Native Hawaiians Archives - Page 4 of 5

Interview with Author Dani Hickman

July 16, 2024October 3, 2022 by Kamalani Hurley

Welcome to our latest interview with Native Hawaiian and local Hawaiʻi writers! Author Dani Hickman is the author of four delightful children’s books published by Island Heritage.

Hi, Dani. For those who haven’t met you, could you please tell us a little about yourself?

I’m a married local girl with four adult children. My youngest, who co-authored two of my books (How About a Pineapple? and Tako Lends a Helping Hand) just went off to college. My home in Waipio is still full with four dogs, one cat and one very fat beta fish. My day job is in Human Resources at a local adult in-home care service.

Where did you grow up? What high school did you grad from?

I’m a townie who graduated from McKinley High School. Go Tigers!

Indeed! Who is your biggest supporter?

My husband, Jeff, is my partner in all things. From raising the kids, to editing my writing, to being my arm candy at author events, Jeff has always been my rock. He is a Kamehameha grad and retired National Guard Veteran. His feedback and contributions in my stories definitely helps me add more “flavor” to anything I do.

Why did you become a writer? What inspired you to write for children?

I’ve always written short stories and poems since I was little. Publishing always seemed like something that was too difficult to achieve and I had no idea where to even begin. I had a co-worker, Tammy Paikai, who published a few children’s books and inspired me to give it a try. She was incredibly helpful and encouraging with all the behind the scenes stuff, like setting up for a book signing and being resilient during the editing process. I also LOVE her books. “Too Many Mangos” is my favorite Tammy Paikai book, so relatable in Hawaii and a great lesson of giving.

What do you enjoy most about writing for kids? What are some of your greatest challenges in writing for children?

I love the book signings and reading at the schools! Meeting children and hearing them say how much they love the story is such a heartwarming experience. My biggest problem when writing for children is my love for big words. Keeping stories at 2nd grade reading level and replacing “verbose” with “talkative” or “mean” in place of “malicious” is a challenge. My kids always loved “big” words but my editor has a different viewpoint.

What are your hopes and dreams for the year and beyond in terms of your writing career and what you would like to see published in the future?

I’d like to publish a chapter book for teens with a Hawaiʻi storyline. Maybe even a Hawaiʻi graphic novel. I’d also love to do a sequel for my first book, Pono, the Garden Guardian. He’s my favorite little guy with a big heart. I have a rough idea of what I’d like his next chapter to be. Publishing another adventure for him would be amazing.

There are not a lot of stories for or by Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. Why do you think that is? What do you think we can do the change that?

I agree that there are not enough Hawaiian/Pacific Islander children’s book authors. In my opinion, I think part of that stems from the Hawaiian culture itself. Hawaiian is a spoken language, traditionally passing stories through chants, song and dance. The lack of a written Hawaiian language did not become issue until the arrival of the missionaries. Today, there seems to be a limited group of traditional kumu who are perpetuating the culture as they always have, through oral teachings. I think more in the community are trying to reach out to keiki, but unfortunately, the pool of knowledgeable experts with a passion for writing and a focus on children’s stories is small. It may be helpful to have more outreach by cultural groups to encourage keiki to put their demands out there for books and also writing their own stories.

Do you have a website? Are you on social media? Do social media play a role for you as an author? Do your readers contact you? What do they say?

My website is sorely out of date. Iʻm also on Facebook. I been have slacking off considerably in promoting my books in the last couple of years. My focus was on my family and getting my daughter set up for college. Now that she is in college, I hope to get back to it. I have gotten email sent from my website, direct messages and comments on facebook and my direct email. Most of the feedback was through social media. A majority of the comments were around how much they liked the characters. A few made welcome critiques of different directions the story could have gone. My favorite bit of feedback was that I didn’t name the puppy in How About a Pineapple? I purposefully left out a name because I noticed many children coming to book signings mentioned that their dog was the dog in the book. I felt naming the dog excluded all those keiki with white dogs that wanted to imagine their puppy on an adventure. The dog is named Kea in the book description but not in the story, and I still appreciate the comment.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

READ READ READ! Learn how others weave their stories and develop their characters. All those different styles helps you find your own. Be open to feedback from others, it can only make you better. Write about what inspires you. Don’t be discouraged — keep trying.

Can you share a bit of your current work?

The last book I published was a baby book, Rainbow Friends in the Sea. I’ve always loved rainbows and wanted to write a color book for little ones. It’s a board book with a simple rhyming theme showing the basic colors of the rainbow in sea life. My favorite part of the book is a mirror in the end, because “You’re my newest Rainbow Friend.”

Which of your books did you have the most fun writing? Which were the most challenging?

Writing How About a Pineapple? with my daughter was the best experience. At 12 years old she was bursting with ideas and edits. It was a blessing working with her.

My first book, Pono the Garden Guardian, was the hardest to write. I invested a great deal of my heart in that book, and it was too long. The text needed to be cut in half. Cutting something you love down to its core was very difficult for me but also a valuable lesson. Great stories can be a relationship between the author and the reader. Using fewer words allows the reader to fill their mind with the pictures they create. The writing is just there to point and to guide.

What beliefs are your books challenging?

I think there are many stories about heroes. I believe everyone can be a hero. You just have to decide how. My characters aren’t “super,” they’re YOU in different situations. They’re YOU choosing to be a good person in a small, but significant way.

What’s your experience with publishing your books?

I’ve had good experiences with my publisher. Island Heritage is well known for quality and has a history of amazing works. I’m honored that they allowed me to share my stories and support me as an author.

Where do you get ideas for your books?

I write stories I want my children to learn from. I take a lesson like self-less giving, doing what’s right and working well with others, and I have the characters show you why that lesson matters. Inspiration is everywhere and in common everyday things. Children’s stories should shine a light on a different way to look at something, from different perspective. It’s a great way to learn no matter what your age.

Which characters do you relate with easily? Why?

The character closest to me is Tako Lends a Helping Hand. Tako wants to help everyone but takes on more than she can do and ends up forgetting everything she’s already promised. Managing tasks and time while working with others to get things done is something I think many people can relate to. Tako is an octopus, so it’s a little wishful thinking to hope for a few extra hands on busy days.

Can you share a bit about your next book?

I always have 10–12 books in different stages at all times. It’s common for me to put something down for months and come back to it with fresh eyes. The book I have that’s a bit farther along than most is a story about not wanting to go to bed. It’s got more of a national theme, and it rhymes, which is always a bit more challenging to get the rhythm right. Many parents can connect to a story of a child wanting to stay up a little later than they should.

Mahalo, Dani, for sharing your manaʻo with us! To contact Dani Hickman and learn more about her books, please visit her website at thedanihickman.com.

Fishing for Grandma by David Manu Bird

February 17, 2023September 26, 2022 by Kamalani Hurley

Some of my favorite popular posts when I published Pūpū A ‘O ‘Ewa Native Hawaiian Writing and Arts at Leeward Community College were personal essays by students and faculty.

Fishing for Grandma, by my colleague and longtime friend, Dave Ka’apuwai “Manu” Bird, was first published in 2014. About this essay, one of our readers wrote, “I especially loved reading Manu’s narrative…brought back some memories with my own ʻohana!” I know that in sharing his story, Manu was glad that someone else connected to their own kupuna.

Manu joined his ancestors earlier this year after a brief illness. He leaves behind his loving family — wife Mary, son Keoni, daughters Mālia and Tinan, and moʻopuna — as well as his many students, colleagues, and friends. E Manu-Tok, nui ke aloha ia ʻoe.

Watch our video interview with Manu Bird.

Fishing for Grandma by Dave Manu Bird

“Goddam dis buggah!” I exclaimed as the kūkū of the pua hilahila dug into my hand. Like the entire old cemetery beside the Waikāne Congregational Church, the grave I was cleaning was infested with the thorny plants.

“Please remember where you are,” Mary scolded, taking umbrage with my profane language.

“How can forget?” I shot back.

“Well, if you cannot respect God, you could at least respect the dead.”

“So?” I muttered to myself. “Stay make da kine make guys anyway.” With that, I knew that I was getting stink eye from my wife.

My sarcasm was the result of stress, not how I felt. As I surveyed the graves around me, I still couldn’t believe that Grandma was gone. Her death still didn’t seem real. What was real, however, was the pain of the kūkū poking my knees through my jeans. Once again I bent over, carefully pushed my fingers under the branches of another pua hilahila plant, pinched its stem tightly, and yanked the whole thing out of the ground by its long tap root. I threw the plant on a nearby ‘ōpala pile and reached for another.

It was hot, and I was sweating, but as I worked I could not help but remember Grandma’s voice even though it had been physically stilled forever. I couldn’t help but think how much Mary and Grandma often sounded alike. They both usually spoke that crisp English locals always speak when they don’t want to sound local. They e‑nun-ci-ate care-ful-ly.

“When are we going?” 13 year-old Keoni whined, pulling me out of my reminiscing. He was bored and wanted to get on with our picnic and fishing expedition to Kahana Bay, our destination after the graveyard.

“‘E Keoni, kulikuli, ‘eh,” I responded.

I didn’t need a punk kid’s hassles adding to my misery. I was wilting because of the heat, the kūkū, and the complaints. I was also getting tired of the general uneasiness I felt because only Mary, Keoni, Mālia, Tinan, and I were there at the graveyard. It did not seem right to me that only our nuclear family was taking part in Grandma’s post-funeral funeral without representatives from the extended family, even though no-one else was able to join us.

Grandma’s formal funeral had been held the month before. Family members had gathered together from Kaʻimukī, Kailua, Kāne’ohe, Nānākuli, and the Mainland. That day, we scattered most of Grandma’s ashes along with thousands of flowers and prayers off of Kahala Beach Park. We gave Grandma back to her beloved moana and ‘āina at that place because it had been one of her favorite fishing spots, at least in the days when Kahala consisted of groves of kiawe trees, a dairy farm, and a hodgepodge of week-end beach cottages. Before the main funeral started, Mary and I put a kapu on a little bit of Grandma. We wanted to bring a part of her to the windward side, another of her favorite fishing areas. That day in Waikāne, we had two film canisters filled with Grandma’s ashes, all that was left of her in this world.

Finally we could read the inscription on the grave headstone that I was cleaning:

Martha Koolau
Died Dec 10, 1931
Age 50 Years

Martha Ko’olau was Grandma’s mother; Grandma had lived to be 92.

My cleaning work finished, I stood and stretched. One of the kids retrieved a discarded pua hilahila and used it to brush the dirt off of the gravestone.

I suddenly felt strangely light-headed and absent minded. “Pau dis,” I said. “Mu fek ea nunuw nga. . . I mean time for da lei and stuffs.”

Without thinking, I had momentarily switched into our hānai daughter’s native language. Then as I looked down at the grave, it struck me how kapakahi we all were – and are. We are like cultural schizophrenics who switch personae seemingly without reason. We were exactly like what Grandma had been. For years I tried to understand Grandma, the last family member born in the 19th Century and the only one we knew who had seen, talked to, and had even sung for Queen Lili’uokalani. But Grandma had been like a mo’o that changes its colors. She was hard to see because she blended in with her immediate surroundings. She never told us very much about herself. She was excessively reticent about her childhood and early adult life. She never talked about her mother. So what about us?

My sudden question was a revelation. If Grandma was an enigma, then so are we. Who was Grandma? By extension, who are we?

Mary and the girls began laying lei, flowers, and lā’ī around the headstone. As they did, I looked out at the vehicles roaring past on Kamehameha Highway a few yards from us. The sight of the cars pulled my thoughts back to long ago when we were traveling down the same road …

… Has it really been 20 years since we passed here in Mom Z’s old Chevy II station wagon? We were headed for Uncle AP and Auntie Sam’s beach house in Ka’a’awa for a week’s worth of fishing and swimming, a mid-summer break and the ‘oama season we always looked forward to. Grandma’s voice and Grandma’s words that day are still as clear to me now as a Kāne’ohe Bay reef when there’s no run-off pollution to silt the water. She was scolding me.

Auntie is stupid. You are stupid for letting her make you take these bananas. I would never have gotten in the car if I had seen them. You never take bananas and manure to the beach. When you “ go to the mountains,” you must do things properly.

I no like take kūkae no place, especially holoholo.

Boy, no tok lai’ dat! Speak pro-per Eng-lish .…

That was vintage Grandma. Rarely, though, did she raise her voice like this to me or her other mo’opuna. She didn’t have to. She never touched us, but she could whack us aside the head with a withering look if we did something that displeased her or violated her sense of propriety. To this day, she is alive. I know so. I can no longer give her a hug or kiss her on her velvety cheek, but there is little I do unless beforehand I ask myself If I do this, would Grandma’s maka smile at me or give me stink eye?

But who was this woman? And by extension, who are we?

Occasionally Grandma would pass on to us snippets of Hawaiian lore and protocol, especially about fishing – her life-long passion. But what about the rest of the mana’o she had gathered during the course of her long life? What about growing up in rural Puna, attending Saint Andrew’s Priory as a boarding student, and singing on the Hawaii Calls radio program in the 1930s and 1940s? What adventures did she have? Whom did she know? Why could she understand spoken Hawaiian but not put two words of the language together to speak it?

As I stood by the grave watching Mary and the kids arrange the lei, I could only speculate. She was not atypical for her generation or the next in her reticence. Could the effects of 1893 have silenced them all? Hawai’i was once one of the most literate nations on earth with an active Hawaiian language publishing industry and citizens who were avid readers and writers. In 1896, the haole leaders of the Republic of Hawai’i passed a law banning Hawaiian as a language of instruction in schools, a law that was not repealed until 1983. Teachers physically beat children if they spoke Hawaiian, and teachers visited their students’ homes and scolded their parents for speaking Hawaiian in front of their children. The Hawaiian language almost went the way of Latin. Were these the reasons for generations of kūpuna silence?

Who was Grandma, a person who was born in Old Hawai’i but who died in Modern America? Who was this person who worked as a faithful cashier at the original Willows restaurant in Mo’ili’ili for decades until she was in her 70s? She had a strong American work ethic, but still she would occasionally drink Scotch before work or call in sick to go fishing. What caused her to be kolohe?

And who are we? As we stood by the gravesite, I could not help but wonder what perspectives we no longer understood and probably never would because of Grandma’s silence. I felt like we were already at Kahana Bay, trying to catch fish in depleted and degraded waters.

Mary brought me back into reality, for the ho’okupu was in place. We stood around the grave holding hands over a prayer, and then we took turns sprinkling Grandma’s remaining ashes over her mother’s grave. We knew that eventually the life-giving ua would soak her remains into the sacred ‘āina, mingling her with her mother’s iwi and binding us once again to the long line of kūpuna and ‘aumakua that stretches back into antiquity.

After we finished scattering Grandma’s ashes, we once again joined hands for pule. “E ko mākou makua i loko o ka lani,” Mary began to intone. But just then a long line of tourist buses heading for the Polynesian Cultural Center roared past 15 feet from us, drowning out Mary’s words. The buses’ diesel engines blasted us with storms of blue-black exhaust and silenced our prayer to Grandma and to God.

Photo credit: Mary Bird. Interview video: Rokki Midro.

E Heluhelu Kākou: No ke Anilā

September 19, 2022 by Kamalani Hurley

The Hawaiian language — ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi — is a beautiful, rich language. Thanks to the internet, ʻōlelo can now be heard across the globe.

Read-aloud versions of childrenʻs books in English are readily available online. And now thanks to Kamehameha Publishing, books in ōlelo are, too.

I am pleased to feature No ke Ahilā — Our Hawaiʻi Weather, a delightful bilingual boardbook for keiki, written by Kaulana Domeg and Mahealani Kobashigawa and read by fluent ʻōlelo speaker, and wonderful presenter, Makiʻilei Ishihara.

Credits: Used with permission from Kamehameha Schools (Mahalo!)

A Nation of Our Own, Spoken Poetry by Chris Oliveira

February 17, 2023September 5, 2022 by Kamalani Hurley

Native Hawaiians have a rich oral tradition that spans over a thousand years. Our stories are told in many forms: songs, chants, hula, legends, ʻōlelo noʻeau, and word play. Modern Hawaiians continue our ancient tradition by weaving their stories into beautiful spoken poetry.

Chris Oliveira is a fluent Hawaiian language speaker and a dedicated Hawaiian activist. Hailing from the Waiʻanae Coast, he is the Vice President and Executive Director of Koa ʻIke, a community non-profit organization that focuses on place-based, service learning educational initiatives and student exchanges.

First published in 2014 by Pūpū A ʻO ʻEwa, A Nation of Our Own is a powerful, provocative lamentation on the loss of our sovereignty dating to the 1893 U.S.-backed coup dʻetat that overthrew our indigenous government. Mahalo nui, Chris.

Watch our interview with Chris.

A Nation of Our Own, by Christophor Oliveira

When will there be an end to this occupation, a nation of our own choosing

Imbedded in the population were waiting for retribution

Suspended in animation by paperwork so confusing

Their faulty documentations for faking a revolution

Pretended the annexation with a blemished joint-resolutions

The same old operation they’ve been using since since back with Newlands

A general pacification intended as restitution

But we want repatriation and the reinstatement of our constitution

Now we contend with the aggravation, the sentence is destitution

With the falsest of allegations implementing our execution

We suffer from mass enslavement they profit off institutions

Were put in for misbehaving, but their guiltʻs already been proven

Much more than edification were offended and disillusioned

So we focus on education and nothing less for our future

Look to our past in admiration in reverence for our kupuna.

Credits: Posted with permission by Chris Oliveira. Performance recorded by Leeward Community College Educational Media Center; interview video by Rokki Midro.

Interview with Native Hawaiian Author Tammy Paikai

August 29, 2022August 29, 2022 by Kamalani Hurley

Today I am delighted to feature my friend, the talented Native Hawaiian author Tammy Paikai. Her five picture books cover subjects that teach children important life lessons but do so in a fun and approachable way that kids — and their parents — love.

Aloha, Tammy. It’s so good to talk with you! For those who haven’t met you, could you please tell us a little about yourself?

I like to describe myself as a kind and good person. I was inspired by my father who was my role model growing up. He was a gentle soul, yet had a witty sense of humor that always made me laugh.

Being a young mom of three wonderful children, my first career was to help support my growing family. I worked for 20 years at The Plaza Hotel by the Honolulu International Airport as the Senior Reservations Clerk. In the hospitality industry I could help others and that gave me the most satisfaction.

My second career was for me because I had always wanted to do something creative in my life. I worked for Island Heritage as a Customer Service Representative and Front Office Administrator for 17 years, and it was such a joy to be around so many creative people. I feel so blessed that Island Heritage gave me the opportunity to write books for children. It has really been a dream come true.

Where did you grow up? What high school did you grad from?

Although I was born in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, my elementary years were mostly spent in Reseda, California. I returned back to Hawaiʻi when I was 10 years old and attended several schools on the West side of the island. I eventually graduated from Aiea High School. Living in Hawaii was where I learned about all the different ethnicities and cultures of the islands.

Who is your biggest supporter?

My biggest supporters are my family, especially my husband of 40+ years. He always believed in me and my talent. To this day he loves to share my stories with his young students. He has been a Hawaiian Studies teacher since 1988. I am so happy that he can share these stories with a message of aloha, sharing, laughter, fun and self-confidence.

Why did you become a writer? What inspired you to write for children?

It was a desire deep inside of me to be creative. From childhood, I drew cartoons and wrote poetry for fun. At Island Heritage I wanted to try my hand at being a writer. The Creative Director suggested that I submit a manuscript. I came up with a little poem called, Aloha Is…,and it was accepted and published in 2006. To this day, it is still one of Island Heritage’s Best Sellers. This story is in rhyme and shares the many meanings of aloha. Illustrated by Rosalie Prussing, the pictures are absolutely a work of art! I wanted to write for the children of Hawaii to give them books about “us.” I was very lucky to be partnered with great artists that brought my stories to life. Their talents helped me share the beauty of our people, our values, our lifestyle and our home.

What do you enjoy most about writing for kids? What are some of your greatest challenges in writing for children?

I really enjoy when the kids connect with my stories. Like in Too Many Mangoes, perhaps they have mangoes that they have shared with their neighbors or maybe they have a hard-of-hearing grandpa too. I am in awe when someone says that my book is one of their favorites. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that would ever happen! It makes me feel so proud that I can bring joy to others in my own little way. My greatest challenge would be coming up with an idea for a story. I want all of my stories to be upbeat and positive. I want to give a good message to the children and make them smile.

What are your hopes and dreams for the year and beyond in terms of your writing career and what you would like to see published in the future?

Right now I am just enjoying my latest book, I am Kiki! I Love Me! which just came out this summer 2022. The story begins with Kiki singing a song to herself on the beach of Hawaiʻi until a volleyball player teases her for being so short. Kiki loves herself and won’t let others bring her down. Illustrated by Eliza Fortney, the beach scenes are absolutely beautiful with lots to look at.

I have been waiting a very long time to have this story published. I love this story because I hope to inspire young children to simply love themselves the way they are and not let others make them feel bad about themselves. Also, I was able to add a little poetry in the story which is a fun touch for Kiki’s confidence.

There are not a lot of stories for or by Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. Why do you think that is? What do you think we can do the change that?

We should always encourage people to share their own stories. Like my co-worker simply encouraged me to submit a manuscript, I thought it would be harder than that. Years, later I encouraged a friend to submit a manuscript, now she is a published children’s author at Island Heritage too.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

If I can do it, so can you! Write what you know about, what you enjoy, what you love, etc. Also, read it out loud to yourself, over and over again to make sure it is just right. Have a good message or moral if it is a children’s story. Take pride in your work!

Which of your books did you have the most fun writing? Which were the most challenging?

I enjoyed writing Too Many Mangoes, a story about sharing. Grandpa has so many mangoes that he asks his grandchildren to share the mangoes with the neighbors. Illustrator Don Robinson’s characters are so delightful. I was able to incorporate my family’s names in the story, and I really did climb my Grandpa’s mango tree when I was a child. By the way, my grandpa’s name was Mr. Wong, just like the in the story!

Which were the most challenging? I wanted to do a funny book with rhymes. Grandpa’s Mixed-Up Lūʻau is what happens when a lovable, but hard-of-hearing Grandpa tries to help Grandma get ready for a lūʻau. Also illustrated by Don Robinson, the story unfolds with his beautiful pictures. At first things were flowing nicely: “boy” rhymes with “poi,” “Malia” rhymes with “haupia.” But I struggled with a rhyme for “kalua pig.” Then inspiration came from above, “Canoe that’s big!”

What’s your experience with publishing your books?

It’s been excellent! The Creative people at Island Heritage, a.k.a. The Madden Corporation were not only professional but super creative and extremely talented. I’m sure it helped me by being a co-worker/friend to the Creative Department. Their website has not only my books but also they have beautiful Hawaiian themed gifts and souvenirs.

Where do you get ideas for your books?

Honesty, I believe my inspiration comes from “above.” Something happens and the title pops in my head and the writing part comes easy after that. For example, one day my neighbor came to our house and asked if we saw her pet turtle that they lost. I thought to myself, Honu, Honu, Where are You? and then wrote the rhyme for that playful story about baby dolphin looking for his friend, Honu, the sea turtle. Yuko Green who cleverly illustrated the book using flaps to help hide the turtles in this story.

Another time, my daughter was telling me that she put capers in her salmon dish. I heard “papers” and questioned her about what kind of papers? She was annoyed, but I thought it was funny. So I came up with Grandpa’s Mixed-Up Luau.

Which characters do you relate with easily? Why?

Kiki would be the character that I most relate too. She is short, wears glasses and is happy-go-lucky. As a young girl my brother would tease me and I didn’t stand up for myself. I wrote Kiki wanting young girls to love themselves so that if others tease her, it would not affect her self-esteem. My daughter was working on a project a few years ago about empowerment for women of color. That project inspired me to write I am Kiki! I Love Me!

This is great, Tammy. Anything else?

Mahalo to my long time friend, Kamalani Hurley. I am so honored for her to share my humble story. Also, many thanks to the people of Hawaii for making me feel special and embracing my stories that I really loved writing. Dreams do come true, thanks to you!

Mahalo to YOU, Tammy! We look forward to many more of your stories for keiki! To contact Tammy Paikai and learn more about her books, please visit the Island Heritage website

Ka Maile, a Mele Aloha by Kahaulahilahi Vegas

February 17, 2023August 22, 2022 by Kamalani Hurley

Native Hawaiians look to our kūpuna — our elders — to help us find our pathways through life. They guide us by their spiritual wisdom through personal, familial or community difficulties. Kūpuna are the source of experience, knowledge, guidance, strength and inspiration to the next generations, a rich resource to contribute to the betterment of the Hawaiian people.

Kahaulahilahi Vegas is a fluent Hawaiian language speaker whose family is from both Molokaʻi and Oʻahu. After graduating from Leeward Community College and the University of Hawaiʻi-West Oʻahu, Lahi is pursuing her PhD degree in Public Health at the University of Hawaiʻi-Mānoa. Her goal is to help the Native Hawaiian community.

Lahi Vegas also loves to compose. To honor her beloved kūpuna, she composed her mele aloha, Ka Maile, which we published at Pūpū A ʻO ʻEwa in 2015. She credits her grandparents for providing the foundation of her lifeʻs path. Lahi says she will always be inspired by her kūpuna: He aloha pau ʻole — a love without end.

Watch our interview with Lahi in both ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi and ʻōlelo haole. Mahalo nui, Lahi.

Credits: Used with permission by Kahaulahilahi Vegas. Performance recorded by Leeward Community College Educational Media Center; bio video by Rokki Midro and Mauna Burgess.

Interview with Award-Winning Author Ilima Loomis

August 15, 2022 by Kamalani Hurley

Welcome to the first in a new series of interviews with Native Hawaiian and local Hawaiʻi writers!

I am very pleased to introduce award-winning author Ilima Loomis. She has an extensive background not only in writing for children but also in journalism, content marketing, science and technology. Her goal is to help her readers to make sense of complicated subjects.

Aloha, Ilima. For those who haven’t met you, could you please tell us a little about yourself?

Aloha! My name is Ilima Loomis, and I’m the author of children’s books including ‘Ohana Means Family and Eclipse Chaser: Science in the Moon’s Shadow. Along with writing books for young readers, I also work as a science writer! I interview scientists and help explain their research and discoveries for a general audience. I started my career as a community journalist, working as a reporter for The Maui News. While I was born and lived most of my life in Hawaii, I recently moved to Vancouver, Canada.

Where did you grow up? What high school did you grad from?

I was born and raised in Kailua, Oahu, and I graduated from Iolani School in Honolulu. Go Raiders!

Who is your biggest supporter?

My daughter is 15, and she recently told me that she was proud of what I do and she thought I was cool. That really meant so much to me! I’m grateful to be her mom. She inspires me.

Thatʻs very cool. Why did you become a writer? What inspired you to write for children?

I actually started out as a journalist. I’ve always written nonfiction because I’m inspired by the real world. My first children’s book was actually a spin-off from a nonfiction book I wrote about paniolo and ranching in Hawaii. After I finished the book for adults, I thought it would also make a good subject for kids, so I pitched and wrote a picture book. I loved the experience of writing for kids and was hooked.

What do you enjoy most about writing for kids? What are some of your greatest challenges in writing for children?

I love the challenge of taking a complex subject and figuring out how to distill it into a story that kids will understand and relate to or find interesting. It really forces you as a writer to think about what’s most important and what you most want to say. It’s such a short format, there’s no room for any rambling or digression. Even though I’m writing nonfiction, I still have to think creatively about how to say what I want to say, and how to turn these cold facts into a story that makes the reader feel emotion. It makes me a better writer.

There are not a lot of stories for or by Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. Why do you think that is? What do you think we can do the change that?

First, I want to note that I’m not Native Hawaiian; I’m from a multi-generational kama’aina family. Hawaiʻi is my home, and it meant so much to me to be able to share something about Hawaiʻi’s culture with this book. I also want to credit and thank Hōkūao Pellegrino for reviewing and adding his cultural expertise to the book.

I absolutely believe that there is a huge need for more books for and by Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. It’s gratifying to see that children’s publishing has embraced diversity in the last few years and is starting to catch up with the long overlooked need for stories that reflect the diverse world in which we live. That push for diversity needs to include indigenous voices, in particular Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.

There’s a lot I don’t understand about how publishing works as an industry, but I do think that organizations like SCBWI (Society of Childrenʻs Book Writers and Illustrators) can support this movement by continuing to work on being more diverse and inclusive in their membership and programs for up-and-coming writers and illustrators. I think the SCBWI Hawaiʻi Chapter is doing a great job on that and I hope they continue to push even harder toward those goals. And of course as readers the best thing we can do to show publishers that there’s demand for books by and for Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders is to buy and support the books that are already out there. I think it’s especially important to support local Hawaii publishers, because they’re the ones leading the way in sharing Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander stories, and that’s where many new writers and illustrators get their start. Local publishers are an important resource for readers and writers in Hawaii, and we need to support them!

Are you on social media? Do social media play a role for you as an author? Do your readers contact you? What do they say?

I do some social media (where else would I find an outlet for all the photos I take of my dog??). Writing can be a lonely activity, so I found that social media was a great way to connect with other writers and build community. I do sometimes hear from readers, and I absolutely love it when I see people share that they enjoyed my book. It’s especially cool when I see the book shared by librarians or teachers! As an author though, I try to turn off the social media for a while so I can focus on my writing without distractions.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

There’s no substitute for just writing a lot and putting it out there for people to read. I actually believe it’s more important to write a lot than to write well. You learn something every time your work gets released into the world, so take every opportunity you can. Some writers will hang on to their work, polishing and polishing, because it’s never good enough. Perfectionism is a killer. Just let it go.

Can you share a bit of your current work?

I’m working on an idea about pollinator gardens! I’m inspired by small-scale conservation.

Which of your books did you have the most fun writing? Which were the most challenging?

I actually had an incredible experience writing Eclipse Chaser. I had the opportunity to travel to the 2017 total solar eclipse with University of Hawaii solar physicist Shadia Habbal and her team. We camped in the Oregon desert, and she allowed me to document her expedition for the book. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

What beliefs are your books challenging?

Interesting question! I don’t think I set out to challenge people’s beliefs, but in ‘Ohana Means Family I wanted readers to reflect on how food connects us with each other, with nature, and with the world.

What’s your experience with publishing your books?

My first two books, Ka’imi’s First Round-Up and Rough Riders: Hawaii’s Paniolo and Their Stories were published with a local publisher (Island Heritage). It was a great experience, and I am really grateful Island Heritage took a chance on my books and gave me the opportunity to work on those projects as a young writer. I actually originally wrote ‘Ohana Means Family with the intention of publishing it locally as well. But when I connected with my agent, Kelly Sonnack, she thought there would be interest outside of Hawaii. She ended up selling it to Neal Porter, an acclaimed children’s book editor. It was an incredible opportunity to be able to work with Neal on my first picture book outside of Hawaii, and I think he did an amazing job with the book. I was especially excited that he selected illustrator Kenard Pak to create the art, and I think the results were absolutely gorgeous.

Where do you get ideas for your books?

I’m inspired by the natural world and how humans interact with nature!

Which characters do you relate with easily? Why?

I’m a quiet, introspective person, so I usually relate to quiet, introspective characters.

Can you share a bit about your next book?

As I mentioned, I’m working about a book about pollinator gardens. For inspiration, I planted some native wildflowers in a planter on my deck. Now that I live in the Pacific Northwest there are so many plants and animals that are new to me. I love watching the bees buzzing around the flowers, and I’m especially excited every time hummingbirds come for a visit! They’re so tiny and cute! I love the idea that humans can interact with nature and support conservation even if they live in small spaces or in the middle of a big city.

Mahalo nui, Ilima, and best wishes for your continued success! To contact Ilima Loomis and learn more about her books, visit her website, Ilimaloomis.com.

Her Name was Violet, by Stephanie Namahoe Launiu

February 17, 2023August 11, 2022 by Kamalani Hurley

One of the activities Iʻm most proud of is founding and publishing Pūpū A ‘O ‘Ewa Native Hawaiian Writing and Arts. Everyone—students, faculty, staff, and community members—was invited to submit, regardless of ethnicity, and the only requirement was that the work be somehow related to Native Hawaiian culture. From 2011–2016 we published over 100 videos, music, photos, and stories. Those works are archived at Pūpū, but I think my blog is a good place to feature some of them again. The works and their creators deserve to be seen and appreciated.

In her beautiful personal history, Her Name was Violet, first published at Pūpū in 2014, Stephanie Namahoe Launiu describes writing about her grandmother, Violet Wong Hoe, as a spiritual experience: Grandma was born only two years after annexation at a time when Hawaiians weren’t free to speak their native language or openly practice their culture. She was so very Hawaiian to the core. Stephanie and her family live in Hilo. Now retired, she volunteers with nonprofits to help Hawaiian inmates and their families on the Big Island. A freelance writer, Stephanie is writing episodes about Hawai’i for an audio travel app company, “doing my best,” she tells me, “to sensitize visitors to wahi pana and kanaka oiwi.” Mahalo nui, Stephanie.

Her Name was Violet

Her name was Violet Kawaikoeahiokekuahiwi Wong Hoe, and she was my father’s mother. Born in 1900 to a pure Hawaiian woman and a Chinese laborer who came to work on a sugar plantation, Grandma was the single most influential person in my life. She was my link to being Hawaiian.

Grandma was tough stuff, born just seven years after a group of American businessmen illegally overthrew the Hawaiian monarch, Queen Liliuokalani, and instituted a straw government recognized by the United States of America. At five years old, she cried on a boat dock as her father (who she said looked like Hop Sing on the old Bonanza show) jumped onto a ship to return to China. His contract with the plantation had ended, and he most likely had a wife and children back home. We haven’t had any luck tracing our bloodline to China, so it’s one of those things we just had to let go. She remembered the day when she was nine and some men came to her house and dragged her mother away, kicking and screaming. She never saw her mother again. And as Hawaiians of the day were taught, she never talked about it.

After years of research, we found out last year that our great-grandmother had been dragged away that long-ago day and taken on a boat to Kalaupapa, Molokaʻi, where she was checked into the leper colony for Hawaiian citizens and never allowed away from that isolated spot again. She died there after remarrying and having three more children. We don’t know if she ever had leprosy. In the early 1900’s when the fear of leprosy was rampant, Hawaiians were routinely arrested and taken to Kalaupapa for the rest of their lives on a whispered suspicion that the spot on their face was leprosy. I visited Kalaupapa several years ago before I ever knew my great-grandmother died there, and it is a beautiful but God-forsaken place surrounded by blue, blue ocean and sheer cliffs that humans couldn’t escape.

Grandma finished high school, married my grandfather, and had 12 children without ever seeing the inside of a hospital room. I told you she was tough stuff. But on top of that, she had a paying job! My grandfather was the jailer at the Hilo jail on the eastern side of the Big Island, and she was what they called the ‘matron’. They lived in a house on the jail grounds and she took care of the women and girls who dared to commit such crimes as running away from home, public drunkenness, or worse yet, prostitution. She nursed her babies while overseeing the meals for the male and female inmates.

It was after my grandfather died and she retired as matron that I was born. She was 52 by then, with lots of time on her hands to dote on her many grandchildren. Grandma was thrifty and frugal, to say the least. She didn’t need to get 5 cents back on a bottle to make her recycle; she lived sustainability. When she caught a fish, she ate every bit of it including the eyeballs. She didn’t believe in waste, and she never wasted a minute either. Somehow between raising 12 kids, supervising women inmates and feeding the male ones, she learned how to make things. She sewed, crocheted, quilted, knitted, baked bread, canned and preserved. She knew which type of fish could be caught where, and she gathered the ocean’s bounty and ate it all – opihi (limpet), limu (seaweed), pipipi, vana. If someone caught too much fish in a day, she gave away some and dried the rest. A meal for her was some dried ahi, chili pepper water, a little limu on the side, and a bowl of poi.

I grew up in the Hawaii of the 1950’s before statehood. Life was simpler for everyone back then. We lived in Hilo but every weekend we’d drive the 50 miles or so over the volcano to Punalu’u in the Ka’u district where Grandma had a beach house. The routine was to park the station wagon, open the house and all the windows to air it out, light the Coleman lanterns (no electricity), my dad would spray a little DDT to get rid of any mosquitos in the house, get water from the well and make the Friday night dinner. We’d spend a lazy weekend on Punalu’u’s black sand beach fishing and swimming. Turtles weren’t a protected species then; we ate turtle soup and kept the shells as a souvenir. At night we’d crowd around the lantern to pore over the Sears catalog or to play cards. I have never seen a more star-filled sky than from Punalu’u in the 50’s. Of course, I had plenty of time to look at the stars during trips to the outhouse.

California

Within a few years after Hawaii became a state in 1959, my father moved our family to Los Angeles for a new job. I cried for days. Hated it. After being free to run and swim until after dark, we lived in a duplex apartment on the way to my father’s dream of a better life. I heard a language I’d never heard before – Spanish. I saw my first “colored” person. I rode a bus. I went to Disneyland!

Days turned into years, and I got used to California, but my heart never left Hawaii. We had become transplanted Hawaiians – listening to Hawaiian music, eating Hawaiian food, and looking for other Hawaiians in crowds. Our family got bigger with more babies born, and my parents never made enough money to send us back to Hawaii to visit.

Grandma traveled to California every year to visit her growing family there. Many of her other children had also moved there over the years and she soon had more grandchildren on the mainland than she did in Hawaii. Grandma never changed. She was authentic in every way. She enjoyed a Big Mac but missed her dried ahi when she was in California. When it was time for her to return to the Big Island, she sobbed quietly at the airport and waved her white handkerchief in the airplane window so we would know where she was sitting.

Called Home

By 1990, I was married with six kids and a full-time job. I thought of Grandma often and I missed her. My parents had moved back to Hawaii to help take care of her as she got more frail. It had been almost five years since I had seen her when that call came in April that Grandma had died just a few months short of her 90th birthday. As the Gods would have it, she never got sick. She just went to sleep one night and woke up in heaven. I would like to think they had a plate of dried ahi, chili pepper water, a little limu on the side, and a bowl of poi waiting for her.

In 1990, we were all innocent travelers. There was no TSA. The twin towers still stood in New York City. You didn’t need an I.D. to get on a plane. You could even buy an unused airplane ticket from somebody and fly under their name with a bottle of water and a box cutter in your purse. I don’t remember how we scraped together the money or even who watched our kids, but my husband and I along with my brother and sister flew home to Hawaii for Grandma’s funeral.

Home on the Big Island

Grandma had been living in a little plantation house in Kapa’au on the northern tip of the Big Island. She had grown to love the Kohala district after she remarried at the age of 60 and moved there with my new Filipino grandpa. I told you she was tough stuff. Grandpa had died years before and the beach house in Punalu’u had long ago been carried away in a tidal wave, so Grandma spent her later years there in Kapa’au.

When I walked into that small single-wall house after driving from Kona airport, it struck me how simple the house was. I had never been there before. But it was just like Grandma. Doilies on the couch, pictures of grandkids on the walls, kitchen as clean as a whistle, and Bible by the bed.

We were going to be on the Big Island for a week, and Grandma’s funeral was a few days away, so we wanted to make the most of everyday and soak up what we had missed all those years. We began the next morning by going to Naito Store. Naito’s was a country store that allowed locals to run up a tab, so we settled Grandma’s bill and left a little extra.

Then we drove to where the original statue of Kamehameha the Great stands. This statue in Kapa’au is the original created by Thomas R. Gould, a Boston sculptor. The oft-photographed statue of Kamehameha in Honolulu is a copy. Just like Grandma, the real deal was in Kapa’au.

Although he was dubbed a “King”, Kamehameha was an ali’i nui, the highest of high chiefs. Ancient chants say that he was born in the month of ‘Ikua on a storm-tossed night in North Kohala when a bright star they called “Kokoiki” appeared in the skies, trailing a long tail behind it. Historians have found that in November 1758, Halley’s Comet streaked across the Hawaiian heavens and this has been considered his year of birth in historical accounts.

Because of the prophecy surrounding his birth, the baby was believed to be in danger if he was allowed to grow up and challenge the political players of the day. Ancient chants tell of how his mother Chiefess Keku’iapoiwa wrapped her infant son in soft kapa cloth and entrusted him to Nae’ole who ran with the baby through hidden lava tubes into the valley called ‘Awini northwest of Waipi’o Valley where he was raised in secrecy until returning to Pololu Valley at the northern tip of the island to train for greatness.

We drove to the lookout at Pololu Valley and marveled at the panoramic ocean view and sheer isolation of the valley below. The northernmost tip of the Big Island is known as Upolu Point. Interestingly enough, the major island of the Samoan Islands is named Upolu. Could the Samoan canoes have been the first to land at this point centuries ago, and would they have named the place for their homeland across the sea?

The Funeral and the Ride to Hilo

Neighbors and Grandma’s friends from church had been bringing us food for days. We never had to cook. We spent the days reveling in the memories of a life well lived.

The hearse arrived at the church and for the next two hours Grandma lay in the church hall surrounded by those who loved her. She looked young and beautiful again. Children ran up and down the halls. Uncle Kindy Sproat, who was known for his beautiful falsetto voice, sat at the foot of Grandma’s casket playing the ukulele and singing Hawaiian songs for two hours straight. People sang along; others would walk up to the casket and bend down to kiss her or talk to her.

None of us really wanted to close the casket because we knew that would be the last time we would see her on this earth. But the time had come.

I don’t remember much of the funeral service itself, but I do remember that someone read from Proverbs 31..”who can find a virtuous woman”? And it seemed to describe Grandma to a T.

After the funeral, we prepared for the two hour ride to Hilo. Grandma was to be buried at Homelani Cemetery overlooking Hilo Bay. The hearse would lead the way. We looped back around from the church to go past Grandma’s house one more time. The hearse stopped and my Dad got out to pick some flowers and put them in the back with Grandma. She loved her garden.

I will never forget the 90 mile ride from Kapa’au to Hilo. Every single car coming in the opposite direction pulled over to the side of the road out of respect for the funeral procession. No cars behind sped up to pass us. Everyone allowed us to drive Grandma to her resting place in dignity. Just for a little while, the world slowed down.

Coming Home

For me, it was seeing strangers pulling over to the side of the road to let a grieving family pass by. It was the county work crew removing their hats as we went past. For my husband, it was the beautiful sight of Hilo Bay as we rounded a bend on the Hamakua coast. Both of us knew instinctively that the Big Island is where we wanted to live.

Within a year we had moved our kids and everything we owned to the Big Island.

It’s been over 20 years since Grandma died. I still think of her nearly everyday. All of our kids are married with families of their own now. Some of my grandchildren live in Hilo but most live on the mainland. I know how that feels now when I make my yearly trip to see them.

Mahalo, Grandma, for showing me the way home…

Photo credit: Stephanie Namahoe Launiu

Monday is National Spam Musubi Day (Thanks, L&L!)

August 5, 2022 by Kamalani Hurley

Monday August 8 is the Second Annual L&L Hawaiʻi National Spam Musubi Day, and that means a free musubi from L&L Hawaiʻi. Launched by the venerable Hawaiʻi company and licensed by Hormel Foods, this it-should-be-a-holiday is another quirky and fun Hawaiʻi thing.

And because I love both spam and history, letʻs have a little of both in todayʻs blog post.

Spam musubi is sticky white rice topped with a slice of seasoned cooked spam, wrapped up in a piece of crunchy nori seaweed. In my post on 12 Things Native Hawaiian and Hawaiʻi Kids Like, — my addition to children’s author Tara Lazar’s 500+ Things That Kids Like — spam musubi is right there near the top of the list. Thatʻs because itʻs a convenient, inexpensive, packable lunch.

Canned spam first became popular in Hawaiʻi during WW II. Soon home cooks were creating dishes made from the salty canned meat. When I was growing up, we ate spam all the time, including fried with eggs and rice (which is a favorite breakfast order at Hawaiʻi McDonalds restaurants.) The first time my college roommates saw me frying up spam, they freaked out, that is, until they tasted it.

Hawaiʻiʻs Barbara Funamura is credited with inventing spam musubi in the early 1980s for the Joni-Hana restaurant on Kauaiʻi, according to the Garden Island newspaper. Mrs. Funamura had no idea that her humble recipe would, like many great inventions, become so popular.

My kids grew up packing spam musubis to eat after hula and soccer practice, and to this day, itʻs a satisfying treat. Our simple method was simply splashing a bit of shoyu into the pan as the spam cooked, but a search on the internet reveals lots of fancy recipes.

Oh, and did you get the August 8/8–08 shout-out to our area code? Happy Spam Musubi day! Photo credit: L&L Hawaiian BBQ

I am a Farmer, Revisited, by Sheila Arasato

February 17, 2023August 1, 2022 by Kamalani Hurley

The best years of my professional life were as a professor at University of Hawai’i — Leeward Community College. I taught linguistics and business writing courses to thousands of students, who impacted me in such profound ways. I was so lucky to have a job I loved.

One of the activities Iʻm most proud of is founding and publishing Pūpū A ‘O ‘Ewa Native Hawaiian Writing and Arts. The website has a different look and mission now, but during my time, everyone—students, faculty, staff, and community members—was invited to submit, regardless of ethnicity, and the only requirement was that the work be somehow related to Native Hawaiian culture. From 2011–2016 we published over 100 videos, music, photos, and stories. Those works are archived at Pūpū, but I think my blog is a good place to feature some of them again. The works and their creators deserve to be seen and appreciated.

One of my favorite videos is I am a Farmer, a thought-provoking and visually stunning video created by Ke Ala ʻIke Scholar Sheila Arasato and based on an original work performed by her sister, the talented Uʻilani Kumuhone. We first published this video on April 10, 2016, I asked Sheila why she revisited her sisterʻs poem. Her reply? “There was more story to tell: who you are in this ʻāina, and what are you doing to make it a better place?” Excellent questions. Mahalo nui, Sheila and Uʻilani.

Photo credit: Sheila Arasato