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Culture & Art

Playing Games in Naiwa

Saturday, April 3rd, 2010

Playing Games in Naiwa

By Catherine Aki

In our last episode our hero, Kalimahopu is longing for the red-hair beauty, Koa`ekea, who has been chosen to lead an evening of games during the time of Makahiki.  In the meantime she is fulfilling her role as a matchmaker choosing men and women as partners for the rest of the evening.

Koa`ekea is also looking for someone herself. She tells the master of ceremonies, Kalaeloa, that they should walk around together and when she sees the man she wants, she will give him a sign. As they approach our hero, he is standing with his mischievous friend. Since both men are handsome, Kalaeloa is not sure which one our beauty wants. He picks the wrong man. 

The metaphor used was that Kalaeloa had to “find another ship for this captain to man.”  When Kalaeloa selects the correct man, our hero, with the maile wand, Kalimahopu feels lucky she has chosen him. She in turn flings her arms around him and kisses him much to the delight of the watching crowd.

The author of the story then digresses to make a point.  He says, these were the things the ancestors did to multiply the race.  That is why the population was large until the time the Ka-haole-kaukau (white people) came.  In the times of wars many were killed and many were born.  But once the people were mostly monogamous, the race shriveled.  The story served as an illustration or explanation.

Once our beauty and hero become a couple, they had to decide where to go as dawn was on the horizon.  Being that our hero was from Kalaupapa, they go to her grandparents house close by along the road leading to Mo`omomi.  The grandparents welcomed them and began to prepare food.  When her grandmother saw the head lei of ohelo berries woven with red blossoms and green awikiwiki leaves, she remarked that her granddaughter must have been a favorite of the chiefs and is pleased.

What is interesting is how food was cooked.  Making a fire involved rubbing fire sticks and adding the sparks to wood with a few stones.  A chicken was cooked with stones in a closed gourd calabash with ananu, popolo, aheahea greens and a little water.  Poi was made from both sweet potato and pink taro poi from kaioea.  After eating the couple washed their hands and relaxed with full bellies.

While reflecting, our hero says that everything that happened the evening before went well and no one complained.  However, he is ashamed because he has no gift for her.   Our beauty answers that he has nothing to be ashamed about because he has not stolen from nor plundered the people.  They had simply to fulfill their desires in obedience to the voices of the chiefs of the land.

But, our hero has to go.  In our next episode, find out why.

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A Princely Party

Friday, April 2nd, 2010

A Princely Party

On a wind-swept Saturday morning, a few hundred Molokai residents gathered at Coconut Grove to celebrate one of their own. Although Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana’ole never lived on Molokai, his presence as the first royal-born representative for Congress led to Hawaiian homeland settlements which still exist today. His birthday, March 26, is celebrated every year across the islands; here, March 27 celebrations were hosted by Ahupua`a o Molokai, the association representing Molokai homesteads. The always ono chicken lau lau, mac salad and mochi were available for the crowd, while a few Molokai bands entertained. Pili Pa`a, pictured below, sang many favorites.

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Aunty’s Corner

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

Aunty’s Corner

Aunty here,

I had to go to Honolulu this week.  While waiting at the airport I met this wonderful young lady named Makamae.  She is a nurse that was given a scholarship for her last two years of college and is working at Molokai General.  Her scholarship is with Native Hawaiian Health which works with the under served Hawaiian population.

While I was in Honolulu I decided to walk to my doctor's appointment and took the scenic route.  I ended up in Chinatown and asked all kinds of directions with shop keepers coming out to tell me to go "thata way".  I finally made it.  It's fun to go to the big city but very confusing.  Love to shop in all the fancy stores.

I also attended Uncle K Beamer's celebration of his life held at the St. Andrew's Cathedral.  What a huge place.  It was packed.  The Princess was there and all kinds of old-time hula dancers and singers.  Uncle Mahi played his piano.  I then went with my niece to the fundraiser for my grand-niece Laua'e.  Laua'e wanted me to tell everyone that even though the stats say that this population or that population only gets cancer two percent or five percent not to believe it because breast cancer is there no matter what the race.  I was able to meet my great-grandniece, Hailialoha, who is seven weeks old.  She is so pretty and was smiling so much even though everyone wanted to see her and hold her.  

There were all kinds of musicians playing and singing, a magical night!  They held a silent auction that included three rides on the Hokule'a.  I wish I could have bid on that.  All this week I was taken to dinner at California Pizza, lunch at Zippy's and then for breakfast at Victoria Inn.  I'll need to diet forever!  I was given a ride up Palolo Valley where I'd never been before and then past Makapu'u where I learned to body surf a hundred years ago.  A very nice four days.  It's wonderful to be home again. E O Moloka'i!
Aunty

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Ho`ailona Goes to School

Sunday, March 28th, 2010

Ho`ailona Goes to School

Ho`ailona is nearly three years old, and is already taking classes at the University of California Santa Cruz. His teachers have been giving him conditioning exercises, so medical checkups – which will be numerous considering his vision – will be easier and even fun. Ho`ailona is one of only 1,100 Hawaiian monk seals left in the world.

The veterinarians and marine mammal scientists working with Ho`ailona, formerly known as KP2, say his training is the same as a “very smart dog.” He is still as curious as ever, checking out all areas of his pool and the deck, and interacting very well with his trainers.

His trainers said on their website that he has learned a chin station and nose target, which points the seal to a specific location for him to touch. This helps him to be shown where to go and helps the trainer-monk seal relationship.

His journal, updated periodically on his website, says the seal has learned many more behaviors: entering the water upon request, staying in the water for trainers to enter and exit, and lying down. The new tricks allow scientists to more easily check Ho`ailona’s eye health, temperature, weight and morphometrics (girth and length). The veterinarians are still determining whether eye surgery for the seal will be needed.

As for creature comforts, Ho`ailona has been listening to the Beach Boys and Hawaiian-style music, and enjoys playing with showering water from a hose according the online journal. Stay updated at http://www.monkseal.ucsc.edu/KP2/Home.html

Ho`ailona spent most of his life around Molokai, but was born on Kauai and abandoned within 24-hours. After a year of rehabilitation by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the monk seal known as KP2 was released on Molokai. After many months of bonding with residents in the Kaunakakai Wharf, NOAA attempted to place him in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands but found he had cataracts. He was then sent to UC Santa Cruz for observation and possible surgery.

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No Loss for Words

Thursday, March 25th, 2010

No Loss for Words

It’s fluid. It’s gutsy. It’s real. And it’s certainly not your typical Emily Dickinson crowd. Slam is a new wave of poetry that has spawned a group of imitators, sewing seeds across the map – all the way to Molokai.

On March 16 and 17, Honey Girl Hoe, a 21-year-old slam poet from Honolulu with family in Molokai, held a series of workshops at Kalele Bookstore in Kaunakakai that inspired participants to break free from their shells and voice their reflections.

Honey Girl opened last Wednesday’s session with one of her latest creations “I’m Home.”

comes in the delivery,” Honey Girl said. “If you’re trying to get people to feel it, you go soft, if you want people to listen, you go loud.”

Slam is a type of poetry common among today’s youth that sees performers all over the globe recite their written words in front of a crowd, often with hand gestures and riddled with deep emotion. Essentially, it’s poetry that originates on the page and is then brought to the stage.

The nearly two-hour class session brought about 10 participants who wrote – both collectively and individually – a series of slams, which were then recited in front of the group.

The night progressed with nearly everyone taking the stage – hands flailing, intensity growing, tones alternating between whispers and shouts, ideas being pondered and individuals uniting, once strangers and now friends.

“Slam is the combination of creation and expression,” Honey Girl said. “It’s a great ice breaker and helps with social skills.”

Grassroots
Slam poetry first originated on the mainland in November 1984 by Marc Smith, a construction worker-turned-slammer who frequented the Get Me High Lounge in Chicago. In the ensuing years, the slam movement traveled throughout clubs, coffee houses, bookstores and homes, and even prompted national competitions.

In 2003, Hawaii Slam was founded by performance poet Kealoha. Hawaii Slam hosts First Thursdays Poetry Slam at Fresh Café in Honolulu, the largest certified slam poetry venue in the world – boasting more than 600 attendees.

“It’s really big with teenagers because many don’t have an outlet to speak their mind,” Honey Girl said. “This is a way for them to say ‘Listen, I have something to say.’”

Honey Girl found her slam niche during her senior year of high school when a teacher suggested she attend a spoken word performance workshop known as “Youth Speaks.”

From there, she participated in a few competitions, both individually and collaboratively. Today, she continues to slam and holds workshops among various schools, encouraging anyone who has an opinion to just slam it. She’ll be returning to Molokai for more workshops in May.

“I used to be really shy, but it broke me out of my shell,” she said. “Poems come from within you. They are a reflection of your perspectives and who you are.”

“I’m Home,” by Honey Girl Hoe
The wind wasn't subtle
It was a powerful breeze
Billowing over and under, in and out
Caressing-... a welcome home
And the sun demanded attention!
Feeling the heat on my hair
I gazed into the glare
And gave it...recognition.
The ride was curvy and bumpy
Papa doesn't believe in driving within the lines
But that's okay because,
I don't believe in wearing a seat belt.
And I'm ono.
For some Kanemitsu apple crisps
Butter rolls and donut holes
But on Tuesdays they're closed.
The grass was wet.
The rain came from a hand
Attached to a smile, with a hug
And I siad, "hi grandma!"
The pier was still there.
It never changes over the ages
As I lay to give greetings
To my prey under the sea.
7 digits later,
And I've got my own friends to welcome me.
Stories were told.
New jobs, new loves, new tricks
Playing skate over nollie and kick flips
Dreamers.  Were all dreamers.
All of a sudden the day is gone
And the fire is steady
Drinks are light but the laughs are heavy
The ukulele is out, the atmosphere is merry,
Nothing can get better than this.
My blanket is still black.
Since grade 3, even though it wasn't bought for me
It's still mine.
So...lights out as I settle into a bed of my own
Sleeping like a baby cuz now I know,
I'm home.

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What Is Molokai?

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010

Kids. Besides being just plain cute, they certainly have a knack for brilliance. Take Michelle McGuire’s entry from last week where she describes Molokai as “a blossom in the night and a flower in the day.” Ooh, chicken skin. Well, Michelle and her fourth grade classmates from Kualapu`u School earned enough votes to win not just one, but two $50 gift certificates to the Kualapu`u Cookhouse (if you’re all really nice, maybe Kumu Diane Abraham will make a field trip to get treats).

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A Royal Celebration

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010

A Royal Celebration

The year was 1921. Delegate to Congress for the Territory of Hawaii, and former heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Hawaii, Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana`ole sat on the first Hawaiian Homestead Commission. Tired of seeing native Hawaiians struggle to adapt to Western living culture – where urban living ruled – Kuhio helped create the Hawaiian Homelands Act, giving back the ancient relationship Hawaiians share with their `aina.

The first few years of the program were to figure out how to make it successful – and the majority of the acreage released was on Molokai. This “case in point” divided up 23 lots of 25 acres each, and was called Kalaniana’ole Settlement after Kuhio – a name that still exists today in nearby Kalaniana’ole Road and Kalaniana’ole Hall.

The courageous challenge by Molokai settlers to farm on such “dry and almost barren wastes” was seen as a great success, and the homestead program continues to this day.

As Molokai gathers to celebrate the first native Hawaiian to serve Congress, and the only royal-born in Congress’ history, the day dedicated to him is full of Hawaiian, food, crafts and entertainment. A modern homestead association, Ahupua’a o Molokai, is hosting the Prince Kuhio Day celebration at Kiowea Park at Coconut Grove, Saturday, March 27 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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The Right Kind of Tourist

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010

Local filmmaker Matt Yamashita just completed a new DVD in partnership with the Molokai Visitors Association (MVA).  The purpose of the video is to introduce potential visitors to the “real Molokai” without flashy commercialism. 

Check out his videos below, and read next week's Dispatch for more and an interview with Matt Yamashita and Julie Bicoy of the MVA.
 
Mahalo!
Matt Yamashita

Visit more of Yamashita's videos on his YouTube channel, http://www.youtube.com/user/molokaimatt

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Learn to Hula

Friday, March 19th, 2010

Community Contributed by Alison Place

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Connecting With the Heart of Molokai

Friday, March 19th, 2010

Connecting With the Heart of Molokai

Community Contributed by Annette Johnson
 
As a vacationing visitor from Anchorage, Alaska, I came to Molokai for some quality "Island" time away from the fast pace of today's life.  I chose Molokai for its "most Hawaiian" and low-keyed atmosphere.
 
The owner of my condo rental highly recommended hiking to the Halawa Valley Falls with the Pilipos to guide you. She said the hike to Halawa Falls is not to be missed, that Kumu Pilipo is a true native and "Keiko o ka aina" who was born and lives in this beautiful valley. He will give you the history of this area and talk stories that will make you laugh and cry and send chills down your spine. It will be an unforgettable experience you will treasure for a lifetime.
 
I was able to meet Kumu Pilipo for a talk story with another group, but when I arrived at the pavilion in Halawa Valley, Kumu Pilipo and Josh Pastrana told me the talk didn’t start till later that day. But they asked me if I would like to stay for it. Having long ago learned that everything happens for a reason, I happily agreed to go up to their home and wait for the taro talk/demonstration. I followed them up the gorgeous valley to the home and beautiful taro fields of Kumu Pilipo, and he mentioned to me that he had much preparation, for the Ancestor Spirits to be happy with his talk. He told me to wander around and see what his son was doing in the taro fields.


 
I found Josh nearby attending to a fire where the taro would be boiled. He said that he needed to harvest some taro for the talk, so we walked over to the fields. Josh mentioned to me that he was a teacher, and soon I rolled up my capri pants and wade in barefoot, like him, harvesting the beautiful taro plants. I must say that Josh is a wonderful teacher, excellent in his directions and teaching, very knowledgeable and patient and helpful in his demeanor.
 
During Josh and I's taro preparation, Kumu Pilipo prepared the area for the talk/demonstration with ti leaves, his pictures, conch shell, story board and his ancient wooden poi board and pounding stones. While helping Josh and me, he told me stories of the history of Halawa Valley, Molokai, the ancient practice of brings gifts to the chief, the blowing of the conch shell, communicating with arriving visitors.

I don't know how it was that I was so honored that day to receive the complete taro experience from the harvesting of the taro all the way through its preparation to the poi bowl. I had never eaten the taro root by itself, only poi before, and this was the best poi I had ever tasted. Eating the taro root itself seemed like a sacred honor, as it takes this special plant so long to grow to maturity, six to 12 months. I found it delicious. Perhaps it was from understanding more of the history of the taro plant and its long history here in Halawa Valley, Molokai, Hawaii and Polynesia. From the stories and what I learned this day in the taro fields of Halawa Valley with Kumu Pilipo Solatorio and Josh Pastrana, I came away with a deep core connection with Molokai, its land and people. My deepest appreciation and gratitude go to Kumu Pilipo Solatorio and Josh Pastrana for this extraordinary day I will treasure the rest of my life.

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