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Hawaiian Culture

Hawaiian culture stories from Molokai

Hawaiian Sovereignty Gathering

Wednesday, July 6th, 2011

Hui, hui to all! This is a kahea to all residents of Molokai Nui a Hina. There will be a general meeting for anyone and everyone wanting to gain information and enlightenment about ea, or sovereignty, on July 9 at the QLCC conference room, 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.

The focus will be about the Reinstated Hawaiian Government (RHG), and the speaker, Henry Noa, will present background information. RHG was incorporated in March 1999, and Noa will share some of the progressive steps and evens that have since occurred, and present plans for the immediate future. Citizens of RHG will be present to answer and share their experiences.

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Governor Signs Landmark Native Hawaiian Rights Law

Monday, July 4th, 2011

State Senate News Release

A 118-year-old deep-rooted obligation to formally recognize Native Hawaiians as “the only indigenous, aboriginal, maoli people of Hawaii” will take a major step forward when Gov. Neil Abercrombie signs Senate Bill 1520 into law on Wednesday, July 6, 2011.

The law will significantly improve protection of cultural rights, ceded lands and other entitlements, advance self-governance and heal the “kaumaha” – the heaviness or sorrow. When signed into law, the measure adds a new chapter to the Hawaii Revised Statutes, which would establish a process for Native Hawaiians to organize themselves.

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Homesteaders Camping Retreat

Sunday, June 19th, 2011

Homesteaders Camping Retreat

Community Contributed

Na `Opio O Molokai Hawaiian Homesteaders ame Na Auamo A Hina O Ke Au Hou want to mahalo Ahupua`a o Molokai, All Hawaiian Homestead Association, Ankala Phillipo, Friendly Isle United Funds, and all participants who participated in our Local Camping Retreat in Halawa on Feb. 25-27, 2011 which brought inspiration and motivation.

Our purpose is to create leaders for the future, understand the structure of DHHL, Sovereign Councils of the Hawaiian Homelands Assembly (SCHHA), Homestead Associations, our responsibility and roles, how important we are, build our own foundations and create our identity in culture, family and society. These topics will also be focused on during our July 28-31, 2011 Statewide Camping Retreat at Papohaku Beach Park.

We invite all Hawaiian Homesteaders 18-35 years old to join our State Opio Camping Retreat on July 28-31, 2011 at Papohaku Beach Park, starting at 12 noon. If you are interested in signing up please contact Suliana Aki (suliana@hawaii.edu), Sybil Lopez (lopezs808@gmail.com) or Kristi Dudoit (iamthekristi@gmail.com)

Na `Opio O Molokai Hawaiian Homesteaders

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Camp `Olelo Hawaii

Sunday, May 29th, 2011

Ka Honua Momona News Release

'Auhea 'oukou e nā makamaka o Moloka'i Nui a Hina. Eia 'o Ka Honua Momona e 'imi nei i nā 'ohana hoihoi i ka 'ōlelo a me ka lawai'a.  E mālama 'ia ana kekahi papahana lawai'a ma o ka 'ōlelo Hawai'i ma ka lā 26 o Iune a hiki i ka lā 2 o Iulai. 

Ka Honua Momona, in partnership with Hawaii Marine Program Conservation International, is pleased to offer a free Hawaiian language Lawai`a Ohana Camp to our Molokai ohana. The camp will teach the protocols and policies of pono fishing, and be held from Sunday evening, June 26 through Saturday evening, July 2. The program will be hosted at Ali'i fishpond with excursions to other areas of the island. Space is limited! Deadline for camp participants and positions is Friday, June 10.

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Molokai Holokai Round Two

Monday, May 16th, 2011

Molokai Holokai Round Two

Every year, stand up paddle (SUP) races like the Battle of the Paddle in Honolulu and the Olukai on Maui attract hundreds of paddlers eager to vie against the sport’s most talented competitors in some of the best paddling conditions in the world.

Lucky for Molokai, local race directors have created what they say is a venue equal in quality to Hawaii’s best races. The second Molokai Holokai will take place on Saturday, May 28 at 1 p.m. Known as the Kamalo Run, the race begins at the old Kamalo Wharf and runs parallel to Molokai southern fringing reef, ending 8.5 miles later at Hotel Molokai.


“When the trade-winds are blowing, this particular course is extraordinarily fun,” said race co-director Todd Yamashita. “The wind whips you along at a good rate and there is a lot of wave riding. I don’t think people realize just how fast our south shore conditions really are.”

Clare Mawae, Molokai Holokai co-director, was introduced to SUP last year and has since been inspired to host the Makani Ikaika race series on Molokai. The Molokai Holokai will serve as the fifth and final race of that series. Mawae, who is also head of Youth in Motion, a non-profit water-sports club for island youth, recently returned from volunteering over the weekend at Battle of the Paddle.

“Everyone is doing standup here (in Honolulu). It made me want to come back to Molokai and strengthen our events,” Mawae said. “We don’t have state of the art equipment but if we can keep our kids excited, everything else will follow.”

“The Molokai Holokai is designed, first and foremost, as a competitive venue for our Molokai SUP community.” Yamashita added. “Many Molokai paddlers often lack resources to attend off-island race events, so this one if for them.”

Race Day Schedule:
           12-1 p.m. registration Kamalo Wharf (east Molokai near mile marker 10)
           1 p.m. All divisions beach start Kamalo Wharf
           3 p.m. Pupus, pa`ina and awards at Hotel Molokai – public is welcome
            Please go to www.Molokai.spruz.com for more info.

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Hawaiian Language Lives On

Monday, May 16th, 2011

Hawaiian Language Lives On

`Olelo Hawaii filled the Molokai High School Hawaiian Immersion graduation ceremony, and dozens of lei rose to the noses of the graduates last Friday evening.

The ceremony was the culmination of five students’ knowledge of Hawaiian language and culture: Kekukuimawaenaokamokumaikekuahiwiakalaniikekai  Kaiama-Lenwai, Kealakai Alcon, Keakaokalani Kaiama, Ka`imiola Sagario and Kailana Eheu`ula Ritte-Camara.

Each graduate spoke in Hawaiian for about 10 minutes in front of an audience of 100 people at their garden at Molokai High School. The students also recited their “Oli Mo Okuahuhau,” or genealogical recitation.

language and culture thriving on Molokai,” he said.

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Revisiting the Old Molokai

Monday, May 16th, 2011

Revisiting the Old Molokai

John Ka`imikaua was a renowned kumu hula who founded the annual Molokai Ka Hula Piko Festival that celebrates the birthplace of hula. He also created a documentary that highlights sustainable living and providing for Molokai community’s needs. The film screened last Friday evening at Coffees of Hawaii for this year’s 20th annual Ka Hula Piko celebration.

Ka`imikaua’s documentary, “A Mau A Mau: to continue forever” not only teaches traditional Molokai values and culture, but also proposes the idea that the old Molokai can be revitalized.

“I’ve known John and his halau for as long as I’ve been alive,” said Molokai resident Juanita Colon. “I think the video is a great introduction to what our culture represents.”

This year’s Ka Hula Piko theme “Aia na kai po`olo`olo`u o Molokai” – there are the turbulent waters of Molokai – is symbolic of interconnection of all things, and their dependence on one another. The saying describes a natural phenomenon that occurs off south shores of Molokai – the way the i`a swarms from the bottom of the ocean and bursting through the surface, creating the illusion the sea is boiling.

Pictured above/left/right, dancers of Moana’s hula halau swirl as Molokai celebrated Ka Hula Piko at the Mitchell Pauole Center last Saturday.

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The Ups and Downs of Traditional Hawaiian Fishponds

Thursday, May 12th, 2011

The Ups and Downs of Traditional Hawaiian Fishponds

Community Contributed

By Walter Ritte

Up: Eight hundred years ago, traditional Hawaiian fishponds doubled the food capacity of the existing reefs, helping the ahupua`a system to feed hundreds of thousands of Hawaiians in a sustainable fashion.

Down: After Western contact in 1776, the Hawaiians, their culture, and fishponds use declined dramatically. By the 1980s, raising fish in the ponds was almost nonexistent – “highest and best use” was declared, and the ponds became marinas, parks, housing, navel facilities, harbors, bird sanctuaries, hotels and millionaire estates.

Up: In the 1990s Molokai led a state wide effort to protect and restore traditional Hawaiian fishponds. With the strong support of Sen. Dan Inouye and Gov. John Waihe`e, highest and best use was replaced with “traditional use” of these of these cultural treasures. In March of 2011, hundreds of fishpond operators and supporters from all islands came to Molokai to kuka kuka and organize themselves.

Down: A week later in March, the Japan tsunami hit many ponds in Hawaii including ones on the east end of Molokai. Some of the ponds were just recently restored, which required many years of hard work by strong young backs of our younger generation.

Up: Three days later, on March 14, the walls of Keawanui fishpond were being restored after being totally destroyed. Some fifty volunteers have already put in valued restoration hours answering the kahea for kokua. Today the students of Ho`omana Hou School proudly harvested 34 pounds of oysters they placed in plastic baskets 10 months ago. It has been a very long time since aquaculture has been successful in Keawanui fishpond…we hope this small harvest will become a sustained “big ups” for traditional Hawaiian fishponds, and once again help bring food security to Hawaii.    

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Library Gets More Native Hawaiian Books

Thursday, May 12th, 2011

HSPLS News Release

The Hawaii State Public Library System (HSPLS) has received a grant from Kamehameha Schools for academic support materials – just in time for their Summer Reading program.

The Kamehameha Schools Public Education Support Division awarded HSPLS a $25,000 grant for academic support materials in nine of our libraries, including Molokai Public Library.  The funds have been used to purchase library materials for students from preschool to age 20, at targeted branches located in communities with large Native Hawaiian populations.

Book topics include Hawaiian language, biographies, non-fiction, fiction, encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, mythology, folktales, and Pacific Island people and cultures.

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Find Your Family Tree

Wednesday, May 4th, 2011

Community contributed by Gladys Brown

Genealogy and family history search is the fastest growing hobby in America.  Come join us for a free workshop on this fascinating pastime on Saturday May 14, 2011, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Latter Day Saints Family History Library in Kalamaula.

Susan Shaner, Hawaii State Archivist, is the keynote presenter who will speak on "Hawaii State Archives Records."  Learn how to access these public documents.

Alex Haley, author of “Roots,” wrote, “All human beings belong to some family that has ancestry and a native land.  The need for knowing who you is is universal."  If a descendant of slaves could find his ancestors in Africa, we, too, can find our roots and branches.

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