Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi Magazine - January-February 2023

Legacy Oceanfront Estate • Kahana

Plantation Estates • Kapalua

WE LIVE OCEAN ALOHA

KOHOLĀ | humpback whale

DEEP SOUTH

Story Kyle Ellison

Photographs by Heather Ellison

The King’s Highway on the Mākena Coast takes hikers through lava fields to secluded beaches.

By Serene Gunnison, Cynthia Sweeney and Savy Janssen

Maui’s spas, botanical gardens, skin care products and more rejuvenate mind, body and soul.

HONOLUA

SMALL WONDER

Story by Sarah Ruppenthal

Photographs by Tony Novak-Clifford

An environmental entrepreneur goes upscale while downsizing his home to 1,000 square feet.

SERENE GUNNISON

JASON MOORE

Longtime readers might recognize the name of Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi’s new photo editor. Early in his career, Jason Moore spent six years as the magazine’s senior staff photographer. In his new role as photo editor, Jason has the important task of making sure each story is illustrated with the most beautiful photos possible. Jason took up photography at age 6 and spent many childhood summers photographing Maui. By high school, he was shooting for his school paper. After graduating Southern Methodist University, he moved to the islands for good.

Jason has an impressively long list of career highlights. In 2011, he was honored with the Editor’s Pick in the National Geographic photo contest. In 2013, one of his whale research photos was chosen as a 60-by-80-foot permanent installation at the NOAA Inouye Regional Center in Pearl Harbor. In 2015, he shot footage and appeared in the IMAX documentary Humpback Whales.

Staff writer Serene Gunnison loves everything about Maui, where she was born and raised. She was a competitive surfer in high school and remains an avid surfer to this day. She’s also a singer/guitarist who plays at cafes and restaurants around the island. Prior to joining the magazine, Serene wrote professionally for online outlets about Maui’s hospitality and tourism industry, from the best places to stay and eat, to more off-beat subjects, like Upcountry alpaca farms.

Writing for Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi is the realization of a longtime goal. “It’s always been a dream of mine to see my writing in print,” Serene said. “Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi is one of my favorite publications, so seeing this dream come to fruition here makes it even sweeter.” Serene contributed a number of stories to this issue, including the Hanana events section, part of the “8 Innovative Ways to Be Well on Maui” feature and a Talk Story piece on the hardy ‘ōhi‘a lehua tree, a native species that has come to symbolize Hawaiian resilience.

KYLE AND HEATHER ELLISON

This issue’s story on hiking the King’s Highway comes to us from prolific outdoor adventure writer Kyle Ellison. The author of three Maui guidebooks, Kyle was raised on Maui, where he grew up exploring many of the island’s less frequently visited corners. “I enjoy escaping to parts of the island,” he said, “where there are lots of outdoor adventure opportunities but not that many people.”

On one recent assignment, Kyle trekked up Mauna Loa volcano on neighboring Hawai‘i Island and ended up hiking in a blizzard. Parts of that trail are no longer there, having recently been covered by lava. He’s traveled to more than 70 countries and has been to every U.S. state, with one exception – Rhode Island. While reporting the King’s Highway story, Kyle was joined by wife, adventure partner and photographer Heather Ellison, who shot the photos for this issue, including several spectacular drone shots. When not exploring the island’s southern coast, they live in Kula with their three young sons and document their travel adventures on Instagram at @gooutsideandexplore.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023

VOL. 27, NO. 1

Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi is an international magazine dedicated to exploring the life and culture of Maui nui. There’s a saying known in the islands: Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi, Hawaiian for “Maui is the best.” We hope you think so, too. Thanks for reading as we explore the islands, people and cultures of Maui Nui.

Publisher & Executive Editor

Chris Amundson

Associate Publisher Angela Amundson

ED ITO RIAL

Executive Photo Editor Joshua Hardin

Assistant Editor Matt Masich

Photo Editor Jason Moore

Dining Editor Carla Tracy

Staff Writer Serene Gunnison

ADVERTISING SALES

Brooke Tadena, Tiera Conley

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Edie Mann, Heidi Carcella, Open Look Creative Services

SUBSCRIBER SERVICES

Lea Kayton, Katie Evans, Janice Sudbeck

DIGITAL MEDIA Azelan Amundson

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COPYRIGHT

All text, photography and artwork are copyright ©2023 by Flagship Publishing, Inc. For reprint permissions, email editor@mauimagazine.net.

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A Quicksand of Paradise

In this issue, we feature a dynamic photo of Sierra Larsen elegantly duck-diving under a wave at Honolua Bay. She clings to her board as a wave rolls over her.

Like a sea turtle coming up for air, her nose and face are just beginning to break the water’s surface. Above her, we can barely discern the ghostly, shimmering image of another surfer with arms extended, catching the ride of his, or her, life.

Like life, magazine storytelling is all about perspective, and we have renowned magazine surf photographer Erik Aeder to thank for Sierra's photo and others in his photo essay, “Honolua: A Maui surf photographer’s 50-year love affair,” which begins on page 42.

Through words and photos, Erik gives a viewpoint few of us will ever experience. His relationship with Maui, and Honolua Bay specifically, goes back nearly 50 years when he told his parents upon high school graduation that “traveling will be my education.” He soon found Maui and “fell into this quicksand of paradise.”

“Auntie” Silla Kaina’s paradise also has been on Maui’s northwest shoreline – a few bays south at Kapalua. As a child as young as 6, Silla remembers playing on the hillside above Kapalua Bay on the area set aside as recreation for plantation workers and their families. Her dad taught Silla and her siblings to catch he‘e (octopus) by hand. The tides, seasons and winds became second nature for young Silla. Over a lifetime here, the natural environment gave her life lessons that she now shares with guests at Montage Kapalua

Bay resort, located on the very land where she played as a child.

Silla helps us kick off a new initiative for Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi called “Ambassadors of Aloha,” in which we interview Hawaiian heritage leaders across Maui Nui, and share – in their own words – stories of their lives and lessons they've learned along the way. We thank Auntie Silla and Montage Kapalua Bay for graciously sharing an authentic narrative with us (p. 82).

In my interview with Silla, we talked about being and doing pono – doing good and being righteous in our pursuits. A magazine has tremendous opportunity to do good. We tell stories that entertain and uplift. One issue at a time, we aim to answer the question: What makes Maui – Maui?

There is no one single answer, of course. Each person involved with Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi has a unique story to tell – writers, photographers, subscribers and advertising partners.

Some of us, like Silla, have roots here that run generations deep. Others, like Erik, go back scores of decades. Others, like my family, a mere 10 years: first as tourists, then frequent visitors and now, residents.

Finally, other folks – like photographer Victor Schendel (“A Hui Hou” photo contest, p. 8o) – are regular visitors who are beginning to love and care for this special place. How could they not?

As part of our quest to showcase the wonder that makes Maui, Maui, we want to hear from you. Tell us your story. Write us a letter, send us an email or even pay us a visit.

Thank you for reading, subscribing and, most importantly, for sharing your love of Maui with us. It really is Nō Ka ‘Oi, isn't it?

With Aloha, Chris Amundson Publisher chris@mauimagazine.net

Chris and Angela (behind the camera) Amundson took over as new owners of Maui Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi when founder Diane Woodburn retired on Oct. 1, 2022.

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STORY

Fresh off the coconut wireless

The scarlet flowers of the ‘Ōhi‘a lehua tree are instantly recognizable.

Tenacious ‘Ōhi‘a lehua trees symbolize Hawaiian resilience

By SERENE GUNNISON

Bobb Bangerter

In 2022, the hardy ‘ōhi‘a lehua tree was named the official ‘Hawaii State Endemic Tree’ by Governor David Ige, who called the woody perennial a “symbol of Hawai‘i.” The selection was apt. ‘Ōhi‘a lehua, which can develop into a towering tree or scraggly shrub, is a tenacious emblem of resilience.

‘Ōhi‘a trees are typically the first saplings to spring from fresh lava flows, their spindly stalks and vibrant, powderpuff blossoms erupting from the hardened earth with unstoppable force. The trees can withstand extreme drought and high winds and thrive in a range of climates, from boggy mountaintops to low-elevation lava plains. Today, ‘ōhi‘a is the most populous native tree in Hawai‘i, comprising nearly a million acres of forest across the state, including 80,000 acres on Maui.

The tree’s unbridled dominance has undoubtedly shaped Hawai‘i’s native ecosystem. ‘Ōhi‘a lehua forests are primary habitats for a host of native plants and birds, including endangered Hawaiian honeycreepers like the ‘i‘iwi, which rely on the trees for nectar, insect prey and shelter. The tree is also commonly used in landscaping.

In addition to ‘ōhi‘a lehua’s environmental significance, the tree is inextricably woven into the fabric of Hawaiian

culture. Ancient Hawaiians turned to ‘ōhi‘a lehua for a variety of uses, from medicinal and spiritual to mechanical, prompting mentions of the tree in countless oli, mele and mo‘olelo (chant, song and legend).

Despite centuries of unwavering fortitude, the ‘ōhi‘a lehua is amid a concerning plight: rapid ‘ōhi‘a death, also called ROD. First identified in 2014, ROD is a fungal pathogen that has the potential to kill healthy ‘ōhi‘a trees in days to weeks. ROD is prominent on Hawai‘i Island, with additional cases discovered on Maui, O‘ahu and Kaua‘i. The disease has the potential to wipe out entire swathes of otherwise healthy ‘ōhi‘a forests.

There is no known cure, but the public can help prevent the spread by avoiding transporting ‘ōhi‘a materials and cleaning gear, tools, shoes and clothes before and after entering forests.

On Maui, lovers of ‘ōhi‘a lehua can ogle at the trees from a safe distance at Hosmer Grove in Haleakalā National Park. Follow the short nature trail to the gorge overlook, where you can watch scarlet ‘i‘iwi flit around the ‘ōhi‘a lehua’s red and yellow blossoms. If treated with care, these remarkable trees will remain a vital part of Maui life for generations to come.

‘Ōhi‘a lehua forests cover some 80,000 acres on Maui. The forests are the primary habitat of many native plant and bird species. In recent years, the trees have been threatened by rapid ‘ōhi‘a death, caused by a fungal pathogen.

Bobb Bangerter

Bobb Bangerter

Adobe ©William

Jordanne Perkins Painting from the heart

By CYNTHIA SWEENEY

Jordanne (Weinstein) Perkins paints to tell a story. Whether cows grazing in a green pasture, the sand and the waves at the beach, or even light that hits an Upcountry road, the everyday ordinary speaks to her soul.

She also paints with an intentional aspect of positivity, and as a result, her work resonates with people on an emotional level.

“I have people cry because it brings back the emotion of their own personal story for them, whether it happened in Maui, or reminds them of a family

@ivetteivens

member,” she said. “I’ve been told so many times that it just brings up joy and happiness every time they look at my paintings.”

Things didn’t start out that way. Perkins was on track to become a successful graphic art director in her home state of New York, when a trip to Hawai‘i with her mother changed everything. Ready to return home, at the airport on Lāna‘i, her mother encouraged her to stay on the island for a little while longer.

“I said ‘Mom, I didn’t go to art school for five years to become a beach bum,’ ” Perkins said, but she decided to stay anyway.

Living meagerly on her savings, she quickly found inspiration – and the time – to paint. To her surprise, interest in her work from visitors and locals grew, as did her confidence. Perkins’ gold leaf pineapples were a hit and “started selling like crazy.” She opened a gallery on Lāna‘i in 2006, and her gallery in Makawao in 2009. Today, she has many collectors and repeat customers.

“It’s mind-boggling. Even though I’ve been in this business for 20 years, I still feel so blessed every time I sell a painting,” she said.

Perkins works only in oil and her style is reminiscent of the classic impressionists, but with a contemporary edge. She painted plein air exclusively for 10 years, until her two children were born. Then, “For five years I didn’t see the sunset,” she said.

Living on an island and painting the same scenes repeatedly, Perkins said she has to push herself. But as the seasons change, the light changes, and brings up a new story of living in paradise, and what she and others love about island life.

When people ask her which painting is her favorite, Perkins responds, “The last painting I painted. With every single painting I get to fall in love. It’s all about personal experience, as well as dream-like desires.”

Jordanne Gallery

3625 Baldwin Ave., Makawao jordannefineart.com (808) 563-0088 | IG: Jordanne_Gallery

Tiny bubbles in the brine

By BENTON SEN

Leaping from the water, breaking the ocean surface with majestic grace, as many as 12,000 humpback whales navigate their way from the Pacific Northwest, Alaska and beyond to Hawaiian waters each winter. Mysterious and powerful, these 40-ton gentle giants come here to breed and give birth – and to blow bubbles.

Though humpbacks have long been known to blow “bubble nets” as a hunting tactic to trap fish, Maui-based Whale Trust researchers recently released a paper suggesting the whales might also use bubbles in a romantic context.

While filming underwater in the Au‘au Channel off West Maui, a Whale Trust research team observed frolicking male humpbacks blowing bubbles onto the genitalia of a female humpback. The female tolerated this behavior and even seemed to aid in the reception of the bubbles.

Whale Trust co-founder Flip Nicklin first documented this whale bubbling phenomenon 20 years ago. “I had a little video camera, and the whales were moving slow enough so that I could keep up with them,” Nicklin said. “I was able to photograph a male whale blowing bubbles, going under the female floating on the surface.”

A renowned National Geographic photographer, Nicklin has spent nearly half a century swimming with whales in the wild, taking their pictures and telling their stories. Still, much about humpback whales remains a mystery – for instance, no one has ever seen humpbacks mating. On a scale of one to 10, Nicklin said, what we know about whales is less than one.

All the same, the Whale Trust team has a couple of theories on what this bubbling is all about. One theory posits that the bubbling activity stimulates the female prior to mating, or that it helps release chemical cues that signal to males

Flip Nicklin/Minden Pictures

her readiness to mate. Another theory suggests the female may already be pregnant and about to give birth, in which case the bubbles could stimulate the release of hormones necessary for the birthing process.

Like the humpbacks, Nicklin spends each winter in Maui, where the shallow, calm and protected waters make it one of the best places for watching and studying whales. When humpbacks make their journey to Maui, the first ones show up sometime in October and stay as late as May. In Hawai‘i, they come and go like tourists. Asked about the best way to photograph whales, Nicklin smiled: “You just spend as much time with them as you can and keep remembering that when you are not getting great pictures, you are still in Maui.”

Blowing bubbles may play role in whale romance

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Starting at the Keone‘ō‘io Trailhead, the trail hugs the coast, where the crash of waves on rocks fills the air as hikers gaze up at Haleakalā's summit some 10,000 feet above.

Hiking the Ma - kena Coast on the King ‚s Highway

Story by Kyle Ellison | Photographs by Heather Ellison

or the first time visitor, Keone‘ō‘io, on Maui’s southern coast, might look completely empty. With the sole exception of a faded green port-a-potty and a nearby, gated luxury home, there doesn’t seem to be very much here: no buildings, no stores – no pavement. But spend a day on this rugged shore, where South Maui runs out of road, and you’ll find this outpost isn’t empty – but full – of adventure, history and color. Just seven miles south of manicured Wailea, Keone‘ō‘io is anything but. Here lies a windswept, rocky hinterland that crosses a swath of jagged black lava that was born from Maui’s last eruption. Oral accounts and explorers’ logs suggest that took place in 1790, but radiocarbon dating of the rocks puts it closer to 1600. Regardless, when driving the narrow entrance road across the craggy field, you can clearly make out where lava emerged from the splatter cone, Kalua o Lapa, and left its mark

Much of the trail traverses jagged a'a lava from Haleakalā's last eruption; closed-toed shoe are a must. The trail also passes numerous archaeological sites, where rock walls provide evidence of people who populated this coastline for centuries.

on the coastal landscape, like a spilled can of black paint.

Also known as “La Perouse Bay,” this sheltered cove at the end of the road is where the French explorer, Jean-François de Galáup, comte de La Pérouse, became the first Westerner to leave footprints on Maui when he toured this coastline in 1786. During that visit he noted four or five villages, each with 10 to 12 thatched roof houses, built out of lava rock walls.

Fast-forward a couple of centuries, and those rock walls are still here today. They’re part of a vast archaeological site that’s seemingly frozen in time, and where visitors are asked to tread carefully, and with respect, so as not to disturb any stones.

While the parking lot at Keone‘ō‘io may be the end of the road, it’s the gateway to one of Maui’s most scenic and fascinating adventures on foot. There are also times, during periods of light winds, and when seas are glassy and calm, where the bay is a popular spot to go snorkel, and pods of nai‘a, or Hawaiian Spinner dolphins, occasionally venture near shore.

Be warned, however, for all its beauty, this hiking journey is only for those who come extremely prepared. Jagged shards of a‘a lava will rip rubber slippers to shreds, and there’s no cell service, water, food, facilities, rangers – or shade. The sun can be searing by 8 am, and to

ensure you have enough water for the journey, pack double the amount you’d normally bring, and leave an extra bottle in the car, so it’s waiting there when you’re done. Or, to escape the brutal heat, hike at dawn and dusk – though be sure to also pack a headlamp if you’re planning to watch sunset from the trail.

That said, you don’t have to walk the entire six miles to experience this coastline’s magic. The first half-mile features thundering blowholes, which, during days with large surf and high tides, send sea spray in to the sky. Small pockets of soft white sand – just large enough for a single beach chair – sit tucked between fingers of jet-black lava, gazing out toward turquoise coves. Yellow beans from kiawe trees line a sandy footpath that leads to beaches completely covered with white coral, and if you look closely, you might encounter a herd of wild goats.

After the first mile – which is the easiest and most accessible – the trail reaches an unmarked junction and splits into two separate adventures. One leads to the light tower at Cape Hanamanioa, and the other crosses a two-mile void along the Hoapili Trail.

Bear left, along Hoapili Trail, and soon you’ll be following the rocky footsteps of ancient Hawaiian royalty. This path was part of the “King’s Highway,” which once encircled the island, and this particularly impressive – and

When the trail turns inland and connects with the historic Hoapili Trail, or King's Highway, one can really begin to make out the curbs that made this trail a 19th century engineering marvel. This stretch was commissioned by Gov. Hoapili in 1830.

Just prior to Kanaio Beach, a spur trail leads to a coconut grove and hidden Keawanaku Beach. Waves and currents are usually strong, but on the calmest of days, the intrepid can jump from the rocks and take a refreshing dip. Baking under a relentless sun, the beach is covered with kiawe thorns, fish bones and sun-bleached crabs.

modern – stretch was commissioned in 1830 by Governor Hoapili. Constructed by laborers as a form of punishment for sins, including adultery, the improvements to a narrow, preexisting path, were lauded by early visitors and historians as a feat of early engineering.

The original route was widened from a footpath to one which could accommodate horses, and the lava rock curbs that line each side led the Rev. Harry T. Cheever, in his 1851 book, Life In The Sandwich Islands, to label the trail “the noblest and best Hawaiian work of internal improvement I have anywhere seen.”

More than just a walk back in time, however, the Hoapili Trail allows modern explorers to access hidden, tucked away beaches that only the hardiest fishermen and hikers will ever have the chance to see.

One, Keawanaku, is set at the base of a coconut grove that springs from the chaos of black lava. It’s set down a spur trail, and out of view, of the main, much wider path, but follow a trail that leads toward the palm trees, and you’ll soon reach an enclave of rocky gray sand,

which on calm days, beckons a swim. Currents and waves can be strong here, however, so do so at your own risk.

Even if you don’t choose to splash in the surf, you can still make out some ancient home sites that sit by the base of the palms. Abandoned around 150 years ago, the simple sites, with four rock walls, hearken an amazing, almost incomprehensible time, when Native Hawaiians didn’t just survive on this coast, but also managed to thrive.

Continue on, to Kanaio Beach – which is the furthest section of Hoapili Trail that’s open to public hikers – a large shoreline of bleached white coral abuts a tumultuous sea. While the beach doesn’t offer much in the way of swimming, it’s the sheer isolation and sense of accomplishment that offer the greatest reward. Here is a spot where the only sounds are of crashing waves, the whistle of wind, and your own feet striking the shore. There’s a raw and powerful energy to being in rarely visited spots, as nature has a way of hitting our “reset,” and reminding us that, in the larger scope of time, how small we really are.

You can find this same scenic, silent escape on the Cape Hanamanioa cliffs – a route that is much more accessible, and shorter, than the trek to Kanaio Beach. Granted, you don’t get the chance to hike the historic Hoapili Trail, but it’s a trade-off for sweeping ocean views that include the backside of Molokini Crater, and the island of Kaho‘olawe, in the distance.

After half a mile of crunching across lava rocks from the junction with Hoapili Trail, the humble light tower at Cape Hanamanioa suddenly flashes into view. From this elevated perch, about thirty feet above the cobalt sea, hikers are rewarded with unobstructed views that stretch from Haleakalā’s 10,000-foot summit, to a distant horizon where the closest landmass is 1,300 miles away.

Standing atop these wind-battered rocks, there’s a grandiose sense of serenity, and seclusion, that almost acts as an untethering, of sorts, from our hyper-connected world. Here it’s possible to sit and be present, to bask in the fullness of emptiness, and enjoy this nexus of land and sea, on a coast that time has forgotten.

Much of the salt-and-pepper colored shoreline is a mosaic of jet black lava rock and white, sun bleached coral.

HOAPILI TRAIL

Starting at the Keone‘ō‘io Trailhead, hikers hug the coast before reaching a lava field from Maui's last eruption. The trail splits, with the Hoapili Trail crossing several miles of jagged lava before reaching Kanaio Beach.

Keone‘ōi‘o Trailhead & Parking Lot

Mākena Road 1 inch = 0.6 miles

Perouse Bay

Hikers can take two main trails: one that leads to Cape Hanamanioa lighthouse and another that follows the Hoapili Trail and ends at Kaniao Beach. Those who get an early start can beat the heat – and catch the sunrise.

Cape Hanamanioa Keawanaku

Mākena is 5 miles northwest on Makena Road from Trailhead and Parking Lot. Hoapili Trail/ King's Highway

Hanamanioa Light

La

Kanaio Beach

From the elevated perch by Hanamanioa Lighthouse, hikers can soak up sweeping ocean views and watch waves detonate on the rocks.

Innovative Ways TO BE WELL ON MAUI

By SERENE GUNNISON, CYNTHIA SWEENEY and SAVY JANSSEN

the world can be a busy place, and sometimes we put off or forget to do even simple things to take care of ourselves. Luckily, Maui is blessed with an abundance of easily accessible healing products and modalities that empower mind, body and soul with wellness and rejuvenation. We have luxurious spas and skin care products, botanical gardens, water yoga, organic juices for increased energy or cleansing, even light, sound and color therapy to renew our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Take some time to put the focus on you, and be well, Maui-style.

Maui

Fresh Air Therapeutics

Garden of Eden | Hāna

There is an irrefutable link between wellness and our connection with the natural world. Anecdotal evidence points to nature’s positive effect on mental health, but scientists studying shinrin-yoku, the Japanese practice of forest “bathing,” have found that prolonged time in nature can have measurable physiological benefits. Thus, a visit to Maui’s Garden of Eden Arboretum and Botanical Garden might be precisely what the doctor ordered.

Tucked along the sinuous road to Hāna, this 26-acre botanical garden is home to a manicured mélange of exotic trees and native plants. Visitors can meander through a web of lush walking trails and bask in views of Keōpuka Rock and Puohokamoa Falls.

Originally intended to house a recording studio, a series of divine providences led founder Alan Bradbury to develop his paradisiacal garden where visitors could reconnect with nature. And in a world full of screens and handheld devices, Bradbury’s garden is more medicinal than ever.

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Maui

Maui Garden

Maui Garden of Eden

Farm to Bottle Elixir r.i.p.e. juice market | Kahului

If we are what we eat, at r.i.p.e. juice market in Kahului, there’s a convenient, healthy fix – raw, cold-pressed juices and cleanses. Customers can grab-n-go fresh selections of popular blends, or customize their own juice made from fresh and local Maui-grown produce.

With anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can help support the immune system, the health benefits of juices are potentially endless. r.i.p.e.’s Blue Hawai’i juice, their most popular, is a blend of pineapple, ginger, lemon, blue spirulina and cayenne pepper. Delicious and nutritious, this juice offers

anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits, immune and digestive support, and is great for exercise recovery.

As for cleanses, “This time of year, it seems like everybody wants to do a cleanse,” said Jean Marie Johnson, who owns r.i.p.e. along with her husband, Scott. The Johnsons formulate blends for beginners and those who are more experienced with cleanses. Preordering a few days ahead before coming into the store at 444 Hāna Highway is highly recommended and can be done online or by phone.

ripejuicemaui.com | (808) 856-6722

Poised Paddling

Maui SUP Yoga | Lāhainā

In the calm morning at Shark Pit Beach, before the cruel Lāhainā sun reaches its zenith, a flotilla of yogis balance aboard bulky stand-up paddle boards, their hands reaching skyward as they hold Virabhadrasana, warrior one pose. This is Maui SUP Yoga, an aptly-named offering that hosts floating yoga classes on stand-up paddle boards. But according to owner Nichole Lee Sulimani, yoga is just a fragment of the experience.

“Maui SUP Yoga isn’t about doing headstands or crazy poses,” Sulimani said, “it’s really just about experiencing Maui and coming into this really balanced and calm place.”

Maui SUP Yoga classes commence with an overview of Maui’s history and culture, followed by a practice paddle and an alluring journey through shallow waters to the class site. Regardless of whether you’re a beginner paddler or a first-time yogi, Maui SUP Yoga offers a meditative antidote to busy minds and busy lives.

mauisupyoga.com | (808) 339-3689

Maui

Maui

Jason Moore

Hawaiian-Style Healing Ho‘omana Spa | Makawao

At Ho‘omana Spa, innovative wellness means reviving time-honored healing techniques. Headed by Jeana Iwalani Naluai, a longtime practitioner of Lomi Lomi. Ho‘omana Spa breathes new life into traditional practices like lomilomi massage, giving guests a chance to experience authentic Hawaiian healing in a contemporary spa setting. During treatments, Naluai draws on her lā‘au lapa‘au (plant medicine) expertise and the cleansing mana of prayer.

“At Ho‘omana, you hear chanting all day,” Naluai said. “It’s like a house of prayer.”

Ho‘omana Spa’s menu features massages, herbal baths and refreshed takes on familial Hawaiian rituals. La‘au lapa‘au is at the core of Ho‘omana’s operations, with over 40 treatment-ready native herbs growing on the spa’s sanctuary-like grounds. While most of Maui’s day spas are neatly tucked in strip malls or opulent beachside resorts, Ho‘omana sits on 2 acres on Pi‘iholo Road near Makawao Forest Reserve, inviting a tranquil experience and a deeper connection to the ‘aina.

HoomanaSpaMaui.com | (808) 698-5465

Jason Moore

Cold Plunge Power

Elevate | Ha’ikū

Consciously facing your fight or flight reflexes isn’t something most people seek out, but at Elevate, previously known as Studio 303, the experience is welcomed. From its space in a former pineapple cannery in Ha'ikū, Elevate offers several hot and cold therapies, but the most notable service is the cold plunge, where guests soak in 39-degree water for up to three minutes.

Owner Yasmine Anderson initially turned to cold plunges for pain relief, but she soon discovered something more significant. “The cold plunge has proven how mentally strong I am,” said Anderson, explaining the frigid waters trigger a fight or flight response. “Your body immediately wants to panic. To be able to suppress that is powerful.”

In addition to challenging physiological reactions and aiding in pain relief, cold plunges support muscle repair, reduce inflammation and improve mental health. Elevate also features collagen-boosting red-light therapies and infrared saunas, which guests often pair with cold plunges for contrast therapy. elevate-maui.com

Jason Moore

The Energizer Egg Mind and Body Harmonics

Kīhei

We humans are energized beings, and a new wellness approach focuses directly on energy by using an egg. That’s right, an egg.

The Harmonic Egg is a space-agelooking chamber that uses light, color and frequency to activate the body’s natural ability to balance and restore itself. It combines the science of bioresonance with the ancient wisdom of sacred geometry.

Mind and Body Harmonics owner Sandy Schneider had nearly instant healing in a Harmonic Egg in St. Louis and knew she had to bring one to Maui – the first in Hawaii.

The holistic energy therapy helps the body heal from an array of health issues, including back pain, anxiety, “spiritual dissonance” and emotional issues, or, in Schneider’s case, eczema, she said.

During an initial coaching session, a combination of colored light and music (including by Maui’s own Hawaiian slack-key guitar musician George Kahumoku Jr.) is customized to promote your own healing intention. Then, the egg is programmed, and all you have to do is relax in a zerogravity chair and let the chamber do the rest. Sessions at Mind and Body Harmonics, 95 E Lipoa St., last 90 minutes, 50 of which are spent in the egg.

mindandbodyharmonics.com (808) 856-0054

Skincare By Nature

To Be Organics | Wailuku

Even a small act of taking care of yourself can be enough to boost your health and mood. Skin, our largest organ, loves some love with luxurious bath bars and rejuvenating aromatic sprays from To Be Organics. These self-care products are all about feeling good about yourself, how you look, and helping

you give life your best every day.

As a licensed cosmetologist, esthetician, holistic practitioner and massage therapist for 25 years on Maui, owner Karli Rose saw a need for a different kind of skincare product.

That’s why all ingredients are sourced as locally as possible, and products contain no synthetic fragrances, colors, dyes or palm oil, and are uniquely made without water. “So that way, we don’t have to use preservatives,

which are the prime cause of allergies for sensitive skin," Karli said.

Production, label design and eco-conscious packaging are all done onsite at To Be Organic’s storefront at 485 Waiale Rd. in Wailuku, where you can also chat with Rose about what’s right for you to look and feel beautiful about yourself every day.

tobeorganics.com | (808) 868-0288

Brittany Baker

Aerial Elegance

Uplift Maui | Wailea

With views of the tranquil Pacific Ocean and gently swaying palm fronds, the Uplift Maui studio at Hotel Wailea breathes calm. Inside, colorful silks sway, suspended from the ceiling, supporting participants as they stretch and spiral through space, like Cirque du Soleil in slow motion.

While yoga in the air may seem anything but relaxing, the health and emotional benefits of aerial yoga are numerous: The silks aid deep stretching and body alignment, which regulates the nervous system, increases circulation and relieves pain.

It’s also playful, fun and “forces you to be present,” said Uplift Maui owner and Hotel Wailea Wellness Director Andre “Dre” Fors. While Fors touts the benefits of aerial yoga, she recognizes the obvious challenges of performing yoga while suspended in the air.

“You have to allow yourself to feel vulnerable and be scared,” she said. “In that process, you find support in a positive and uplifting environment, and can find healing.”

Uplift Maui’s offerings extend beyond aerial yoga, including mat yoga, aerial dance, meditation, sound healing, trapeze and a different Mindful week event every Monday for hotel guests and kama'āina.

upliftmaui.com | (808) 495-7154

Uplift Maui

WHERE WELLNESS IS PERSONAL

At ‘Awili Spa and Salon, we create bespoke, customized treatments designed with your personal wellness goals in mind. Choose your preferred combination of experiences from our unique body treatments, massages, facials and luxury salon services. Featuring the world’s most advanced therapies, innovative skin care lines and locally crafted products. Entwine your body and soul at ‘Awili Spa and Salon.

FOR RESERVATIONS CALL US AT 808 573 1234

Dirk “Mouse” Brace surfs a wave at the Cave at Honolua Bay in 1985. This scene was captured by photographer Erik Aeder, who has watched surfing evolve in the 50 years he has spent photographing surfers at the Bay.

A Maui surf photographer's 50-year love affair Story and photographs by ERIK AEDER

Sierra Larsen gracefully duck dives under a Honolua Bay wave in 2016.

y high school notebooks were filled with sketches of perfect tropical bays I had never seen – until I came to Maui in January 1975.

Tropical bays are a surfer’s heaven. The water is clear. The coral reef is abundant. The waves build and break to one side.

In a tropical bay, surfers like me can live out their fantasies riding barrels until we’re too sunburnt to go on, then take shelter from the sun in the shade of a coconut tree, cook fish on an open fire, and hang out with our surf buddies late into the night.

Not long after I discovered Maui, Honolua became my tropical bay – and the object of nearly 50-year obsession entwined with surfing and surf photography.

“Traveling will be my education,” I told my parents when I graduated from high school in La Jolla, California. “Good luck if you can make it,” they told me.

One year at the University of Guam got me addicted to tropical life. Determined to travel the world, I headed straight for Maui as my first stop and fell into this quicksand of paradise.

Back then, there were no buildings visible from the Bay on Maui’s northwest coast. We were in our own private paradise, like the Hawaiians who lived here for centuries before European contact.

Surfing at Honolua Bay began many centuries ago with the pre-contact Hawaiians. The area was settled between 600-1100. By about 1500, Chief Pi‘ilani unified west Maui with its six bays, including Honolua. According to legend, one of his sons, Kiha‘a‘pi‘ilani, surfed Honolua.

Through King Kamehameha III’s Great Māhele in 1852, most of Honolua was awarded to William C. Lunalilo, who became king. After his death, the land changed hands several times and eventually went to H.P. Baldwin in 1889. Honolua and its Lipoa Point were used in a variety of ways – coffee and cattle ranches, a secondary airplane landing site in 1920, the West Maui Golf Club in 1926 and pineapple cultivation until the 1970s. In 1974, portions became under the control of Kapalua Land Co., which eventually led to a hotel, condominiums and a high-end subdivision being built at Kapalua south of the Bay.

In the late 1930s, two Maui brothers, Don and Tario Uchimura, were some of the earliest nonHawaiian surfers, along with Woody Brown in the early 1940s. They rode solid wood boards that weighed more than 80 pounds. Don had the first surf shop on Maui in Wailuku’s Happy Valley in the 1960s. George Opelu, Snake Ah Hee, Buddy Boy Kaohi and the Aluli family were well-known Honolua surfers in the ’60s, along with a growing list of California transplants who were seeking nirvana at the end of the surfing rainbow.

The layout of the surf break at the Bay means anyone losing their board in a wave will see it go into the rocks at the base of the cliffs, the “Cave” is the Bay’s premier break and is an appropriate name for the wave because of an actual cave in the rock cliff face that fronts the wave. It swallows lost boards and dares riders to chase after them into its surging void.

With the advent of board leashes in the early ’70s, riders could afford to take far more chances at the Bay without losing their boards. Before leashes, there were up to 20 broken boards on a weekend that riders would race off to repair in town and be back the next day.

Honolua is a long bay with at least five breaks, including the Cave. Keiki Bowl is inside the Cave and offers a small hollow running wall. Outside Point has the mellowest of waves but has a rock obstacle protruding from the water.

Coconut Grove is a fast, hollow glory ride that has given many riders their ultimate thrill. Subs is the farthest out and breaks best large on a northeast direction when these swells are at their maximum. When the Bay is at its best it is a serious wave that demands respect. Approach it with humility and you might be rewarded with the ride of your life.

When I arrived to Hawai‘i, I tried out all the surf spots on Maui and O‘ahu to get that classic surf shot. Honolua was by far my favorite. As I would learn soon enough, swimming

on O‘ahu's North Shore at famous breaks like Pipeline tests your legs and lungs, while Honolua has a more predictable sweet spot for surfing and surf photography.

Honolua Bay’s Cave is moody like all surf spots, but when it is at its best, it is one of the greatest waves on earth. The first time I swam out to shoot photos at the Bay, I watched how the surfers would run out between surges to a jump off rock at Outside Point, then paddle across behind the waves to the Cave to get in position to catch a wave. Timing the jump-off is not easy. Get it wrong and a set of waves would drag me inside the break, where I would hide behind the rock at Outside Point until the set of waves was over, then swim across.

Once I learned the timing to reach the Cave, I would say “hi” to the surfers and swim inside to take up position for the show. A set of waves would approach, and I would do my best to kick into the right spot as a surfer suddenly turned and, with a couple strokes, surfed into the most perfectly formed wall of water beginning its fast race to the end of its existence.

The surfer would drop down to the bottom of the wave and stall long enough so when he came up into the wave face, the lip would pitch over him, and he would be locked into the ultimate thrill ride of any surfer’s dream.

As I swam in front of the wave, I held my position with camera raised and focused, then I fired shots until I went underwater. Timing

Surfers make their way down the trail at the Cave in 2016. From above, it is possible to see the coral reef that catches the swell at Honolua Bay.

the last duck underwater is a fine line, too: Duck too soon and miss the best shot; stay in the face of the wave too long and you get sucked up and over with the lip – most likely hit the reef.

If I did what I set out to do, I recorded an intimate view of a fantastic ride.

For decades, surfing magazines have glamorized Honolua Bay as an idyllic surfing location that every surfer should experience at least once in their lives. When I first came to Maui, Honolua was quickly becoming discovered by an influx of surfers from California. In 1975, Surfer magazine published an article about the Bay titled “Paradise Lost.” Word travels fast in the surfing community, and Maui had all the ingredients  for an escape  from California’s freeways and cold water.

Honolua Bay became a powerful magnet for surfers of all levels of ability. From the top professionals who have come to ride forecasted swells, to the escapist looking for that transcendent experience. In the early ’70s, the Bay hosted championship surfers like Nat Young from Australia and famous pipeline surfer Gerry Lopez – at the time, both were developing

In 1975, Peter Powell watches the waves at Coconut Grove from the 1950 Chevrolet Deluxe he and Erik Aeder drove to the Bay. Right, Mark Anderson pulls into a barrel at the Cave in 2005.

completely new designs of surfboards and found the Bay’s classic waves the perfect testing ground.The years have provided many stories of incredible rides and moments of tales at the Bay: from local surfers Lloyd Ishimine and artist Christian Riese Lassen riding deep in the barrel and carving high off the lip in the late ’70s, to the supreme stylist Albert Jenks’ classic stretch nose rides through the tube.

Fifty years later, Mark Anderson is still getting incredible barrels at a wave he knows better than anyone and creates beautiful surfboards ridden by many of the local carvers. Brothers Tide and Kiva Rivers have seen their share of monumental moments and even shared a classic pitching tube together at the Cave in 2012. In the late ’80s, Laird Hamilton powered his way into incredible rides before he went on to pioneer the biggest waves in the world at Pe'ahi on Maui’s North Shore.

The Honolua Surf Co. Legends of the Bay surf contest (Jan. 14-Feb. 28, 2023) has been running for more than 25 years and provides any willing surfers a chance to surf classic Cave waves with only five other surfers – a rare treat these days.

In the days when pineapple was farmed here, there was a sweet smell that lingered in the air. Black ash rained down on the blue water of the Bay when the sugar cane fields were burnt before harvest. Trucks loaded with pineapples would blow their horn as they approached the

sharp curve to warn drivers coming the other way that it was swinging wide. As the horn blew in the distance, I remember watching sets of waves rotate around the point like spokes on a bicycle wheel. Surfers scrambled, paddling hard to be in position.

We would get up early – the dawn patrol. Our mission was to score less crowded surf. It often rained the night before, and the muddy surfer trail down the cliff needed negotiating with care. One morning I tried to stay on my feet, to no avail. I went down on my butt and slid down the trail toward the edge of the cliff until I extended my free hand like a ski pole and pivoted around a turn, narrowly avoiding the cliff.

Many cars (especially rentals) have been stuck and needed to be towed out, often by opportunistic locals with four-wheel drive trucks. Over the years, some cars went over the cliff and landed permanently on the rocks below to slowly rust to the axles. Whether they went over by sliding in the mud or by not using the parking brake, only the owners knew.

While driving to the Bay was sometimes eventful, sleeping at the Bay is whole other adventure. In the late ’70s, a friend and I pooled our money and bought a four-door sedan with reclining front seats we lovingly nicknamed “Rotten Egg.” We were unsuccessful in finding a house to rent, so one of us had a bright idea, “Let’s just sleep in the car at the Bay.”

That night, we parked next to the cliff above the beach. I lost the coin toss and got stuck with sleeping in the driver’s seat. A very hard rain, combined with my penchant for acting out my dreams, had me sitting up, grabbing the steering wheel and pushing hard on the brake pedal while screaming, “We’re going off the cliff!”

My friend awoke in a panic, flung open his door and bailed from the car into the mud. He sat there stunned in the dark, then realized we weren’t going anywhere. He never let me forget it.

Accommodations at the Bay always were and are still rustic. Proposals to develop the Bay – from a boat harbor, to paving the dirt road down to the cliff, to installing bathrooms – have been proposed and defeated through the years, the result of various groups with missions to keep the Bay undeveloped. In 1979 the Honolua-Mokulē‘ia Marine Life Conservation District was established to protect the Bay’s ecosystem for all to enjoy.

In the nearly 50 years now that I have been going to the Bay, I am thankful it has been preserved so surfers can continue to soak in the beauty that the Bay radiates. Just as they did for the ancient Hawaiians, its waves continue to roll in and break, weaving their magical spell on anyone who visits the Bay.

Top: Paige Alms bottom turns at the 2012 Billabong Pro women's event.

Above: Eli Hanneman, Logan Bediamol, Ian Gentil and Isaac Stant receive awards at the 2018 Legends at the Bay surfing competition.

smallwonder

Story by Sarah Ruppenthal Photography by Tony Novak-Clifford

An environmental entrepreneur goes upscale while downsizing.

Graham Hill’s 1,000-squarefoot home is completely off the grid and harvests more energy and water than it consumes, thanks in part to rain chains that direct water to the 15,000-gallon Acer tank below the home and Sunflare solar panels that were manufactured in custom sizes to match the contours of the roof.

raham Hill’s 1,000-squarefoot Ha‘ikū home has four bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms, and enough space to entertain more than 20 guests.

On paper, that description might arouse some skepticism – it’s a lot to pack into 1,000 square feet – but in person, the layout makes perfect sense.

Graham knows a thing or two about making the most of minimal space. He is the founder and CEO of LifeEdited, a consulting firm that helps homeowners, architects and developers design compact homes and apartments. His most recent project is Carbonauts, which hosts workshops that help people optimize their lifestyles to build a greener future. “It’s the way I think,” he explains. “I’m not the kind of guy who would do a big house.”

He walks the walk and talks the talk. Literally. In a 2011 TED Talk titled “Less Stuff, More Happiness,” Graham extolled the virtues of pared-down living. Twenty years ago, he and a business partner sold their Internet startup, and Graham used the windfall to purchase a four-story, 3,600-square-foot home in one of Seattle’s trendiest neighborhoods. He soon realized that a supersized house required an inordinate amount of stuff – and upkeep, too. “My life became unnecessarily complicated,” he says. The novelty wore off quickly; Graham sold the home and most of his belongings, packed what remained into a few bags, and set off to travel the world. In 2010, he debuted “LifeEdited1,” a 420-square-foot apartment in New York City that functioned more like 1,000 square feet, thanks to a flexible layout

with moveable interior walls and convertible furniture. Later that year, he moved into “LifeEdited2,” a 350-square-foot apartment in the same building.

An avid surfer, kiteboarder and stand-up paddler, Graham would routinely fly from New York to Maui and would stay with his cousin Chelsea Hill at her home in Ha‘ikū. “I always came in the dead of winter – for obvious reasons,” he laughs. He’d stay in a 200-squarefoot cabin – which had neither a kitchen nor a bathroom – on Chelsea’s property. In 2011, his cousin offered to sell him the 2-acre vacant parcel behind her home, and he pounced on the opportunity. “I told myself I’d do something with it at some point,” Graham says.

That point came in 2016, when he hooked up with architect and engineer David Sellers. They had met years before in New York but lost touch when David moved to Europe to attend graduate school. Neither knew the other was on Maui until one of Graham’s associates spotted David’s updated profile on LinkedIn. (Remarkably, David was living less than a mile from Graham’s property.)

The two met for lunch one day, and Graham shared his plans for LifeEdited’s first project in Hawai‘i. He wanted to build an off-the-grid family home – one that would harvest more energy and water than it consumed – on his Ha‘ikū property. David signed on as the architect and engineer; Graham also tasked him with designing the home’s water, wastewater and energy systems.

Right off the bat, the project presented a strategic challenge. A single dirt driveway was the only way to access the small construction site at the summit of the steeply sloping

Shawn Hannah

At the home’s front entrance, guests can rinse off their sandy toes under the outdoor foot shower and hang their salty gear on Resource Furniture’s wooden coat rack.

property. To prevent a congested work area, David imposed a strict timeline for the delivery and use of materials and equipment. And given the difficult terrain, many components were fabricated off-site.

All of the construction equipment operated on 100 percent biodiesel, including a pile driver that pummeled steel columns as much as 9 feet into the ground. David and Graham opted to forgo a standard masonry wall in favor of galvanized steel – a more durable material, and one whose scraps could be more easily recycled. (In fact, the only concrete on the property is the garage floor slab and the driveway). Once the home’s skeleton was complete, David handed the project off to general contractor Massimo Pandolfi to finish the structure.

Completed in 2017, the fully off-grid residence has more than its share of conversationworthy features. The roof’s near-invisible, ultra-thin, 10-kilowatt solar system powers the home. Custom rain chains direct rainwater from the gutters to a catch basin below, then down to a 15,000-gallon tank on the property. In each bathroom, composting toilets require no water (just some helpful instructions for amateurs). There’s no air conditioning, but when the prevailing trade winds stop, sleek ceiling fans pick up the slack. In the 1,330-square-foot garage, a maintenance-free battery system captures excess energy from the rooftop solar panels and stores it for use at night; the system has 48 kilowatt hours of off-grid storage. Graham wanted the home to have the lowest possible  carbon footprint, so there is no generator on the property (and with that much energy storage in the garage, it’s unlikely he’ll ever need one).

Indoors, Graham outfitted three bedrooms with convertible furniture that creates the functionality of a much larger space. Murphy beds occupy two of the rooms; one folds up to reveal an integrated desk, the other a dining table. In the third bedroom, bunk beds fold separately into the wall; when pulled down, the bottom bunk doubles as a sofa. There’s shapeshifting furniture on the 330-squarefoot covered lānai, too, including reconfigurable outdoor sofas with adjustable backrests, and a coffee table that lifts and extends into

Above: Bento Build’s wall-mounted lattice system gives Graham the option of reconfiguring the modular kitchen cabinets and drawers. The outdoor sofas have reconfigurable backrests and can morph from sofa to chaise to tête-à-tête seating, or even a freestanding bed. The transforming coffee tables lift and extend into a dining table.

Left: What could be better than taking a bubble bath outside? This sleek Kohler tub cozily occupies an outdoor nook on one side of the home. Sliding glass doors lead to the interior, and crisp white curtains can encirle the tub to provide privacy when desired.

In one of the three bedrooms, a queen-size bed folds into the wall to reveal a dining table that can seat up to five people.

a dining table. The multifunctional theme extends to the kitchen, where moveable cabinets, shelves and drawers snap into a lattice system attached to the wall.

Then there’s the Thing in the garage.

One afternoon, while the home was still under construction, David and Graham were driving along Hāna Highway when a bright yellow

Volkswagen Thing zipped past them. “I said, ‘Now there’s the perfect car for an electric conversion,’” David recalls. Graham was instantly intrigued – even more so when he learned that David could do the conversion himself.

David logged on to Craigslist that evening and serendipitously found a 1973 Thing for sale on Maui. He forwarded the listing to Graham,

who bought the car a few days later. The home’s battery system can now charge the fully electric Thing.

Graham hopes his Ha‘ikū home, which he now offers as a long-term rental, will not only serve as a model for off-grid living, but also demonstrate the upside of downsizing and having fewer material possessions. After all, he says, “The best stuff in life isn’t stuff at all.”

WEB EXCLUSIVE: Watch a multitasking New York apartment transform before your eyes at MauiMagazine.net/smart-home.

Red Canoe, Oil, 24" x 30" by Carleton

ving Maui

By CARLA TRACY, Dining Editor

LARGER THAN LIFE … It’s always been as grand as a modern-day palace. But now Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort has kicked it up to the Nth degree after the most extensive renovation since its opening more than three decades ago. Two beloved dining venues have been transformed. The former Grand Dining room is now the brunch and breakfast restaurant, ‘Ikena, and the old Cafe Kula is spiffed up as grab-and-go gourmet market, Loulu.

I say, “Run, don’t walk,” to the Rosé Brunch now presented Sundays at ‘Ikena. The Hawaiian name can mean “a view,” and it’s got it BIG TIME overlooking the posh resort’s dolphin reflecting pools, the ocean and the neighbor islands beyond.

Sip premium rosé label La Fête du Rosé wine and indulge in a plethora of pleasurable eats, the likes of which one hasn’t seen on Maui for at least three years. Seafood lovers line up for lobster claws, freshly shucked oysters, snow crab, shrimp, poke and ceviche.

Wake up with omelets, Maui honey-fried chicken and waffles, and eggs Benedict with Kona crab cake, all crafted by Executive Chef Ryan Urig and his team. From hot entrees such as local Hawaiian steamed fish “Chinoise style” with ginger, green onion, cilantro and sizzling sesame soy sauce, to prime rib and roast pork they slice in front of you, it’s impressive indeed.

The Bloody Mary bar takes this brunch into the stratosphere. Lobster claws and other seafood reappears here. Other garnishes are bacon, sausage, shishito peppers, grilled asparagus, hearts of palm and much more. You can almost make a brunch out of the bar!

New restaurants have debuted as part of an extensive renovation of Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria resort. The Grand Dining Room is now ‘Ikena, which serves Rosé Brunch on Sundays; the old Cafe Kula is now the gourmet market Loulu.

Do peruse the dessert station with Bananas Foster cheesecake, chocolate pot de crème and ice cream scooped into just-baked, hollowed-out sweet rolls. You add the toppings as you watch live music and hula being performed.

MORE OUT WAILEA WAY … Loosen your belts, because yet another off-the-charts Sunday brunch may be found in Wailea at the nearby Fairmont Kea Lani Maui.

Taste buds travel to China with ginger-steamed salmon, stirfried noodles, char-siu pork ribs and egg fu yong. Then jump over to Japan with sashimi, sushi, shrimp tempura and Okinawan soba noodles. Go Hawaiian with ahi poke, short rib loco moco and pohole fern-shoot salad. Korean, Filipino, Portuguese and traditional American fare also tempt. Fairmont’s Sunday brunch is served at Fairmont's Kō, voted Maui’s 2022 Restaurant of the Year at Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi Magazine ‘Aipono Awards.

“Kō is truly a collaborative effort,” shares Kō’s Executive Chef Aris Aurelio, a native of Cauayan Isabela, Philippines, who has been cooking on Maui for decades. “To create culinary experiences that represent all of us, who we are, where we came from and where we are going, is really special. The story behind Kō, originally conceptualized by the late Chef Tylun Pang, is one we are all extremely proud of and eager to continue sharing.”

Under the guidance of new Executive Chef Michael Lofaro, who

is an expert waterman, Chef Aurelio puts out a seafood lau lau during Kō’s dinner service that is the talk of the town. Wrapped in ti leaf are scallops, prawns, fresh catch, Upcountry spinach and shiitake mushrooms cooked in shoyu coconut milk and served with lomi-lomi tomato and Molokai sweet potato mash.

The Fairmont’s LUANA Lounge is jumping with live music nightly, some amazing deals on Casamigos margaritas on Wednesdays and 50 percent off bottles of wine on Fridays.

Off Wailea Ike Drive mauka, or “mountainside,” from the ocean is Wailea Gateway plaza where “wow” is now the word. In fact, the new Oao is pronounced, “wow.” The hip, new sushi bar is the namesake of Chef Bernardo A. Oao Jr., better known as “Chef Jr.” He began humbly as a dishwasher at Isana in Kihei, before moving up the restaurant ladder to become chef at Sushi Land in Seattle, Nobu Lanai and all over Maui from Miso Phat to Sansei to Shaka Sushi, circling back to Isana again, this time rising meteorically to sushi bar manager – before opening his very own Oao Sushi Go food truck and Oao restaurant in South Maui.

Lift your chopsticks to salmon-sesame carpaccio, Big Eye tuna, and Wailea Rainbow Roll crafted with ahi, salmon, hamachi, crab, unagi, avocado, cucumber and tobiko. Besides seafood, fresh vegetables abound from shishito peppers to grilled corn on the cob. Entrees run the gamut from poached lobster to prime ribeye. Liquor license is pending as of press time.

Fairmont Kea Alani’s Kō is Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi‘s ‘Aipono Awards 2022 Restaurant of the Year. A Kō bartender serves a Shiso Sour. Chef Aris Aurelio is the guiding force behind Kō's menu, inspired by Hawaiian, Chinese, Filipino, Portuguese, Korean and Japanese cuisine.

Rachel Olsson Photography

“What I have learned in life, starting from the bottom, is that you need to be able to appreciate the smaller things in order to appreciate the top,” says Chef Jr. “Because the keys to attaining greatness can be learned even when you have nothing. It takes hard work, dedication, humility, and above all: You need to be coachable.”

WEST SIDE STORIES … Opening its doors to a much-different world back in Jan. 23, 1963, the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa in Kā‘anapali was the cat’s meow with the Hollywood set, many stars being the first-jet travelers to Hawai‘i.

In fact, the Sheraton brought the first commercial jet flight across the Pacific to Maui: United Airlines Mark IV DC-8 filled with A-listers. Elvis Presley immortalized the resort in “Paradise Hawaiian Style.” Sports legend Sam Snead, crooner Bing Crosby, comedian Bob Hope and “My Three Sons” television dad Fred MacMurray were all aboard.

Young’uns may not recognize the names of these celebs who flocked here back in the day, but do note that the resort still maintains its glamorous history and world-class hospitality. The sunset cliff dive has been a tradition since day one. Every evening as the sky turns from mango to vermillion red, cliff divers reenact the legendary leap of King Kahekili, aka the “Thunderer.” Kahekili ruled Maui and Oahu for 45 years until 1794 from his Kā‘anapali home.

Following in Kahekili’s footsteps, the cliff-divers light tiki torches as they run up “Pu'u Keka'a” or “Black Rock” to the ledge above the ocean, then swan dive into the waves. It’s a sight to behold. Spectators say it pairs well with a Mai Tai. Sip. Take a picture. Breathe in the excitement. Sip some more. Watch the sun dip into the ocean. Hope for a green flash.

The Sandbar I‘a Ekolu Fish Three Ways is served at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary. The drink menu includes the Sandbar Mai Tai – a special for the anniversary – and Swirling Turbulence cocktails.

Sheraton Maui (both)

In celebration of Sheraton’s birthday, the food and beverage team has curated the special 60th anniversary Sandbar Mai Tai, blending Barcardi Gran Reserva Limitada, which they describe as “a rare, luxurious selection of limited barrel-aged reserve rums.” The elixir of the gods also features Pierre Ferrand dry curacao, lilikoi juice and Reynold’s Falernum all-natural cocktail syrup bursting with ginger, almond, clove and fresh lime. They add in Angostura Bitters. Top it with a house pineapple orgeat foam complete with gold leaf, and then present it in a keepsake Maui vessel. The Mai Tai is priced at $60 and it’s purported to be worth every drop.

Maui always tees off with tradition at the start of each year and 2023 is no different. The Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort again hosted the Sentry Tournament of Champions in early January with the crème de la crème of the golf world there.

Right on No. 1 green near the main entrance, FanTime on Nine welcomed fans with an array of food trucks from Merienda to Sparky’s along with beverage booths and picnic-style seating. Fans checked out the Champions Experience by Sentry and visited the Taste of Maui between the No. 1 fairway and the No. 18 green.

Big Wave Shave Ice helped fans cool off with concoctions, and Castaway Cafe, Joey’s Kitchen and Outrigger Pizza served savory dishes. Right in the thick of things, The Plantation House restaurant supported on-course concessions.

Additionally, Kamado Maui and Chef Taylor Ponte, graduate of the Maui Culinary Academy, born and raised in Makawao and winner of the Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi Magazine ‘Aipono Awards 2022 (and 2020) Chef of the Year, provided amazing food on-course.

Nearby, The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua is the place to see and be seen. The resort just completed a $100-million transformation of its dining experiences, guestrooms and public spaces. Gold ‘Aipono Award Alaloa Lounge now boasts an all-new lobby lanai with unobstructed views of Honokahua Bay.

Enjoy live music most nights, appetizers and a sushi station. And the Ritz just launched a new premium room category called the Fire Lanai Collection in January with well, ritzy patio living spaces and firepits.

The Ritz’s signature The Banyan Tree restaurant just debuted a new menu highlighting seasonal fare, playful flavors, and fragrant

The Sandbar at Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa offers an enticing selection of craft cocktails and local bites, all of which are infused with island flavors.

Sheraton Maui

Celebrates Chinese New Year Maui

By CARLA TRACY

Like magic, the Year of the Rabbit is pulled out of Maui restaurant hats with greetings of “kung hee fat choy!” or “happy new year!” Starring in this year’s Chinese New Year activities, the Rabbit rotates in every 12 seasons with other Chinese Zodiac animals. They include Dog, Pig, Rat, Ox, Horse, Tiger, Rooster, Monkey, Snake, Goat and Dragon.

Chinese immigrants first arrived in the late 18th century, a few as sailors with Capt. James Cook back in 1778. Their descendants along with people of Chinese and other mixed ancestries constitute an integral part of the state’s population, so Chinese New Year is big in Hawai‘i.

Some restaurants celebrate early. Others serve specials all week. Firecrackers go ka-boom in the night. Lion dancers snake their way through restaurants, malls and hotel lobbies, mouths snapping and drums beating. Spectators happily oblige them with lai-see, or red envelopes, filled with money to spread good luck and keep the bad spirits away.

Everything is auspicious. For instance, the longer the noodle one eats, the longer one is supposed to live. Oranges symbolize prosperity. Some traditional dishes such as jai, or vegetarian Monk’s food, are made only for the Lunar New Year.

“Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year has always held a special place in my heart,” said Jennifer Nguyen, the iconic founder behind the hugely popular A Saigon Cafe in Wailuku. “I always looked forward to it as a kid because it was a joyous and festive week-long celebration of culture, family and food. The best part for me was that as a kid, we would receive a lot of lai see, or red packets with money, from our parents and elders.”

“For the past 28 years, I have continued to uphold tradition by bringing in the lion dance and preparing food that I remember from my childhood. Not only does it allow me to share my culture with my customers, I hope it helps create everlasting memories of Chinese New Year for them, and brings back the same spark, festivity and excitement I remember from my childhood.”

As a special for Chinese New Year, chef Thi Pham simmers pork tenderloin overnight in coconut juice until fork tender and presents it with hard-boiled eggs and pickled vegetables.

At the Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, The Banyan Tree restaurant recently debuted a new menu highlighting seasonal fare, playful flavors and fragrant aromas. A Saigon Cafe founder Jennifer Nguyen serves special dishes for Chinese New Year.

aromas. Dive into shrimp ceviche, watermelon and tomato caprese, coconut red curry seafood, Snake River wagyu beef and international desserts.

Speaking of international, The Banyan Tree Chef Marimer Garcia is inspired by Asian cuisine as well as Thai, Indian and Japanese sushi. She hails from Puerto Rico. Executive Chef George Vanyi came to Maui in 2021 from the Ritz-Carlton Beijing Financial District. Born and raised in Toronto, he incorporates influences from his world travels.

Planning to be on Maui this spring? Save the date for the Ritz’s 31st annual Celebration of the Arts April 7-8 that focuses on Hawaiian culture, music and cuisine.

DO THE DUCK WALK … Diners are flocking to the new Duckine in Lāhainā. The menu is cutting-edge, playful and very duck-centric featuring pressed duck bao buns painted with guava-hoisin sauce, duck won-ton soup, duck-fat fried rice, crispy duck leg and Oriental salad with duck, Mandarin oranges and sesame dressing.

Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua

Jason Moore photo

“Small kine” plates include puffed shrimp dim sum; “ohana, or family kine,” crispy egg noodles; and “big kine” half or whole roast duck or, say, steamed kampachi with lup-chong Chinese sausage, ginger, scallion, cilantro and sesame soy. Seafood such as Kung Pao shrimp, scallops and calamari also tempts. So does ribeye, seared in Szechuan peppercorn sauce. You’ll discover that this Chinese-Hawaiian menu is crazy good.

Killing it is none other than the “Kitchen Assassin” Alvin Savella, the owner chef of this fun and sexy new establishment. Savella was a celebrated chef de cuisine at the Ritz as well as the Grand Wailea and most recently as executive chef of Māla Ocean Tavern, located across Front Street from Duckine and a sister restaurant to this new venture. He’s partnering with Māla veterans Rob Farrell, Javier Barberi, Ashley Davis and Caleb Hopkins.

Duckine’s bar program features elevated, creative craft cocktails. Mixologist Hailey Cook is inspired by Chinese apothecary items and blends in teas, tinctures and herbs for such fun drinks as “Rice, Rice Baby” and “What the Duck?” Happy hour features 30 percent off small kine grindz and discounted drinks such as the Tiki Teapots.

FOR LOVEBIRDS ONLY … It’s nothing at all like the cult-favorite movie, “The Bird Cage” starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane. And it’s the polar opposite of the Raven Suite at the Zaza Hotel in Dallas filled with dark memorabilia from Hitchcock’s “The Birds.”

No, the Birdcage at Hotel Wailea is the most delightful, romantic and adults-only lounge on island. With heavenly views

Duckine bartender Kirsten Matthews mixes up drinks inspired by Chinese apothecary items and blends in teas, tinctures and herbs.

Keegan Kim

Hawaii Magazine’s Third Annual Reader’s Choice Awards: Named One of the Top Five ”Best Hotel/Resort Restaurants” and “Best for Breakfast” in the state of Hawaii

Rated

Maui No Ka Oi Magazine’s Annual Maui Restaurant ‘Aipono Culinary Awards: Best Ocean Front Dining: Gold

from its perch about 300 feet above sea level, the openair rotunda of a room was formerly the lobby. Soaring ceilings open to a skylight and tables with bird-shaped legs and some chairs look like cages, adding a whimsical touch.

But the wild lovebirds, often 20 or so of them, fly in and out at their leisure and miraculously land on the rim of the rotunda, leaving diners alone. Vibrant peach, yellow, blue and green colors illuminate the small parrots. Monogamous, they kiss and preen their mates unabatedly.

Imitate the lovebirds. Cozy up in your cushy bar nest. Sip craft cocktails such as the Im-Peck-Able Daiquiri, the Fly by Night and the Crane of Happiness, the latter with Kikori Japanese whiskey. Feed each other bites of poke on crackers, Maui onion dip, watermelon salad and cheese and charcuterie.

“We have an incredible craft cocktail program,” says Director of Food & Beverage Derrin Abac. “Our talented bar team is inspired by the glamorous and whimsical vibe of the space.”

Speaking of birds, the Hyatt Regency Resort & Spa in Kā‘anapali houses the cutest little warm-weather African Black-Footed Penguins in tiny igloo-shaped huts

Duckine serves a wide array of ono grindz. Chef BJ and Chef Alvin are part of the restaurant's talented kitchen crew. Duckine Plates are the highlight of what is a very duck-centric menu. Above, the Birdcage at Hotel Wailea is a bird-themed lounge with soaring ocean views.

Keegan Kim (all)

Travis Rowan/Hotel Wailea

just outside of the acclaimed Japengo restaurant.

The eldest, Nahu, is 18 years old, and there are younger twins, Mai and Tai. Other exotic birds in Hyatt’s menagerie are cranes, swans, flamingos, ducks and parrots. Wildlife tours are offered.

Japengo also offers up an avantgarde craft cocktail program with names of Blushing Geisha, Ube Sour and Bird of Paradise.

Carved tableside with flourish, the new Tomahawk Ribeye easily serves three or four people.

“It is a culinary experience with personal interactive touch from start to finish,” says Japengo Chef de Cuisine Gevin Utrillo. “The ribeye is made to order and takes 45-minutes to prepare. While guests wait for their main course, they can choose a salad and sushi as starters which are included in the experience. It also comes with accompaniments and sides.”

In addition, Chef Utrillo creates a wow factor with whole, line-caught 'ōpakapaka fried or steamed Chinese style.

“We will serve the fish tableside and have interactive components, such as pouring different sauces over the fried fish.”

Seared eggplant and tomato shrimp salad is crafted after Utrillo’s mother’s Filipino tortang talong. Tofu agedashi, karaage chicken and shaking-beef noodles are all new after Utrillo’s recent collaboration in Japan with the Hyatt Regency Osaka culinary team. Do order the creamy kimchee and edamame mashed potatoes. And, the freshas-it-gets sashimi and sushi by Chef Masamichi “Masa” Hattori as you gaze out over the water.

Do you love music with your dessert? Jazz Maui presents the weekly Sunset Jazz Series at The Chocolate Bar from 5 to 7 p.m. Sundays in Lāhainā at Maui Ku‘ia Estate Chocolate Pavilion. Vocalist Sheryl Renee and others perform.

“Enjoy great jazz, sunset views, and award-winning chocolate pairings and an exquisite selection of wine, spirits and beer available for purchase,” says Jazz Maui’s Bryant Neal.

Ah, yes. Maui keeps getting sweeter and grander – all the way from Wailea to Lāhainā to Kā‘anapali.

For an extensive Maui dining guide, visit MauiMagazine.net/DiningGuide and follow MauiMagEats on Instagram.

Hanana

Maui's Calendar of Events

by SERENE GUNNISON

The Great Whale Count

Jan. 28, Feb. 25 and March 25

Three times a year, citizen scientist volunteers gather with a simple task in mind: counting humpback whales. While whale watching is a popular recreational activity on Maui during the winter months, volunteers with the Great Whale Count occupy their whale-counting posts with purpose.

With a steadfast gaze fixed on the horizon, participants collect data from 12 sites across Maui, from Pu‘u Ola‘i’s shrubby peak to the warm sands at DT Fleming Beach Park. Whale sightings are recorded during 15-minute intervals from 8:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

Pacific Whale Foundation’s Great Whale Count operates in symbiosis with the Sanctuary Ocean Count, which takes place simultaneously on O‘ahu, Kaua‘i and Hawai‘i Island. Data from each island is then compiled to provide an accurate snapshot of humpback whale activity across Hawai‘i. In 2022, nearly 75 percent of whales spotted during peak times around the state were recorded off Maui.

The Great Whale Count is a facet of Pacific Whale Foundation’s annual Maui Whale Festival, which was forced to transition to a virtual format during the covid-19 pandemic. This year, citizen volunteers are once again welcome to return to the count, eager to resume for the love of kai and koholā.

To volunteer and see results from past years, visit pacificwhale.org.

Citizen scientist volunteers help researchers collect data from 12 sites across Maui as part of the Great Whale Count, which tracks humpback whale activity.

Pacific Whale Foundation

Pacific Whale Foundation

Maui Pops Orchestra: Spring Pops with Kalani Pe‘a

March 12

Armed with soulful vocals, a fierce stage presence, and his signature purple cap, threetime Grammy award-winning Maui artist Kalani Pe‘a is set to take the stage at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s Castle Theater. But this time, instead of his usual accompaniment, Pe‘a will be joined by a band of epic proportions: Maui Pops Orchestra.

The Maui Pops Orchestra isn’t your run-of-the-mill ensemble. Instead of sticking to classical arrangements, the Pops presents a reimagined orchestral take with a program that blends contemporary pop and time-honored classics.

For the orchestra’s season finale, Pe‘a and the Pops team up to showcase Pe‘a’s vocal prowess, which he describes as “Hawaiian contemporary soul.” Long-time Pops bassist Marcus Johnson says he’s eager to work with the award-winning artist. “I’m looking forward to seeing what [Pe‘a] has up his sleeve,” Johnson said. “He’s always very creative.”

The 60-instrument ensemble performs at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center several times a year. Shows highlight a variety of themes – from Broadway show tunes to folk anthems of the 1970s – and often feature esteemed vocalists.

Regardless of the theme or featured artist, to Johnson, the Pops is a source of pride for Maui. “There’s a lot of communities that don’t have any kind of orchestra at all anymore,” Johnson said. “It makes people feel good to know that they can come to a beautiful hall like the MACC and hear world-class music played by the people who live here.”

And with Pe‘a in the Pops’ corner for its spring installment, the performance is poised to be a musical fusion like the island has never seen.

Honolua Legends of the Bay

Jan. 14-Feb. 28 • Honolua Bay

Surf celebrities and amateurs alike convene for an epic two-day saga of surfing at Honolua Bay. This legendary surf contest is held in peeling, hollow surf at Honolua Cave, attracting competitors and spectators from near and far. The holding period for competition runs Jan. 14-Feb. 28, allowing a six-week window for optimal surfing conditions to align. hsamaui.org

Chinese New Year

Jan. 27 • Wo Hing Museum, Lāhainā

The Lunar New Year kicks off with a bang in Lāhainā – literally. With gong performances, mesmerizing lion dances, martial arts demonstrations and firecracker displays, the year of the Rabbit is welcomed with a cacophony of excitement and good fortune. Visitors can also enjoy all-day free admission to the Wo Hing Museum. 858 Front St. 2:30-8 p.m. (808) 661-3262

Nu‘u Refuge Volunteer Day

Feb. 4 • Nu‘u Refuge, Kaupo

Nu‘u Refuge may go unnoticed by the masses traveling on Maui’s gnarled Pi‘ilani Highway, but to scores of native birds, Nu‘u’s sequestered wetlands are a lifeline. To help restore these diminishing wetlands, volunteer with Hawai‘i Land Trust to remove invasive species, plant native vegetation, and deepen your connection to the ‘aina. 9 a.m.-12 p.m. hilt.org | (808) 744-2462

Brett Young

Feb. 5 • Maui Arts

& Cultural Center

Hailing from Orange County, California, Brett Young’s music has been described as “West Coast-meets-Southern sound.” The country singer-songwriter is best known for penning his smash hit “In Case You Didn’t Know.” Join him at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center for a night of soulful sounds. 7:30 p.m. | mauiarts.org | (808) 242-7469

Hawaiian contemporary soul artist Kalani Pe‘a teams up with the 60-instrument Maui Pops Orchestra to create a memorable showcase of musical fusion.

Maui Pops Orchestra

Kalani Pe'a

Bob Bangerter

Dayan Kai: Mauka Makai

Feb. 10 • Pro Arts Playhouse, Kīhei

Multi-instrumentalist Dayan Kai always has a few surprises up his sleeve when he performs. Kai’s songs and humorous stage presence invites deeper connection to self and calls attention to the absurdity of human experience. This blind, Maui-born musician always puts on a show to remember. 7:30 p.m. proartsmaui.org | (808) 463-6550

Dirty Cello

Feb. 11 • Pro Arts Playhouse, Kīhei

Didn’t think rocking out to cello was possible? San Francisco-based duo Dirty Cello brings the cello to life in the styles of blues, rock, and Americana. Dirty Cello has shared their high-energy string-sounds with the world, from China to Italy, and now the Pro Arts Playhouse Kīhei stage. 7:30 p.m. | proartsmaui.org | (808) 463-6550

An Evening with David Sedaris

Feb. 16 • Maui Arts & Cultural Center

Many words can be used to describe David Sedaris: neurotic, witty, humorous, and even profound. But one thing is for sure: this best-selling author has become a master at charming audiences around the nation with his adept storytelling and droll observations. His special appearance at the MACC also includes a book signing and Q and A. 7:30 p.m. | mauiarts.org | (808) 242-7469

TUMUA: Not Even Joking Tour

Feb. 17 • Maui

Arts & Cultural Center

You going guarantee buss’ laugh when Oahu-based comedian Tumua Tuinei hits the Maui Arts & Cultural Center Stage. Tuinei is a Pidgin-English comedian of heroic proportions, winning over audiences across the state with uproarious anecdotes and relatable jokes about his local family. 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. | mauiarts.org | (808) 242-7469

Whale Tales

Feb. 17-20 • Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua

Attendees join the Whale Trust research team and a stellar roster of international experts for a weekend of world-class talks, whale watches, education opportunities and special events. Now in its 17th year, Whale Tales is an educational event that bridges the information gap between scientists working in the field and the public. It is also a critical means to raise funds to support whale research in Hawai‘i. whaletales.org | (808) 572-5700

From oil paintings to traditional mediums like stone carving and weaving, work from 10 native Hawaiian artists is on display at the ‘Ike Kanaka exhibit at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center's Schaefer Gallery.

‘Ike Kanaka

through March 18

The gleaming Schaefer Gallery at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center has seen its share of exhibits since its inception in 1994. But few have required the planning or staying power of ‘Ike Kanaka. The ‘Ike Kanaka art show was first conceptualized nearly four years ago.

At its core, ‘Ike Kanaka aims to present a tangible expression of native Hawaiian experiences, perspectives and ‘ike (knowledge) of kanaka (human beings). “Our planning for this exhibition began with many in-depth discussions about Indigenous ideas and cultural issues Hawaiians are facing today,” gallery director Neida Bangerter said in a press release. “We talked about generational learning in a time of hulihia (disruptive change or chaos) and the importance of passing down essential stories and ancestral history to honor and sustain identity into the future.”

‘Ike Kanaka calls on 10 native Hawaiian artists to convey ‘ike and mo‘okū‘auhau (genealogy). The exhibit features a range of works, from oil paintings to traditional Hawaiian mediums like stone carvings and lauhala weaving.

The exhibit not only gives voice to kanaka artists but also intends to foster a community appreciation for familial Hawaiian stories and ka wā ma mua, the time gone before. In keeping with the exhibit’s theme of perpetuating ancestral history, Hawaiian language descriptions will be featured alongside English, further encouraging an ‘ōlelo (language) Hawai‘i renaissance.

‘Ike Kanaka runs through March 18. The Schaefer Gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission is free.

Maui Arts & Cultural Center

Jim Gaffigan: Dark Pale Tour

Feb. 23 • Maui Arts & Cultural Center

You might know Jim Gaffigan from his stand-up special, The Pale Tourist, or from his appearances in Super Troopers and Being Frank. But whether you know Gaffigan or not, you’re sure to become an instant fan of this six-time Grammy awardnominated comedian the second he steps on the Castle Theater stage. 7:30 p.m. | mauiarts.org | (808) 242-7469

Maui Town Parties

Feb. 24, March 24

Azeka Shopping Center, Kīhei

Where’s the best place to be on a Maui Friday night? It’s a Maui Town Party! Town Parties got the axe during the pandemic, but Kīhei is getting the ball rolling with the resumption of 4th Fridays at Azeka Shopping Center. Revelers enjoy fun keiki activities, live music and an abundance of ‘ono eats. 6-9 p.m. | kiheifridays.com

Maui 5K

March 5 • Maui Ocean Center

Keiki: The Maui 5K is your chance to show off your speed and display school spirit.

Raise funds for your school as you run or walk in the one-mile challenge or sprint in the 5K from Maui Ocean Center on March 5. Sign-up closes March 1 at midnight. maui5k. org | (808) 222-2484 | info@maui5k.org

Rebelution Hawai‘i March 10 • Maui Arts & Cultural Center

Hailing from Isla Vista, California, Rebelution is the king of contemporary island reggae. During their 15-year musical career, the group earned a Grammy nomination and a place atop the Billboard charts following the release of five consecutive albums. Rebelution will be joined by Passafire at the MACC’s A&B Amphitheater. 7 p.m. | mauiarts.org | (808) 242-7469

Atlantis: Poseidon’s Ball Imua Gala March 11 • Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa Descend to the depths of Atlantis to carouse and celebrate with cause at Imua Family Service’s annual fundraising gala. The mighty gods Poseidon and Dionysus beckon you to enjoy a seafood feast and night of live entertainment by Broadway’s Ashley Loren, the MAS Calypso band and the Maui Merfolk dance troupe. The gala

raises funds to help Imua Family Services provide programs to empower children and their families to reach their full potential. 5:30 p.m. imuafestival.org | (808) 661-1234

Third Friday Night Lights March 17 • Maui Humane Society

Can you find your pot of gold at Maui Humane Society? Every third Friday for the rest of the year, Maui Humane Society stays open until 7 p.m. This allows you and your ohana to come visit animals ready to be adopted or fostered, as well as participate in fun activities. Join Maui’s homeless animals for a night of fun under the lights. 4-7 p.m. | mauihumanesociety.org | (808) 877-3680

Retrospective: Eddie Flotte

March 24-May

12 • Hui Noe‘au, Makawao

To many longtime island residents, "old school" Maui seems like a faraway memory. The Hui Noe‘au’s Retrospective installment with watercolor artist Eddie Flotte revives Maui’s bygone days. Flotte’s paintings flawlessly preserve the Maui of days past, when mom-and-pop shops proliferated, and sugarcane stalks still waved in the central valley. huinoeau.com | (808) 572-6560

Brotherly Love

Photograph by VICTOR SCHENDEL

Waves crash onto lava rocks at Secret Cove Beach, perhaps better known simply as Secret Beach. True to its name, Secret Beach is secluded and quiet, especially compared to the vastly larger and more heavily visited Big Beach at Mākena State Park, which lies just north.

The day this image was taken was a deeply meaningful one for photographer Victor Schendel. A Colorado resident, Vic was in Maui as part of a trip to visit his brother, Bruce, who lived in Kaua‘i. The brothers, who hadn’t seen each other in 15 years, spent four days together in Hawai‘i. On the final full day of the trip, Victor and Bruce spent all afternoon and into the evening photographing Secret Beach.

This day would be the last the brothers would spend together –Bruce died just a few months later. His brother’s memory lives on when Victor looks at the photo, and the life-affirming feeling of being on that beach in Maui remains just as strong as it was on the day he took it.

A Hui Hou (until we meet again) is the editors’ pick of all the images submitted by our readers. For the chance to be published in Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi, send your best photos taken in Maui County –along with your contact information and detailed descriptions – to photos@mauimagazine.net. A hui hou!

CANON EOS 5D MARK IV, 1/6 SEC, F/22, ISO 100, 24 MM LENS

Silla Kaina

CULTURAL AMBASSADOR MONTAGE KAPALUA BAY

“ My dad had the opportunity of working in the pineapple fields in Kapalua when he was 14 years old. And those days, we had camps, so we had the Filipino camp, the Japanese camp, the Hawaiian camp.

In the plantation, as he was working for this manager, he [moved] into one of those houses. We all grew up there, all six of us, and there were five girls and one boy, and we learned so much.

[Before the hotel] this was just all coconut groves – a beautiful grass lawn area. It was for the plantation workers to come and enjoy. Our village, or the camp, was a distance away. It was where the Honolua Store is today. We camped out [on weekends], even though we were just about a mile up the road.

We thought Kapalua was our bay because no one was here, and there were times when it was only us every day. Our parents couldn’t keep us out of the ocean. We’d be swimming, swimming, swimming. And if not swimming, we’d be learning how to fish. I grew up in this area, and I just planted myself.

It’s hard to get into hotel management as a local person or kanaka and to work yourself up. I started as a PBX, and from PBX went to the front desk.

I remember when the Kapalua Bay Hotel was here and there was no Hawaiian culture or Hawaiian things to do. And there were alot of guests who were looking for that.

They really were so fond of hula and wanting to do lei making. So one day I said, you know what, I’ll be coming to work two days from now. We’ll meet here in the lobby at 2 o'clock. There’s a nice little coffee table. You can sit right here. If you don’t mind, we’re not gonna do the go-outside-and-pick-up-theflowers, 'cause I'm going be working.

So I picked up flowers from our yard, just for two or three leis, and the [guests] could make their leis.

That’s the first time of starting something so special. Today, when I think about those moments, it grew into more opportunities to meet people. To tell you the truth, I really have come to enjoy [meeting guests] and being grateful that they’re here with us. I am also so grateful that we have local or kanaka, Hawaiian people, in hotel management to make a difference.

Some [guests] come fo’ just, “Oh, I wanna go look for the turtles,” or “I wanna go look for the rainbows,” or “How come we not having the sun?” And what’s so difficult is how can you change a mindset?

If my grandma was here, and, you know, sometimes I feel the same way, like wanting to pull them in the ear and say, “Wake up! Enjoy the beauty and the nature of it ’cause you can see so many things that this [place] can teach you."

I guess, everybody’s going to be different, and the challenges are going to be great. It really depends on [the guests]. Some of them come over here to find their place. Most of them come here to discover who they are.

What’s important is that [Hawaiian cultural ambassadors] have that opportunity of carrying our heritage. I don’t look at the word culture too much, but heritage is what’s important. I like the word heritage.

Heritage comes from your blood, because it comes from who you are. It comes from this place. The place makes us. And so when you are connected with the place, or live in a place with an environment like this, it’s really beautiful and so meaningful. This place is where the essence of the word mana [life force] is so strong.

I teach what is us. I teach what belongs here and to keep what belongs here alive. Your ’ano is your confidence, your inner perspective. All we gotta do is find that, and know that we have it, and [become] a better person.

The goal is to become righteous – to do it and embody it. I wanna share it with everybody that come and sit down ova’ here and let them know: Just be yourself. And know that you are important."

“Heritage is what’s important. Heritage comes from your blood, because it comes from who you are. It comes from this place... the place makes us."