not seem to have a place in the big wave surfer lexicon, so Mikey instead describes his three favorite “waves of consequence” that have had the most profound effect on his career: Pipeline on O‘ahuʻs North Shore, Jaws (also known as Pe‘ahi) on Mauiʻs North Shore, and Teahupo‘o—a world-renowned surf spot named after its nearby village on the southwestern coast of Tahiti.

“Those are the waves with the most consequence,” Mikey says. “Those are the waves that every surfer is drawn to when they see a photo of them, the most rewarding waves.

The rush, the high that you get from surfing them you canʻt really compare with anything else— maybe snowboarding down an avalanche.”

Wipeouts!

In early 2021, Mikey had the misfortune of suffering backto-back wipeouts and their corresponding concussions at two Mikey O´Shaughnessy´s flawless ride at Off The Wall on Oÿahu that won him the grand prize during the 2016 O´Neill Wave of the Winter at North Shore competition. After this big win, Mikey says, he was "no longer an underdog," and sponsors began to seek him out. Images from this ride were reprinted in many different surfing magazines. photo courtesy of Thiago Okazuya

of his three beloved breaks: first Jaws, and then Pipeline less than a month later.

At Jaws, he fell head-first into a cresting wave and went “over the falls,” leaving him with a brief blackout and severe whiplash. Before he had even made a complete recovery from that injury in mid-January, he was back out on the North Shore on Valentineʻs Day with a photographer shooting footage for his entry into the annual OʻNeill Wave of the Winter at North Shore competition. Contest judges review video clip submissions taken over a four-month period and declare a winner and recipient of a $25,000 grand prize. Mikey won the competition back in 2016 with a perfectly executed ride at Off The Wall—another big wave break along the same stretch of reef as Pipeline—beating out 200 other pro surfers, including legends like Kelly Slater.

Mikey describes his home base of Pipeline as the “bread and butter of [his] career,” sometimes referring to it as his “office.”

Heʻs spent a lifetime surfing the treacherous barrels that form out of its hollow reef. On that fateful February afternoon, though, even his years of experience couldn’t save him.

After an exhilarating morning riding 10- to 12-foot behemoths, Mikey came in for lunch and a brief rest before paddling back out again to catch another set.

There were dozens of surfers in the lineup, and a particularly steep set of rollers came through as he moved to catch the second one in the procession.

His takeoff looked clean, but as he was charging down the almost-vertical face of the wave, the nose of his board sliced deep into the water, slowing him down to the point that he fell forward in a self-described “swan dive” before getting sucked up in the curl and slammed head-first into the rocky reef.

The helmet he was wearing saved his life.

photo courtesy of Mikey O´Shaughnessy

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

Profile photo of Mikey with surfboard. He sees himself as a warrior going into battle when he attempts to catch some of the world´s most dangerous waves.

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KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

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Mikey taking off on a giant wave at Jaws, also known as Peÿahi, on Maui´s North Shore on January 17, 2021. The image shown is only a few frames before a catastrophic wipeout that left him with a brief blackout and severe whiplash. photo courtesy of Fred Pompermier “Thank God for the helmet,” Mikey says. “It went straight into the reef and left a quarter-sized indentation. I definitely would have had a hole in my head.”

Two more waves crested and broke while he was underwater, and other surfers in the lineup noticed that he still hadn’t surfaced. They scrambled to get to him, including friend and fellow North Shore alum Billy Kemper who rode what he called a “miracle backwash” from the receding wave all the way out to where Mikeyʻs board was bobbing. Three surfers kept him afloat while taking massive swells on their heads as lifeguards on shore launched a Jet Ski towing a sled to retrieve him. They got him on the sled with little difficulty, brought him to shore and started chest compressions.

Honolulu Ocean Safety Lifeguard Kyle Foyle did two

compressions on Mikey before he started spitting up water and weakly breathing on his own. A crowd of his terrified friends and peers, including his girlfriend, had gathered around. Some were praying.

“I woke up fighting and kicking and punching and screaming,” Mikey says. “I think I clocked the lifeguard a couple good ones. Everybody was so scared, couldn’t believe what was going on. When I came back to life, a lot of people were cheering...it was like a movie.”

He spent three days in the hospital on O‘ahu, some of them on a ventilator due to the damage to his lungs. Doctors and nurses treated him for pneumonia and a traumatic brain injury, inflicted by the more than three minutes he was unconscious with water-filled lungs, for which heʻd need weeks

Back on the Board, Mikey Inspires Recovery has been a long, slow process, with bouts of depression and lingering brain trauma symptoms.

“Those head injuries, they really mess with you and your

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

of outpatient rehabilitation. Another minute without breathing, the doctors said, and he would have ended up with major, permanent brain damage.

In the midst of such a somber ordeal, the heroism of North Shoreʻs lifeguards and surfer clan gave Mikey something positive to focus on, and to be grateful for.

“The surfers, the first responders; itʻs such a brotherhood,” Mikey says. “Without all of those angels, I probably wouldn’t be here.”

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Mikey riding a giant barrel at Teahupoÿo, a world-famous surf spot on the southwest coast of Tahiti, in 2018. "I´m getting shacked!" Mikey exclaims about his ride. It was on this surfing trip that he first heard the news about the 2018 Lower Puna Eruption affecting his friends and family back home in Kalapana, Hawaiÿi Island. photo courtesy of Brent Bielman emotions,” Mikey says. “Itʻs hard to regulate the bad and receive the good.”

His family and community back on Hawai‘i Island have supported him throughout, and Mikey visualizes his parentsʻ property in Kalapana when he needs a reminder of the good things in life. He recalls living there as a young boy and attending Pāhoa Elementary School where heʻd draw doodles in his notebook of tiny stick-figure surfers riding along the flanks of huge waves at Jaws.

“I love that place with all my heart and soul,” he says about his childhood home. “My parents are still there; they still live on the land. Itʻs like a retreat. You go there and itʻs really calming and grounding.”

He caught his first wave ever at Pohoiki Bay—remembered fondly and with heavy hearts by the East Hawai‘i surfing community after it was all but wiped out during the 2018 Lower Puna Eruption. When he was four years old, his father would stick him on the front of his surfboard as he rode. His brothers Patrick, Dallas, and Kalae, all surfers, too, influenced him immensely and pushed him toward greatness throughout his formative years.

Mikey plans on moving back to the Kalapana area when his globetrotting daredevil days are behind him.

“Thatʻs always in the back of my mind, where I know I’ll end up,” he says. “We are woven into that community like the lauhala mats.”

The day before his wipeout at Jaws in mid-January 2021, Mikey did some unforgettable paddle-in big wave surfing. This is the biggest wave he´s ever paddled into in his life.

"That wave is my personal best," Mikey says. photo courtesy of Terry Way

Interviewed on O‘ahu in June 2021, Mikey was already back on the surfboard, riding baby waves at spots like Ala Moana Beach Park and Waikiki Beach in the free time between running his own surf school and doing odd jobs to make ends meet. Heʻs confident that by this upcoming winter surf season he’ll be ready for action again, but heʻs had his misgivings, too, saying, “I’ve definitely had a worry that has come through my mind: will I be able to do this again? To keep risking my life like that? But thereʻs no question about it, thatʻs what I love to do and thatʻs my job.”

Mikey still believes one perfect wave can change his life for the better. He watched it happen in 2016 when he beat the best surfers in the world. The warrior mentality heʻs fostered has seen him through the setbacks of 2021, and it is this state of mind that will, no doubt, in time lift him up once again to the victorʻs podium. ■ Mikey (far left) relaxing on a Hilo apartment couch circa 1997-98 with childhood friends and Kalapana neighbors Kainoa O´Neill and Maluhia Kuahiwinui, with his older brother Kalai and younger brother Patrick in the foreground. photo courtesy of Mikey O´Shaughnessy

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

For more information: facebook.com/numberonesurfschool

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Kevin Rhinehart —Always Pushing His Limits

By Ma‘ata Tukuafu

Life for Kevin Rhinehart changed drastically

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

when he suffered a life-threatening stroke in January 2012 at the age of 53. At the time, his career as a successful psychotherapist was flourishing and he performed regularly as a musician. “The stroke happened, and it was not anybody’s fault,” says Kevin. “I found out later I had high blood pressure and high cholesterol, but like many of us, we don’t know.”

Kevin was born in Korea and was adopted at six months old.

He grew up in the suburbs of Washington state, and spent part of his eighth-grade year enrolled in a high school in Honolulu.

Kevin and his wife, Laurie, moved to Kona in 2015 and lived here for two years. He said he felt so at home among the residents.

They needed to move to Idaho after that, and visited their “heart home” in Kona as often as possible, while dreaming of their move back.

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Stroke to Running in Three Years Shortly after his stroke occurred, Kevin had to be in a wheelchair.

He had difficulty swallowing, he couldn’t speak, and the entire right side of his body was affected.

This meant that the left side of his brain was the side that had the stroke. He had to quit his job and stop playing music.

“It took some getting used to,” Kevin says. “I still play around on my electric bass, but the right hand and fingers are not cooperative. They’re essentially pretty useless. I have foot rot as a result too, but despite the negatives, it [the stroke] has given me a new lease on life.”

In 2012, shortly after the stroke occurred, he spent a lot of time doing occupational, physical, and speech therapy which was a big help in his recovery. Later that year his health insurance ran out, so he had to improvise, finding

ways to physically stay in shape and keep his body strong. In 2015, when he and his wife moved to Kona, his adult daughter visited them.

“I don’t know whose idea it was to race up the hill about 20 yards, but I beat her, and I didn’t know I could even run,” Kevin says with a laugh. “I wasn’t fast and maybe she let me win, but I didn’t do anything with it.

Later that year I was a volunteer at a water station for the Ironman Triathlon World Championship, and by the end of it, I decided to begin training for the next triathlon.”

Kevin says he remembered his run with his daughter and doesn’t know if it was an act of inspiration or craziness, but he decided to begin training for the triathlon early the next year. Many medical professionals either heavily discounted their rates or trained him for free. He says that both his adult children, his wife, and his friends were very supportive of him.

“A lot of people say that their friends abandoned them after they had a stroke, but I didn’t experience that. Maybe my friendships have changed, but change is normal anyway. And my friends have been a big help, a lot of people showed me love,” Kevin says.

He also attributes much of his healing and working through the aftereffects of stroke to his faith in God. “Early on with my stroke, I said, ‘Well, God, you are going to have to love me through this, because win, lose, or draw, that’s all I got,’” says Kevin.

Before beginning his triathlon training, Kevin volunteered for a homeless organization and tried to start a stroke survivors’ group in Kona, but he says it didn’t go very far. His purpose really began that October when he made up Kevin at the World Championship Ironman start/ finish. photo courtesy of Crystal Richard, BigIslandNow.com

his mind to train.

He remembers he could swim pretty decently, his biking was minimal, but didn’t like to run.

Then Kevin found a trainer who coached him for Kevin bicycling at the 2018 70.3 Honu race on the Kohala free and he ran his first sprint in Coast. photo courtesy of Kevin Rhinehart November 2015.

“At the finish I thought I was going to die, but I didn’t and I was hooked,” he said.

Kevin was selected in the Hawai‘i resident triathlon lottery as a physically-challenged participant for the 2016 triathlon.

Throughout his training, he would think, “This is not about me, it’s about giving hope to stroke survivors.” He created a foundation called Stroke Survivors Can, with the main purpose of giving courage, hope, and empowerment to stroke survivors. “Whether the aftereffects are mild or profound, dream what your life may become. Stroke is not the end,” Kevin asserts. “Dream big, dream ridiculously big.”

The Kona triathlon community welcomed him warmly, and they consistently encouraged Kevin throughout his training. If people asked him if he was sad that he’d had the stroke, Kevin would tell them that he was initially despondent, and thought his life was over. But now, he says it’s an adjustment and isn’t sad anymore. He even says he’s “kind of glad” he had a stroke because he reaches so many people, even non-stroke people.

Regarding his life before the stroke, Kevin says although he misses playing music and helping people with psychotherapy, he is in good physical shape and has learned that overall, people can be “pretty nice.” Before his stroke Kevin would do

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

Crossing the finish line, World Championship Ironman 2016. photo courtesy of Kevin Rhinehart

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KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

For more information: strokesurvivorscan.org gofund.me/9d75ae70

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

everything himself. Since his stroke, he sometimes has to ask for help even from strangers. As an example, Kevin couldn’t get his wetsuit sleeve on before his recent swim and had to ask for assistance from a passerby, who gladly helped him. It is a reminder for him to be inter-dependent, not so independent.

And Kevin adds that he learned the value of having really good friends.

He has also learned to live much simpler financially, paring down from his psychotherapy income to living on Social Security disability checks. “I’ve learned to slow down, except for driving,” jokes Kevin, and adds, “And I’ve learned the value of being alone because my wife is a flight attendant, and I’m alone much of the time. I say I’m going to read more books, but after training for a triathlon I have no energy, so I’m listening to books on Audible.”

He’s also learned it’s about challenging limits. For other stroke survivors, Kevin seeks to inspire. “If you can’t move your hand, try every day to move it. Because I try every day to run, or bike, or swim, or move my hand,” he says. “I know a person who was a voracious reader. She had a stroke, and has just finished a kindergarten book, and that’s a big deal! It’s an even bigger deal than running a marathon. I read about a guy who after two years post-stroke, it took him 45 minutes to tie his shoes. And that’s amazing. I don’t have that kind of patience, so I use a cheater [Velcro],” he quips.

Attitude has a lot to do with the success of living a fulfilling life. Kevin says it’s a choice between gratitude or bitterness.

Even though he can’t do a lot of what he used to do, Kevin keeps working at it. He is grateful, resilient, and perseverant, and states that he’s been perseverant his entire life.

Kevin has run many marathons over the years, and plans, at the age of 62, to participate in the 2021 Ironman Triathlon.

His hope is to inspire and give hope to other stroke survivors, to live life fully.

“There are so many stroke survivors and their will to live and thrive is gone. I want to give them hope because there’s life to be had!” says Kevin.

He credits the Challenged Athletes Association for assisting him, as well as coaches, medical personnel, Running across a bridge at the 2019 Boise Sprint Triathlon. and other photo courtesy of Kevin Rhinehart organizations who have helped him on his path.

“Life is a gift, and we can’t pick and choose what battles or trials we face. But once I got a wakeup call, it was like, ‘Now what I’m going to do about it?’ I choose to treat life as a gift and not feel sorry for myself.” ■

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A Waÿa Named

Laÿiÿöpua

By Gayle Kaleilehua Greco

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

B

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eing birthed on the ‘āina of Hawaiian homelands at the Villages of La‘i‘ōpua in Kailua-Kona is a wa‘a (canoe) by the same name, La‘i‘ōpua. Not since the Makali‘i was constructed in 1993, has there been an educational canoe on Hawai‘i Island built by the children of the area with the support of wa‘a builders, cultural advisors, kumu (teachers) and kūpuna (elders) overseeing the direction of this treasured vessel. There have been canoes built for canoe clubs and sailing voyages; however, the purpose of this canoe is for learning the tradition of Hawaiian canoe building, voyaging, and community involvement.

From ancient to modern times, the canoe has brought people together as ‘ohana (family), for a purpose, to voyage to places seen and unseen, known and unknown, taking with it the mana‘o of the people. Knowledge was transferred between cultures, with stories told and traditions shared. The voyagers brought back these gifts from afar, the experience of the land, sea, and stars, home to where ‘ohana waited with a welcoming embrace, everyone richer for the time spent together and apart. This is voyaging, the way of the canoe, touchpoints of gathering and sharing, growing and evolving.

Voyaging has long supported teamwork, togetherness, and planning for a sustainable future based on ancestral knowledge and the use of natural resources. Long before boats and other vessels were brought in, canoes once filled the ocean waters of Hawai‘i as means of coastal traveling, fishing, work, and play. The traditions of the canoe are the essence of Hawaiian culture, the far-reaching arc connecting keiki and kūpuna, community and ‘ohana, no matter whether on land or sea.

“A canoe is our mother, we treat it as we would our mother, it takes care of us like our mother, and we have respect for each other,” shares Chadd ‘Ōnohi Paishon, Pwo/master navigator and cultural advisor of the La‘i‘ōpua Wa‘a Project.

The ÿiako (arched crossbeams) on its way to being finished.

Chadd Paishon sharing his ÿike (knowledge) with nä haumäna (students) standing alongside Laÿiÿöpua waÿa (canoe).

Chadd explains to the students, “Everyone who stands on the deck of this canoe is your family because this is everybody’s mother—whether blood related or not—you stand as family with this canoe.” Binding together as ‘ohana, the residents of the Villages of La‘i‘ōpua and the surrounding community are working collectively to bring a canoe to life in the Kealakehe ahupua‘a (land division) of North Kona.

Experiential Program As part of a USDE Native Hawaiian Education grant which funds educational assistance to Villages of La‘i‘ōpua and the surrounding community, nonprofit organzation La‘i‘ōpua 2020 partnered with Kealakehe High School and Ocean Education Dive Club to create an innovative, accredited social studies program for high school students to not only learn academically, but to truly experience modern Hawaiian history. During the time of Covid restrictions, this experiential program gave students the opportunity to be together in an outdoor setting, learning the traditions of their ancestors. In addition to their school course work, 12 high school students gathered on six Saturdays for cultural hands-on learning. From field trips to historical sites, to proper naming of Hawaiian locations, plus time in the ocean and on land learning about natural resources, this unique program culminated in building a canoe. Each student contributed to the whole, and a bond has formed between them, socially and emotionally, as they lay the foundation of their own wa‘a ‘ohana.

Greg Harrs, the social studies/Hawaiian history teacher at

MANA CARDS

Calm Reflection

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

#11 - Ka Wai a Ka Pililiko

The Power Of Hawaiian Wisdom

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Kealakehe High School for 20 years, is leading the students of the La‘i‘ōpua Wa‘a Project in a place-based learning style.

He shares about the students’ experience of their huaka‘i (voyage), “They’re getting a sense of place and belonging, they are the kia‘i, the protectors. This is their place to protect and respect, and to carry on.

They’ll remember this experience more than the academic word.”

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

Lessons of the Wa‘a The growth, bonds and relationships that form with the canoe as the central focus bear witness to Ti leaf adorn the waÿa during the blessing. the sustainability of carrying forward the traditions of the past for generations to come. The children are learning the construct of values and legacies and how to weave dreams into their lives, starting with forming friendships and a common purpose of building the canoe. And so, a community within a

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Nä haumäna a nä kumu (students and teachers) of the Laÿiÿöpua Waÿa Project. community forms, giving each an opportunity to mirror and learn from one another.

Teaching the children about their kuleana (responsibility), Chadd explains, “What the canoe family needs is everyone to be present, to work together, to do their part; show up and give your 100 percent attention and intention. If you cannot, wait until you can. Only when all come together can the work be done for its uppermost purpose. Circumstances may change, course corrections are needed, flexibility lives amidst structure, and adaptiveness with sureness. Such is the lesson of the canoe.”

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KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

Similar to the message of the wa‘a, the programs and services of La‘i‘ōpua 2020 are a product of a much richer, deeper purpose, one that embodies the values of the native Hawaiians it serves. Ultimately, La‘i‘ōpua 2020 is about community, relationships, and growth; a place to help people gain wisdom and strength, collectively and individually, in any part of their lives. Working together to share dreams and expand their ultimate potential, the villagers of La‘i‘ōpua and residents of the surrounding area have many opportunities to bond together, build relationships and develop their capabilities.

Gathering resources is an inherent way of life for native Hawaiians. In keeping with this natural talent, the La‘i‘ōpua Wa‘a Project is guided by a team of local community members whose lives have been spent on the water, building canoes, or teaching traditional methods of work and life. The wa‘a team spreads far and wide as knowledge is shared from old to young and young to old, everyone learning and growing together.

“Building a canoe is not easy,” says Iko Balanga, a lifelong waterman. Iko and his wife, Holly, are part of the La‘i‘ōpua Wa‘a Project’s building team, teaching the children the

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many steps of modern canoe building and giving a handson experience of putting the parts together. The customized hulls of the La‘i‘ōpua wa‘a were made by Iko and his brother, Jun Balanga, along with their team. Building on traditions, the mana‘o (wisdom) of the Balanga water family reaches back generationally and now is being gifted to those who are

Laÿiÿöpua Waÿa alakaÿi hui (leadership team): Chadd Paishon, Kumu Keala Ching with Helena Bean, Malani DeAguiar, Kawehi Inaba, Melia Paleka, Lehua Bray.

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

participating in the wa‘a build.

When the six-week Kealakehe High School program ends in September 2021, the intent of La‘i‘ōpua Wa‘a Project is to have ‘Ohana Build Days where the community comes together to work on it, widening the net of knowledge, experience and fun on the very ‘āina where the neighbors live, work and play. “It’s about us as a community, bringing us together, something that has not been done in a long time,” says Iko.

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Community Participation As part of the cultural resurgence, the beauty of the wa‘a is for families and community to experience a build, together bending the pieces of wood like flexible relations, lashing the canoe like bonds that tie ‘ohana together, and seeing the finished product, sailing unencumbered, ever forward. The metaphors run as deep as the sea. To lash the canoe is the physical form of binding the ties together to form a strong hold of the canoe parts. When done properly, the lashing will last a long time, even under the wear and tear of weather, elements, and use; the lashing holds the parts together. As time goes on, and journeys are made, the lashings will require attention, as do relationships and family. Loose ties get tightened up, bonds wear down and need to be strengthened, shared experiences and dedication enrich the whole. The stories and traditions of the lāhui (people) are in the present time now, ready to be shared forward in the hands of the keiki (children), knowing there is something in this experience for everyone.

Rooting the culture deep in the land and supporting the community for growth and expansion are at the heart of La‘i‘ōpua 2020—serving the residents of Hawaiian homelands, the Villages of La‘i‘ōpua, the Kealakehe ahupua‘a and surrounding areas. “This canoe belongs to the community, La‘i‘ōpua [Village], and beyond; passing on the knowledge for generations to come,” says Kawehi Inaba, La‘i‘ōpua 2020 board president. ■ All photos courtesy of La‘i‘ōpua 2020 For more information: laiopua.org

Mo‘olelo (story) of the Original ‘Oli for the Makali‘i

When Aunty Pua Case wrote this chant, her hālau was a part of the five organizations that took part in building the Makali‘i. This chant was a way of documenting this journey and it encompassed the Makali‘i and all of the community that came together to kōkua (be of service).

This ‘oli was about the process of the wa‘a being birthed, built and all the way to it being sailed. It honored two specific people, brothers Shorty and Clay Bertelmann.

The part of the ‘oli, “Hele ‘ē ka wa‘a i ke kai ē He ho‘okele wa‘a (no ka) lā ‘ino ē ‘A‘ohe e pulu, he waʻa nui ē” references how the wa‘a will glide across the ocean to arrive at its final destination because of the strong leadership (Uncle Shorty and Uncle Clay) guiding the journey.

Gifting of the ‘Oli

This ‘oli was gifted to the La‘i‘ōpua wa‘a by Chadd ‘Ōnohi Paishon at the community celebration which took place on July 10, 2021 on the grounds of La‘i‘ōpua.

La‘i‘ōpua joins 28 wa‘a worldwide, and is the 29th to have been given this ‘oli to use as a pillar and reminder of the importance of community and the many good things that can be done when community comes together as ‘ohana.

As Chadd says, “There will be bumps along the way, it wonʻt always be easy, but knowing we have each other to lean on, that we have the same goal and that because of our pilina, there is no doubt that we will reach our intended destination.”

The phrase, “Hele ‘ē ka wa‘a i ke kai ē He ho‘okele wa‘a (no ka) lā ‘ino ē ‘A‘ohe e pulu, he wa‘a nui ē” is meant to honor the La‘i‘ōpua 2020 leadership and those who guide and support them to be successful in all they do with the wa‘a as well as all other aspects of community.

Au ē Ua Hiti ē

By Pua Case

At long last the La‘i‘ōpua has arrived Yes, it has arrived Said of a fast traveler Said of a courageous person (reference to leaders) One is safe in the protection of an important person (reference to leaders) Indeed it has arrived Pitch in with a will by everyone and the work is quickly done Hunger is satisfied or one has arrived Indeed it has arrived

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

Au ē ua hiti ē, ua hiti ē ‘o La‘i‘ōpua ē Au ē ua hiti ē Hele ‘ē ka wa‘a i ke kai ē He ho‘okele wa‘a (no ka) lā ‘ino ē ‘A‘ohe e pulu, he wa‘a nui ē Au ē ua hiti ē E lauhoe mai ka wa‘a i ke kā I ka hoe I ka hoe I ke kā Pae aku i ka ‘āina lā Pae maila i ka ‘āina ē Au ē ua hiti ē

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Ka‘apuni

By Lillian Lim

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

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26 Marcie Davis throws a shaka, followed closely by John Ciambrone.

t was late summer 2020 and Covid had already changed island life dramatically. One of the joys that still remained and could be safely done without risk to others was cycling.

One afternoon, a handful of cyclists, who have been riding together a few times a week for more than seven years, put their bikes back in their truck beds and racks following their usual 25-mile ride, starting and ending in Waikoloa Resort. These cyclists came up with an idea and on October 11, 2020, nine of them plus a non-cycling spouse who drove a support “sag” (suppport and gear) truck began their five-day journey to ka‘apuni—circumnavigate the entire island, by road bicycle.

Mac Amos, a north Kohala resident, remembers, “We wanted to turn these times around and enjoy our island, while at the same time, patronize our hard-hit local businesses.” Of the nine kūpuna cyclists, ages ranged from 55, to four people in their 70s. The oldest, Mac, celebrated his 77th birthday that same month. The other eight participants were Hal Baas, Kathy Baas, Debby Ciambrone, John Ciambrone, Marcie Davis, Lillian Lim, Gene Russell, and Maddie Turner.

The “sag” truck driver was Guy Davis, who has since become a regular cyclist with the group. Following is their travelogue.

da Big Island (Keep on Pedaling) Waikoloa Village to South Kona The 239-mile journey began with a swift downhill ride from Waikoloa Village to Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway, with the cyclists wearing their signature Ka‘apuni da Big Island— Keep Pedaling bike jerseys. Gene, a resident of Hawi and an experienced cyclist who had circumnavigated Hawai‘i Island before, specially designed the jerseys along with sports tees for this cycling adventure. The initial 25 miles south were familiar ground to all the cyclists who made their lunch stop at the series of eateries on Makala Boulevard in Kailua-Kona. A few miles later into their journey the cyclists began a monstrous seven-mile incline from sea level to 1,500 feet and an overall elevation gain of 2,281 feet. According to rider Debby, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” A fellow intrepid rider, Hal replied, “The only failure is not to try.” The rest said nothing because most were focused on just breathing hard and moving slowly forward and up the Māmalahoa Bypass.

The cyclists enjoyed a beautiful sunset and dinner in Captain Cook, spending their first night at a breathtaking property overlooking the ocean and the iconic St. Benedict Painted Church in South Kona.

Volcano to Hilo Volcano to Hilo was a quick 40-mile descent from 4,000 feet elevation to sea level. The cyclists enjoyed the starkly beautiful setting dropping to a corridor of urban vitality surrounded by green growth and hidden homes on any turn off the main highway. The night was spent at a hotel on Banyan Drive.

Hilo to Honoka‘a They faced their next challenging ride, approximately 50 miles, venturing from Hilo to Honoka‘a. Cyclists Marcie and Maddie described the ascents and descents, switchbacks and horseshoe turns, elevated bridges, coupled with jaw dropping views of crags, cliffs, and ocean as “breathtaking.” The cyclists

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

Day 3, at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel. L to R: Lillian Lim, Mac Amos, John Ciambrone, Kathy Baas, Debby Ciambrone, Marcie Davis, Hal Baas, Maddie Turner, and Gene Russell.

Captain Cook to Volcano The next day’s (approximate) 85-mile journey took the cyclists from Captain Cook through rolling rural and forested areas to Nā‘ālehu and onward to Volcano Village. That evening was spent at the historic Kīlauea Lodge. The riders enjoyed take-out food from a restaurant in Volcano. Breakfast the following day was in another outdoor setting in Volcano.

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enjoyed authentically made tacos and tamales and talkedstory at a 5-star Yelp reviewed Mexican Café near Pa‘auilo. The night was spent at a B&B near Waipio Valley, with breathtaking views, fabulous food, and plenty aloha.

Honoka‘a to Waikoloa Village The last 40 miles were filled with rolling climbs on old Māmalahoa Highway through forested lands and a gradual descent to grasslands and pastures. Neighbors and friends spotted the intrepid riders as they traveled through Waimea in their signature jerseys.

With only a few more miles left of their 239-mile journey, the cyclists traveled the long, wide-open stretches of Māmalahoa Highway and then made a speedy descent into Waikoloa Village. “No rain and no injuries and only two flat tires,” cyclist Lillian exclaimed to her fellow riders, while sipping a celebratory iced tea in Waikoloa Village.

The Ka‘apuni group is not a formal cycling club—itʻs open to both visitors and residents who enjoy cycling. Their regular riders include residents of Hawai‘i Island and also Alaska, Nevada, California, Oregon, and Canada. Recent cyclists visiting from Girona, Spain have joined their rides, as well. The group has also joined together to go on cycling vacations including Catalonia, Spain and is planning future trips to Croatia, Japan, and/or Tahiti. ■ All photos courtesy of Ka‘apuni da Big Island

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

For more information: Lillian Lim: LillianYLim@yahoo.com

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The Kaÿapuni group riding through South Kona.

The Playground of Champions Recipe for Oatmeal Recovery Bar

Local Foods

By Brittany P. Anderson Ka‘ahumanu Highway; however, it’s not just bikes that are put to the test. Queen Ka‘auhmanu Highway is where the true mettle of an athlete is tested with its unforgiving winds and unrelenting heat—it is the spot that makes or breaks you.

You don’t have to run around the entire island or cycle Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway to appreciate the grit and determination it takes to be an athlete in Hawai‘i. Training for your first 5k is one of the most challenging steps. Finding the proper nutrition to support pre-workout, post-workout, and during events can be difficult for all athletes.

Having been a triathlete fueled by locally sourced whole foods, I know that picking out the right food to help reach your athletic goals can be daunting. From paleo to keto, there’s big business in selling meal plans, energy drinks, and endurance gel to athletes.

This vegan, gluten free Oatmeal Recovery Bar recipe is an easy starting point for a homemade energy bar. The base ingredients help to replenish lost electrolytes while offering carbohydrates and protein to fuel recovery. Use your favorite nuts like almond, macadamia, pecan, cashew, or a combination. To kick the bar into overdrive, you could add mashed purple sweet potatoes with the banana or fold in chocolate chips.

Oatmeal Recovery Bar 2 cups oats, steel cut preferred 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 1 cup chopped nuts 1/2 cup chopped dried figs 1/2 tsp sea salt 1 tsp cinnamon 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup coconut oil 2 Tbs almond butter 1 cup ripe banana, mashed (approx. 3 bananas) Method Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 casserole dish with a little bit of coconut oil. Then, line with parchment. Combine oats, coconut, nuts, and figs in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix spices, honey, oil, and almond butter. Mix mashed banana into liquid, then pour over dry ingredients and mix well. Now, pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 20 minutes. Turn onto a cooling rack allowing to cool fully until cutting into squares. Serve alone or topped with coconut mana or other favorite toppings. Enjoy!

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

Home to the Ironman World Championships, Hilo to Volcano Ultra Marathon, and the invite-only Ultraman World Championship, Hawai‘i Island is an endurance athleteʻs paradise. The unpredictable weather coupled with unforgiving terrain makes Hawai‘i Island the ultimate test to pushing one’s body to the limit.

Training for any of the fun runs or competitive events in Hawai‘i takes physical and mental strength. Athletes will often talk about hitting a wall, somewhere around the 6–16-mile mark when the body feels slow or feet feel weighed down. It takes mental fortitude to push through “the wall,” to see past temporary discomfort and reach the finish line.

Of the competitions held on the island, Ultraman World Championship is the most renowned competition in the world.

Started in 1983, the race is invitation-only, capped at 40 participants. Ultraman challengers cover 320 miles, essentially circling the entire island in just three days. It starts with a 6.2-mile open-ocean swim from Kailua pier to Keauhou. From Keauhou, athletes bike 90 miles to the Kīlauea Military Camp in Volcano for the end of day one. The second day is an incredible 171.4-mile bike ride from the back gate at the camp, finishing with an elevation climb of over 8,000 feet at Kamehameha Park in Kapa‘au. Day 3 starts at 6am for the run from Hawi, down Akoni Pule to Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway, ending in KailuaKona. Athletes have just 12 hours to finish on the last day or they’re disqualified, and must wait until the following year to try qualifying again.

There are no prizes—just bragging rights that you finished the most elite triathlon on the planet. Usually held over Thanksgiving, the 2021 Ultraman World Championship will be held from November 26th through 28th.

The Hilo to Volcano Ultramarathon is filled with runners from all over the world and right here at home. The ultramarathon can be completed solo or in teams of three, which switch off every three miles to complete the 50K. Runners start at sea level in Hilo and end at the Cooper Center in Volcano, climbing 4,000 feet throughout the route.

Of course, the Ironman World Championship is one of the most popular events on Hawai‘i Island. Held in Kailua-Kona, athletes begin flocking to the island in the weeks leading up to the race to acclimatize and size up the competition.

Local athletes vie for the coveted Ironman lottery spots during the year—several places are explicitly held for residents, bypassing some of the competition requirements.

The island has undoubtedly made its mark in the triathlon world. Bicycle manufacturers design specific bike frames for windy locales, testing their designs in the crosswinds of Queen

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One Hawaiian Voice:

By Karen Valentine

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

I

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t is truly rare to know a pure-blood kanaka “The attitudes of society when I was growing up made me ma‘oli (native) today, as most Hawaiian koko (blood) is mixed feel ashamed to be Hawaiian. Things are somewhat better with that of many other heritages. Kimo Keli‘i Ka‘aha‘aina today. But as Hawaiians, we have been steadily losing our Pihana is a 100-percent Hawaiian man. culture for a couple hundred years. We have each walked our Much of Kimoʻs own path through identity was hidden this vale of tears. from him while No one speaks for growing up on a all Hawaiians.” farm in Wahiawā, Living a life O‘ahu during the close to the 1940s and ‘50s. land—raising He was known as animals, fishing, James. His parents and planting spoke some ‘ōlelo crops—Kimo Hawai‘i (Hawaiian) learned to work at home, but he hard to help his wasn’t allowed family. Their to speak it at sustenance school. English came from the was the accepted land; however, language, and some cash was native Hawaiians needed, so he were shamed as joined the US being uncivilized.

Merchant Marine.

There was even Soon after, he a law prohibiting was drafted into naming a child with the US Army a Hawaiian name. and shipped off “Until the law to the Vietnam was repealed in War, where he 1967, all Hawaiian sustained multiple children had to life-threatening have Christian first injuries as well names, according as psychological to the 1860 Act to trauma. He Regulate Names, served in an signed by King all-Hawaiian Kamehameha IV,” squadron and says Kimo. “So I am was one of the James Keli‘i Pihana. few survivors.

James in Hawaiian “I have had is Kimo, which I problems with prefer. At school alcohol and PTSD I was punished since the war. It many times for is still difficult to speaking Hawaiian. deal with.”

Cover of Kimo Pihana's autobiography, available at Basically Books in Hilo or online. photo courtesy of Kimo Pihana My parents told me Kimoʻs first to start learning wife, Christa, English and shut my mouth so I wouldn’t get punished by died, leaving him a grieving widower with their daughter, my teacher. I did exactly what they told me and grew up as U‘ilani. He left his job at a petroleum refinery and got back to a native Hawaiian who wasn’t allowed to speak my native basics, moving back to his family farm. tongue.”

“My niece, Stella Pihana, was involved with a Hawaiian It has been a lifelong journey for Kimo to embrace his true organization. One day she asked, ‘What are you doing for the identity. Itʻs been challenging and painful at times. culture, Uncle?ʻ That question got to me, right in my heart. I

Kimo Pihana

palpable depth.

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

Kimo’s midlife questions led him to move to Hawai‘i Island started to think about my life, night after night, looking up and join a group fighting for Hawaiian issues. Little did “James” at the stars, wondering what they were telling me? I would know then that he was descended from King Kamehameha I. think of those kanaka ma‘oli in canoes a thousand years “We were activists for the Hawaiian culture, not terrorists. ago. They didn’t need radar or gyroscopes or electronic We were out to equipment like make a point we used in the about fairness for Merchant Marine.

Hawaiians, about They would exist how the revenues for weeks in tiny from ceded canoes, following lands should the stars.” go to help the Kimoʻs journey Hawaiian people to understand and many other his culture was things. We were enhanced when culture warriors. he married a Yet I needed to woman with get more of the Marquesan and Hawaiian culture Tahitian ancestry. under my belt.

Leila Pihana For example, I is an artist of wanted to learn tatau (tattoo) Hawaiian martial who speaks five arts and was able languages. They to begin to do had a son, Moana, that at Waipi‘o and have been Valley and married for more Pu‘ukoholā. There than 30 years.

I found people At one point who could teach Leila left for Tahiti me how to start with their son. to live in—and Kimo followed, believe in—the meeting her Hawaiian culture.” family in the Kimo was given South Pacific. his first official There he came Hawaiian malo to recognize (male garment) the connection at the annual between the ceremonial Tahitians and festivities at Hawaiians.

Pu‘ukoholā heiau “Here is what

by Kahuna Nui I learned: when John Lake as the first people he was initiated came from the into Nā Koa of Marquesas, Fiji, James "Kimo" Pihana of Hilo, stands guard Sept. 2015, next to the Hilo Bayfront King Kamehameha statue after Pu‘ukoholā. “Nā Tahiti, Tonga, someone stole the top section of the spear. photo courtesy of Tim Wright Koa are warriors,” Samoa, and New he says, Zealand, they all “protectors of the culture.

I learned many old skills, customs, introduced new customs that caused conflict with the people and ceremonies—skills that enabled ancient Hawaiians to live already here. When the canoes stopped coming from those off the land, survive, and be self-sufficient.

The activities gave islands after hundreds of years, there was a mix of people me a clear focus. My mid-life crisis was over and I became who became the ‘firstʻ Hawaiians. They were already a mixed mentally became a proud Hawaiian.

I was very culture.”

What Kawikastronger. senses as he Igets close to lava comes through in his photos, giving them a

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humbled. It was like being born into the Hawaiian culture, even though Iʻve got my identity in my bones. From there, I got involved with all kinds of Hawaiian issues.

“Ahhh, I didn’t have to feel ashamed to be Hawaiian anymore.”

Kimo credits revered kūpuna, kumu hula, and professor of cultural wisdom, Pua Kanaka‘ole Kanahele, with taking him under her wing and mentoring him for several decades, during which they participated together in activism.

“She was able to tell us how we, as Hawaiian men, should conduct ourselves, and she taught us not to fear, saying, ‘Your kūpuna are behind you.ʻ” Kimo proudly dons a signature red malo to represent his culture at many public events: parades, demonstrations, and cultural festivals. It represents a link to a sophisticated culture that was attempted to be quashed by missionaries and an illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893.

“My malo is symbolic. When I wear my malo, I am not saying we should go back to the old ways and live in grass shacks. I feel we should honor what is valuable in our culture, help others to honor it, and also adapt to the modern world.”

Qualified by his ancestral lineage, Kimo was appointed to the Royal Order of Kamehameha and other honorary organizations.

Here is just a partial list of the issues Kimo either led or participated in:

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

• Obtaining signatures against the proposed missile launch pads on Kaua‘i.

• Generating support for the Apology Bill signed by President Clinton in 1993 and participating in the signing ceremony by Governor John Waihe‘e.

• Working with his wife Leila in helping with homelessness.

• Arrested attempting to bring attention to duty-free revenues at HNL airport which the group felt should have been benefitting Hawaiians.

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Kimo and Leila with son Moana. photo courtesy of Pihana family

Kimo has been a leader in efforts to balance the interests of native Hawaiians and astronomers on Mauna Kea. photo by Tom Whitney, courtesy of Kimo Pihana

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

These activities were a precursor to Kimoʻs involvement with Mauna Kea. After gazing up at the stars decades ago on O‘ahu, wondering what they were telling him, he was about to find out.

The University of Hawai‘i created a stewardship program and hired Kimo as the first ranger and cultural practitioner for Mauna Kea, where he worked for eight years.

“I saw my role more as a caretaker of the mountain than as a ranger. Actually, my culture-warrior activities helped me get this good-paying job. I had not deserted my principles, but I had shown a willingness to be flexible. I got to know astronomers over those years and generally found them to be people of good will. I donʻt hold animosity toward those astronomers, but do feel that more needs to be done to show awareness of and presence of the Hawaiian culture on the mountain. There needs to be a balance of the spiritual and cultural along with the science.”

This background served Kimo as a leader during the activities to educate about the effects of the TMT telescope.

“I was the only one who knows the whole story and I had more influence there than anyone else. I personally investigated the land at the proposed location and took advantage of my ranger background to fight for the decommissioning of telescopes.” The long vigil that included thousands of people concluded in favor of the mauna, he says.

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KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

many countries including former astronaut John Young.”

In his memoir/ autobiography, Celebrating the Hawaiian Culture, selfpublished in 2014, Kimo gives praise and credit to many other groups of Hawaiians standing up for rights and justice.

“Take notice: when I appear with my native kahiko attire, a native Hawaiian is unmistakably present and observing and honoring the culture. But this native Hawaiian is also looking toward the future and wants the young people of today to learn science and computers and become engineers and Kimo and Mayor Harry Kim share a moment at Nä Hökü Hanohano award ceremonies. photo courtesy of Tim Wright astronomers. I have done my part—along with many others, “My solution to the problem of astronomy becoming too as best as we can—to advance and honor our culture— insensitive to its responsibility to Hawaiian culture and the not to recreate the old culture, but to use it as a guide, a environment on Mauna Kea is to put the telescopes on the meditation, as we look forward in the 21st century.” ■ moon. I became a board member of the International Lunar Observatory association (ILOA), which seriously wants to do For more information: Kimo Pihana, JKPihana@gmail.com that. The board is comprised of scientists and others from

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

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Mälama Mokupuni: Caring for Our Island Environment

Cats vs. Pups: A Feline Parasite Threatens Monk Seals

rodents are more reckless, have slower reactions, and are strangely attracted to cat urine. Human brains could be impacted as well, with some research linking toxo to personality changes, psychiatric disorders, and reckless driving.

An Existential Threat to Monk Seals When Hawaiian monk seals get toxo, it is deadly. Infections in seals are aggressive, causing severe inflammation and organ disfunction. Despite intensive human aid to help sick seals, none are known to have survived an infection. There is no vaccine. Plus, toxo has affected more females than males, another blow to the tiny population. Since 2004, 13 monk seals have died from toxo, most likely more, since not all carcasses are found.

Toxo also kills other native wildlife, including spinner dolphins and ‘alalā, the Hawaiian crow. Scientists have worked to reintroduce ‘alalā to the wild, where they have basically

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

By Rachel Laderman

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When you’re at a Hawai‘i beach park, you’ll often spot freeroaming cats dashing between the shadows. Well-meaning cat-lovers can be seen restocking kibble in dishes left for cats. This animal-loving activity sadly contributes to a disease that is the greatest threat to one of Hawai‘i’s unique and most endangered animals, the Hawaiian monk seal.

Hawaiian monk seals (Neomonachus schauinslandi), which number only 1,400 and live exclusively in the Hawaiian archipelago, are dying from a disease called toxoplasmosis.

In a macabre plot twist, the reason for human attachment to cats may partly be due to the microscopic parasite, Toxoplasma gondii (called “toxo” for short). Environmental agencies across the spectrum are working together to combat this devastating disease that pits animal lover against animal lover.

A Very Successful Parasite According to the Centers for Disease Control, one third of the world’s population is infected with toxoplasmosis. We accidentally ingest the parasite in contaminated water, sand, unwashed produce, and undercooked meat. After an initial, usually mild flu-like illness, most people’s immune systems keep them symptom-free. However, toxo can cause birth defects if a woman is newly infected during pregnancy, which is why pregnant women are advised to avoid eating sushi and cleaning out cat litter.

Brain Manipulation Scheme Toxoplasma can only reproduce in the gut of a cat. Infected cats rarely seem sick, but for two weeks after infection, they shed millions of eggs in their feces. The eggs survive for years in freshwater, saltwater, and soil. They wash downstream and into the ocean from anywhere on the landscape. It only takes one egg to infect a seal.

To complete its lifecycle, the toxo parasite must get back into a cat, which is accomplished by a cat eating an infected rodent. But aren’t rodents very wary of cats? This is where the brain manipulation comes in. Toxo hitches a ride to the brain, where it affects the amygdala, which is linked to fear and anxiety. In rodents, it overrides the fear of predators. Infected

The Hawaiian monk seal is a federally listed Endangered Species. photo courtesy of NOAA, NMFS permit number 848-1695

The main Hawaiian islands are home to 300 monk seals, with 1,100 seals in the Northwestern islands. In contrast, there are at least a million cats (feral and domestic) on Hawaiÿi Island alone. photo courtesy of NOAA, NMFS permit number 848-1695

become extinct. In 1993, toxo claimed at least five of 27 released ‘alalā.

Efforts and Interventions: Like Herding Cats Many agencies and individuals are actively working on reducing the impact of toxo in the islands, with a focus on reducing free-roaming cats. In 2020, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries held a workshop facilitated by Lynker LLC that brought large-tract landowners, educators, planning agencies, researchers, and policy-makers together around this issue. NOAA will be publishing a strategic plan for use by concerned groups and individuals throughout the state towards eliminating the threat of toxo.

prevent the spread of toxo.

2. Catch, neuter/spay, and adopt feral cats (or offer them for adoption). Do not re-abandon.

3. Spay and neuter your cats—while this won’t prevent them from spreading toxo, it curbs unwanted litters.

4. Do not drop off unwanted cats at a colony, which is illegal; bring them to a pet shelter or sanctuary.

5. Teach friends who feed feral cats about the connection to deaths of monk seals and other native wildlife.

6. Dispose of cat litter every day, sealed in a bag in the garbage; do not flush it down the toilet.

For more information: monksealinfo@noaa.gov

How Can You Help?

1. Keep cats indoors; provide a “catio” (enclosed cat patio). This protects native birds, and is the best way to

Rachel Laderman, Sustainable Pacific Program Lynker LLC/NOAA Affiliate, Hawaii Island

A feral cat at Queen Liliÿuokalani Park. Though people who feed cats are trying to reduce suffering, feral cats often have tough lives of hunger, illness, injury, and violence. photo courtesy of Rachel Laderman

Dishes of cat food are a common sight at beach parks such as Liliÿuokalani Gardens, along Hilo bay. When unwanted cats are fed or dropped off at beach parks, it makes it even more likely that their parasites' eggs will contaminate water or prey that Hawaiian monk seals will consume. photo courtesy of Rachel Laderman

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

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How Running Found Jockey By Sara Stover

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

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rowing up in Hōlualoa, Jon Kunitake’s knowledge of horses was limited to the paniolo (cowboys) of Waimea. His early life revolved around coffee, leaving little time for any extracurricular activities.

Born in a house on a coffee farm next door to the Imin Center, Jon was the fifth of 13 children, all of whom picked coffee in the fields of Hōlualoa when they weren’t attending school.

“My grandparents came from Fukuoka, Japan to work on the Ka‘ū plantations and my parents settled in Hōlualoa,” says Jon as he gently prunes the leaves of a young coffee tree by hand.

“We had a big family and even though we had our own farm, we were so poor that we had to pick coffee for other farms to pay for bus fare and rice.”

Riding the Highs and Lows of Jockey Life By the time Jon graduated from Konawaena High School, he was ready to accept a cousin’s invitation to move to California. Once there, he worked at a race track, cleaning the stalls. While the labor wasn’t glamorous, a childhood spent working hard made Jon well-suited for the job.

Uncle Jonny wearing Bib No. 1 in the 100% Pure Kona Coffee Half Marathon, an honor bestowed upon him for his role as co-founder. photo courtesy of Mikey Brown

It wasn’t long before others took notice of his excellent work ethic, and he was entrusted with riding the trainer’s horse during morning exercise runs on the track.

“There was talk of taking me to Idaho and grooming me to be a jockey, but I wanted to stay at the track because my boss treated me well and I was happy in the stables. Then my boss told me to go, so three days later, I was off,” Jon recalls. “One day I was shoveling horse manure, the next I was on my way to riding at the most affluent race tracks around.

Racing found me!”

“I remember it like it was yesterday,” exclaims Jon, who was 20 years old when he began racing in Centennial Park, Colorado.

“When I won my second race, everyone was so happy, from the groomer to the trainer.”

The win catapulted Jon into life as a professional jockey, which often included racing six days a week. He recalls, “Sometimes we’d have nine races a day. That’s 500 to 600 races a year!”

“I was making good money, but I was too tired to celebrate,” he notes. “And I had to get up at 4:30am, so I would just go back to the apartment I was renting and sleep.” Little did he know that his commitment to racing and recovering were equipping Jon with the endurance and habits he’d need to compete in a much “One day I was shoveling horse manure, the next I was on my way to riding at the most affluent race tracks around!” says Hölualoa´s Jon Kunitake. photo courtesy of Jon Kunitake

- Turned-Coffee Horticulturist, Jon Kunitake

different race environment, years down the road.

Throughout the course of his career, Jon went on to win a total of more than 1,000 races and was even invited to compete in Belmont Park’s Jockey Club Gold Cup. It wasn’t always triumph and flowers draped over winning horses, however. At the beginning of his career, a horse fell on him, almost killing him and breaking his pelvis. Jon recovered, only to face a slump. “I went 62 races without a win. One day, my trainer put me in a stakes race. Everyone thought the horse didn’t have a shot, but the horse didn’t know that. And we won! Before the race, the reporters didn’t even interview me.

Afterward, I actually went out to dinner to celebrate.”

From Nebraska to Colorado, racing horses took the humble, yet social, jockey across the country, where he met individuals he still remembers fondly. “I really enjoyed the company of all the beautiful, wonderful people I met,” says Jon, waxing nostalgic.

Cultivating Coffee and Sharing Knowledge After retiring from horse racing at 40 years old, Jon returned to Hawai‘i to relax, which didn’t hold his interest for very long.

“I was looking for something to do, so I built my own coffee mill,” he says of applying his background to establish Kunitake Farms, so he could process his own coffee.

When asked about Kona coffee, Jon has some insight to offer. “Some coffee growers are suing large retailers for selling counterfeit Kona coffee, but I’m not,” Jon continues, referencing the romance of Kona coffee. “Those commercial coffee shops may not be selling pure Kona coffee, but they actually helped put Kona on the map.”

Demands for authentic Kona coffee are not diminishing, driving Jon to focus on repairing the mill at the Ueshima Coffee Company (UCC) Hōlualoa Coffee Estate.

“This year I’m going to fix the estate’s mill so we can offer a farm and mill tour. I’m going to do it the old-school way, using a blueprint that’s up here,” he divulges, pointing to his head.

Jon also hopes to resume his international travels and continue sharing the knowledge that’s in his head, once again.

“I’ve visited the Republic of Zambia a few times as a goodwill ambassador. I go to teach others the basics of horticulture for self-sustainability, but traveling is a good teacher, too. It makes you smarter!” Jon also visited Tonga after the prime minister

Jon explains how to prune the leaves of a young coffee tree by hand. photo courtesy of Kawika Singson

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

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his eye on some running races overseas.

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

Running on a Prayer Affectionately referred to by the Hawai‘i Island running community as “Uncle Jonny,” the jockey-turned-coffee horticulturist ran his first marathon two years before retiring from horse racing, at age 38.

“I read that 35,000 people were going to run Detroit’s marathon and signed up,” Jon says, explaining how being a jockey prevented him from training sufficiently for the 26.2-mile race.

“At mile 20, I heard that the winner had already finished. I’m not religious, but I prayed that if God would let me finish, I would never complain again. I lied, but I still finished!”

Jon went on to run other road races, consistently placing top in his age group and winning 5Ks. He’s even won the grueling Big Island Saddle Road 100K four times, a race that began with a climb out of Hilo Bay and featured an abundance of elevation gain before finishing Before Jon ran races in Bib No. 1, he was first in many horse races after turning pro at only 20 years old. in Waimea. photo courtesy of Jon Kunitake With personal bests that include a 5K in 16:12 minutes, a 10K in 33:58 minutes, a half-marathon in invited him to the Royal Palace, where he met the King. “I 1:17 hours, and a marathon in 2:40 hours, Jon is the last guess you aren’t supposed to touch the king, but I shook his person to discuss race results that are all the more impressive hand and said ‘Your highness, you’re such a cool king.’” Jon considering that he didn’t begin running competitively until discloses. he was 40 years old. “I thought everyone was like this,” is his Teaching the art of cultivating coffee isn’t the only thing that sincere explanation. “I run because I’m grateful to be here.

Jon’s upcoming travel plans include. At 79 years young, he has And I’ll keep going until no can go!”

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Reviving the Kona Marathon In 1986, the first Kona Marathon was held at the old Keauhou Beach Hotel and Jon won the inaugural race. For the next three years, the marathon was held by a couple who eventually moved to the mainland, taking the momentum of the race with them.

Aware of this void, Jon decided to bring the marathon back in 1993. It wasn’t until he partnered with UCC in 1997, however, that his vision for the race finally gained traction.

“UCC is one of Japan’s largest coffee companies and it’s also a family-owned business,” Jon points out. “For more than 20 years, they have been there for me, helping me create this family-oriented community event that includes fun runs, celebrates Kona’s coffee culture, and attracts runners from around the world.”

Jon’s own contacts from his years of travel were just as integral to drawing top local runners and world-class athletes to the marathon, even capturing the attention of Frank Shorter, a gold medal winner in the Olympic Marathon (1972).

“The race horses found me. So did the running legends,” says Jon of connecting with Frank. For more than 10 years, Frank would spend race week helping Jon, giving pep talks, and occasionally running the half marathon.

With the exception of 2020, you can still find Uncle Jonny towing the line for the 5K or 10K and wearing Bib No. 1, an honor bestowed upon him for his role as co-founder of the Kona Marathon.

When he’s not running, Uncle Jonny works on fixing UCC´s coffee mill in preparation for future farm and mill tours. photo courtesy of Kawika Singson

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

Running into the Future “Growing up, I was a runt from a small town, but I knew there was a better life out there after high school, so I took a chance,” says Jon, emphasizing that he wasn’t an athlete in school. “Anyone can be like me if you’re not afraid to take a chance. Go, travel! Get knocked around a little. You can always come back.”

It’s no surprise that Jon practices what he preaches. Next year, he will turn 80 years old, a momentous occasion that he hopes to celebrate by running the Kobe Marathon in Japan.

“With a good horse, you know they can run fast. Still, you hold them back until the right moment,” declares Jon, who applies what he learned as a jockey to running. “I stay injuryfree by holding back and training slow until race day. Then, I run hard.”

He acknowledges that practicing such patience has and will continue to serve him well, exclaiming “I’m not finished yet.

This is only part one of my story - just watch!” ■

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Justin Young Keeps

By Sara Stover

J

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

ustin Young was drifting off to sleep on what seemed like a grassy knoll near South Point when a roar of thunder shook the night. The thunder woke up a dog, which woke up its owner, who then turned on the light of what Justin could now see was a house.

It was a fitting way to wrap up Justin’s first leg of the Go Big Race, a 260-mile circumnavigation of Hawai‘i Island and the farthest the 43-year-old math teacher had run so far.

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Justin and his family live a quarter-mile from Ahu‘āila‘au (Fissure 8). After being evacuated when Kīlauea erupted in 2018, he cherishes being home for the holidays more than ever. With the decision to start his 260-mile journey on December 26th, Justin committed to running around the island, hoping to make it home by New Year’s Eve. Without a firm plan for where and when he would stop, and who would meet him to provide supplies that he couldn’t carry, Justin decided to take a leap of faith.

“What’s the worst that could happen?” he replied when his wife, Michelle, expressed concerns about who would help.

“If I needed anything, I knew eventually I would reach a town, and find a store.”

The Duality of Ultra Running In 2010, Justin ran his first marathon in Tucson, inspired by a friend’s father who was a marathoner.

After running the Hilo to Volcano 50k in 2017, he decided to test his limits on a bigger playing field.

Six months From 26.2 to later, Justin ran 260 miles Hawai‘i’s Epic At 8:41am on Man 100-mile race, December 26th, while another Epic Justin’s run began Man participant went at Moku Ola (Coconut on to run around the Island) in Hilo. For the entire island. first 26 miles, Justin climbed “I thought ‘I could do that!’”

4,000 feet, reuniting with his says Justin, acknowledging twin daughters and wife at that he’s been contemplating a mile 15 in Mountain View. At circumnavigation since then. mile 20, near Volcano, Adam “During ultras, I experience and Keely McGhee brought him A 260-mile race around Hawaiÿi Island, Go Big took runner Justin Young of Pähoa to the extreme highs, lows, and edge of his limits and back again. photo courtesy of the Young Family. homemade pastries. everything in between. Maybe “They offered me freshwithin minutes of each other,” squeezed orange juice, too.

It was a glorious, impromptu aid says Justin of the duality of ultra-running. “Where else can station, before I descended back to sea level!” exclaims Justin, you experience all those emotions in such a confined event? It reflecting on the assistance he received that day. The first makes me feel alive!” sunset of his journey cast shadows on Mauna Loa as Justin That duality is what made Go Big so appealing. “The event approached mile 60, where his supply box was waiting. As the seems like such a big deal, and it is, but it also doesn’t matter. clouds turned pink, he faced a dilemma: how to get the box to It’s meaningful and pointless at the same time.”

Moving! mile 80. Coincidentally, Waimea runner Michelle Suber was in the area and stopped to offer help—she was able to take his supplies for him!

Although Justin’s initial plan was to avoid sleep altogether, he failed to factor in the draining effect of running in the tropical sun. As he packed up his gear, threw on a jacket, and contemplated sleeping, he received a welcome text. “My buddy, Jacob Fansler, planned to drive out and crew for me!”

After relocating from the aformentioned driveway entrance near South Point, Justin finally slept. Two short hours later, nature woke him with more thunder, accompanied by rain. For the first time in the race, Justin questioned what he was doing.

Jacob had driven 90 minutes for the sole purpose of meeting Justin at 4am with coffee, so although it was difficult to wake up to rain, Justin had to get moving. Refreshed by the turmeric-ginger elixir Jacob provided, Justin carved his way up the coast, where Michelle Suber, Brooke Kinsler, and Bree Wee were waiting to cheer and crew.

“They got me safely through Captain Cook’s shoulderless roads,” a route that Justin admits is too dangerous for runners. After making it to the Māmalahoa Bypass Road at the hottest time of day, Justin was delighted to see Patrick Stover

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

A little caffeine and a whole lot of help from the running community kept Justin sane during his three-day run around the island. photo courtesy of Joe Loschiavo

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approaching, ready to pace him on the same stretch where the two met while running a few years prior.

“The run started out about me, what I could accomplish, and how far I could go,” Justin says. As his race progressed, it became clear it was not. “Not even close. It was about us. I was just the guy running.”

Carl Siegel soon joined Patrick, and the trio ran down iconic Ali‘i Drive into Kona.

“On my way to the pier to meet Sara Stover and get fuel, my knee began hurting. I still had 135 miles left to go.”

Illuminated by the setting sun, Justin left Kona behind. As he headed out to Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway, he began hallucinating.

The Power to Keep Moving While a little caffeine helped his mental state, it did nothing to ease the pain, and Justin was concerned. Fortunately, Will Hubert took over crewing and employed the strategy of driving ahead two miles, running back to Justin, and moving toward the parked car with him until Simon Werrel arrived to crew.

“I met Simon a month before at a race. Now here he was, ready to get me through the night,” Justin remarks. Fueled by yet another act so kind it powered him through the knee pain, Justin made it to Waikoloa around 12:30am, where he rested under a coconut tree.

“My favorite part of the journey was going until I felt I should rest and then snoozing on the side of the road. Even a few hours is like pressing reset.” After his siesta under the stars, Justin awoke, and began the next leg of his Go Big Race.

“My knee pain was minimal and I was moving really well before the sun came up. Then, I hit the downhill into Kawaiahae and the pain returned,” recalls Justin. “At that point, Brooke showed up and although I could barely powerwalk,

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

Despite the rain, pain, heat, cold, and dark moments, quitting was never an option for ultra-runner and math teacher Justin Young. photo courtesy of the Young family

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“The people, the views, the diversity, everything about Hawaiÿi got me around the island,” says Justin, seen here with pacer Patrick Stover. photo by Sara Stover

quitting was never an option.” Barring an emergency, Justin had no alternative than to keep moving, this time with the support of 73-year-old Joe “Fireball” Loschiavo and his traveling aid station.

Hot and exposed, the route from Kawaihae to Hawi was brutal. Crewed by Joe, Justin took the turn up and over Kohala Mountain Road. “My knee was no better. There was lots of walking, but what a view!”

Upon hitting 200 miles in Waimea, he and Joe stopped at the spot where Sylvia Ravaglia, a fellow Big Island ultra-runner, was tragically killed by a car in 2020.

“We had just stopped to say aloha to Sylvia when my family pulled up! What a powerful moment!” After that, Justin headed to Honoka‘a, running stronger than he had all day. He was alone with his thoughts for 45-minute stretches at a time.

Suddenly, a noise rang out of the darkness and he wondered if the hallucinations were kicking in again.

“It got louder! Then I realized that Michelle Suber and her daughters had come out to cheer. What a mental boost!”

A Beautiful Journey Once Justin reached Honoka‘a, friend and fellow marathoner Joe Barcia took over crewing duties, keeping Justin at a 4mph pace until sleep deficit caught up to him. “I needed some sleep if I was going to finish, so I forced Joe to leave me on the side of the road.” Justin awoke at 2:30am. He packed up everything he would need to finish, put on a base layer of clothes, second layer, and rain jacket, and powerwalked a few miles in the cold. Although he eventually warmed up, he was about to face the hardest part of this exhausting challenge.

“At 240 miles, there was no one to help. There was nothing but darkness, and it was lonely.” Walking even a 20-minute mile was leaving Justin winded and barely able to talk himself through the next step.

“Keep moving! What? I stopped again!? No, don’t sit. Keep moving!” were the words on repeat for the next hour. Then, the sun rose out of the desolation and Justin could see the supply box that Joe left for him in Pepeekeo. What’s more, he was no longer running solo.

76-year-old ultra-runner Les Martisko was on hand to pace Justin the last 10k. “Les and Joe Fireball are truly my inspirations!” he admits.

Justin enjoyed a calm finish with his daughters and relieved wife at the tree on Moku Ola, where he first began his 260mile endeavor.

“Physically, I was the one who got around the island. But the people, the views, the diversity, everything about Hawai‘i got me around the island,” says Justin of his three-day, three-hour, and 52-minute experience.

“The runners across the island truly showed him the aloha he deserves,” adds Alyx Barnett, Go Big Race director, and Justin’s coach. “They made Justin’s journey a beautiful one.”

“I wouldn’t have been able to complete it without them,” says Justin, agreeing that his accomplishment was nothing short of a community effort. “We did it Big Island!!!” ■ For more information: Instagram@louisdavid33

Featured Cover Artist: Cindy Coats You Are Here, the image on our cover, was created for the 2011 Ironman triathlon. Artist Cindy Coats says, “The shape of the island is so distinctive and recognizable, and because of that it’s like a canvas unto itself. You Are Here was such a fun piece to do. The consistency of the vertical lines creates movement, from the waves, to the road, to the beach. It really tells a story of sunup to sundown, and it worked so well with my original pictograms that I incorporate in all my Ironman and other triathlon paintings.”

Cindy and her husband Barry moved to Kona in 1996.

They got married in their backyard shortly after arriving, with Cosmo, their first rescue dog, as their “Dog of Honor.” Cindy says, “Hawai‘i Island welcomed us with open arms and it’s been a wonderful journey!”

Cindy has drawn, painted and doodled for as long as she can remember. Yellow Submarine and its artist Heinz Edelmann had a huge influence on her. So did Peter Maxx, and the whole pop movement of the 60s and early 70s, which shaped her style and deepened her interest in art. She reflects, “It seemed like they were speaking my language!”

Her creations range from real life renditions of our aquatic environment to whimsical and colorful depictions of the world as she sees it. Her style is highly recognizable.

She says, “When I first decided to try making a living with my art, I was doing hand painted jewelry, clocks and wall hangings. About 25 years ago, I made the transition to fine art painting. I also used to do a lot of colored pencil work until it wore out my hand and wrist, so now I work primarily in acrylics.”

Regarding the current situation, Cindy says, “One of the silver linings with Covid shutting down businesses was

being able to go through my sketchbooks and actually paint some of my ideas I’ve had tucked away for a while. I called the first painting I did during the pandemic, Chasing Silver Linings.” (Pictured here.)

Where does Cindy go for inspiration? “In my head—literally in my mind—if I can find a quiet place to just think and let my mind wander—that and the shower! Also, our four rescue dogs, Buster Posey, Pi, Fredo and Q-Tip are constant inspiration!”

“I’m honored to be chosen again for the cover of Ke Ola, and unbelievably grateful to be able to do what I get to do in such a magical place!” She continues to divide her time between her home studio and gallery, where you’ll often find her hard at work with the best view in town, across from the Kailua pier.

For more information: cindycoats.com

Table of Contents Artist:

Anthony Dohanos

Anthony Dohanos is a world traveler who moved to Hawai‘i in 1976. He’s a painter and art teacher, teaching at Kua O Ka Lā New Century Public Charter School as a painter and instructor for the last decade. Some of his mural artwork was buried under lava, along with the schoolʻs Kapoho campus, during the 2018 eruption. After a three year hiatus due to the eruption and Covid, Anthony has recently gone back to teaching. He and his students are currently painting a large mural at their new Hilo campus. The image featured on our Table of Contents pages is entitled Last Ride of the Day. Anthony presently lives with his wife Barbara in Kapoho.

Both are originally from Westport, Connecticut.

For more information: facebook.com/anthony.dohanos

Tanya Power, RS

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

Talk Story with an Advertiser

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Tanya Power’s life consists of helping her clients achieve their dreams. She is experienced in the nuances of real estate on the Kona and Kohala coasts, and says, “How great is it to go to work and assist someone to find their American Dream? No day is ever the same, and all homes have their pros and cons. Does it fit 70% of your wish list—let’s take a look!”

Recently Tanya moved to a new brokerage, NextHome Paradise Realty, owned by Mike Drutar. She says, “Mike is down to earth, contract savvy, and probably the most supportive broker I’ve worked with. This is the first time in my years in the business that I walked into the office and someone said to me, ‘What can I do for you?’ I have never been asked that before. So now, along with my clients, I really am living the dream.”

Tanya first got into real estate in 1995 when her oldest brother, Ed Tugaw, who owned a real estate company, guided her into her new career after she hit the “glass ceiling” in the hospitality industry. Reflecting on it now, she says it’s the best thing that ever happened to her.

Tanya has a degree in marketing from Colorado State University. She also continues to acquire designations within the Realtor profession. This additional education provides wisdom that she can use to help her clients.

One of the aspects of the real estate industry that Tanya enjoys is that every transaction has its own subtleties. It is never boring and she loves being a problem solver. Her goal is always overcoming issues, saying, “They are always there—it’s how we deal with them.” She mentions another favorite aspect is that many of her clients become her friends.

Tanya has many people to thank for her success.

She says her family is first, “Thank you Lowrey, Jessica, and Nia!” And of course, her brother Ed, who started her on this path. She also mentions her mentor and teacher, Ken Kjer, “who I still quote ‘from the school of Ken Kjer,’ who gave me the groundwork, integrity for the business and basically how to read a contract to best represent my clients. After all these years, I will still go back to the ‘school of Ken Kjer.’”

Tanya closes by sharing her own bit of wisdom, saying, “Real estate is likely your asset with the most value. Be sure you entrust it with a lender, Realtor, and escrow officer you can trust.”

Tanya Power, RS-55044 NextHome Paradise Realty 808.960.6060 KonaCoastProperties.com

Studio 7 Fine Arts Talk Story with an Advertiser

Studio 7 Fine Arts 76-5920 Mamalahoa Hwy, Hōlualoa 808.324.1335 studiosevenfinearts.com

KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

When Hiroki and Setsuko Morinoue opened Studio 7 Fine Arts Gallery, they opened it as an educational experience.

Setsuko explains, “In 1979 there was no place for contemporary artists to exhibit on the west side.” Looking back, they realize itʻs why they eventually founded a nonprofit called Holualoa Foundation for Arts & Culture in 1995, and purchased an old coffee mill, which they restored and upgraded, opening Donkey Mill Arts Center (DMAC) in 2002.

In the early years of the gallery, they hosted many fine exhibits, scheduling one show every month, and also offering artist’s presentations, demonstrations or hands-on events. They also hosted the International Papermakers group exhibit, fiber arts, photography, ceramics, painting, printmaking, mixed media, conceptual based invitational group exhibits, as well as Japanese tea ceremonies and concerts. Setsuko says, “We were very busy and always excited to share our passions with the community.”

While Hiroki was an independent artist and taking care of his family coffee farm, Setsuko worked at hotels and later at a local preschool as an art teacher. She realized she needed to focus on what they wanted in life, which was to support the local arts community. Bob and Carol Rogers had started Kona Arts Center (KAC) in 1965 and were instrumental in teaching Hiroki the importance of arts education.

Hiroki says, “We wanted to give that opportunity to the younger people on the island. It was our way to pay back what I received from KAC, the Rogers and the community.”

Studio 7 Fine Arts received its name because it was Hirokiʻs seventh studio. The name was suggested by their dear friend and fellow artist, Laila Twigg-Smith. Hiroki smiles, “I guess it was my lucky number.” Currently the gallery features Hiroki’s works, alongside showcases by Setsuko and their daughter, Miho, plus a few other local artists’ works.

The coupleʻs two daughters were both established dancers in New York City. Eventually they moved home, after retiring from dance. Their first daughter, Miho, returned in 2005 to join as an arts educator for the youth program for DMAC and is currently the program director for the adults and youth program.

Maki and her family came back in 2016 to help with the gallery. Beaming pride, Setsuko says, “Both girls have so much of us in them. They are our best art creations. I always say, ‘dream big and set intentions clear and loud.’ Somewhere they can hear you and if you’re doing a good deed itʻll come to you.”

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KeOlaMagazine.com | September-October 2021

UA MAU KE EA O KA ‘ÄINA 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.

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