Kumu hula, singer-songwriter Kealiʻi Reichel performs his mele "Maunaleo" at the Hawaiʻi Theatre in Honolulu as part of Kūkahi ʻ99. Written in honor of his mother, Kealiʻi compares her strength and lasting beauty to Maunaleo, a peak alongside Iao Valley on Maui.
This video is a Coco Palm Pictures production made in association with Punahele Productions and used by permission of the composer and performers. An excellent example of the poetry of the Hawaiian language.
Creating livable spaces that fit your lifestyle is inspirational. But I'd like to see an architect design and build a tiny house for someone in a wheelchair.
Being from the Pacific islands, I'd prefer one constructed from a shipping container...how about that?!
Checkout the Wishlist Items and details. Here's a sneak peek:
Hello, Alii, Aloha kakou!
My name is Lydia Smith-Lenardson. I am a Pacific islander, former teacher, choreographer, dancer, network analyst who became paralyzed with a spinal cord injury from cancer treatment for Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. I’m calling out to the hearts and minds of friends, family, and folks everywhere to Join My Campaign and help me Get Back on My Feet again!
Starting with:
* Transportation and personal care assistance
* Standing and Portable power wheelchairs
* Treatment and Rehabilitation at the Mayo Clinic's spinal cord injury program.
One of my former hula sisters, Joy Labez, sadly passed away last year. I've always thought of her as an older sister I never had and grateful that she was a light in my life. I'm also grateful that she was part of a larger circle of older sisters, both in the halau and for me...
Joy sent these pics to me in 2006 of the halau's performance at the National Museum of the American Indian concert on Friday, May 19th. The musicians from left to right are: Calvin "Gabby" Gabonia, Kumu Hula (hula master) Manu Ikaika, and Josh, Gabby's son. Gabby and Josh have gone on to join another halau.
Joy (in the blue mu'umu'u above) was dancing 'Hi'ilawe', my #1 all-time favorite hula. Written by Sam Li'a Kalainaina, Sr., this song is about a love affair at Hi'ilawe which is the highest waterfall in Hawai'i and Waio'ulu, two waterfalls in Waipi'o Valley on the Big Island.
The group photo below is 'Hukilau' in which the audience participates in dancing the motions of the traditional fishing and eating at a luau.
In the middle photo, dressed in burgundy and wearing shell leis, Joy was dancing Mai Wakinekona (Call to Washington).
And in the lower pic (dressed in black), she's dancing 'Pua Lililehua' (The Lililehua Blossom). At the bottom is 'Ka Makani Kaili Aloha'.
If anyone with Halau Ho'omau sees an error and I've misidentified the pics, please let me know.
The following was a revelation to me many years ago when I first heard it spoken on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Although it was quoted by Nelson Mandela, it was originally written by Marianne Williamson. It was the first time I also heard the words spoken by another empowered woman and totally changed the way I saw the world. It's been repeated all over the world since then, but I'd like to share it here as it remains relevant and bears repeating today...
Palau on superstock.com
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
So that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us, it is in everyone.
we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
our presence automatically liberates others.
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
And as we let our own light shine,
As we are liberated from our own fear,
- Marianne Williamson.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Japan was my backyard growing up and it's like living in the briar patch...Guam's international convergence zone, typhoons throughout Micronesia, earthquakes and tsunamis, Dragon's Triangle (the Pacific side of the Bermuda Triangle)... I was up until 2am Saturday morning waiting to hear any news about the tsunami's impact on Palau, Guam and Hawai'i, knowing that I have relatives and friends living out there. The 8.9 quake is actually considered an aftershock. Japan had pre-shock quakes of 6.5 to 7.5 about 2 days prior and there were at least 100 aftershocks of 5.0 of more afterwards.
The powerful earthquake that unleashed a devastating tsunami Friday appears to have moved the main island of Japan by 8 feet (2.4 meters) and shifted the Earth on its axis.
"At this point, we know that one GPS station moved (8 feet), and we have seen a map from GSI (Geospatial Information Authority) in Japan showing the pattern of shift over a large area is consistent with about that much shift of the land mass," said Kenneth Hudnut, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
Reports from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology in Italy estimated the 8.9-magnitude quake shifted the planet on its axis by nearly 4 inches (10 centimeters).
The temblor, which struck Friday afternoon near the east coast of Japan, killed hundreds of people, caused the formation of 30-foot walls of water that swept across rice fields, engulfed entire towns, dragged houses onto highways, and tossed cars and boats like toys. Some waves reached six miles (10 kilometers) inland in Miyagi Prefecture on Japan's east coast.
The quake was the most powerful to hit the island nation in recorded history and the tsunami it unleashed traveled across the Pacific Ocean, triggering tsunami warnings and alerts for 50 countries and territories as far away as the western coasts of Canada, the U.S. and Chile. The quake triggered more than 160 aftershocks in the first 24 hours -- 141 measuring 5.0-magnitude or more.
The quake occurred as the Earth's crust ruptured along an area about 250 miles (400 kilometers) long by 100 miles (160 kilometers) wide, as tectonic plates slipped more than 18 meters, said Shengzao Chen, a USGS geophysicist.
Japan is located along the Pacific "ring of fire," an area of high seismic and volcanic activity stretching from New Zealand in the South Pacific up through Japan, across to Alaska and down the west coasts of North and South America. The quake was "hundreds of times larger" than the 2010 quake that ravaged Haiti, said Jim Gaherty of the LaMont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University.
The Japanese quake was of similar strength to the 2004 earthquake in Indonesia that triggered a tsunami that killed over 200,000 people in more than a dozen countries around the Indian Ocean. "The tsunami that it sent out was roughly comparable in terms of size," Gaherty said. "[The 2004 tsunami] happened to hit some regions that were not very prepared for tsunamis ... we didn't really have a very sophisticated tsunami warning system in the Indian Ocean basin at the time so the damage was significantly worse."
The Japanese quake comes just weeks after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck Christchurch on February 22, toppling historic buildings and killing more than 150 people. The timeframe of the two quakes have raised questions whether the two incidents are related, but experts say the distance between the two incidents makes that unlikely.
"I would think the connection is very slim," said Prof. Stephan Grilli, ocean engineering professor at the University of Rhode Island.
Monday, June 07, 2010
This should be the highest priority for any Pacific islander, especially when the health issues can be prevented and possibly reversed with education and changing cultural habits that support such unhealthy choices. A state of health emergency has already been declared for the Pacific island region...
Lifestyle disease rate explodes among Pacific Islanders
Diabetes, heart disease, strokes, cancer and other diseases -- many lifestyle- related -- have reached "epidemic" proportions in the U.S.-affiliated Pacific islands, a crisis that grips Hawaii because many islanders choose to live here under the Compact of Free Association.
By Humanityhealing — April 09, 2010 — "As you continue to send out love, the energy returns to you in a regenerating spiral... As love accumulates, it keeps your system in balance and harmony. Love is the tool, and more love is the end product."
~ Sara Paddison, Hidden Power of the Heart
Music: Soulwire, "Temple of Illumination
http://www.soulwire.com
Images: Photobucket & Imageafter
We Honor the Unknown Artists
Thank you so much for being a part of the share, your continued participation and support are what makes this group possible. Let the words and images of the video empower you to experience peace, harmony, and wellbeing in every moment of your day. Share this boost of energized love to bless others along your journey. I share with you the info in the previous posts for your use - to bless yourself and others with optimum health and fulfillment.
Enjoy every moment and live the passionate life you intend it to be.
Aloha pumehana (with blessings, love and affection)!
Lydia
1. Lydia Smith-Lenardson, Moreno Valley, California, USA
2. Amy Manuel, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
3. Andy Cooper, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
4. Annette Maxwell Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
5. Austin Ndego, Lagos, Nigeria
6. Brian Yeates, Dublin, Ireland
7. Carol Gent, Lancashire, England, UK
8. Denise Matthews, Nottinghamshire, UK
9. Donna Pfeiffer, Venice, Florida, USA
10. Dunni Olasehan, Lagos, Nigeria
11. Egon Russell, Adelaide, Alabama, USA
12. Eileen To, Middlesex, Alabama, UK
13. Eve Hale, Hampshire, England, UK
14. Grant Luckey, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
15 Gudrun Gudmundsdottir, San Diego, California, USA
16 Gurjinder Strom, Miami, Florida, USA
17. Heidi Fruhling, Ft. Collins, Colorado, USA
18. Hillary Bisaillon, Yorktown, Virginia, USA
19. Janet Evans, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, USA
20. Janet Henningsen, Indialantic, Florida, USA
21. Janet Kinge, Basingstoke, UK
22. Joan Anderson, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
23. Joseph Bennett, Ventura, California, USA
24. Judy Oliver, Silver Spring, MD, USA
25. Karen Saldanha, Corona, California, USA
26. Karen Sheppard, St. John's, Newfoundland/Labrador, Canada
27. Kim Lerman, North Highlands, California, USA
28. Kim McCluskey, Tucson, Arizona, USA
29. Kyle James, Bel Air, Maryland, USA
30. Lena Goon, Alberta, Canada
31. Linda Cromer, The Villages, Florida, USA
32. Linda Prucha, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
33. Lynda Truthseekir, Los Angeles, California
34. Lynn Wilson, Manchester, England, UK
35. Madhurima Bhatnagar, Fremont, California, USA
36. Maree Rogers, Hastings, Westernport Bay, Australia
37. Margaret McGuire, Cooma, New South Wales, Australia
38. Mari Hayama, Berkeley, California, USA
39. Mark Woit, Nuermberg, Bavaria
40. Matthew Leonard, Lodi, New Jersey, USA
41. Meelah Rasheed, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
42. Mirjam Kik, Oude Tonge, The Netherlands
43. Moira Congreve, England, UK
44. Monica Hernandez Estrada, Corona, California, USA
45. Natasha Adair, Olney Springs, Colorado, USA
46. Nathan Norton, Wentworth Falls, New South Wales, Australia
47. Pamela Clements, Westminster, Colorado, USA
48. Patricia Blundon, Pembroke,Ontario
49. Rebecca Cochran, Findlay, Ohio, USA
50. Rene Beauchemin, Alabama, Tomono, Canada
51. Rev. Patricia Lusher, Berlin, Vermont, USA
52. Rosemary Barton, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
53. Sandy Kolman, Belleville, Illinois, USA
54. Sheryl Morris, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
55. Silvia Weisz, Melbourne, Australia
56. Sister Mary Mebane, Santa Maria, California, USA
57. Steve and Karen Edwards, Gunnislake, Cornwall, England
58. Theresa Johnson, Salisbury, Maryland, USA
59. Tiffany Wardle Croydon, Surrey, England, UK
60. Velanthas, Manila, Philippines
61. Venkataramadas Vivekanand, Chennai, India
62. Vera Murrell, Friendsville, Tennessee, USA
63. Veronica Hansen, Sarina, Queensland, Australia
64. Violet Moreau, Pembroke,Ontario
65. Y.Nowshad, Kollam Kerala,India
66. Zachary Buchholz, Chicago, IL, USA
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
7th Micronesian Games in Palau
Palau is hosting the Micronesian Games this year on August 1-10. Checkout the details and event link on the Palau Visitors Authority website:
Firefighters battle a blaze set by looters at a supermarket in Concepcion, Chile, on Monday
Latest News on the Tragic Earthquake that Hit Chile...
It is truly sad to see how much the people in Haiti suffered by being ill-prepared for natural disaster but I'm glad that they are receiving aid and that news of any progress remains on the international news.
So to see how the Chilean people were better prepared in terms of their building standards and emergency response was heartening. Although, I was surprised that President Bachelet didn't immediately accept international aid. And especially sad to see the desperation of people there facing the prospect of going without adequate food and water with looters and robbers disrupting recovery efforts.
I've grown up in the southwestern Pacific islands of Palau and Guam which is in what local islanders call 'Typhoon Alley' and FEMA was one of the first words children learn to say after 'mommy' and 'daddy'.
So my heart goes out to the Haitians and Chileans...please join me in sending healing energy for them so all local and international emergency response aid is efficient and effective, that the compassion and goodwill of people around the world helps to heal the wounds of devastation, and that people can begin to recover.
It's a relief, also, that the Pacific islands, especially Hawai'i, weren't also affected by tsunami-like waves.
Here's the link to the latest article on the recovery in Chile...
I had the opportunity to meet Sonny Ching and members of his halau at a hula competition in Las Vegas 10 years ago. His award winning choreographic interpretations of traditional chants continue to inspire and attract many to the deep wisdom of the Hawaiian culture.
It is better to light candles than to curse the darkness.
It is better to plant seeds than to accuse the earth.
The world needs all of our power and love and energy, and each of us has something that we can give.
The trick is to find it and use it, to find it and give it away. So there will always be more.
We can be lights for each other, and through each other's illumination we will see the way.
Each of us is a seed, a silent promise, and it is always spring.
Last night we celebrated my young cousin Betuu's 14th birthday. Technically he's my brother-in-law's nephew...if anybody knows how our connection is termed genealogically, I'm curious to know.
He had quite an adventurous journey traveling alone from Palau to California which took over 3 months...and no, he didn't paddle his way here. But it's pretty commonplace for folks on an airline buddy pass to end up with no available flights and get holed up in a city on route for days or weeks at a time. In peak season that could be months. In Betuu's case he got a flight from Palau to Guam in June then was held up there for the rest of the summer. Fortunately, a kid doesn't have to untangle all the knots and headaches of figuring out travel and housing arrangements so he was well looked after. Throughout those many days, the way was always lit for him.
So yesterday was a pretty special celebration for him. It's amazing how 1 person can unite people to a common purpose - family, friends, and strangers alike. Amazing how the love of a child reaches across the ocean and we can all share in that deep, profound love that connects us with each other.
With that in mind, I share with you an energy boost to fully embrace you with love, light and the breath of life, the true meaning of aloha. I gratefully and joyfully open my heart, mind, and spirit to the energy we share. Be passionate about your life, live your life with purpose and passion, and allow yourself to be present and experience joy in the moment.
Aloha pumehana (with blessings, love and affection),
Lydia
1. Amy Manuel, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 2. Andy Cooper, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China 3. Austin Ndego, Lagos, Nigeria 4. Brian Yeates, Dublin, Ireland 5. Carol Gent, Lancashire, England, UK 6. Denise Matthews, Nottinghamshire, UK 7. Donna Pfeiffer, Venice, Florida, USA 8. Dunni Olasehan, Lagos, Nigeria 9. Egon Russell, Adelaide, Alabama, USA 10. Eileen To, Middlesex, Alabama, UK 11. Eve Hale, Hampshire, England, UK 12. Grant Luckey, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA 13. Gudrun Gudmundsdottir, San Diego, California, USA 14. Gurjinder Strom, Miami, Florida, USA 15. Heidi Fruhling, Ft. Collins, Colorado, USA 16. Hillary Bisaillon, Yorktown, Virginia, USA 17. Janet Evans, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, USA 18. Janet Henningsen, Indialantic, Florida, USA 19. Janet Kinge, Basingstoke, UK 20. Joan Anderson, Washington, District of Columbia, USA 21. Joseph Bennett, Ventura, California, USA 22. Judy Oliver, Silver Spring, MD, USA 23. Karen Sheppard, St. John's, Newfoundland/Labrador, Canada 24. Kim Lerman, North Highlands, California, USA 25. Kim McCluskey, Tucson, Arizona, USA 26. Kyle James, Bel Air, Maryland, USA 27. Lena Goon, Alberta, Canada 28. Linda Cromer, The Villages, Florida, USA 29. Linda Prucha, Omaha, Nebraska, USA 30. Lydia Smith-Lenardson, Moreno Valley, California, USA 31. Lynn Wilson, Manchester, England, UK 32. Madhurima Bhatnagar, Fremont, California, USA 33. Maree Rogers, Hastings, Westernport Bay, Australia 34. Margaret McGuire, Cooma, New South Wales, Australia 35. Mari Hayama, Berkeley, California, USA 36. Matthew Leonard, Lodi, New Jersey, USA 37. Meelah Rasheed, Columbia, South Carolina, USA 38. Mirjam Kik, Oude Tonge, The Netherlands 39. Moira Congreve, England, UK 40. Natasha Adair, Olney Springs, Colorado, USA 41. Nathan Norton, Wentworth Falls, New South Wales, Australia 42. Pamela Clements, Westminster, Colorado, USA 43. Patricia Blundon, Pembroke,Ontario 44. Rebecca Cochran, Findlay, Ohio, USA 45. Rene Beauchemin, Alabama, Tomono, Canada 46. Rev. Patricia Lusher, Berlin, Vermont, USA 47. Rosemary Barton, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA 48. Sandy Kolman, Belleville, Illinois, USA 49. Sheryl Morris, Calgary, Alberta, Canada 50. Silvia Weisz, Melbourne, Australia 51. Sister Mary Mebane, Santa Maria, California, USA 52. Steve and Karen Edwards, Gunnislake, Cornwall, England 53. Theresa Johnson, Salisbury, Maryland, USA 54. Tiffany Wardle Croydon, Surrey, England, UK 55. Venkataramadas Vivekanand, Chennai, India 56. Vera Murrell, Friendsville, Tennessee, USA 57. Veronica Hansen, Sarina, Queensland, Australia 58. Violet Moreau, Pembroke,Ontario 59. Y.Nowshad, Kollam Kerala,India 60. Zachary Buchholz, Chicago, IL, USA 61. Velanthas, Manila, Philippines 62. Mark Woit, Nuermberg, Bavaria, Germany 63. Lynda Truthseekir, Los Angeles, California, USA
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Old-time American and Celtic Music
Enjoy this beautiful melody played by Yigal Zan, a dear friend of the family. Yigal and my dad had some great jam sessions in Guam years ago. Good old days and even better days now that we keep in touch online and via Skype.
PALAU AMBASSADOR INTERVIEW WITH LOCAL NEWS ON THE SURVIVOR PALAU REALITY SHOW
At the beginning of the video you'll see my cousin Hannah...awesome!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
This was sent to me by my longtime friend, Yigal, whom I met through my father in Guam. Yigal and his wife were just recently travelling to Yap and Guam. Also posted on www.myspace.com/thepassionatelife. Enjoy!
The word was born in the blood, it grew in the dark body, pulsing, and took flight with the lips and mouth.
Farther away and nearer, still, still it came from dead fathers and from wandering races, from territories that had become stone, that had tired of their poor tribes, because when grief set out on the road the people went and arrived and united new land and water to sow their word once again.
And that's why the inheritance is this: this is the air that connects us with the buried man and with the dawn of new beings that haven't yet arisen.
By Pablo Neruda
An excerpt from 'Full Woman, Fleshly Apple, Hot Moon' Translated by Stephen Mitchell
It's another sunny weekend and I've sent to you an energy boost in the spirit of love and unity. To help you experience the unconditional love that comes to you at every moment; the blessings, beauty and joy with yourself and with others.
Yesterday we had a large church gathering of Palauans who arrived from parts of northern California, San Diego and Arizona. In anticipation of the numbers of folks converging on our small town of Moreno Valley, my male relatives were barbequing for nearly 24 hours straight! You can imagine the feast we enjoyed together on the rare occasion such as this. The theme of the church program was "Love and Unity" which started off with the music ministry of San Diego - folks from the Marshall Islands and Chuuk of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). The FSM is a collective group of Micronesian islands which is afforded U.S. citizenship and is separate from the Republic of Palau and Guam.
It was a poignant theme when one of the speakers sadly pointed out that 30% of prison inmates in Hawai'i were Micronesian and are usually arrested due to cross-cultural misunderstandings. Nearly 60% have already migrated away from the FSM. They come to the States for better medical care but are already dying out from radiogenic birth defects and cancer resulting from the nuclear bomb testing there in post WWII.
Thanks so much for all you do as healers and friends. Checkout the previous posts...you know me, gotta love the hula! E hula mai (Let's Dance)!
Enjoy every moment and live the passionate life you intend it to be.
Aloha pumehana (with blessings, love and affection)!
Lydia
1. Amy Manuel, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 2. Andy Cooper, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China 3. Austin Ndego, Lagos, Nigeria 4. Brian Yeates, Dublin, Ireland 5. Carol Gent, Lancashire, England, UK 6. Denise Matthews, Nottinghamshire, UK 7. Donna Pfeiffer, Venice, Florida, USA 8. Dunni Olasehan, Lagos, Nigeria 9. Egon Russell, Adelaide, Alabama, USA 10. Eileen To, Middlesex, Alabama, UK 11. Eve Hale, Hampshire, England, UK 12. Grant Luckey, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA 13. Gudrun Gudmundsdottir, San Diego, California, USA 14. Gurjinder Strom, Miami, Florida, USA 15. Heidi Fruhling, Ft. Collins, Colorado, USA 16. Hillary Bisaillon, Yorktown, Virginia, USA 17. Janet Evans, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, USA 18. Janet Henningsen, Indialantic, Florida, USA 19. Janet Kinge, Basingstoke, UK 20. Joan Anderson, Washington, District of Columbia, USA 21. Joseph Bennett, Ventura, California, USA 22. Judy Oliver, Silver Spring, MD, USA 23. Karen Sheppard, St. John's, Newfoundland/Labrador, Canada 24. Kim Lerman, North Highlands, California, USA 25. Kim McCluskey, Tucson, Arizona, USA 26. Kyle James, Bel Air, Maryland, USA 27. Lena Goon, Alberta, Canada 28. Linda Cromer, The Villages, Florida, USA 29. Linda Prucha, Omaha, Nebraska, USA 30. Lydia Smith-Lenardson, Moreno Valley, California, USA 31. Lynn Wilson, Manchester, England, UK 32. Madhurima Bhatnagar, Fremont, California, USA 33. Maree Rogers, Hastings, Westernport Bay, Australia 34. Margaret McGuire, Cooma, New South Wales, Australia 35. Mari Hayama, Berkeley, California, USA 36. Matthew Leonard, Lodi, New Jersey, USA 37. Meelah Rasheed, Columbia, South Carolina, USA 38. Mirjam Kik, Oude Tonge, The Netherlands 39. Moira Congreve, England, UK 40. Natasha Adair, Olney Springs, Colorado, USA 41. Nathan Norton, Wentworth Falls, New South Wales, Australia 42. Pamela Clements, Westminster, Colorado, USA 43. Patricia Blundon, Pembroke,Ontario 44. Rebecca Cochran, Findlay, Ohio, USA 45. Rene Beauchemin, Alabama, Tomono, Canada 46. Rev. Patricia Lusher, Berlin, Vermont, USA 47. Rosemary Barton, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA 48. Sandy Kolman, Belleville, Illinois, USA 49. Sheryl Morris, Calgary, Alberta, Canada 50. Silvia Weisz, Melbourne, Australia 51. Sister Mary Mebane, Santa Maria, California, USA 52. Steve and Karen Edwards, Gunnislake, Cornwall, England 53. Theresa Johnson, Salisbury, Maryland, USA 54. Tiffany Wardle Croydon, Surrey, England, UK 55. Venkataramadas Vivekanand, Chennai, India 56. Vera Murrell, Friendsville, Tennessee, USA 57. Veronica Hansen, Sarina, Queensland, Australia 58. Violet Moreau, Pembroke,Ontario 59. Y.Nowshad, Kollam Kerala,India 60. Zachary Buchholz, Chicago, IL, USA 61. Velanthas, Manila, Philippines 62. Mark Woit, Nuermberg, Bavaria, Germany
Thursday, June 25, 2009
MISS ALOHA HULA 2001 NATASHA ODA
This is my alltime favorite performances by a Miss Aloha Hula contestant. Natasha's performance is so true to Kumu Hula Johnny Lum Ho's style...very dramatic and provocative. His clear, powerful voice seems to punch through the air and ring in your ears.
Amazing. I have yet to see another Miss Aloha Hula winner top this.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Miss Aloha Hula 2009 Cherissa Henoheanäpuaikawaokele Käne
A dancer with Hälau Kealaokamaile under the direction of singer-songwriter and Kumu Hula Keali'i Reichel performing one of my all-time favorite songs of his, 'Ka Nohona Pilikai'.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
MERRIE MONARCH 2009
MEN'S KAHIKO WINNER - KE KAI O KAHIKI
Definitely one to appreciate...this procreation chant is performed honoring the ali'i Kaualilikua'i and place name of Liliko'i in the uplands of Maui. The imagery is like the bow of the canoe cutting through the water. By Kumu Hula O Brian Eselu, the halau is known for their athleticism in dancing and performed this hula very well.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Memorial Day Inspiration
Here's my youngest cousin after his graduation with the Marine Corps boot training in 2006. Last time I saw him he was still in elementary school.
I have to admit to having mixed feelings about the military since so many of my friends relatives are in military service. Especially when they're being recruited in Palau, not in the US. There are few opportunities on our tiny islands for young men and women, so they sign up with promises of being provided for after their tour of duty.
Two of my younger cousins have been diagnosed with PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), one is still waiting to get his medical claim approved and unemployment. Not so pretty to see them struggling and drinking all weekend. My other cousin is beginning to show similar signs and his father is a Vietnam vet - can't sleep alone or be left alone at home. I've seen it nearly all my life in Guam, Palau, and now here in the States.
My ex-husband was in the Navy, and while there were benefits, we still lived at the poverty level and our marriage suffered when he got out. Didn't know what to do with himself after a decade in service.
Young people and their families, we've all sacrified, and we're not US citizens.
