Blog

From Marti:

The Ho‘ike for the second graduating class of Ka Makani Kaiaulu o Wai‘anae that was held last friday totally renewed my internal spring of hope for the future of Hawai‘i.  Ten young people with nothing in common, but their home along the Wai‘anae Coast, came together to learn about the history and power of social justice movements in Hawai‘i and around the world… and they got to participate in a little movement building themselves.

“Waianae needs more voices,” the returning institute student added. “A lot of people are affected by what’s going on but don’t do anything about it. It’s like an ongoing unfinished project. … We are just trying to do our part and along the way we are learning so much about Waianae, the cultural history, and the impact we can have on our future; not just in the community but the whole world if we do something.”

KAHEA staff had the honor of working with this youth during this summer program.  We helped with some of the curriculum and encouraged them to participate in the LUC hearing on the Concerned Elders’ Petition to Intervene in the reclassification of ag land for an industrial park.

These students are an inspiration.  Smart, compassionate, and full of possibility.  The hope is to continue this program next summer or maybe even expand it into a year-long program.  To do that, though, would mean a lot of community support and financial backing.  If you are interested in donating to this program, click here.

Here is a link to the full story on the Ho‘ike in The Hawaii Independent.

Mahalo to all of our O’ahu ‘ohana who came out to celebrate and support last Friday at the fundraiser at the MAMo Gallery for PEWA!

Artists Carl Pao and Solomon Enos working together inspired a collaborative consciousness expressed as PEWA. This “butterfly patch” commonly associated with the repair of a beloved ‘umeke, is an old symbol of connecting, a healing tool to bring flesh together, a link between man and gods, a rejoining of precious wood. The connection is in itself, a thing of beauty.

Beautiful art and beautiful company–we owe a heartfelt mahalo to artists Solomon Enos, Carl Pao, and to Maile Meyer, Dana, Na Mea, Pa’i Foundation and the rest of the MAMo folks for their support.

You can go and check out PEWA at the MAMo Gallery in Chinatown for a few more weeks!

More information at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/MAMo-Gallery/

From Shelley:

This past Saturday, a small group of determined “door knockers” set out to give a heads up to residents on Hakimo Road in Lualualei about a proposed industrial park planned in their neighborhood of small farms and homes.  Of all the 30 or so people we talked to, not a single person had heard about or been notified of these plans to industrialize the valley.

I have to admit, I was nervous going into a rural community knocking on doors, but everyone was really nice.  They were thankful we came by because otherwise they would have never known that an industrial park is being proposed.   Of course it helped being with Aunty Alice Greenwood, who everyone knows, and it felt good to hear people express their gratitude for  her determination to fight.  Those kind words are important to me because I’m always wary to get into other people’s business–knowing that we have their blessing and request to move forward tells me that we’re on the right path!

One thing that really tugged at my heartstrings was meeting more than one family that lost their farm in the Kalama Valley evictions in the 1970s.  These families relocated to Wai`anae and 35 years later are again facing the displacement of their family business and rural lifestyle- -from some of the same developers!

For rural Hakimo Road, the developer’s own numbers cites an additional 522 trucks an hour during peak hours! I don’t even know how that is possible, but that figure comes directly out of their EIS report. The only legal access to the property is rural Hakimo Road. (Though the proposed site is actually on Lualualei Naval Road, this private road requires an agreement with the Navy for regular access.  Our calls to the Navy have confirmed that no such agreement exists!)

If you have ever been on Hakimo Road you will know that 1) there are NO sidewalks, 2) it is narrow and winding, and 3) is already dangerous at the current traffic level, let alone with the addition of over 500 big trucks!  One resident pointed out to us, “Go walk up and down, you’ll see flowers at almost every turn marking all the accidents!”–it was so sad, she was right.  There’s a preschool on this road and many residents are worried about the health and safety of the kamalii (little ones) who go to school there.

Can you imagine if this was going on in your neighborhood?  You can sign here to stand in solidarity with this community!

From Ann Marie:

Aloha,

…and MAMo is Maoli Arts Month!

Support Native Hawaiian artists and cultural practioners, check out the event calendar at http://maoliartsmonth.org/?q=node/20

Also, Doris Duke theater at the Honolulu Academy of Arts is sponsoring first “indigenous Hawaiian film festival” this month. Runs from May 1 – May 26, including the premiere of Mālama Hāloa, film by Na Maka O Ka Aina.

See schedule at: http://www.honoluluacademy.org/cmshaa/academy/index.aspx?id=2402

From Mary Amos:

Ipu Lani, Inc. and Hawai’i Gourd Society present the fourth annual, 2010 Ipu Cultural Festival on January 22, 23, and 24 at the Hale Halewai Pavilion on Alii Drive in Kailua-Kona. The festival runs from 6 PM to 9 PM on Friday and 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. both Sat. and Sunday. The admission is free. There will be ipu artists and practitioners, lau hala and coconut weavers, fish net makers, and many other cultural practitioners demonstrating and selling their art. “The Festival will celebrate the diverse culture surrounding the ipu, or gourd. Ipu art, basket weaving on ipu, cordage and olona demonstrations, guest Kumu demonstrations and workshops, music, food, ipu instrument classes (ipu heke, ipu ole’, uli uli), Hawaiian arts and craft vendors, a silent auction, storytelling, and demonstrations will all be included,” said organizers.

Classes in Hawaiian ipu decorating, koko (knotted ipu carrier), along with a variety of gourd decorating techniques will be offered each day for a fee per workshop. Entertainment will be fantastic, beginning with the Hana Hou Air Force Band of the Pacific, concert to begin at 6 PM Jan 22nd. The following two days are filled with :
Saturday, January 23, 2010:

12 – 1PM: Sam Kama
1:15 – 2:15PM: Keoki Kahumoku
2:30 – 4PM: Leabert Lindsay
Sunday, January 24, 2010:
12 – 2PM: Don Kaulia and His Slack Key Haumana
2 – 3PM: Tani Waipa & Warren Kaneao
3 – 4PM: Leon Toomata & Warren Kaneao

Ipu Lani , Inc. a registered 501 (c) 3 organization is the parent non-profit for the Hawai’i Gourd Society, which was established in 2006 to revitalize the Ipu culture in the State of Hawaii. The organizations educate the public through this festival and other learning opportunities by exploring the wide variety of uses, both functional as well as artistic from a modern and historical perspective. The groups also support propagation of the ipu in Hawai’i encouraging different farms to grow, cultivate and propagate the ipu. “We strive to bring back to life the joy of working with the ipu and the beauty of the final ipu art,” said founding member Mary Amos. “We search for proper growing spots and make every effort to begin cultivation. By grants and donations we plan to farm ipu throughout the islands,” she said.

The 2010 Ipu Cultural Festival is sponsored in part by a grant from the Hawaii Tourism Authority through the County of Hawaii CPEP, Dept. of Parks & Recreation, Elderly Services Program, US Air Force, Ipu Lani, Inc. and CNHA. Visit www.hawaiigourdsociety.com for class details and schedule of events or email outtayourgourd@gmail.com for more information

Classes at the festival will be:
1/23/10: 10:30 AM – 1 PM Ni’ihau ipu pawehe (Mary Amos) $75
1/23/10: 11 AM – 1 PM Woodburning on mini ipu (Evie Morby) $45
1/23/10: 11 AM-1 PM Niu (coconut) weaving, Ohana basket (Sam Kama) $50
1/23/10 2 PM-4:30 PM Ipu heke’ (Mary Amos) $85

1/24/10: 10:30 AM – 1 PM Ni’ihau ipu pawehe (Mary Amos) $75
1/24/10: 1 PM – 3 PM Niu weaving Ohana basket (Sam Kama) $50
1/24/10: 2 PM -4:30 PM Ipu heke’ (Mary Amos) $85

Have a greener holiday party this year, and no, I’m not talking about your Christmas tree.

Sustainableparty.com has come up with a guide to direct the common person on having sustainable and environmentally friendly parties.

The guides covers issues that include: Community, Resource Conservation, Food, Transportation Materials and Waste Management. Even if you only practice one of their recommendations this year, you will feel better about this wasteful (sometimes even frivolous) season.

Please click on the following link to view these easy and practical ways to reduce your holiday impact:

Sustainable Party Best Practices