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Hawaiian Culture

Hawaiian culture stories from Molokai

Walter Ritte Running for OHA

Wednesday, June 6th, 2012

Walter Ritte Running for OHA

Walter Ritte News Release

Longtime community leader and former Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Trustee Walter Ritte has announced his candidacy for the At Large seat for OHA. A Kamehameha Schools graduate, Ritte is a prominent Hawaiian activist and longtime advocate for Hawaiian rights. He is also a member of the original “Kaho`olawe Nine,” the group of activists who landed on Kaho`olawe in 1976 in opposition to military bombings, which they were successful in halting.

Ritte was also a member of the 1978 Constitutional Convention and supported the formation of OHA. He helped author Article XII Sec. 7 of the Hawaii State Constitution, which codified Native Hawaiian cultural and gathering rights.…

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Preserving Molokai

Sunday, June 3rd, 2012

Residents participate in Historic Preservation Plan update

“Keeping Molokai Molokai” has been a widely-shared sentiment for both residents and visitors. For many, that effort includes preserving the island’s approximately 100 sites named on the National or State Register of Historic Places. Molokai is rich with historic places –including archaeological sites, fishponds, heiau and the Kalaupapa settlement –that fuel the people of Molokai both physically and spiritually. But many consider the entire island a “historic place” — an idea residents raised at a meeting held last week by the State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD) as part of the process to update State Historic Preservation Plan.…

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Ho`omana Hou Graduation 2012

Sunday, May 27th, 2012

Ho`omana Hou Graduation 2012

Ohana gathered at Kulana `Oiwi Halau last Friday to celebrate the graduation of three Ho`omana Hou seniors, Brandon Lu`uloa-Ka`auwai, Kylee Dudoit-English and Danielle Mersberg. The ceremony included testimony from the underclassmen and hula and oli performed by all students. For the graduating seniors, their kumu tied kihei around their shoulders, symbolizing status and maturity. Their parents placed a lei kukui around their necks to recognize the knowledge the students gained.

Ho’omana Hou is a private high school started in 2004 and run by the Molokai Community Service Council (MCSC) that focuses on culture-based education.…

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May Day 2012

Thursday, May 17th, 2012

May Day 2012

May Day, known as Lei Day in Hawaii, is celebrated annually by Molokai schools. Every school features a May Day court of student representatives of every island, wearing the colors symbolic of each.  Here are a selection of photos from the various celebrations.…

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Healthy Babies 2012

Sunday, May 13th, 2012

Healthy Babies 2012

This year’s Healthy Baby Contest, hosted by Na Pu`uwai, featured 12 of Molokai’s cutest keiki. It was held at Kaunakakai School’s Ho`olaulea on Friday, where the small contestants crawled their way to big prizes.

First Place: Kayani Rapanot-Casino, daughter of Mahailia Rapanot-McGuire and Justin Casino

First Runner Up: Dailee-Ann Angco, daughter of Arlan and Hinano Angco

Second Runner Up: Shania-Ann Greenleaf, daughter of Christina and Travis Greenleaf

Photos and Captions by Eileen Chao.…

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Ka Mo`olelo O Leahi: The Legend of Diamond Head

Thursday, May 10th, 2012

Community Contributed

By Kahuna Lono

In the ancient days, in the island of O`ahu (the offering place) on the coastline of Kaimanahila (directly east of Waikiki Beach), a la`i fish was born. His name was Nahe, and he was unlike any other fish of his species because the maunalua came (big barreling wave) and sucked him out to sea. He knew the deep blue sea as his first home, unlike most la`i that live on the kahakai (reef). He grew up playing with the kohola (whale) in the winter time, and the mano kama`aina (local sharks) were his companions throughout the rest of the year.…

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Ka Hula Piko 2012

Sunday, May 6th, 2012

Ka Hula Piko 2012

The annual three-day Ka Hula Piko festival brought locals and visitors together to celebrate the birth place of hula on Molokai. This year’s theme was “Lei `ia Molokai ke aloha hulu mamo,” or “Molokai wreath in the love of the ancestors.” In honor of the kupuna, this year’s first Creative Keiki Contest featured posters, poems and essays expressing what their kupuna means to them. Check later this week for contest winners.

Saturday’s event, held at Mitchell Pauole Center, showcased a variety of halau and traditions.

Dancers of Oahu-based Hula Halau Kukunaokala performed ancient hula centering around Molokai. The halau was founded in 1977 by the late Kumu Hula John Kaimikaua to carry on the hula traditions of this island.…

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IAM Launches International Petition to Stop Undersea Cable

Thursday, May 3rd, 2012

I Aloha Molokai News Release

I Aloha Molokai (IAM) has launched a worldwide petition to stop Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s multi-billion-dollar Big Wind Interisland Cable boondoggle. Gov. Abercrombie, Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) and some House and Senate members are now finalizing legislation that would allow the project to fast-track without sufficient environmental analysis or public review.

Noting the project’s huge potential impacts on whales and “critically endangered Hawaiian monk seals – one of the rarest marine mammals in the world – as well as five species of sea turtles, three species of dolphins, and hundreds of other marine species,” the petition adds that the project “will be rubber-stamped without due process – without public input from residents of Hawaii and, not to mention, everyone worldwide who wants to protect whales, sea turtles, seals, and dolphins.”…

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Ka Hula Piko Festival 2012

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

Ka Hula Piko Festival 2012

Halau Hula O Kukunaokala News Release

This year’s Molokai Ka Hula Piko festival will be held Thursday May 3 to Saturday May 5. This year’s theme celebrates our kupuna and is “Lei `ia Molokai ke aloha hulu mamo,” or “Molokai wreath in the love of the ancestors.” We honor our kupuna both living and of old who have perpetuated and preserved the traditions and knowledge of our culture that we have today.

Thursday’s festivities include two on-site excursions and an evening lecture. Friday we will be showing a documentary film titled “The Hidden,” featuring the late Kumu Hula John Kaimikaua, with a short Q&A to follow.…

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A Dreamer at Heart

Wednesday, April 18th, 2012

A Dreamer at Heart

SUP champion Ekolu Kalama debuts his first album

When Ekolu Kalama dreams, he dreams big. Having already achieved world recognition for standup paddleboarding, the Molokai native is busy looking to his future. The 36-year-old father of two is currently working on a few screenwriting projects, developing his own brand of apparel (“EK”), planning a move into politics, and on Saturday, Kalama debuted his very first album, “Dare to Dream,” at Hotel Molokai.

Six years ago, Kalama left his stable job at the Kaunakakai Fire Station to pursue his two passions in life –surfing and music. In 2009, he won the World Cup of Stand-Up Paddle racing, held in Hamburg Germany in both the 2000 meter sprint and 10,000 meter distance races.…

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