Category: Hawaii Culture & Happenings

Many people book luaus for their Hawaiian vacations knowing relatively nothing about the traditions. They really are a genuine way to experience old Hawaii, because luau creators strive to present their guests with an authenticity that cannot be matched. With classic performances from professional hula and Tahitian dancers, fire dancers, musicians, and storytellers, the artists […]

A speaker at this year’s Natatorium Memorial Day Observance made a good point. To the audience of veterans and loved ones gathered in front of the Waikiki landmark, U.S. General Gary North said to take notice of the “THE” carved above the arched entrance; it boldly states, “THE” WAR MEMORIAL because in 1927, WWI had […]

Only in the islands will you find such an overwhelming spirit of Aloha. It was a feeling that flowed throughout a quaint Chinatown club this weekend, as dozens gathered for a much-anticipated show. My sister and I were among the other “Kinerds” who came to watch YouTube sensation Kina Grannis perform for the first time […]

Have you ever heard of Hawaii Mayday (or May Day)? This is a day celebrating the custom of giving and receiving lei. It occurs each year on May 1 and is honored at schools, parks, and businesses.  Today, we’re sharing all about Hawaii Mayday and how you can celebrate it, whether you’re here in the […]

Some of the best ways to experience local Hawaii foods and culture happen at school campuses. After all, schools are hubs of the community. There’s the Punahou Carnival in February, the Kamehameha Hoolaulea in March and in April, the Iolani Fair. These three major Honolulu private schools invite locals and visitors from the community to […]

One of the most impactful Hawaiian words is also one of the shortest: Ha. This means breath, but it also means so much more. In Hawaii, ha is a greeting, a shared experience, a sign of respect and love. Ha is the breath of life.  Ha as a Hawaiian Greeting Hawaiians often greeted each other […]

Growing up in Hawaii, I was fortunate to have a plethora of island fruits to nibble on. Guavas, mountain apples and liliko’i sustained my sisters and I as we played in the mountains by our house, and almost every yard had apple banana, lychee, orange and tangerine trees. Mango art at its finest. This is […]

Hawaii may be currently under a Brown Water Advisory, but that didn’t keep these guys from wetting their gills; something many people in Hawaii have been itching to do since the bad weather (including golf-ball sized hail and two twisters near the Mokulua islands) hit this week. As rapper Eazy-E might have put it: “Cruisin’ […]

What appears to be a garden of stones near the Waikiki police substation is actually much more than that. Surfers, swimmers, paddlers and beach-goers walk by the fenced-off area every day, oftentimes not even noticing it. But upon closer inspection, they would see plaques at the base of the stones with a short moolelo (legend) […]

Mother Marianne Cope joins Father Damien de Veuster as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church. The two are also joined in their service to Hawaii, caring for victims of Hansen’s disease (leprosy).Mother Marianne Cope in 1883, the same year she arrived in Honolulu. Mother Marianne came to Hawaii in response to a letter asking […]

Some of Oahu’s most pristine shorelines and vast mountain ranges exist on the west side of the island. In fact, the Waianae Mountains hosts Oahu’s highest peak at Mt. Kaala. But because of issues involving crime, drugs and homelessness, the Nanakuli, Waianae and Maili areas have developed a negative reputation that often discourages visitors and […]

The Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii (JCCH) is one of those hidden gems we often overlook; not because it’s a small hole-in-the-wall but because it’s a huge concrete building that can easily be mistaken for a parking structure. Those in the local Japanese community know better. Take this older Japanese woman I recently met there, […]