The Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce (MNHCoC) presented a virtual talk-story session about Hālau Perseverance. MNHCoC’s mission is to promote and sustain Hawaiian culture, nurture a strong community of Hawaiian values, and enhance opportunities for success in business and education.
Hālau hula (hula instruction) was discussed by speakers Kumu Hula Kealiʻi Reichel and Kauʻi Kanaka’ole. They talked story about cultural nurturing and endurance from a traditional hālau perspective. Reichel, a world-class performer, best-selling recording artist, and multiple award-winning kumu hula, has been at the forefront of the revival of Hawai’ian culture. Kanaka‘ole is a kumu hula trained in the renowned Hālau o Kekuhi with more than 20 years of experience in cultural advocacy. She has 14 years of teaching experience, including 11 years at Hana School.
“Kanaka’ole and Reichel are not only talented and experienced kumu hula, but also successful business and cultural entrepreneurs,” observed Frank De Rego Jr., President of the MNHCoC. “They remind us that adaptability in times of tremendous stress and volatility must be rooted in the foundational vision and values of a business, focusing especially on the welfare of others and not oneself alone.”
Reichel noted, “In the wake of the inconceivable, such as a global pandemic like Covid-19, cultural education, language, dances and storytelling have long thrived in the hālau hula. The hālau has survived multiple disruptions throughout Hawai’i’s history including the deadly epidemics of 1848, being forced underground during the missionary era, World War II, and the advent of industrial tourism. Businesses can learn from the hālau’s traditional values, ethics and cultural passion to emerge whole after this pandemic, through life lessons, character building and responsibility.”
Kanaka’ole added, “The hālau’s mission encourages a deep appreciation of Hawaiian cultural arts, leadership and teamwork skills, and the preservation of our āina. From generation to generation we must encompass many aspects of the cultural lifestyle in a learning environment where creativity thrives with a particular focus on music and hula. Students in the hālau range from keiki to kupuna. They are taught all aspects of traditional Hawaiian values that motivate and inspire them and can be applied in any circumstance.”
Covid-19 gave us time for reflection to appreciate and be grateful for all that we have. Hālau perseverance helps us adapt and still retain what is important.
Kealiʻi Reichel, Award-winning Kumu Hula and Recording Artist
George Kahumoku, Jr., known as Uncle George, is a multi-Grammy and Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award-winning Hawaiian slack key guitar master, songwriter, touring performer, teacher, artist, storyteller, author, and entrepreneur. The Maui slack key legend is currently also a farmer with his wife Nancy at the Cliffs of Kahakuloa. “We are a small, sustainable farm in the West Maui mountains,” said Uncle George. “We have mini-horses, chickens, ducks, goats and sheep, and we raise all manner of fruits and vegetables, you name it! We also feed our animals our own high-protein grains.”
Uncle George has won several statewide and national awards for farming. In 1993 he graduated from the Hawaiˊi State Agricultural Leadership Program. He is a community leader who taught a special motivation program at Lahainaluna High School for 20 years, and has worked with children in native language studies, farming, and other programs.
Beginning his day at 3am every morning, Uncle George uses natural indigenous Native Hawaiian planting methods. Influenced by the Hawaiian moon calendar, he incorporates lots of composting, manure and mulch. He also mentors students, feeds the homeless, and shares his seeds and manaˊo with over 200 farms in Hawai’i and across the globe. The plants, herbs, animals, and food that he grows, sells, and shares are all grown with Aloha.
“My goal has always been to feed people and be sustainable,” Uncle George reflected. “I was raised by my great grandfather Willy Kahumoku in the traditional Hawaiian method of mala or dry-land style of farming; using animals and fowl in an integrated sustainable system. I made a film documentary titled Seeds of Aloha and authored and did the artwork for volume one and two of the book A Hawaiian Life”.
Hawaiian slack key guitarist Keola Beamer reflected, “My mom, Aunty Nona Beamer, gave Uncle George the title of Hawaiˊi’s Renaissance Man because of his bountiful gifts. I am constantly amazed at his unstoppable energy. His ability to channel that special mana of creativity and storytelling into his art, farming, music and everything he does, has always impressed me. That sure feels like renaissance to me!”
My great grandmother told me if I have a dream, and can smell it, taste it, and feel it, that vision is mine. I have been blessed with the opportunity to draw on my visions.
Uncle George Kahumoku, Jr., Hawaiˊi’s Renaissance Man
Beginning a new year often involves core values worthy of preservation. During her talk for the Nisei Veterans Ta-Ke Leadership Series, Sharon Suzuki, President of Maui County and Hawaii Island Utilities, shared some of the values she grew up with. “My father, a Nisei Veteran, was a member of the 100th Battalion 442nd Infantry Regiment known for their loyalty and perseverance during WWII,” said Suzuki. “The Nisei values taught to me by my parents influence my life even today. The first of these, Gamon, means to endure. Endurance is a virtue that continues to help me through trying times, and is especially important now for all of us challenged with the Covid-19 pandemic.”
While living and studying in Japan, Suzuki learned that she must be flexible, a Ta-Ke value meaning ‘bends with the wind, strong and grounded, like bamboo’. “I fell in love with Japan,” Suzuki reflected. “With a degree in Japanese studies, I decided to teach Japanese and learned the importance of flexibility while living abroad. During this time, I decided to also earn a business degree, which opened many opportunities for me.”
Another value her parents instilled is Kanzen-sei, integrity. “Learning how to turn a negative into a positive is especially important in this value; to take the high road and do the right thing,” Suzuki noted. “This centers around the Japanese value of Giri, duty and obligation. Kodomo no tame ni, sacrifice for the sake of the children, for the future, is also a key value. At Hawaiian Electric, that means pursuit of renewable energy, new programs and community solar projects. If we can continue to work together we can help grow the economy with clean reliable sources for our future generation.”
Concluding, Suzuki said, “The values from our parents are relevant today. I used Japanese terminology but other cultures share similar values, like the Hawaiian value of Ohana. Values are retained by becoming part of our everyday lives. Their real meaning and significance are not merely a time of obligations fulfilled, but also an occasion for rejoicing and celebrating intrinsic and time-honored meanings that are worth preserving.”
My Dad always encouraged and supported me. His advice, ‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained’ helped me to make major changes in my life when needed.
Sharon Suzuki, President, Maui County and Hawaii Island Utilities
With the advent of the Julian calendar in 46BC, the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar instituted January 1 as the first day of the year, honoring the month’s namesake, Janus – Roman god of beginnings, whose two faces allowed him to look back into the past and forward into the future. With the New Year upon us, it is time to look back and reflect and, after an extraordinary year, most will be looking forward to 2021 – looking forward to resolution with a different slant to the typical new year’s resolution.
“Happy New Year” is commonly expressed throughout the world, literally wishing someone happiness for the year ahead. This is translated to “Hau‘oli Makahiki Hou;” in Hawaiian, “makahiki” means “year.” The Makahiki season (around October through February) was celebrated in Hawaii for centuries as a peaceful time to enjoy harvest, feasts, religious ceremonies, and relaxation. The Mahahiki season also defined the transitional time between harvest and new planting —the new (agricultural) year.
The traditional greeting for Filipinos is “Manigong Bagong Taon,” meaning “Have a prosperous new year.” The Japanese have a different greeting based on the date – until December 31 they will say “Yoi Otoshi o” which conveys “good year end and greet the new year”. From January 1 the common expression is “Akemashite Omedetô (Gozaimasu)” conveying “congratulations for the New Year which is beginning.”
Other ways to greet in the new year around the world include: “Xin nian kuai le” pronounced shin nee-an kwai le (Mandarin, meaning “New Year happiness”); “Bonne Année” (French); Frohes Neues Jahr (German); “Feliz Año Nuevo” (Spanish); and Feliz Ano Novo (Portuguese.)
However you wish to express yourself as you venture into 2021, Maui Economic Development Board Ohana would like to be among the first to wish you “Hau’oli Makahiki Hou” and the very best for 2021 – Happy New Year!
Maui Economic Development Board Ohana would like to be among the first to wish you “Hau‘oli Makahiki Hou.” Happy New Year!
Street Bikers United Maui Chapter (SBU MC) helps collect and distribute Christmas toys in support of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. SBU, Maui County’s largest toy collector, accepts unwrapped toys and monetary donations for the nonprofit, and this year they did not let the pandemic slow them down. “Toys for Tots began in 1947,” said Jackie Foster, SBU MC secretary. “Major Bill Hendricks and a group of Marine Reservists in Los Angles collected and distributed 5,000 toys to needy children. The 1947 campaign was so successful that the Marine Corps adopted Toys for Tots and expanded it nationwide wherever a Marine Reserve Center was located. The initial objective remains the hallmark of the program today: bring the joy of Christmas to less fortunate children.”
Street Bikers United Hawaii (SBUH), a non-profit corporation, is on all islands. They are the state’s motorcyclists’ rights organization. Their agenda includes improving motorcycle safety through education, and motorist awareness. Today, SBUH continues to express motorcyclists’ interest and is the eyes, ears, and voice for the Hawaii motorcycle community.”
The SBU MC assists in local charitable events and community services throughout the year, as well as motorcycle safety training and rider awareness programs. “This 2020 Christmas, children are in extra need,” Foster noted. “Many families in Maui County are having a difficult time making ends meet. A portion of the money that we raised through car washes and generous donations went to purchasing bicycles and helmets for keiki of various ages, Tools 4 School, and our Covid Thanksgiving drive-thru meal event. Every year, our team drops off Toys for Tots Christmas donation boxes in Azeka shopping center and at various local businesses. Then, the toys collected go to the Salvation Army for their annual toy drive. We consider ourselves lucky to be part of such a wonderful community as Maui County. We have been blessed with charitable donations which have allowed us to be at least a small help during the Covid-19 outbreak. As always, we focus on our keiki and getting them what they may need.”
SBU MC helps make a child’s Christmas a little bit happier.
The Sacred Garden, an upcountry Maui treasure, is an extraordinarily peaceful experience. Operated by the nonprofit Divine Nature Alliance and free to the public, the Garden serves as a place of rejuvenation, education, and inspiration for the community. Upon entering, visitors find a two-level greenhouse environment with exquisite Hawai’ian flora and fauna, water lily ponds, sitting and picnic areas, plus two labyrinths for walking meditations. The unique greenhouse and gift shop, stocked full of locally made artwork, jewelry, books, healing stones, and special Maui gifts, offer numerous ideas for holiday shoppers.
“The Sacred Garden is really a service of aloha, said Maui author Eve Hogan, Sacred Garden founder and executive director. “Whether you delight in our heartwarming displays, marvel over our myriad plants, or if your visit is of a more personal nature—to meditate, pray, grieve or walk the labyrinths—you will leave the Sacred Garden more balanced and restored than when you entered.”
Hogan continued, “One of our missions is to provide a serene place in the beauty of raw nature where guests can close their eyes in silence and feel safe and secure. We feel strongly that alone time in nature heals, inspires, and rebalances. The Garden is a place where you can let down your guard and go inward, creating a world in which peace, respect, and compassion are the norm.”
The Sacred Garden labyrinths are integral to the service that the garden provides. As a walking path of peace and contemplation, the labyrinths provide a place for introspection, prayer, gaining new perspectives and releasing stress. “When one understands that we walk the labyrinth to learn about ourselves, it becomes a rich field of self-discovery,” Hogan explained. “The language of the labyrinth is metaphor, and thus everything you experience or notice on the labyrinth can shine light on something you are invited to look at in your life off the labyrinth.”
Sacred Garden horticulturist Catherine Vangstad said, “When I think of the Sacred Garden I think of a safe place, a sanctuary for the community. It brings me great joy to be part of something so special.”
The Sacred Garden supports people in making the decision to care for themselves, each other, and the planet we live on.
Eve Hogan, The Sacred Garden, Founder and Executive Director
Located on the slopes of Haleakala, the Kula Botanical Garden encompasses ten acres with thousands of distinctive Christmas trees in different sizes and varieties. The Garden also showcases colorful and unique plants, rock formations, a covered bridge, waterfalls, a wedding gazebo, koi pond, aviary, and a carved tiki exhibit. The gift shop features items made in Hawaii, home-grown coffee, and things of botanical interest.
Established in 1968 by Warren and the late Helen McCord as a display garden for Warren’s landscape architecture business, the Botanical Garden has evolved into a tourist destination that draws thousands of visitors every year. Currently, they are also one of the largest growers of Christmas trees on Maui. Each year, the McCord family plants, prunes, and harvests a new crop of Monterey Pine and other types of trees.
“Growing Christmas trees is an all-year adventure,” explained general manager Kevin McCord. “Planting is the easy part, then the real work begins. Christmas trees are considered to be one of the most labor-intensive of all farm crops. It takes monthly attention plus three to four years of tree farming to create that ‘best ever’ Christmas tree.”
McCord pointed out, “For those who cannot make it on December 4, 5, 6, 12, and 13 from 9am to 4pm, the trees will also be available at the gift shop for a limited time in December. Every year, extra-large and over-sized trees are available to local businesses and hotels. Additionally, our staff helps customers clean and load the tree onto their vehicle.”
Upcountry resident Janet Makua reflected, “Almost all the members of the Makua family have worked at the McCord’s annual Christmas tree sales since the early 1980s. It is a joy-filled experience to see the children’s eyes light up as we help families pick out their perfect tree, with a candy cane included.”
McCord concluded, “With the Christmas season comes the joy, the sharing, the warm memories of treasured family experiences. We like to think that our trees become the centerpiece of a family’s holiday tradition. Our fondest hope is that someone says, “This is the best tree ever!”
As a family owned and operated business we take great pride in sharing our garden with the Maui community and visitors to our island.
Thanksgiving, the kick-off to the holiday season, might look a little different this year because of the pandemic. Nevertheless, it still remains a time to give thanks for all things good and beautiful. Danelle Watson, director of Alexander Academy of Performing Arts, an upcountry Maui dance studio and performing company, and her students are grateful that the Academy was able to open its doors with COVID-19 guidelines, as well as online classes.
“Re-opening our doors has been so positive,” said Watson. “There is a sense of community back and I can see joy and appreciation in all the students and their families. Dancing has been a great help through the pandemic: we move our bodies as we tackle those difficult 2020 obstacles life threw at us. We have an amazing team of teachers working hard to bring the love of dance to so many. For our current students, whose training was disrupted by the onset of COVID-19, or for the adults who are looking for a way to release the stress of the day, we are also continuing virtual classes.”
Ballet and contemporary dancer Moorea Feliciano, 8, noted, “It is that time of year to reflect and give thanks. Dancers have a lot to be thankful for. We are able to do what we love and have a family that supports us. Dancing keeps our bodies happy and healthy, which is truly a great gift. We are constantly working together to reach new goals. When we work as a team in dance class we accomplish many achievements, and we gain confidence that we can do what we set our minds to. I pour my heart into dance. It is my passion and form of expression.”
Ballet dancer Kestrel Marshall, 11, added, “Sometimes dancing goals do not come easy and there is a lot of hard work that must happen first. I love this about dance because it translates to outside the classroom as well. Dancers have the confidence to set big goals and the perseverance to see them through. I love dancing and I am so thankful for Alexander Academy!”
Our talented hard-working students ‘wow’ us every day! We hope to produce a Christmas performance in a theater or outside venue to be shared virtually with the community.
Danelle Watson, Director, Alexander Academy of Performing Arts
Kumu Hula Kapono’ai Molitau and his wife Jennifer are the owners of the Wailuku-based store Native Intelligence (NI). Together, they are at the helm of a resource center that offers inspirational teachings and goods about Hawai’i’s land and culture. “Our mission is all about teachable moments,” said Molitau. “We are more than a traditional retail establishment. NI is an advocate for both Hawaiian culture and community. Our goal is to champion cultural traditions, craftsmanship, and good designs while perpetuating Hawaiian values and showcasing local artisans and creatives who strive to protect and evolve the culture.”
Neither a museum nor gallery, NI creates a retail environment allowing customers to experience a wide selection of merchandise and various activities that are Hawaiian by definition. The Molitaus, following Covid-19 safety guidelines, strive to make NI a retail space that has something for everyone, as well as space to hold workshops on a variety of topics.
“From the various practitioners who try to perfect ancient skills, to new businesses that reflect a contemporary sensibility, we present the spectrum of what is good in Hawaiian design,” Molitau explained. “Working with community leaders and neighborhood schools, we hope to extend the educational programs and resources beyond our doors. As our name implies, NI encourages the efforts of those who exemplify the best and brightest in Hawaii and Polynesia.”
May 2020 marked NI’s 11th year in Wailuku. Today, they continue to enrich the community by offering classes by master practitioners, to experience hana no’eau (traditional artwork), mele oli (traditional chant and music), lei hula (featherwork), and more.
“We work year round to partner with businesses and individuals to bring useful, unique, and beautiful goods to our shelves, providing supplies in hula such as pahu (drum), ipu heke (double-gourd instrument), pūniu (knee drum), ulῑ’ulῑ (feathered gourd rattles), and pū’ili (bamboo rattles),” said Molitau. “We feature woodwork such as holua sleds, umeke (wooden bowl), fine fiber and feather arts, and fine Hawaiian and Polynesian jewelry such as pūpū o’Ni’ihau (ocean shells), pūpū momi Tahiti (pearls) and pōnamu (fine green jade from Aotearoa). Visit us in person or online at native-intel.com.”
Mahalo nui for supporting NI over the years. We continue to strive to showcase hand-crafted items and unique workshops.
