Author Archives: Megan Stephenson

Cruising with Cruz

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

Sitting with a glass of red wine or perhaps a beer, audience members took in the John Cruz concert last Friday night with a mellow attitude. While there was plenty of applause at the end of each song, listeners kept conversations to a minimum, hanging on to each of Cruz’s soulful melodies.

John Cruz has pockets of fans throughout the country, and has played at some big venues, like the famous South by Southwest music festival in Texas. But in the past few years, the popular Hawaiian musician and Grammy Award-winner has been touring the mainland a lot – and some of his loyal home-based fans began asking him: when was he going to return and play in Hawaii?

John Cruz returned to his roots this month, when he started a state-wide tour, including one show on Molokai. Cruz played at Paddlers Inn last Friday night, in a freelanced acoustical solo performance. His manager, Leslie Truglio, said Cruz never plans his solo shows, and just plays whatever comes to him.

“When playing real small intimate places [like Paddlers], you can get really introspective,” Cruz said. “When playing for little bit bigger crowd, need to be really inclusive. Invite people in with open arms rather than close up and talk about how alone you are.”

Earlier this year, he played at the Sust-`AINA-bility conference on Molokai with his cousin and fellow Grammy-winning musician, Amy Hanaiali`i.

“It reminded me how rare it is for me to come to Molokai,” Cruz said, adding this is where he is able to go fly-fishing and enjoy some rare solitude.

Cruz said he likes to bring his Hawaiian vibe to his mainland audiences, many of whom have not had much exposure to Hawaiian music. But when he returns home, he likes to bring different influences from the mainland – Irish music, African music –  more than just acoustic soul.

He is currently working on his third album, due out sometime next summer. He said producing a recorded album depends on how much inspiration comes to him.

“As time goes on, more things happen in your life, you have more and more things to deal with in your head,” he said. “So it’s hard to have that time free where your heads open, your hearts open and things can come through.”

Cruz is headed to play concerts next on Oahu and Maui.

“When playing live, it’s all about the energy and connecting, and communicating with people live,” Cruz said.

For more information, check out Cruz’s official webpage, www.johncruz.com.

For Love of a Seal

Wednesday, November 25th, 2009

Despite disagreeing on the right future for KP2, members of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Molokai community came together to bless the friendly seal from the Friendly Isle at Waikiki Aquarium. KP2 will be flown to California this week for cataract surgery, where he will remain for a year of rehabilitation.

how to approach saving this species from becoming extinct, but we’re working together.”

KP2, who had formerly made Kaunakakai wharf his home, was taken from Molokai waters by NOAA on Oct. 16 after his growing size and love for human interaction caused safety concerns. He was taken to Waikiki Aquarium temporarily for a medical exam before a planned release in the waters surrounded Ni`ihau, where specialists hoped he would interact with other seals and “stay wild.”

But veterinarians discovered he is 80 percent blind due to cataracts and cancelled the plan to release him in the wild. Some Molokai residents, such as Ritte, did not agree that NOAA should take the seal. Within weeks of KP2’s departure, Ritte and other Molokai residents traveled to Honolulu to protest the seal’s removal, which they said occurred with little notice to the community.

Seal’s Ceremony
Ritte and nine other Molokai residents traveled to the Waikiki Aquarium on Nov. 18 to bless KP2 at a more peaceful gathering. Molokai residents have re-named the seal Ho`ailono, meaning a special sign after prayer.

The blessing, led by Reverend David Ka`upu, took place in front KP2’s tank. Molokai resident Kanoe Davis began the ceremony with an aloha chant to bless the seals on behalf of Molokai, and to wish KP2 a safe journey to California for his surgery.

Davis cracked open a coconut from Kaunakakai Wharf, and its water was sprinkled during the ceremony. Molokai resident and blessing attendee Loretta Ritte explained the coconut water represented the water of life. When Rev. Ka`upu began chanting, KP2 barked in response.

“The ceremony was really powerful. And beautiful,” Loretta Ritte said.

Two maile lei were ceremoniously untied by one of KP2’s friends from the Kaunakakai Wharf, Kalaekahi Poaha. Kalaekahi is an 11-year old Molokai resident who spent last summer swimming with the seal. Attendees said KP2 had been floating in his tank until Poaha approached, when he swam up and started splashing around.

“A lot of tears were being shed” at that point, Walter Ritte said.

What’s Next
David Schofield, NOAA marine mammal response coordinator, said after the surgery KP2’s lenses would not be fully flexible and his eyes could potentially implode if the seal dove to deep.

 “It would be irresponsible [to release him] since we don’t know how his eyes will readjust,” Schofield said.

Right now, KP2 has been spending his time learning how to communicate using hand signals, and impressing his handlers.

“He’s a little sponge,” Schofield said.

NOAA hopes to return KP2 to Hawaii after his year of rehabilitation, and is talking with aquariums around Hawaii to add on to existing structures to create a monk seal sanctuary. Schofield said Waikiki is currently at monk seal capacity, and Molokai lacks the infrastructure and funding to build a monk seal sanctuary.

Other volunteers would still prefer him returned to Molokai somehow.

“We’ve made it clear we want [KP2] back on Molokai. It’s not even clear that [he] will come back to Hawaii,” Ritte said.

A group of NOAA-trained volunteers, led by Julie Lopez, has emphasized the importance of monk seal education, like Ritte, for all Molokai residents.

“Hopefully with this blessing everybody will be educated on monk seals, and know they belong here,” Lopez said.

KP2 in a Nutshell
March 2008 – KP2 is abandoned by his mother on the North Shore of Kauai under 24-hours old.
May 2008 – KP2 is taken into captivity by NOAA more than a month after his abandonment, where he gains weight and a playful demeanor.
November 2008 – KP2 is released into the waters of Kalaupapa, Molokai.
Jan/Feb 2009 – KP2 began frequenting the Kaunakakai Wharf on Molokai’s south side. June 2009 – NOAA attempted to place him back at Kalaupapa. Two days later, he was back at the wharf.
October 2009 – NOAA airlifted him to Waikiki Aquarium in Honolulu for medical tests, planning to re-release him on Kauai.
Later October 2009 – Vets discovered KP2 was actually 80 percent blind due to cataracts. For survival, surgery was his only option, and it was decided KP2 would stay in captivity.
November 2009 – During the last week of November, KP2 will be flown to the University of California Santa Cruz for cataract surgery.

Seal Send Off

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

Concerned residents and cultural ambassadors from Molokai led the blessing of KP2 yesterday, Molokai’s favorite monk seal that lived most of his two years around the island and was discovered to have cataracts a few weeks ago. The blessing took place at Waikiki Aquarium and was led by Reverand David Kaupu. Aquarium staff and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) officials were also on hand.

also represents us as Hawaiian people and culture being as endangered as he.”

David Schofield, NOAA marine animal coordinator, said blessings like these have been done before when whales or dolphins have been found on beaches.
“We try to be as respectful as we can with Hawaiian culture. We invite practitioners so their protocols were followed as well as ours,” he said.

Celebration of Arts

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

 

This acrylic painting, done by Molokai artist Linda Johnston, captures the Molokai band Na Ohana Hoaloha during one of their weekly performances at Coffees of Hawaii. Johnston first decided to paint the musicians of Molokai ten years ago. This particular painting took three weeks to complete the actual painting. The original three foot by two foot painting is currently on display at Coffees and Na Ohana used the image as a cover for their recently released debut DVD titled “Pretty Old for Our First Time,” produced by Aka`ula School. Johnston’s work can be found for sale at the Molokai Artist’s and Crafter’s Guild in Kaunakakai and on her websites  www.molokai-art-hawaii.com and www.stdamienofmolokai.net.

KP2 Heads to Temporary Home in California

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

NOAA News Release

NOAA Fisheries Service announced plans to move KP2, the monk seal abandoned at birth, to a temporary facility at the University of California at Santa Cruz some time next week.  During a recent medical examination, it was discovered that KP2 has cataracts that prevent him from being released back into the wild.  He will undergo bilateral cataract surgery while in California.  NOAA Fisheries Service plans to return KP2 back to Hawaii as soon as a permanent facility can be built for him and perhaps other unreleasable seals in Hawaii.

Since the day he was born, KP2 has been an ambassador for monk seals and has brought attention to the critically endangered monk seal population.  NOAA Fisheries and the Waikiki Aquarium are facilitating a private native Hawaiian blessing to send KP2 on his way.  KP2 has touched the hearts of many and we look forward to his return to Hawaii as soon as possible.

A native Hawaiian blessing will be conducted on Wednesday, November 18 at 12:15 p.m. on the front lawn of Waikiki Aquarium. David Schofield, NOAA official, Dr. Andrew Rossiter, Waikiki Aquarium, Walter Ritte, Molokai resident, and other cultural representatives from Molokai will be on hand for the blessing.

Due to quarantine concerns, the native Hawaiian blessing will be held in private.