Author Archives: Bianca Moragne

Bhutan, a Spiritual Oasis

Friday, July 16th, 2010

Community Contributed

By Victoria Kapuni

The Kingdom of Bhutan is a place of overwhelming, breathtaking natural beauty and cultural pageantry. I had the honor of traveling there for the second time this year. Located in the Himalaya Mountains between India and China, Bhutan is 90 percent Buddhist. One cannot help but feel spiritual in this country. Rivers run turquoise over rocks of white from the largest and tallest mountains in the world. The air is crisp and clean; everything is seen and heard clearly among the towering pine trees and flying prayer flags. The King measures his success at ruling not on the Gross National Product like us but the Gross National Happiness of his people.

My first trip to Bhutan last October was by chance when a friend asked me to join her on a trip to Bhutan to see the monks dance or the Drametse Ngachham (Dance of the Drummers of Drametse). It is said that anyone who has seen these dances will have eternal peace and prosperity when they die. The dances tell the story of Buddist spiritual beliefs. During this first trip I received an invitation to enter the King’s private temple of the Future Buddha, not normally open to tourists. Upon my return home, I started making plans to return for a spiritual journey.

I re-visited Tiger’s Nest, which is a temple built on the side of a cliff 800 meters above Paro Valley. It is said a monk was carried up the mountain to this spot by two tigers where he meditated without food and water for three months.

I returned to the King’s temple again, where the monk who invited me before was waiting for me and once again invited me inside the temple of the Future Buddha. When I left, the monk climbed a ladder and pulled down a 10 foot scarf draped over one of the future Buddha’s fingers. He placed it around my neck. He explained it was gray from the incense burned over a five year period where it stayed in the Future Buddha’s hand. I was so honored I cried.

In Trongsa when we pulled up to the motel, monks were chanting and playing their horns and drums. I asked if I could just sit and have a cup of tea and listen to them outside the closed door. I did, then the door opened and a monk beckoned me inside. I prayed with them for two hours. Once again I was honored. Not only was I not Bhuddist, not Bhutanese, and not a man, but a white woman alone joining Thongsa Monestary monks practicing their ceremonies.

During the trip, I also saw the Dalai Lama. My hanai Bhutanese son, Kinley, found some Tibetan friends who arranged for us to see H H Dalai Lama for a teaching to be given to monks.

In Bumthang, at the top of a very steep mountain, I was taken as a student by H. E. Pad-tul Rimpoche. He is one of the five most spiritual people in the country. He told me that he was the reincarnated monk of Tiger’s Nest. I was taken back because this was a place of monumental importance to me on the first trip. I was questioned for about ten minutes and then told he had accepted me as his student. I was completely surprised. He gifted me with a Buddhist rosary and taught me its prayers. It was suggested that instead of praying for just my family, friends and island of Molokai, I should pray for the whole world and all living beings.

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Molokai Man Faces Possible Attempted Murder Charge

Monday, July 5th, 2010

John Henry Sardinha Sr., 52, of Ho`olehua, was arrested on Saturday, June 26 for allegedly slashing his girlfriend with a knife during a fight late that evening at the Kawela Barns.

The decision to charge him with attempted murder was suspended in a Maui courtroom last Wednesday while a judge determines whether there is probable cause for the allegations.

Prosecutors want Sardinha to be charged with second-degree attempted murder, as well as first-degree assault for punching the woman’s face causing multiple abrasions, and second-degree assault for allegedly wounding the woman’s 14-year-old daughter with the same knife.

could be dropped to a possible assault one,” said Detective Eugene Santiago of the Molokai Police Department.

Wailuku District Court Judge Kelsey Kawano is not expected to reach a decision on the indictment until all testimony is heard, Santiago said. The preliminary hearing is set to resume on July 7.

While he awaits trial, Sardinha is being held at Maui Community Correctional Center on $105,000 bail. He is accused of using a knife “similar to a minimachete” with a 6-inch handle and 5-inch blade, according to Santiago’s testimony at last Wednesday’s hearing.

The woman suffered lacerations to her face and left forearm, while her daughter sustained deep cuts to her right hand. Both female victims – whose names have not been released – were transported to Molokai General Hospital, where the woman was treated for potentially life-threatening injuries, according to a Maui County Police Department press release. The daughter was released later that night, while the woman was released two days later.

The Maui News reported that on the night of the attack, Sardinha confronted his girlfriend about her abuse and maltreatment of their three children – who range from 2 to 6 years old – after consuming 10 to 11 cans of beer during the day, according to Santiago’s testimony.

In an interview, Sardinha told Santiago of his frustration with the woman’s addiction to crystal meth, and on the day of the attack, had heard about her plans to use the drug, according to Santiago.

Police responded to the call on June 26 at about 10 p.m., but Sardinha had fled the scene prior to their arrival, according to the press release. He was later detained at his residence in Ho`olehua and taken into custody.

Neither Sardinha’s lawyer nor family would comment on the incident.

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All Dolled Up

Thursday, July 1st, 2010

Sometimes all it takes is a bit of eye shadow and lip gloss for a girl to feel her best. Just ask the young women who attended Manawahine’s “Happy to Be Me” workshop last Friday at Lanikeha Community Center.

“I feel like a princess,” said Tatiana McGuire, 12, after getting spruced up at the makeup and hair booths.

Dozens of Molokai girls, ages 13 to 18, gathered at the workshop to celebrate a day of beauty while learning about makeup application, skincare, women’s health and safety. They also received massages, and hair and nail makeovers.

Manawahine is a community-based nonprofit that strives to empower young women to be successful leaders and role models. The purpose of the conference, said Vicki Boswell, organizer and social worker, was to empower young girls who are at their prime for risks such as teen pregnancy, drug abuse and domestic violence.

“We’re not trying to make the girls glamorous,” Boswell explained. “We want to help them build confidence and self-esteem.”

While some girls patiently waited to get their hair curled or learn the latest makeup tricks, others participated in the sweat-dripping Zumba class, drank ono smoothies from Na Pu`uwai, and learned about money-saving tips from American Savings Bank.

“I learned about college stuff and to get good grades,” from the Maui Community College booth, McGuire said.

“The goal is to build a positive teen culture,” Boswell said. “We want to provide a safe place for them to openly discuss issues they are encountering as young adults.”

Positive teen culture was something already seen by the day’s end.

“It was fun hanging out with all the girls,” said 17-year-old Chelsea Sakamoto. “I learned you just have to be happy with yourself.”

Mahina Lorenzo, 17, agreed. “Yeah, you should never change who you are,” she said.

This workshop was a kick-off for more exciting things to come, according to Boswell. Manwahine has a lineup of activities starting at the beginning of the school year. Boswell said future events will include movie nights, presentations on teen-related issues, service projects and various off-island trips.

Manawahine is made up of various members from Na Pu`uwai, Na Lei Mamo, Molokai Community Health Center, Department of Human Services, Hale Ho`omalu, Molokai Youth Center and Molokai Community Service Center. They welcome community involvement in future activities. For more information, contact Helen Kekalia at 553-8119.

Posted in Health, Island Youth

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Ready, Set, Hike!

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

Get your cleats ready, Molokai, because the streak is over. After a 50 year hiatus, Molokai High School football is back in the lineup and will take to the field this fall.

“It’s going to be big,” said Mike Kahale, a social studies teacher at Molokai Middle School. “Our kids have been waiting for this opportunity for a long time.”

Kahale, head coach of the team, said he and his wife had been developing a strategic plan to bring back high school-level football for the past two years, and is finally becoming a reality.

“There is already a lot of talk about it,” he added. “We have about 44 kids signed up.”

One of the biggest obstacles, Kahale said, was finding the funds to purchase football equipment. But with a $2,000 equipment grant from USA Football, among other donations, the team will be ready to kick off its three-year football plan.

Eight Ball
Although securing the funds for a traditional 11-man team was a stretch, it didn’t mean the sport couldn’t exist at all. This past year, smaller schools in Maui County began looking into an eight-man football league – which was recently sanctioned by the Maui Interscholastic League (MIL) to include Molokai, Seabury Hall and St. Anthony high schools.

Eight-man football has gained popularity in many rural areas on the mainland and allows small schools with small budgets a chance to play football.

Since the league doesn’t have the finances to cover tackle football off the bat, it will start small and slowly expand. The first year will be a passing league with full padding incorporated the second year, and full MIL sanctioning expected in the third year.

“It’s the only way to make it financially feasible,” Kahale said. “It’s a great way to introduce football fundamentals and to actually start. Why wait until next year?”

Grassroots
The 1960-61 Farmers were the last high school football team on Molokai. Despite lacking a program, Molokai produced professional football player Kimo “Scooby” Von Oelhoffen. He played at the University of Hawaii and Boise State before starting a 15-year NFL career. Although Von Oelhoffen never played on Molokai, he did commit to helping out the new program financially, but has yet to discuss dollars and cents with Kahale.

Still, more money needs to be raised to help pay for travel costs, field maintenance and additional equipment. Resting on the coattails of major budget cuts for high school sports, the program seeks financial support from the community, businesses and organizations.

Tax deductible donations can be made through Friends of Molokai High and Intermediate. Kahale is also looking for help with coaching – preferably those with some high school or college football coaching experience.

For more information contact Kahale at 658-0834 or e-mail at mikekahale@yahoo.com.

Posted in Island Youth, Sports

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In Good Hands

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

It’s not always easy to care for the elderly. It can be a demanding, stressful and sometimes overwhelming task. But now, with an adult day care center opening at Home Pumehana in August, caretakers on Molokai can breathe a sigh of relief.

Ten years after the idea was first hatched, the Na Pu`uwai Native Hawaiian Health Care System, in partnership with Acradia Elder Care Services, will be opening The Senior Enrichment Center – a potential lifeline for many Molokai families.

“There has been a great need in the community [for an adult day care center] for so long,” said Judy Mikami, Na Pu`uwai’s long-term care director.

The adult day care center, which recently received its license from the state on June 15, is intended to allow seniors the opportunity to engage in stimulating activity, make new friends and still be independent.

From 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekdays, the center will provide its kupuna with an array of activities designed to maintain cognitive and motor skills that sometimes decline with advanced aging. Mikami said there will be hands-on crafts, hula and ukulele classes, a modified Zumba class, karaoke machine, TV and Wii game console.

William Akutagawa, executive director of Na Pu`uwai, said their staff is certified in water safety and will not only take their clients swimming, but also on field trips twice a month.

“They’ll get to go off-site, get fresh air, and visit different places on Molokai,” Akutagawa said.

The center, situated in an 800 sq. ft. room near the back of Home Pumehana, will provide breakfast, lunch, and snacks, as well as reclining chairs for clients to rest in. Three staff members will be onsite – two certified nurses and an activities director.

“It will be socially therapeutic for our kupuna,” said Activities Director Jossette Mawae-Mollena. “On Molokai, a lot of families take care of their own, but they need to get out, so it will be good for caretakers, too.”

Worth the Wait
Good things take time. Such was the case for Mikami and Akutagawa, who applied to get licensed back in September 2009.

“It went back and forth with Maui County and the state for awhile,” Mikami explained. “We would receive recommendations and then have to go back and make changes to comply with the requirements.”

After a grueling nine-month process, the license was secured. But that wasn’t their only dilemma. Finding the right site posed another setback. After spending time weighing their options, the directors settled on senior living complex Home Pumehana, which had to be inspected twice by the Department of Human Services, as a suitable host facility.

Mikami said they chose Home Pumehana because of its centralized location and existing affiliation with senior citizens.

While other entities on Molokai have failed in establishing an adult day care within the last 10 years, Mikami attributes Na Pu`uwai’s success to its long-standing relationship with Acradia Elder Care Services.

Arcadia, a senior living program in Honolulu, helped train the Na Pu`uwai staff in long-term care services, who also received hands-on practice.

“They gave us the support we needed,” Mikami said.

The 411
The Senior Enrichment Center is currently accepting applications for interested kupuna, but it does have criteria. The program requires that clients be 62 years of age or older, be able to use the bathroom without assistance, feed themselves, and administer their own medications among other things. They are currently accepting up to 12 clients.

Prices will vary based on a sliding scale, with flat rate fees starting at $66 dollars a day, according to Mawae-Mollena.

While the program may start off small, Mikami hopes to see it grow in a big way.

“Our ultimate goal is to establish long-term care,” Mikami said. “But we’re taking it one step at a time.”

For more information or to apply, call the Senior Enrichment Center at 553-5099.

Posted in Community, Health

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Making Waves

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

Big waves don’t scare Molokai’s Taoa Pou. Neither, apparently, does big competition.

The envy of many young surfers, 13-year-old Taoa was granted wildcard entry into last week’s Sponsor Me Hawaii pro surf competition at Ala Moana Bowls on Oahu.

Competing alongside some of the state’s top surfers, Taoa held nothing back, even attempting the coveted reverse air-360. “There was no pressure on me -- I had nothing to lose,” he said. “There was more pressure on the professionals ‘cause they didn’t want to lose to a 13-year-old kid.”

Sponsor Me is meant to give lesser-known surfers access to international ratings and valuable media exposure. Still, many of the competitors were established names with decades of experience surfing over Taoa, who was given one of only two wildcard entries for amateurs, sponsored by the Association for Surfing Professionals (ASP).

ASP also set up Taoa to receive coaching throughout the day from pros Sunny Garcia, Myles Padaca, Makuakai Rothman and Pancho Sullivan, though he had some trouble concentrating on their instructions. “I was more in awe of them,” he said.

Taoa finished fourth in his second round heat – an impressive showing for the event’s youngest competitor – but as his own biggest critic, he said he’s not completely satisfied. “I could have done better -- I could have beaten some of those guys.”

Still, Taoa said the experience will motivate him to enter more competitions and take his surfing to the next level.

The Right Attitude
Taoa was recruited for Sponsor Me by Jodi Wilmott, a publicist with ASP who helped organize the event, after she saw him last month at the state championships, where Taoa competed in the 12-13 year-old division.

Impressed with his “vibe,” Wilmott invited Taoa to Sponsor Me to “get a good taste of what pro surfing is about,” she said.

With the average age of competitors between 23 and 24, Taoa was by far the youngest, but Wilmott said he handled the pressure like a veteran.

“I’ve been working in the professional surfing world for 20 years and I was so impressed,” Wilmott said, calling Taoa “a very mature 13.”

Taoa is already sponsored by Tango Surf Boards and the Tahitian clothing company Imvad. Taoa’s dad Teva Pou said after last week’s exposure, more sponsorships could be in the works.

“He definitely has the talent to make a career out of it,” Pou said. But for now, he added, Taoa is simply enjoying the moment. “His goal, regardless of winning or loosing, is to keep his heart humble.”

A Head Start
Taoa’s love of surfing started at a young age. “When he was little, he would watch surf videos with me more than cartoons,” Pou said.

At age three, Taoa began surfing beginners’ break at Waialua and a few years later had moved onto to the waves at Rock Point on the east end.

Earlier this month, the Pou family moved from Kalamaula on Molokai to the North Shore of Oahu. Even after surfing big waves there, Rock Point remains one of Taoa’s favorite surf spot.

“I feel really comfortable there,” he said. “I miss it already.”

Posted in Island Youth, Sports

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E-school Students Progress

Monday, June 21st, 2010

All is well that ends well, especially in the case of Molokai High students enrolled in online classes. Although poor first semester grades in Molokai High School’s (MHS) online courses prompted school officials to further examine the e-school program, second semester grades revealed significant improvement among students.

“The students saw the failing grades [from semester one] and got more in gear,” said Mahina Hou, MHS Hawaiian Immersion program instructor. “They got more of an understanding and better support.”

Posted in Education

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Paddlers to Re-open Wednesday

Friday, June 18th, 2010

Starting Wednesday, June, 23, Paddlers Inn Restaurant and Bar will be open seven days a week for three meals a day, though the bar’s liquor license application is being processed, according to new owner Louis Santiago.

“Getting a liquor license in Maui County is like having all your teeth pulled,” said Santiago. He also owns restaurants and bars in Honolulu, Hilo and on Kauai and lives in Hilo.

Santiago bought Paddlers on May 28. The restaurant has been closed since then.

Santiago said the former owner left a lot of unpaid bills, which made setting up new deals with suppliers complicated – in many cases, he said, he was forced to put down larger-than-usual deposits. “Because he’s delinquent… it makes it difficult for us,” Santiago said.

As it reopens, Paddlers is largely unchanged – the biggest differences customers will notice are on the menu, which has been trimmed of items that were not big sellers. Management has also added lunch plates and will begin offering a daily special. Kitchen Manager Kamuela Purdy said he hopes to introduce a dessert menu sometime down the road.

“Right now we mostly want people to know we’re open,” said Michael Helm, bar manager. He added that more changes will be announced once the liquor license is secured.

For now, Helm said, “the food’s going to be good and the service impeccable – I’ll make sure of that!”

Breakfast will be served 7-11 a.m., lunch 11-2:30 p.m. and dinner 5:30-9 p.m. The restaurant will be closed between meals.

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Construction Zone

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

Molokai was awarded over $17 million to fund 21 capital improvement projects this year. The wide-ranging list includes repairs to schools, roadways and the island’s water system.

The projects vary in progress – some are still accepting bids from contractors while others are underway or completed.

The most expensive project on the list is the construction of a new bridge over Kawela Stream on Kamehameha V Highway. The current bridge has long been blamed for compounding seasonal flooding along the stream. Its replacement is estimated to cost $7.4 million.

“The existing bridge doesn’t meet current design standards,” said Vincent Llorin, design project manager with the state’s Department of Transportation.

Posted in Business, Government

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Great Expectations

Monday, June 14th, 2010

Here on Molokai, the word tourism spurs images of sprawling resorts and brash tourists that crowd the beaches of Maui and Oahu. With the goal of attracting the right kind of visitor – those who think of themselves as guests, not just tourist – Molokai Visitors Association (MVA) has produced a video in partnership with local filmmaker Matt Yamashita.

"A Visitor’s Guide to Molokai: Hawaiian by Nature" is part marketing tool, part educational film, said MVA Director Julie Bicoy. She called the video, which came out last month, a “crash-course” in life on Molokai.

“The basic concept of it was to spend a day on Molokai and move with the sun,” she said. Featured stops include Halawa Valley, Pu`u O Hoku Ranch, fishponds on the east end, Kalaupapa and the west end beaches.

Along the way, Yamashita recounts ancient Molokai history, interviews local business owners and highlights annual events like Ka Hula Piko and the channel races from Hale O Lono to Oahu. The video’s sweeping landscapes – from the North Shore cliffs to the Kamakou Preserve -- will woo visitors and impress locals alike.

Local musician Lono provides most of the soundtrack and the DVD includes four music features with original songs about Molokai. Lono said he has worked with Yamashita before and was excited to help on this project. “I love Molokai -- that’s where I’m from!”

Yamashita, who wore three hats as writer, director and producer, said the video tries to market the island responsibly and protects what makes Molokai special – the environment, culture and small population.

“We loose any one of those things and the fabric of what makes Molokai Molokai falls apart,” he said.

Yamashita owns the production company Quazifilms and typically makes cultural and education films. “This is the first time I’ve really stepped over to the commercial side,” he said.

MVA approached him last year about making the video. Bicoy said MVA was looking for ways to target “the right market” of visitors. The video is now being distributed to travel agents to show clients what Molokai has to offer.

“It’s not a typical tourist destination -- it’s not a party place or somewhere to come and be pampered,” Yamashita said.

After previewing the video back in March, Yamashita heard from some that it was too “touristy.” In response, he dialed down the sales pitch and made it more of an education in Molokai.

“It was a real challenge because we had to walk that fine line,” he said.

To see a preview or purchase a copy of A Visitor’s Guide to Molokai, go to www.islandlifevideos.com. DVDs are also on sale at local stores including Molokai Drugs, Kalele Bookstore & Divine Expressions and Coffees of Hawaii.

Posted in Business, Hawaiian Culture

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Author Archives: Bianca Moragne

Bhutan, a Spiritual Oasis

Molokai Man Faces Possible Attempted Murder Charge

All Dolled Up

Ready, Set, Hike!

In Good Hands

Making Waves

E-school Students Progress

Paddlers to Re-open Wednesday

Construction Zone

Great Expectations

Submission Deadlines

Advertising

Content

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Author Archives: Bianca Moragne

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