50 years ago, an immense tsunami would change the life of Hula forever. The 35-foot waves of the 1960 tsunami bent parking meters to the ground and wiped away many buildings in the city of Hilo on the Big Island of Hawai’i. 61 people died, and Hilo’s economy was crushed. Four years later, in… Read more »
We get this question ALL the time – why should we go all the way to Hana? What is so special about The Road to Hana? Perhaps you’re not sure you really want to go there? Maybe you want to go but don’t know how to convince a family member who questions the whole thing…. Read more »
One of the things the residents of Hawai’i love most about our Island Home is the rich, multicultural traditions and customs. We share these customs with our friends, neighbors, and communities. Whether it’s the 4th generation Japanese, making hand-made mochi for the New Year, or the Dragon Dance for the Chinese New Year, there are… Read more »
One of the first things people think about when they hear about Hawai’i is swaying coconut palms and beautiful beaches. It is hard to imagine that at one time, there were no coconut palm trees on the Hawaiian islands at all! When the Polynesian migrants first arrived, there was only one species of native palm… Read more »
Maui has so much beauty. The mountains, the beautiful beaches with multi-colored sands, brilliant rainbows, clouds, the shape of whatever your imagination sees. All of this is Maui, which is topped off with beautiful, fragrant flowers. Yes, there is so much to explore and write about. In the rush to get to the beach or… Read more »
The Hōkūleʻa Epic Voyage – Mālama Honua: To Care For Our Earth The idea for this epic voyage began with a very unusual phone call. Nainoa Thompson, aboard Hōkūleʻa, spoke via satellite phone to Lacy Veach who was aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. Nainoa, aboard Hōkūleʻa, was sailing from Rarotonga to Honolulu and Lacy was… Read more »
The magnitude of the great, double-hulled ocean-going vessel, Hōkūleʻa, launching on her maiden voyage on March 8, 1975, cannot be overstated. It was a monumental event for all people of Hawaiian ancestry worldwide. This single event gave a burst of energy back into the Hawaiian culture and a tremendous upsurge in pride. Hōkūleʻa was launched… Read more »
Hawaiian music is every bit as indigenous and aboriginal to the island chain as the crashing surf and thunderous volcanoes. Each part of our globe has its own unique landscape. This tends to shape its culture; be it music, art, food, dance, or any creative expression. So what would people get if they evolved for… Read more »
Their Hawaiian name is Koholā* The humpback’s high status in Hawaiian culture has been made clear in the Kumulipo*. This creation chant announces the birth of the whale near the beginning, in the second section. That is a very high ranking in a 2,102 line chant. Hanau ka palaoa noho i kai — born is… Read more »
We, humans, love our moon. Our single satellite, circling our lives, changing our tides, even loosening our inhibitions and making us a little loony! We write poems and songs about it, stare at it, and propose under it. We even think about that special someone that may be far away and know that they, too,… Read more »
