In Hawaii, whenever two or more are gathered together, there is talk story.
Talk Story
Inoa (Name)
With Aloha to all of my hoaaloha and ohana on my 65th birthday.
Mauna Kea – July 2019
Or why this mountain means so much to a daughter of the Hawaiian diaspora. While my family was camping in the Adirondacks this week, I spent my vacation time weathering the heat wave by sharing the air-conditioned space of my kitchen with our three dogs. I had two goals for my quiet time: finish the…
Tūtū and the Hopi Earrings
I ulu no ka lālā i ke kumu.* The branches grow because of the trunk. As a teenager, one of my favorite hangouts was Georgetown. There was a new age bookstore/restaurant there called "Yes" where you could peruse titles on world religion and the occult while munching on brown rice and vegetables. I bought my…
Lei (Garland)
My initial experience with lei pua (flower lei) was a frightening one. As a child of five, visiting my Maui cousins for the first time, I was unacquainted with the custom of lei giving and became overwhelmed as cousin after cousin placed lei after lei over my head. Overcome by the fragrance and the weight of the flowers…
Kapu (Set Apart)
Thoughts on the meaning of Kapu.
Finally, My Ship Has Come In
Finally, my ship has come in. Well, not a ship exactly. A wa'a. A wa'a kaulua. A Hawaiian ocean-going canoe. Her name is derived from a celestial light, Arcturis, which Hawaiians call Hokule'a, the Star of Gladness. When a Hawaiian voyager sees this star, she knows she is almost home, and as we all learned from…
The King and The Navigator
Hokulea's arrival in NYC is a source of Hawaiian pride and reminded me another time in my life when I felt good to be a Hawaiian.
Holoku ‘Ele ‘ele (Black Holoku)
Putting on a Queen.
