Author Archives: Brandon Roberts

Ka Mana’o o Na ‘Opio

Tuesday, May 13th, 2008

Ho'olei lakou ka 'upena I ke kai 'emi a ho'omaka e kahea i na i'a mai ke kai hohonu. Ma hope iho, piha ka 'upena I na i'a! He hana kapu a kuikawa keia a makemake au e ho'ola hou I keia hana.

I want to bring back the art of kahea. I heard stories from my kupuna about when they were young and how their kupuna would take them fishing. They would lay the net in knee-deep water and then begin to kahea, or "call-out." Moments later the net would be filled with fish! This is a sacred and special practice that I would like to see be brought back.

 

Puanahele Kawamae, 15

Makemake wau e `ike i ka ho`i `ana mai o ka la`au lapa`au. No ka mea he waiwai a na’auao ia ma na `ano a pau.

I would bring back the Hawaiian healing arts, because Western medicine is toxic, poison, and bad for our people’s health. Our people used different parts of plants to make different medicines. This Hawaiian healing has a lot to do with `olelo and appreciation of the land. Healing plays an important part to Hawaiians and can help all.

I was able to speak with Aunty Snookie, Mo`omomi Acasio’s mother, and she was able to pass on his mana`o from 2003. Mo`o made a laulima ki`i (drawing) that represents the Hawaiian tradition of cooperation and togetherness.

Mo`omomi Acasio as told by his mother, Aunty Snookie;

I ko'u mana'o, 'o ka laulima ka mea e ho'iho'i mai ai. I ka hana o na lima a pau i ho'okahi kumuhana, e malamalama ka po'e he nui i keia kukui ikaika. Mai ka piko e pa mai ana ma na wahi a pau, 'aohe wahi e pa 'ole ai. Pa mai ia kakou pakahi a pau. Mai laila mai ka mana o ia mea he laulima.

As many hands work together for a common cause, the light of pono will touch many. The light shines from the center to all reaches, and as it touches each one of us, so does the energy of cooperation.

Mana`e Mania

Tuesday, May 13th, 2008

Mana`e Mania

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Haliu Kealoha, a second grader at Kilohana, wins a prize at the bean bag toss last Saturday at the Bazaar that will go to fund programs for her throughout the next year.

What’s so bazaar about a fundraiser?

By Brandon Roberts

Hard to have Kilohana without the `ohana who gathered across school grounds to support the school by enjoying a day of food and fun. The East End was alive and full of aloha for the annual fundraiser.

“This is the main fundraiser for the school,” said Margret Makekau, Kilohana alumni and chairwoman of the bazaar. “Everybody works together for the kids.” Makekau is also the president of Kilohana School Community Organization, which organizes and coordinates the bazaar.

Around 400 people flooded the Kilohana campus last Saturday to contribute to student events like the theater group performances, holiday parties, and educational workshops.

April Kealoha has been the entertainment coordinator since 1996, and she provided keiki hula performances by her Halau Hula O Kilohana.

“Student activities depend on what happens today,” said Kealoha. “The whole `ohana benefits, it is a beautiful thing.”

The crowd was wowed with original Hawaiian music by Kanoho Helm and his entourage. Between performances, the appreciative audience laughed along with emcees Shannon Crivello and Kaleo Pilanca.

The bazaar had games for the `ohana, like the ring toss and bean bag throw, as well as booths from local artists and entrepreneurs. The line for laulau always seemed to stretch, and the shaved ice and cotton candy never had a moments rest. There were baked goods and fresh produce in abundance for sure.

Kilohana has a very special program that creates a network of support for students and family. Louise Miguel is a proud alumnus, and is employed as a parent facilitator for the school. Miguel said her role is to “build a partnership between the home, community and school, because partnerships equal student achievement.”

Mahalo nui loa to the Mana`e `ohana and KSCO, that make this amazing event possible, and help fund the haumana to develop a well-rounded education, which is priceless.

Crowning Our Kupuna

Monday, May 12th, 2008

Crowning Our Kupuna

Lei Day gives first time honors to deserving seniors.

By Brandon Roberts

Spring is a time of rebirth, of newness, and the perfect atmosphere for Kupuna Lei Day which was filled with youthful spirit. This year’s Queen Dorothy Nihoa and King Kenneth Nip reigned over the first kupuna May Day festival held at Home Pumehana retirement center.

Queen Nihoa will be 94 in August. She has seen every Lei Day celebration since the event first began in 1928, however this year was her first to be crowned as queen.

Aunty Nihoa is originally from Mana`e and now lives in Ho`olehua. She has worked in the terraced taro patches and the pineapple fields, and has farming in her veins. At the age of 90 she retired as a Senior Companion, where she would drive and assist many seniors much younger than herself. The Queen continues to volunteer and remains active in the community.

King Nip was also first-time royalty. With his crown and cape, he took his seat next to the Queen for Kupuna Lei Day at the Pumehana Senior Center on May 6. King Nip humbly accepted the honor, saying his peers “just picked me up; I didn’t want to, but they insisted.”

Mr. Nip is a retired school teacher and volunteers his time, reading with keiki at the public library, helping with MEO food distribution and Kaunoa Senior services. He also shares his wonderful voice with patients at Molokai General Hospital.

“Everyone should be king or queen once in their life,” Aunty Gladys Brown said, her face lit-up from the festivities.

This year’s royal court was symbolized by the eight major Hawaiian Islands. Each couple proudly displayed the colors and flowers that symbolize each island.

Paul Lu`uloa and Maka Joao represented Big Island and were the first to take seat in the court. Kulani Purdy and Aunty Didi followed for Maui, Joe Barno and Tiny Domingo as Kaho`olawe, with Ron and Lani Kula signifying Lanai.

Symbolizing Molokai’s spirit of `ohana were Eddie Gorospe, escorting his mother Mary Lou. Next came Oahu with Alex and Anna Bishaw, Thomas Awai and Ululani Rodriguez followed as Kauai, and the royal court concluded with Drake Wells and Denona Chu as the island of Ni`ihau.

Kupuna celebrated their Lei Day with the light-hearted spirit of their youth; glowing with smiles, singing and hula - all while draped with leis that filled the senior center with sweet Hawaiian flora.

Jet Skis on the High Seas

Monday, May 12th, 2008

Molokai reopens debate on the legality of thrill craft.

What are currently coined thrill-craft, jet skis on Molokai are used for gathering rights, access to remote areas, recreation, and safety while surfing said jet ski owners at a town meeting last Thursday.

As the pro-legalization group spoke, a theme emerged; jet skis are being used and will continue to be, regardless of their illegality on Molokai. Supporters say the law needs to change to regulate use instead of keeping the craft illegal. However, opponents argue a lack of enforcement and the potential for thrill-craft based businesses could outweigh any benefits of legalizing the craft.

The 1992 state law refers to any vessel under 13 feet with the ability to carry up to three people as a “thrill-craft” said Nicolas Giaconi, district manager of the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreations (DOBOR), adding that jet skis are illegal around Molokai and Lanai because these islands are not mentioned in the law.

Kilohana Bazaar

Sunday, May 11th, 2008

Kilohana Bazaar

Lei Day!

Thursday, May 8th, 2008

Lei Day!

Kupuna Lei Day

Thursday, May 8th, 2008

Kupuna Lei Day

Read Aloud Correction

Thursday, May 8th, 2008

An urgent correction; the Read Aloud series on our calender that was listed at Kaunakakai on May 7, should instead be at its usual location at Kualapu`u at 5:45 p.m. on May 7.

Island-Wide Aloha

Wednesday, May 7th, 2008

Keiki make the 80th year of Lei Day one to remember.

By Brandon Roberts

“All leis are special, and we all have a favorite lei we like to wear close to our hearts,” Kumu Manuwai Peters said. Elaborating further he said that lei is a metaphor for the ones we love and hold dear in our lives. When a lei is created and presented, it is a gift that holds the mana and aloha from the maker, and is proudly displayed with this spirit.

The Molokai High School (MHS) theme for the 2008 Lei Day is; He Lei Pili i ka Pu'uwai (a lei close to one's heart). Each class gave song, hula and ho`okupu to this year’s Queen Pulamalani Hanaoka, and the packed gym. The junior class shared a tearful mahalo for the classmates that passed away this year.

Mana`o

Monday, May 5th, 2008

In our continuing series with 'O Hina i ka Malama, the Hawaiian Language Immersion Program at Molokai High School, students play Friendly Isle planners. This is their mana`o on what ideas or creative businesses they believe would best benefit or sustain Molokai.

Ku`uleialoha Kahana-Kalua, 17

Kailana Ritte-Camara, 15

'O kekahi mea makemake makou e kukulu, 'o ia no kekahi kula kaiapuni no na haumana `olelo Hawai'i. He maika`i a `oi aku ka hau`oli, ina loa`a ia makou kekahi kula kaiapuni no makou a me na makua no ho'i!

'O kekahi mea a`e, makemake au e kukulu i kekahi hale a'o, he 'ano kula nui no na po`e i loa'a 'ole i ka hana a me na po`e e pono ai ka hana. Hiki ia lakou ke a'o i kekahi makau hou ma ia hale. A makemake pu au i kekahi hale nui no na keiki i hana`ino 'ia e na makua a me na 'ohana paha. He hale ho'omalu paha no ia.

If I had a chance to be a leader, I would like to build a Hawaiian immersion school for people who want to learn Hawaiian like parents, and for our current Hawaiian immersion students.

I would also like to see a training center that is built for people who need training or want to have training for jobs. I would also like to have a center that helps protect kids that are being abused or hurt in any way.