The Hikianalia, sister voyaging canoe of the Hokule`a, and its crew docked on Molokai last Saturday to honor Molokai Hokule`a captain Uncle Mel Paoa, who passed away last month. Paoa’s memorial services was held on Sunday, attended by hundreds of residents, friends and members of the Polynesian Voyaging Society.…
Fifty years ago on the evenings before major outrigger canoe races, Molokai residents and paddling crews from Hawaii and around the world camped together on the shores of Hale o Lono Harbor. They shared tents, meals, music and conversation under the stars.
“It was really good for everybody to get together. No matter what club you were in, everybody had fun together,” said local fisherman Mervin Dudoit, who paddled in seven Molokai Hoe races during the 1960s. “… Now most guys don’t talk to the next team [before a race].”
As races got more competitive and a good night’s sleep more valuable, lodging separately in hotels or local homes became commonplace.…
Q&A with Hokulea crewmember Kawika CrivelloA handful of Molokai residents have been honored to be invited as crew on the Hokulea, a double-hulled voyaging canoe whose first journey from Hawaii to Tahiti in 1976 successfully replicated ancient Polynesian travel using traditional navigation techniques. The late Mel Paoa and Penny Martin began a long tradition of Molokai crewmembers, among them Kawika Crivello. He was one four local watermen to complete legs of the Malama Honua Worldwide Voyage, a 47,000-mile journey that will conclude in 2017. While not his first voyage, Crivello served as steersman on a leg across the dangerous Tasman Sea between New Zealand and Australia between April and June of this year.…
A structure fire in Kamiloloa Heights last Saturday night sent two people to the hospital. Fire crews responded to a call just before 9 p.m. on Sept. 19 and found a building fully engulfed in flames. According to a press release from the Maui Fire Department, it was later discovered that the structure was a garage in front of the house.
Three people were in the home behind it — a couple in their late 70s and a female friend who was visiting them, according to the fire department. Emergency responders pulled the female homeowner and the friend out of the house through the bedroom window.…
Last Saturday, Molokai’s football team did what no other school in the league had done before: defeat Seabury Hall. In three seasons of MIL eight-player football, the Spartans had yet to lose a game. However, on their home field last Saturday, the Farmers topped their undefeated archrivals 62-7.
“I’m just proud of the boys,” said Head Coach Mike Kahale. “We executed, put up some points. We finally got over that hump.”
Molokai dominated the game from the beginning in front of a big crowd, with Seabury only scoring on a long touchdown run late in the second quarter.
The Farmers started the scoring in the first quarter with a short run by senior fullback Ena Victorino from inside the 10-yard-line.…
Pacific Century Fellows News Release
Thirty-six men and women from around Hawaii have been selected for the 15th class of the Pacific Century Fellows program, including Molokai resident Noelani Yamashita. The program identifies, encourages and helps to develop and strengthen island leaders.
Modeled after the White House Fellows Program and founded in 1996 by former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, the Pacific Century Fellows are chosen on the basis of written applications and personal interviews conducted by a blue-ribbon panel of judges. In evaluating the candidates, the committee considers educational background; current career responsibilities, noting any special achievements as well as the comments of superiors; involvement in community activities; communication skills; and strength of character.…
MEDB News Release
Molokai students took top honors at the Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) Ke Alahele Education Fund Benefit Dinner and Auction last month. The event raised $309,000 to support Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) projects in Maui County and throughout the state, and recognized students for their accomplishments in the field with the presentation of the Daniel K. Inouye Innovation Award.
The MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund earmarked $10,000 for this year’s winners, and the Daniel K. Inouye Institute matched the award with an additional $10,000. The first place winner received $10,000, second place $6,000, and third place $4,000.…
Community Contributed
By Elisabeth Kaneshiro, Molokai Meli
Here at Molokai Meli, in addition to producing local honey, we also help residents and businesses with bee removal. We have had a lot of calls for removals and have seen the bees moving around. Honey bees swarm when the hives are getting too big and need more space. The rain causes the bees to swarm more often because the bees are bringing more nectar so the hive grows. The bees make a new queen and take a big group with the old queen and leave. These often look like a big cloud. They send out the scout bees to go and look for a new home.…
Lions Club News Release
The Molokai Lions Club will hold its annual Walk for Sight on Sept. 26 from 7:30 to 10 a.m. Registration for the walk will take place in front of the Kalele Bookstore. All participants donating $10 or more will qualify for a Lions Walk for Sight T-shirt.
The walk takes place in a circle round town and participants will record the number of times they make the loop. Community members are urged to sponsor a participant and donate an agreed upon amount according to the number of loops the participant walks! Monsanto is the largest business sponsor and the Lions Club encourages other businesses to donate to this fund.…
Community Contributed
By Jeannine Rossa
Molokai’s Ricky Chong, Daniel Romes and Joe Mollena recently returned from a stint fighting wildfires in northern California. Employees at Kalaupapa National Historical Park, they joined National Park Service staff from other Hawaii parks to make up an all-Hawaii wildfire-fighting crew. The crew joined staff from other agencies and was deployed to the over 10,000 acre “Dodge Fire” north of Susanville, CA and the over 36,000 acre (and counting) Forks Complex fires near Hayfork, CA.
Terrain is steep, rocky, and rugged. The work is hot, smoky, exhausting and dangerous.
“Those fire shelters really aren’t going to help you much,” explained Chong.…
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