Hawaiian Culture

Hawaiian culture stories from Molokai

First Uke Ohana Molokai Gathers

Thursday, June 28th, 2012

First Uke Ohana Molokai Gathers

Community Contributed
By Duncan Berry, submitted by Lonomusic

Ukulele and hula lovers from around the world gathered at Pu`u O Hoku Ranch this past week to share the spirit of aloha during the first annual Uke Ohana Molokai event. Participants from Oahu, California, Oregon and Australia spent five days immersed in traditional old style Hawaiian ukulele music and culture led by local folk singer Lono and the dancers of the Hula Halau Mele Nei (Sheri Shults with Kim and Richard Markham). On Friday, the entire group brought lei to the kupuna at the Hotel Molokai and played and danced with the islands finest.…

Funds for the Future

Sunday, June 24th, 2012

Molokai organizations present at OHA annual community meeting

Each year, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) offers $12 million in grants spread across the state. Funds are granted for a number of strategic priorities with one crucial qualification –the project must assist or contribute to OHA’s efforts to improve conditions for Native Hawaiians, according to Harold Nedd, OHA Public Relations Specialist. Molokai organizations made their cases for a portion of those funds last week, when OHA held an annual Molokai community meeting. The meetings are held around the state to give residents a chance to make their voices heard.

“Transparency is the most important thing,” said Chairperson of the OHA Board of Trustees, Colette Machado, of the meeting process.…

Independent Voting

Wednesday, June 20th, 2012

Independent Voting

Community Contributed

By Kanohowailuku Helm, District 7 Senate candidate 

My campaign for State Senate District 7 is kicking off with two new films this week. They are available on Facebook and YouTube by searching Helm for Senate. The first is images of my life. These will be familiar to Molokai people, but should be helpful to voters in other parts of the district.

While film is no substitute for talking story face to face, the unique challenge of District 7 is to reach voters scattered across three islands and also protect Kaho`olawe. Over the next two months, I will be introducing myself to voters on Lanai, in Hana and upper and lower country Maui.…

OHA Trustees to Hold Two Meetings on Molokai

Wednesday, June 13th, 2012

OHA News Release

Native Hawaiians on Molokai will get an opportunity to provide feedback to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) at a community forum as well as a regular Board of Trustees meeting. The forum is designed for OHA officials to listen to concerns from the community as well as highlight efforts to improve conditions for Native Hawaiians. Both meetings are open to the public. Here are the specifics:

Community Meeting
Wednesday, June 20, 6:30 p.m.
Kulana `Oiwi Halau, Kalama`ula

OHA Board of Trustees Meeting
Thursday, June 21, 9 a.m.
Kulana `Oiwi Halau, Kalama`ula…

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.…

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.…

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.…

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.…

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.…

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.…