Puna festival taps musical energy

Several Na Hoku winners will grace the cultural gathering on Hawaii isle

By Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, May 06, 2012

~~<p>After seeing dramatic news coverage of the 1990 lava flow that destroyed most of the town of Kalapana in Hawaii island's Puna district, Wailana Simcock felt compelled to go there. Then 16 years old and living on Oahu, he was mesmerized by that undeniable display of nature's power.</p>
<p>"Yes, it was tragic that many people lost their homes and their businesses when Pele, the volcano goddess, claimed Kala-pana," recalled Simcock, the Hawaiian culture director of Kalani, a 501(c)(3) retreat center in Puna focused on recreation, wellness education and Hawaiian culture preservation. "But that lava flow also had raw beauty and energy. It created new land. To me the area was alive, and I was drawn to it."</p>
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<h4>PUNA MUSIC FESTIVAL</h4>
<strong>» Place:</strong> Kalani, 12-6860 Kalapana-Kapoho Road, Kalapana, Hawaii island
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After seeing dramatic news coverage of the 1990 lava flow that destroyed most of the town of Kalapana in Hawaii island's Puna district, Wailana Simcock felt compelled to go there. Then 16 years old and living on Oahu, he was mesmerized by that undeniable display of nature's power.

"Yes, it was tragic that many people lost their homes and their businesses when Pele, the volcano goddess, claimed Kala-pana," recalled Simcock, the Hawaiian culture director of Kalani, a 501(c)(3) retreat center in Puna focused on recreation, wellness education and Hawaiian culture preservation. "But that lava flow also had raw beauty and energy. It created new land. To me the area was alive, and I was drawn to it." PUNA MUSIC FESTIVAL » Place: Kalani, 12-6860 Kalapana-Kapoho Road, Kalapana, Hawaii island Login for more...