Wyatt Kamoku used to wake up at 3 a.m. to make the nearly 30-mile trek across Kauai for his job. Kamoku, who lives with his family on Hawaiian home lands in Anahola, cooked breakfast at a restaurant in Poipu Beach. Read more
Kaleialoha Kaniaupio- Crozier and her Hawaiian immersion students see Haleakala every day from their classroom at Pa‘ia Elementary School. But she said she hasn’t had the resources to bring her third graders to visit Haleakala National Park because the programs and field trips are in English. Read more
When Larry Ordonez heard the news that television station KIKU’s popular Japanese and Filipino programs would be restored, he said he was both surprised and excited. Ordonez, president of Ethnic Education Hawaii, which works to ensure local programming is broadcast in various languages, said many immigrants and those with limited English proficiency in Hawaii missed that connection to their cultures after the shows went off the air last year. Read more
As a Hokule‘a crew member, Chris Blake said words cannot describe the way it feels to be on the iconic vessel. He first sailed on the double-hulled Polynesian voyaging canoe in 2012 with a group of educators from Kamehameha Schools and then as part of the historic Malama Honua Worldwide Voyage in 2016. Read more
After a one-year hiatus, the Hawaii Tourism Authority has brought back its grant programs that seek to support community organizations focused on protecting and perpetuating natural resources and the Hawaiian culture. Read more
Whether it was speaking out against racial profiling or teaching students who needed extra help and support, Amy H. Mizuno always tried to fight for justice. Read more
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Luluku was home to many agricultural terraces and a thriving loi ecosystem. The water that comes from one of the streams in Luluku was considered sacred and used in traditional ceremonies and religious rites. The area was considered a vital water source for Kaneohe. Read more
To honor civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., local community groups are organizing events that get underway this weekend and continue through Monday, the federal and state holiday. Read more
Benny Agbayani Sr. loved dancing and saw it as a way to meet and connect with people from all walks of life. He served as dance director of the Hawaii Ballroom Dance Association for nearly 25 years. Read more
Growing up in Pearl City, Krystal Ka‘ai said she sometimes took living in Hawaii’s “beautifully diverse” communities for granted. That changed when she moved to the mainland and realized that her strong sense of cultural identity could better inform her work and guide her passions. Read more
Expanding access to critical ocean data and information to Indigenous coastal communities across the Pacific region is the focus of a new project led by researchers at the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System in Hawaii. Read more
Arts and culture community leaders say federal grants totaling $759,500 helped them stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more
Launched in 2011, Papakilo is a free searchable public database that connects users to some of OHA’s collections and those of partner organizations that allow access to their records. Read more
Growing up in Kona, Jade Onaka said her parents instilled in her a love of the aina and a passion for food sustainability. Whether it was her uncle bringing home fresh fish for dinner or growing their own vegetables, food always brought the Onaka family together after a long day. Read more
When Lehia Apana and Brad Bayless started Polipoli Farms in 2019, they didn’t think they would open their land up to tourists. Until recently, the couple invited only school groups and students to their farm in Waiehu, Maui. Read more
In an effort to further recognize Juneteenth and its significance, the Honolulu City Council recently adopted a resolution that urges city and state leaders to make it an official state holiday. Read more
The three-day conference, hosted virtually this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will feature workshops on various topics, including hooponopono, economic development, a gubernatorial candidates panel, hula and housing. Read more
For Kuali Moses-Marcellino, school was never fun until he enrolled in the Papahana ‘o Kaiona alternative learning program in Waianae. Read more
For the Yonamine family, selling pearls was more than a business. It was a family affair and a way of life, said Amy Yonamine Roper, who worked at the pearl shop that her mother, Jane Yonamine, opened in Tokyo in 1964. Read more
For Suzanne Vares-Lum, bridging connections has always been a part of her life. Growing up in Wahiawa, she first learned the importance of building bridges through her parents, who came from different upbringings but made it work. And as part of her 34-year career in the Army, she traveled extensively to Asia and Pacific island nations to meet officials and dignitaries to discuss key issues. Read more
Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture officials have named Aaron Sala as festival director. Sala, who is Native Hawaiian and Samoan, will be in charge of the planning, coordination and execution of the 13th festival, which will be held in Hawaii for the first time in June 2024. Read more
