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 »
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 »
Centuries before the European sea-faring explorers discovered Hawai’i, the people living on these islands had already developed a great New Year’s tradition. This tradition is called Makahiki. The Makahiki preparations, ceremonies, and celebrations were extensive. This particular time of the year lasted from October through January. Four months were needed for all the activities that… Read more »
Long before Western explorers and Protestant Missionaries arrived, Hawai’i people had a time of year called Makahiki*. This time was a season of rest and rejuvenation. The days were shorter and a bit cooler – there was more rain to nourish the earth, and life slowed down. A natural end of the yearly cycle, the… Read more »
Sacred Places are found throughout the world. The word sacred can denote some sort of religious or spiritual significance to the place or site. A good example is Ka Pu’uhonua o Olowalu, a place of refuge sanctified by the gods of Ancient Hawai’i. Like many in Hawai’i, this place is held sacred by the hierarchy of… Read more »
The world-famous Road to Hana is known for its breathtaking landscapes, magnificent views, beautiful nature, unmatched waterfalls, and too many hidden gems to count. These are the primary reasons that the Road to Hana is regarded as one of the world’s best road trips. It is a pristine environment that we all want to… Read more »
Here is one more reason to love Hawai’i – our Home-Grown Chocolate! Yes, just when you thought Hawai’i could not get ANY better, we tell you that the best major food group, chocolate, is grown and produced right here on all the major Hawaiian Islands! So today we are going to talk about Hawai’i and… Read more »
Endemic Hawaiian plants and flowers will typically thrive in their native environments. You do not have to go deep into the Hawaiian rainforests or to the edge of remote cliff faces finding exotic native flora in Hawai’i. Many beautiful flowering plants live along the beach where you go every day. They flourish in the sand,… Read more »
Hawaiian Values are, in essence, values for humanity. Their uniqueness comes from being expressed in a pure, pristine way. Even though they were inherited from ancient Polynesian Culture and an environment that is temperate to tropical, they still speak to the values we have today worldwide. People living together on this small planet must have… Read more »
