In 1928, May Day officially became “Lei Day” in Hawai’i. Technically and historically, this means May 1st. But over the years in Hawai’i, the entire month of May has become a celebration of flowers lovingly flung over loved ones. One reason for the prolonged festivities is that at this time of year, fragrant and colorful flowers …read more
It was a first for me. But not for hundreds of others, who showed up on April 1st, 2012 to the 9th biannual Seed Exchange on Kaua’i. The event—filled with music, cups of kava, presentations, and a mass trading of goods from the garden— was held at The Children of the Land in Kapa’a, Kaua’i …read more
For years I have heard my friend Hob’s stories about her experiences with the Laysan Albatross seabird, known as moli in Hawaiian. Not only is Hob a volunteer and advocate for the species on Kaua’i, she has a connection with these birds that is rare and beautiful. When she invited me to a presentation …read more
Examine the foods of Hawai’i, and what will be revealed are the plethora of cultures—Japanese, Filipino, Chinese, Thai, Portuguese, and many more—that have shaped the vast cultural cuisine of the islands. Therefore it can be difficult to decipher what authentic Hawaiian food is. …read more
Hawai’i is home to 31 public Charter Schools across the state, offering children the option of alternative, progressive methods of education without the high cost of private schools. In fact, they are tuition-free. According to the Hawai’i Charter School Administration Office, Charter schools are defined as “state-legislated, legally …read more
When I told my friend Aunty La I was embarking on learning the art of lauhala, she smiled and answered, “You’re learningthe art of patience.” The leaves (lau translates to leaf in Hawaiian) of the Hala tree (Pandanus tectorious), also known as the Screw Pine, have been used in Hawai’i throughout history for a plethora …read more
With clouds dotting the sky on a calm morning in October, over thirty young children and their caregivers tromped through red clay mud to the salt beds in Hanapepe. Mothers stepped carefully as they held their babies in their arms, four year olds happily squished their toes in the earth, and grandparents flung their slippers …read more
The Kaua’i Cigar tobacco plant lives its life in the fertile soil at the base of the Makaleha mountain range in upper Kapahi on the east side of Kaua’i. The large crop is nestled among two country roads unified by a wooden bridge and bordering a stream whose waters begin with falls high up in the mountain range, a truly …read more
