Category: Hawaii Culture & Happenings

Recently we’ve had the impetus, if not the time, to think about living and dying in Hawaii. Two friends, in the same age cohort, have passed away. Both fought their battles with pancreatic cancer to a draw. After all, the cancer within them died with them, as the comic great Norm MacDonald once put it. […]

The Hawaii summer solstice has come round again (and for everyone in the Northern Hemisphere). Surely many in the Southern Hemisphere will be celebrating the return to longer days of sunshine (it’s their Winter Solstice). Here in the North Central Pacific, the summer solstice means that beach days will be getting shorter for the next […]

Iam Tongi is the new American Idol. With his angelic voice, inspiring backstory, and gift for songwriting, Tongi has captured the hearts of the show’s judges and millions of its viewers and voters. He became a national sensation when his audition went viral. His journey to the top of the world of music and entertainment […]

Though Iam Tongi’s American Idol season is fading into the past, he remains a beloved musician throughout Hawaii and beyond. Let’s take a look at the Hawaiian musician’s rise to fame and what he’s up to today. Iam Tong’s American Idol Season I’ve never been much of an American Idol fan. Not even a little. […]

We’re happy to report that the HAT Blog visited the Honolulu Museum of Art (HOMA in brief) over the weekend. We’re also ashamed to confess that we haven’t been there in years. We’re glad we returned to learn about what’s new at HoMA, what’s ongoing, and what is in store for the future of the […]

Every Hawaii vacation has its own soundtrack. You won’t hear it anywhere else. You can’t take the immediate intimacy of the sounds of the surf or the birdsong of the forest home with you, except in your heart and mind (or a low-fi social media clip, perhaps). That internal soundtrack should include live music in […]

We’re a week into the New Year of 2023 and it occurs to us here at the HAT Blog that there is a whole lot of “new” in this Year of the Rabbit. New Governor and Administration. New Legislature. New County Councils. Even a new eruption at Kilauea Volcano on Hawaii Island. We’re hard-pressed to […]

 I was fortunate to be invited, along with my wife, to a small gathering by the peaceful waters of the Hawaii Kai marina. As we sipped delicious sunset cocktails, I found myself reflecting on its history as one of the islands’ ancient Hawaiian fishponds, or loko kuapa.. It came to be known as Kuapa Pond. […]

The Honolulu on Tap Beer Festival returns to the Blaisdell Exhibition Center on Saturday, October 22, 2022. The event was cancelled in 2020 and moved to the outdoor Waikiki Shell in 2021. The festival’s return to the Blaisdell is another sign of Hawaii’s emergence from the pandemic. It’s wonderful.  There are about 15 craft breweries […]

Since Hawaii’s tourism arrival numbers have rebounded to near pre-pandemic levels, various studies indicate an increase in visitor interest in learning about Native Hawaiian culture during their Hawaii vacation. Having an “authentic” Hawaiian experience is more important to Hawaii visitors than ever before. The HAT Blog was recently pondering suggestions for easy cultural connections to […]

The “Malama Hawaii” program to increase cultural awareness among Hawaii visitors is working. Various studies and surveys are bearing this out, as more and more visitors are expressing interest in experiences that highlight Native Hawaiian culture and Hawaii’s overall cultural diversity. Aside from in-flight videos and hotel/resort efforts at cultural education, places like the nonprofit […]

If you plan on getting a spa treatment or massage in Hawaii, you’ll likely encounter one popular option: a Lomilomi massage.  Though this is a great treatment to enjoy during your time in the islands, it’s more than just a word used to lure in tourists. In fact, it’s a holistic practice that dates back […]