He Mana`o Aloha `Ia
Check out a selection of photos from this year's Festivals of Aloha.
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Culture & Art
1 CommentsFirst Timers Channel Success
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Setting a new record turnout, 123 crews with over 1,000 paddlers from Russia to Australia navigated the Ka`iwi Channel through wind, rain and choppy water at the 58th annual Molokai Hoe last Sunday.
This year, Molokai was represented by many fresh faces to the race. Team Molokai, formed by paddlers from Wa`akapaemua, Kukui O Molokai and Mana`e canoe clubs, had five first-timers to the Hoe challenge and a father-sons trio.
Rookie paddler Troy Heen said while he may be nervous for his first run of this race, he is excited to be a part of the Molokai team.
“We are just a bunch of friends together that want to have fun out here,” Heen said.
The men had a great race – beating their personal goal by finishing 24th with a time of 5:44:28.
“Coming in the top 25 is really an accomplishment,” said relief paddler David Gilliland. “We had a fantastic start and the team really muscled through the tough water to keep us ahead of the pack.”
Tahiti’s Shell Va`a won their fifth consecutive Molokai Hoe with a time of 4:38:50 and Team OPT #1 finished second in 4:51:34.
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Sovereignty in Action
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The Obama administration and Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI) joined around 600 Native Hawaiian advocates at the largest annual gathering of Native Hawaiian organizations – the Native Hawaiian Convention.
This year’s topic was sovereignty in action, according to participant and Kalama`ula Mauka Homestead secretary Candice Davis-Bicoy. After attending the last Sovereign Councils of the Hawaiian Homesteads assembly, where she learned more about the Akaka bill, she said she attended the convention to learn more about politics.
Davis said she attended the debate between Democratic candidate Neil Abercrombie and Republican Duke Aiona, to learn “which governor is going to address Native Hawaiian issues, and homesteaders’ issues.”
“I’m still an opio [youth], most issues were discussed on a higher level with kupuna,” she said. “As an opio I appreciated being at that conference, to take in all that knowledge – what is pono, what is the right way to go.”
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Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are the fastest growing community in the U.S. – expected to make up 10 percent of the population by 2040, according to Ahuja. The initiative’s responsibility is to take the mana`o of groups like this, and work directly with 30 federal agencies to make sure their voices are heard.
The Kalaupapa Canoe Project Takes Shape
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Community Contributed
By Michael Neubauer
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Michael, Kevin and other volunteers have been working hard to revive the old outrigger, named Kamali`i. Sanding down the hull, reshaping the nose and gunnels, filling pukas and reinforcing some of the weathered parts of the boat have made for a long process for the volunteers from The Earth Trot Project. When finished, they’re planning to paddle Kamali`i over to Kalaupapa in October. Once there, the canoe will be given to the people of the settlement as a significant Hawaiian cultural gift.
“We’re trying to do what is pono,” Michael said. “Kalaupapa is one of the most significant places in Hawaiian culture. It’s really a paradox in a sense. You’ve got one of the most beautiful and pristine places on Earth, and yet a great overwhelming somberness hangs in the air. In many ways the peninsula still feels like a prison.”
Residents and workers in the area agree. This past spring heavy rains eroded the pali trail leading down to Kalaupapa and traversing it has become increasingly difficult. If that wasn’t bad enough, passenger airlines flying into the settlement raised their rates to over $250 for the ten minute flight to topside Molokai.
“The gift of the wa`a is one we hope helps to rejuvenate a bit of Hawaiian culture that has been lost in Kalaupapa. Right now the area doesn’t have a canoe, and to a voyaging people like the Hawaiians, that’s just not right,” Michael said. “Whether it’s used recreationally, for sport, or not at all, we feel the people of Kalaupapa are entitled to have that symbol of Hawaiian culture on their land.”
For more information, or to follow this project, please visit EarthTrot.org.
He Mana`o Aloha `Ia
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Aloha indeed – as adults relaxed, chowed down and talked story, keiki ran off the sugar from shave ice and braddah pops in the popular annual event, Festivals of Aloha.
Now in its 64th year, the Festivals of Aloha began as a way to preserve Hawaiian culture and traditions. The free musical and performance entertainment, as well as plenty ono food stands and game booths attracted hundreds each night to the Mitchell Pauole Center, and nearly 1,000 turned out for the finale parade and ho`olaule`a last Saturday. County Council Chair, and Molokai representative Danny Mateo was this year’s Honorary Chair for Maui Nui’s festival. Its theme, He Mana`o Aloha `ia, means ‘gaining knowledge through aloha.’
Aloha Week Contest Winners:
`Ulu/`Uala/Kalo
Taste
1. Tere Neuhart
2. Laurie Rapanot
3. Vonda Stone
Presentation
1. Vonda Stone
2. Tere Neuhart
3. Amber Nakihei
Poke
Taste
1. Marion Dudoit
2. Amber Nakihei
3. Stef Bush
Presentation
1. Marion Dudoit
2. Amber Nakihei
3. Stef Bush
Aloha Wear
Youth Muumuu
1. Tylea Cuello
2. Lelia Cuello
Youth Aloha Shirt
1. Waikaika Augustiro
2. Buzzy Augustiro
Adult Muumuu
1. Larie Loria
2. Scarlett Ritte-Camara
3. April Torres
Adult Aloha Shirt
1. Frank Parrino
2. Levi Yamazaki-Gray
3. Leimana Ritte-Camara
Couple
Sol and Paula Alcain
Bed Races
Men’s
1. Pepsi
2. Bicoy Men
3. Friendly Market Center
Women’s
1. Bicoy Women
2. Tutus
3. The Dispatch
Best Sportsmanship
Bicoy Men
Parade
Best Float
1. Punana Leo
2. Cabalar `Ohana
3. Royal Court
Best Pooper Scooper
1. Lanai
2. Ni`ihau
3. Molokai
Pa`u Unit
1. Maui
2. Kaho`olawe
3. Molokai
Court
2010 King/Mo`i Kane: Robert Ahsee Kalawe, Jr.
2010 Queen/Mo`i Wahine: Kauwela Ritte-Camara
Prince: Kaio Kalawe
Princess: Kealalehua Kalipi
Counselor: Keoki Pescaia
Matriarch: Mikiala Pescaia
Lady in Waiting: Laulani Walker
Red Kahili: Keoki Johnston Kalanilani
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Hula Uniki Class held on Molokai
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The Hula Pa at Keawanui held its first Hula Uniki on September 18, 2010, a weeklong process full of Hawaiian protocol. Kumu Hula Tony Conjugacion picked Molokai and needed the Uniki to be on the eastern side of the island. "This is a perfect place for an Uniki, with the fishpond the Hula Pa and the many Hawaiian plants, especially the three beautiful Ulu trees, we are so glad we pick Keawanui,” he said.
In the picture are the Kumu and elders of the halau watching over one of the students who is preparing for her graduation presentation after some twelve years of being a student.
Walter Ritte
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Another Step Towards `Aha K`iole Creation
Molokai has been taking a statewide leadership role in the creation and implementation of a new state law which calls for the creation of an `Aha K`iole – a state wide traditional governance system. Each island is to create an ahupua`a-based governance system, and to organize a group of ahupua`a into a Moku – Molokai has organized their 60-plus ahupua`a into five Moku. Leaders are elected in each Moku by those who live in that Moku. The Moku elected leaders then come together under an island `Aha Moku, and join with the other island’s `Aha Moku into an `Aha K`iole. This new system of resource governance is actually an old traditional Hawaiian way of managing the limited resources.
Aloha Kakou
Ke mahalo aku nei a papa M – 3 i na makua a me na po`e e kokua me na mea a pau i ka makou `imi kala no na keiki a makou ma ka Po Ki`i`oni`oni. Ua holomua no makou. He mahalo nui i keia mau kako`o a kokua: Raquel Dudoit no ke kanake pulu, Shirley Rawlins no na ki`aha, Kahea a me Lulu Maliu, Braddah a me Jannah Maliu, no na ipuhao a me ke kapuahi, Kahealani Maliu, Corinne Young, Clara Calairo, Molly Tengan, Po`okela Napoleon, “Tita” Moana Maliu-Calairo, Heli Silva Ducaroy a me Kalua Kanuha i ka`oukou kokua ma ka makau ku`ai, Mike Shizuma no ke kokua ma ka hale `aina, Kamalu Poepoe, i kou lumi papa, ia Loke Han, Joran Dudoit, Dani Dela-Cruz, Tarrah Horner, Sonja Domingo, `Opu`ulani Albino a me ike po`o kumu o Lydia Trinidad i ka `oukou kako`o a alaka`i. I hana kakou i keia mua aku.
How You Gonna Act?
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It’s not Shakespeare, said Lydia Trinidad, principal of Kualapu`u School. But the point of last week’s student performance was about gaining confidence. Kindergarten through second graders joined together to perform “`Opae`e,” a story about a brother’s quest to save his sister from an eel, written by Pilahi Paki and Irmgard `Aluli.
The student’s were showing off their talents they had learned in their new art class, which combines performance art and visual art. It also includes Hawaiian history and culture lessons, called `ike (knowledge) Hawaii.
“Studies show that [art] helps kids perform better in other subjects,” said Kari Haggler, the visual art instructor. “[And] Molokai kids are really creative.”
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Kualapu`u’s third through sixth graders will have their own performance night Nov. 18.
Common Threads
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By Catherine Cluett, Special to the Dispatch
There’s a lot that small islands in the Pacific Ocean have in common. But Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, and Molokai have some personal ties. Molokai’s Brigid Mulloy is the daughter of William Mulloy, the archeologist who restored the well-known statues in Rapa Nui known as Ahu Akivi in 1960. The seven statues of Ahu Akivi comprise the first ceremonial site ever restored on Rapa Nui.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of their restoration, and Brigid Mulloy and her family are traveling to the South Pacific island to celebrate the historic event. They are bringing with them another piece of Molokai – T-shirts to commemorate the event printed right here on Molokai.
Molokai artists Ann Van Eps and Steve Legare purchased a printing press from Bamboo Pantry after the store closed several months ago. Since then, they have been printing shirts on Molokai for sale and various events by special order. The Ahu Akivi anniversary shirts feature a historic photo of the restoration, printed smoothly on silky polyester shirts. Mulloy said she will take 100 of the shirts to Rapa Nui for the celebration, and more will be printed afterward to share on Molokai.
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Mulloy said she will take 100 of the shirts to Rapa Nui for the celebration, then more will be printed afterward to share on Molokai. Mulloy and her family will travel to Rapa Nui for the month of October. She said several events to honor her father’s work will take place during that time.
October 12, 2010 marks the 50th anniversary of the blessing of the completed restoration. The main event will be a celebration at the site will take place that day, attended by public officials, community members and family members of those who worked on the restoration. The population of Rapa Nui is about 6,000 people, and Mulloy said she expects many to attend the celebration.
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