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Culture & Art

Molokai Monarchs Fly to First

Thursday, January 7th, 2010

Molokai Monarchs Fly to First

When the 21st Century NXT Navigators robotics team returned from the Lego League qualifying tournament in Maui last November, they did something surprising – they started all over.

The all-girls team from three different Molokai schools experienced technical problems with their robot before Maui, and decided to rebuild it to give their best effort at the state tournament. They also renamed their team the Molokai Monarchs, complete with costumes.

,” said Momi. “And it went well with theme of transport.”

Janice Espiritu, principal of Kaunakakai School, is the director of the 21st Century grant for all Molokai schools, which got the robotics project started in 2008. She hopes to expand the grant to start a high school team.

“A lot of times people might sell us short because we’re coming from a little island, not knowing that we can compete with the best anywhere,” Espiritu said.

 

The winning team
Moriah Jenkins, 10th grade at MHS
Sarah Jenkins, 7th grade at Aka`ula School
Momi Afelin, 6th grade at Kaunakakai Elementary
Puakea Domingo, 6th grade at Kaunakakai Elementary
Cendall Manley, 6th grade level, homeschooled

The coaches
Kawika Gonzales, 5th grade teacher at Kaunakakai Elementary
Heidi Jenkins, 3/4 grade teacher at Kaunakakai Elementary
Melanie Goode, 6th grade teacher at Maunaloa Elementary

The cheerleaders
Louise Manley, parent and chaperone
Kim Svetin, parent
Meg Afelin, parent and chaperone
Amy Keanini, parent and chaperone
Michelle Tancayo, parent and chaperone
Greg Jenkins, parent and chaperone

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Aunty’s Corner

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

Aunty’s Corner

Aloha Molokai.  My name is Aunty Kapua.  I have always loved Molokai and when my beloved sister passed away I moved here from Lahaina. I am a kupuna volunteer here at The Molokai Dispatch taking care of the e-mail subscriptions and the hard copy subscriptions. The most fun, however, is stuffing the newspapers with the inserts every Wednesday. 

I thought it would be great to have a column about the doings of us kupuna on Molokai.  To start off I want to thank Misaki’s and Molokai Drugs for their wonderful donations to the Hui at Home Pumehana.  I wish also to thank the staff at Home Pumehana for their hard work for both onolicious Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners that they prepared and served.  Wow, lots of work.

During the holidays, Na Wahine O Molokai, under the direction of Kumu Hula Kauila Reyes, walked around town doing their Christmas caroling.  Akaku Television was there to capture their Christmas cheer on camera.  You can see the kupuna on Channel 54 during Maui Time. It’s really funny to see one’s self on TV.

Last week, Alulike Kupuna Program took the kupuna on a lovely drive to the east end and told us about the different areas. We were quizzed afterwards.  Auwe, all but myself could remember all the places.  I need to get a map and learn what all the ahupua’a are named.
 
If you are interested in submitting to this column please let me know at the Dispatch by calling 552-2781 or stopping in the office on Kamo`i St.

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Seal Slaying

Monday, January 4th, 2010

Seal Slaying

A Molokai monk seal has once again captured the island’s attention – this time for his unfortunate death. A male monk seal that has been known to swim in Molokai waters for the past several years was found dead on Dec. 14, 2009.

NOAA officials say he was intentionally shot, after performing a necropsy, and have opened an ongoing investigation on why and how the animal met its fate. It is against the law to kill an endangered species, like the Hawaiian monk seal, and being found guilty can carry a fine up to $50,000.

are an important part of Hawaiian natural resources,” Schofield said. “They were here before we were.” He added that anyone with any information about this latest incident should call 1-800-853-1964.

 

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Year of the Tiger (Part 4)

Monday, January 4th, 2010

Year of the Tiger (Part 4)

Community Contributed

By Mel Chung

 Molokai’s first ever Year of the Tiger Parade won’t be only fun in games, but will also serve as a learning experience to the island’s keiki. The Molokai Chinese Cultural Club is hosting both an art contest and a writing contest for youth contestants.

Seventh and 8th graders from Kumu Iolani Kuoha's O Hina I Ka Malama, Ko Kula Waena, Hawaiian Language Immersion Program at Molokai Middle School are writing essays in Hawaiian that explain their connection with the Year of the Tiger. Kumu Kuoha and her students have recently coordinated with Maui Arts & Cultural Center in bringing the iconic Cecilio & Kapono free concert to Molokai.  An energetic Molokai native, Kumu Kuoha is currently pursuing her Master's Degree in Secondary Education.

The parade celebration will also take the time to honor some of Molokai’s Chinese kupuna. The third kupuna being honored has strong Hawaiian ties.  Born in the year of the Tiger to a Chinese father and a Hawaiian mother in Kamalo, Molokai, Dorothy Mew-Lan Kalaki Chong Akiona Nihoa possesses the Chinese trait of perseverance and the Hawaiian charm of Aloha.  In her nineties, she will be the most senior kupuna honored at the parade in terms of life experience and accumulated wisdom.

Married 25 years to the late pastor Gulston L. Nihoa, she lived a humble life as the wife of a man of the cloth. She labored diligently with husband in raising taro, cattle, pigs, chickens, bees and fished on the east end of Molokai and near Ho`olehua for subsistence.  Widowed since 1961, she has shouldered her late husband's Akua mission and devotes herself passionately to it.

When she was in her eighties, Nihoa delivered meals to shut-ins and drove the seniors – some of them much younger than her -- to their medical appointments.  In spite of her 30-plus years volunteer work at Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO), she still keeps a schedule in MEO monthly food surplus distribution and drops in as much as she can to see her friends at Ne'e Imua Senior Club where she served as their club president for several terms.  It is no wonder that MEO director Zessica Apili's voice instantly warms up whenever Nihoa's name is brought up.

Nihoa's inner strength and quiet endurance are heartwarming & inspiring.  Her Chinese middle name "Mew-Lan" which means a rare and unusual flower, certainly describes her well.  We take pride in a kupuna of her caliber in our community.

A Year of the Tiger calendar /wall poster with all 12 Chinese Zodiac animals and their outlook for 2010 is available for purchase at Shop 2 & Beauty Salon by the Molokai Chinese Cultural Club.  Please call 553-5888.

 

 

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Molokai Duo Strums on Oahu

Monday, December 14th, 2009

Molokai Duo Strums on Oahu

Community Contributed
By Lucy Lamkin

Molokai ukulele maker Dan Ryerson and Ukes for Kids’ 13-year-old student Ace Villanueva participated in the eighth Annual Ukulele Guild of Hawaii Exhibition & Conference last month. On Nov. 21-22, the pair traveled to Oahu for the conference held at the Sheraton Hotel in Waikiki.


The event featured 48 instruments by 32 master builders. Builders from all over the world, including Hawaii, the mainland, New Zealand and Japan, gathered for two days to learn more about their craft. Ryerson put on his exhibit for the seventh year in a row. The event included instrument and craftsmanship displays, a program of workshops in instrument construction and playing techniques.

Ace Villanueva of Molokai performed in the lineup of well known players at the Conference Open Mic and was praised by world reknowned strummers Kalei Gamiao and Kimo Hussey. Gamiao, Hussey and several other recording artists inclduding Brittni Paiva, Daniel Nakashima and Chris Salvador played at the Saturday night banquet. 

Dan Ryerson’s Manae label has created custom ukuleles and guitars for clients in Hawaii, the mainland and Japan.  Ryerson initiated the Ukes For Kids program on Molokai that has supplied over 385 ukuleles to students like Villanueva across the island.

Molokai’s Ukes for Kids Program has received significant support from the The Ukulele Guild of Hawaii which is devoted to perpetuating Hawai‘i’s culture and heritage. Large contributions have come from as far away as Santa Cruz, California where guild member and instrument maker Dave Tachera produced a concert benefitting the Molokai program.  Local band Na Ohana Hoaloha has also consistently raised funds in support of the Ukes for Kids Program on Molokai.

A closer view of the Exhibition is available at: http://www.ukuleleguild.org/

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Off to the Capitol

Monday, December 14th, 2009

Off to the Capitol

Washington D.C. is a day of traveling away, but worlds apart from what most Molokai High School students are used to. It has stoplights, an area population in the millions, and museums with artifacts documenting the birth of our nation. But, as these students said, they will have the opportunity to use the nation’s capitol as their classroom to better understand their country.

This year, a record number 23 students from Molokai High School are signed up to participate in Close Up, a nonprofit organization that brings U.S. and international students to visit and study in our nation’s capitol. The week-long excursion will be over spring break in 2010.

The $2500 price tag for the trip is steep, but it comes with the opportunity to discuss and debate domestic and international issues with other students around the country, as well as meet members of Congressional staff, visit museums like the Smithsonian, monuments like the World War II memorial, and government buildings like the Supreme Court. Each student is responsible for raising their own money for the trip.

,” Mokuau said.

The students will be traveling to Washington D.C. from March 14 – 19, and are still actively seeking donations. They will continue to hold fundraisers until their trip, and encourage anyone interested to contribute.

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Choke Talent on Molokai

Monday, December 14th, 2009

Choke Talent on Molokai

Nearly 50 students from four Molokai schools participated in this year’s Brown Bags to Stardom talent show last Saturday night, an island-wide talent competition. This was the second year that the competition was open to elementary and middle school students, and the first year that Molokai had all three divisions represented.

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The Twilighters’ Dance

Monday, December 14th, 2009

The Twilighters’ Dance

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Keep Molokai Art in Molokai

Friday, December 11th, 2009

Keep Molokai Art in Molokai

Art From the Heart News Release

Molokai Art From the Heart, formerly known as Molokai Artists & Crafters, is committed to promoting the talent so abundantly found on Molokai. We have found a new talent which we would like to share with the rest of our island.

Steve Legare, our retired Fire Captain from Ho`olehua is our latest discovery. Steve has been photographing sunsets for about four years. We could see he had a great artistic eye so we asked him to give acrylic paint a try. His first two paintings of the buildings on Kaunakakai’s Hotel Lane turned out great. The first one was the old Imamura Residence, built in the 1930s. In the second, Legare did a great job of capturing the essence of the old Molokai favorite, hot bread.

We want to encourage him to continue to paint because he has a lot of talent. You can see his work on display at our gallery located next to Misaki’s on Ala Malama Ave. in Kaunakakai. For everyone’s convenience we will be open in the evenings on Wednesdays, Dec. 9 and 16. We are also open every day and evening the week of Christmas.

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“Find the Humor”

Friday, December 11th, 2009

“Find the Humor”

Donald Sunshine had one terrible day of traveling. While coming back to Molokai from his other home in Virginia, he and his wife missed their flight from Honolulu to Molokai due to a previous four-hour delay; his luggage was torn to pieces; and his finger slashed open traveling to his hotel. But Sunshine, channeling his last name, was able to laugh it off.

Sunshine shared this story and many more like it in his newest book, “Life’s Moments.” He was at Molokai Public Library last week to discuss the collection of short stories that focus mostly on his grandfather.

“In these troubled times I was inspired by remembering my grandfather and his gift of trying to find the humor in things,” he said.

The book is also filled with life lessons Sunshine picked up on the road. A common theme for Sunshine is traveling, as it lends itself to many horror-turned-humor accounts.

One story which he read to the audience is called “The Reluctant Traveler,” where he recounts his attempts at packing for himself for the first time, and forgets his shorts. They were vacationing in Tahiti.

Joanne Sunshine, who Donald calls his ‘guiding force,’ smiled at these shared memories as they were read and interjected some more humor into the live reading.

The Sunshines’ have lived in Molokai and their farm in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia for 10 years. He is a Professor Emeritus of architecture at Virginia Tech, and has written several architecture books, five Molokai-focused books (including a themed “Molokai Moments”), and 13 volumes of sketchbooks.

“Life’s Moments” is available at the Big Wind Kite Factory, Molokai Fish and Dive, Molokai Drugs, Coffees of Hawaii, Import Gift Shop and The Local Store (Hotel Molokai).

Sunshine left his audience with some advice.

“I thought it’s a special time when we need faith, hope, and humor,” he said. “I’d like to suggest ‘lighten up.’”

 

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