During a recent Nisei Veterans Memorial Center virtual event, Bamboo Ridge Press (BRP) co-founders Eric Chock and Darrell Lum discussed the significance of publishing literature by, for, and about Hawaii’s people. Founded in 1978, and celebrating their 45th anniversary, Lum and Chock talked about the current state of literature in Hawaii and the importance of the written word.
Chock, a Hawaiian poet, scholar and editor, served as a professor of English and Humanities at the University of Hawaii and coordinated the state’s Poets in the Schools program for more than twenty years. He has also edited several anthologies featuring Hawaiian writers and received the Elliot Cades Award for Literature in 1996. Lum, a fiction writer, playwright, teacher and editor, with a lengthy list of awards, helped shape the landscape of Hawaii’s local literature and theatre, bringing national attention to the Hawaii stage.
“While special attention is given to literature that reflects an island sensibility, BRP is broad in scope and embraces a variety of work,” Lum said. “Some of our books have received recognition for literary excellence and for their contribution to the understanding and appreciation of Hawaii’s cultures and people. Our publications have been adopted as texts or recommended reading in high school and college classrooms, in Hawaii and nationally. Bamboo Ridge, named after an actual place to fish, has caught big fish in literature.”
Chock added, “Currently BRP publishes a literary journal of poetry and fiction featuring work by both emerging and established writers, as well as single-author books and anthologies focused on special themes. In forty-plus years we have published a diverse catalog of poetry, prose, screenplays, stage plays, novels, and more, plus BRP work has been adapted for speech and storytelling performances, plays, and readings. As we digitalize the BRP archive to preserve four decades of local literature, we will continue our mission to foster the voices of Hawaii’s people through new publishing projects, educational programming and community outreach, such as workshops for adults and youth, and free public readings. In addition, we are offering open access to issues that are no longer in print.”
Everyone has a story to tell. We welcome all writers to submit work that celebrates Hawaii’s literary tradition.
Maui resident Lin ter Horst, a former investment banker, fell in love with the art of pastry and confection-making after she completed a pastry diploma program at Le Cordon Bleu London. Prior to receiving her pastry training, Lin, with degrees from Wesleyan University in Connecticut and Columbia Business School in New York City, held positions in financial services and internet marketing. Life’s unpredictable turn of events brought her to pastry-making classes at Le Cordon Bleu where she was swept away by the Pates de Fruits, a popular gourmet confection found in France.
“I was overwhelmed by the exquisite flavors these little fruit jewels imparted,” Lin explained. “With an intensity so pure, I was astonished by those exquisite jewel-toned delicacies that practically melted in my mouth!”
In 2012, Lin moved to Maui with her husband Chris, a professional triathlete with a background in industrial engineering. They co-founded Maui Epicure LLC to launch their award-winning business, Maui Fruit Jewels. Chris noted, “At the heart of each Maui Fruit Jewel is a love story buried in the juicy center. Our exotic jellies, fresh purees, fruit-studded shortbread and fruit pastes are filled with wines, spices, fruits and more, all home-grown on Maui. The fruit puree, cooked with other ingredients to a high temperature, are reduced to a thick paste, and poured into molds to set before being cut into small pieces. The little shortbread squares come in a rainbow of colors with flavors like guava, lilikoi, mango, pineapple, papaya and others.”
Maui Fruit Jewels remains a family-run operation, inspired by Hawaii and its people. Chris and Lin sell their ever-growing product line weekly at the Maui Upcountry Farmer’s Market and at numerous stores and hotels. On Saturday, September 17th from 9am-4pm, Lin will chair the annual Kula Festival at St. John’s Church where attendees have traditionally been drawn to talented musicians, homemade foods, artisan crafter booths, and the popular silent auction featuring generous donations from local artists and businesses. Lin added, “This year’s zero-waste event, with its rich history of celebration and service, will help support Maui Cancer Resources and Malama Family Recovery Center.”
We warmly invite our island ohana to the 2022 Annual Kula Festival and to try our Maui Fruit Jewels. Every bite gives back to the Maui ‘aina it comes from.
Renowned Maui artist Sherri Reeve is celebrating a 25-year anniversary in her Makawao gallery. Reeve, who supports numerous Maui-based nonprofit organizations, also captures the spirit of aloha in her artwork with watercolors that shimmer and shine. Offered in a wide variety of forms, her work includes originals, as well as copies on canvas, paper, metal, clothing, stationary, and much more. Inspired by the colors and scenes of Hawaii, Reeve’s originals can be found in private art collections throughout the islands and around the world. In addition, her iconic apparel line is worn by men and women on several continents.
Reeve’s story is one that can serve as an inspiration for any young artist. One of the many things that makes her artwork unique is that she is primarily self-taught. Her innate skill, woven together with fortuitous early job choices and some graphic art courses, laid the foundation for her to become the successful artist and business owner she is today.
“My career came full circle when the retail store where I worked in the early 1980s began distributing my products,” Reeve explained. “This success also facilitated my transition into the Lahaina art gallery scene in the 1990s. During that time, my daughter Hailey was born; she also became an artist and now helps manage the gallery.”
In 1997, a perfect store location became available in Makawao. With the support of her sister Lori and mother Clara, Reeve opened her own gallery. “After all these years, it is still fun for me,” she reflects. “I love having the flexibility of working from my home studio and also spending time in my gallery meeting people and producing artwork and creative products that are both unique and affordable. Having this gallery has enabled me to maintain a more personable connection with my customers.”
Hailey Reeve added, “One of the greatest lessons so far from growing up in my mom’s gallery is that we strive for human connection. That’s what really matters. I truly appreciate all the care and aloha everyone has shared with my family and I over the last 25 years.”
The magnificent colors of the islands have always had a profound influence on me and have inspired me to create a gallery space of color and peaceful beauty.
Trish ‘da Dish’ Smith is living her dreams on Maui. An award-winning community journalist, wordsmith and event producer, Smith currently hosts MANA’O@HOME, a talk-story and live music experience celebrating Maui’s finest musicians. The live show, presented on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at 4pm HST, is online via the Mana’o Radio Facebook page. Smith also provides a catalog of past shows on www.manaoradio.com, which includes over 50 Maui artists, a treat for all music enthusiasts.
Mana’o Radio Managing Director Michael Elam noted, “A key part of our mission is to support live music and the local Maui entertainers who make it thrive. We can now reach people who cannot otherwise see an artist perform locally──fans from all over the world can tune in.”
Smith added, “The Mana’o Radio ‘ohana and I are proud to showcase Maui artists by providing this live platform to share their music and be interviewed. It is great that now you can get your live-music fix from the comfort of home and learn more about your favorite Maui performers. Support for the show comes from underwriters da Playground Maui, the island’s multi-faceted live event venue in Maalaea, and from family business, Venture Physical Therapy.”
The show attracted an array of talents from the start and Smith was able to form a solid team to produce a full-fledged broadcast for audiences. Smith recalled, “What began as a Zoom show from a bedroom is now a sophisticated livestream broadcast with tech wizard Cody Quintana from BackLit Buddha Studios, a state-of-the-art artist space. The show not only brings together extraordinary musicians; it also provides a unique platform for them to share their stories and their vulnerability in an online setting. It is just the kind of journalism I have always loved to share!”
During his MANA’O@HOME performance, Maui’s Reggae Ambassador of Hawaii Marty Dread remarked, “Speaking for myself and for all of my contemporaries, thank you Trish and Mana’o Radio for providing a place where we can come talk story and play music, especially after the long lockdown. It is wonderful to share music again in such an amazing format.”
MANA’O@HOME presents an hour-long talk-story, interview, and live music experience featuring Maui’s extraordinary talent.
In November 2021, The Hawaii Wildlife Discovery Center (HWDC), a much anticipated 5,000-square-foot space, opened at Whalers Village in Kaanapali. With contributions from several partners, HWDC features more than 30 exhibits about Hawaii’s undersea life, whaling era, cultural values and conservation work. The space also allows the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary to offer education and outreach programs, Additionally, the Maui Visitors Bureau (MVB) provides volunteer opportunities and community gatherings.
“We have long needed a place that helps our visitors better understand how to respect native wildlife while simultaneously gaining a deeper appreciation for the islands,” said Hannah Bernard, HWDC Executive Director. “We depend on partnerships like the one we are sharing with Whalers Village, MVB, and the whale sanctuary to succeed in our conservation efforts, and I could not be more excited about this wonderful place we have co-created.”
There are 45 locally produced, Maui-focused videos with topics ranging from ‘Voice of the Sea’ to ‘Kumukahi: Stories of Living Hawaiian Culture’ and ‘What Does it Take to Disentangle a Whale?’ Allen Tom, the regional manager for the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary said, “The Discovery Center’s goals and approaches are well-aligned with the sanctuary’s mission. We are thrilled to work together in this space.”
Among the many featured artists and photographers are cousins Kahi and Patrick Ching, who created spectacular murals on display outside and inside the center. Other local artists specialize in utilizing marine debris and beach-cast plastics in a variety of 3-D and video displays. Marine debris is a focal point of HWDC, and the Kids Zone is a place where keiki can learn about how plastic and other types of pollution directly affect local wildlife and habitats. Also, the HWDC Shop offers numerous sustainable products with an emphasis on merchandise locally sourced in Hawaii.
Melissa Aguilar-Craft, Whalers Village General Manager, noted, “We are honored to play host to this one-of-a-kind tenant, bringing more than just retail offerings to our shoppers. Our customers, many of whom are visitors, are looking for the complete Hawaiian experience, and HWDC provides that.”
A portion of the proceeds from gift-shop sales and entry fees into the Discovery Center supports conservation work of Hawaii Wildlife Fund, new exhibits and special displays.
Hannah Bernard, HWDC Executive Director, President, Hawaii Wildlife Fund
Steve Grimes, Maui musician and songwriter, is a world-renowned luthier, a builder of stringed instruments. He is known as a master of transforming wood into extraordinary guitars, ukuleles, acoustic basses, flat top guitars, electric guitars, and mandolins that have found a home in the collections of well-known Maui artists like Keola Beamer, Willie Nelson, Jake Shimabukuro, Marty Dread, and numerous others. Grimes’ 1100-square-foot upcountry workshop includes a soundproof music studio and is embellished with photos of famous clients. To date, he has made over one thousand instruments.
“I’ve been building guitars and ukuleles since the mid-70s,” Grimes said, “In 1989 I had the pleasure and honor to meet Keola Beamer, including an introduction to his unique style of guitar. I’d seen a double hole guitar a few years earlier, but had never had the chance to have one on the bench to examine it. A few years later, I built a double hole guitar and took it to Beamer for his approval. He was enthusiastic about my first guitar of this kind so I built one to his specs. This started a long working relationship, and an equally enduring friendship. He has referred countless slack key guitarists to my shop over the years.”
On August 12th at 7:00 PM Keola and Moana Beamer are presenting a concert and film fundraiser at the MACC to benefit Mohala Hou Foundation, a non-profit promoting Hawaiian music and culture. For the event, Grimes built a tenor ukulele to auction made of select curly Koa. Grimes noted, “The ukulele has an African ebony fingerboard, bridge and peghead overlay, and light-colored curly Koa bindings. It is rosette and curly Koa, bordered by two 5-ply rings of multi-colored wood, which also trim the body and peghead. The neck is made from Honduran mahogany. I will probably string it with low-G tuning since that’s what the majority of my uke customers prefer. I will include a saddle that is designed (intonated) for re-entrant (high G) tuning so that the uke will tune optimally for either tuning. Also, to benefit Mohala Hou, I am auctioning a very rare early 30’s Martin Soprano Ukulele.”
The guitars I made for Hawaiian slack-key master Keola Beamer were a success. I asked him if I could name the model The Beamer. He said yes!
Steve Grimes, Maui musician, songwriter and luthier
Under the Stars, Lit by the Moon, Powered by the Sun! Known as Hawaii’s answer to Sundance, the 2022 Maui Film Festival, an annual event except during the pandemic, is being presented Wednesday, July 6 thru Sunday July 10 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. Founded back in 2000 by Barry and Stella Rivers, the program is committed to the presentation of compassionate vision and transformative storytelling. Offering a wide range of films and ticket prices, anyone who wants to celebrate the wonderful world of feature films can take part, either in-person or virtually. Available for streaming, the virtual cinema showcases a colorful array of feature film premieres highlighting politically, culturally, and socially relevant films by producers from around the world.
For both Barry and Stella, the festival is a labor of love. They have seen it grow from a weekly series that began in 1997, to an event that spotlights current and future industry stars, and is regularly attended by many celebrities. Barry, a former producer-director and New York native noted, “We have always had the deep desire to showcase life-affirming stories. We wanted a festival that suggested how things might be, rather than how they necessarily were or are. Stella and I do not have any delusions of grandeur about what we are doing at this small festival in the middle of the ocean. Nevertheless, I often describe the festival program as living at the intersection of ‘smart and heart’ because some of the films that we showcase catch a little traction, open some eyes, and inspire creative thinking.”
Stella, a distinguished Maui artist, added, “We have always tried to find films we deem worthy of putting on the screen. We are all fired up for the July event! This year’s five-day festival is full of fantastic films and honorees. Additionally, there will be filmmaker panels after each 8pm show in the CandleLight Café. This meet-and-greet experience is not to be missed. See you at the movies!”
We enjoy presenting cinema that enlightens people and exposes them to infinite possibilities.
Barry and Stella Rivers, Maui Film Festival, Co-founders
Last year, Juneteenth, short for June 19th, was designated a national, Federal holiday for the first time to commemorate the day in 1865 when the last enslaved African-Americans in Texas were freed. Hawaii was the 49th state to officially recognize Juneteenth when Governor Ige signed legislation marking the occasion (only South Dakota does not recognize the day). Because Juneteenth falls on a Sunday this year, Federal workers will have the day off on Friday, June 17. Juneteenth becomes the twelfth federal holiday, but it is only a State holiday in nine states, and State workers in Hawaii will still have to report to work.
Also called Freedom Day and Emancipation Day, Juneteenth is a landmark date for the African-American community nationwide. It marks the date when the Federal proclamation freeing all slaves finally reached Galveston, Texas, then a remote outpost of the Southern slave states. Although the rumors of freedom were widespread prior to this, actual emancipation did not come until General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston and issued General Order No. 3, on June 19, 1865, almost two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
Juneteenth marks the culmination of a shameful era in American history and evokes mixed emotions for some. While for many, this is a joyful and celebratory occasion, others advocate for questioning progress towards true racial justice, especially in the light of recent events involving Trayvon Martin in Florida, George Floyd in Minneapolis, Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, as well as others closer to home.
In Governor Ige’s words, “With the signing of this bill, I hope that June 19 will serve as a moment of reflection for everyone here in the islands and across the country to remember where we’ve come from, but most importantly, to be inspired to move our country and our community forward in search of that more perfect union where we treat everyone equally each and every day.”
There is no such thing as race. None. There is just a human race — scientifically, anthropologically.
Toni Morrison, critically-acclaimed African-American novelist, Pulitzer Prize winner and Nobel Laureate.
Maui journalist and community volunteer Emily O’Neil Bott recently celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends. Recalling Bott’s many contributions to island life, Maui Mayor Michael Victorino proclaimed April 2, 2022, as Emily Bott Day. “Emily’s life demonstrates that good citizens are the riches of a community,” Victorino said. “Today, she is adding yet another hat to the collection worn over the course of her life, that of a centenarian.”
Bott’s column in the Haleakala Times was entitled Silver Streak. In 2012, at age 90, she published a book, Silver Streak Revisited, in which she recounts the adventures and misadventures of her life on Maui and her earlier years on the mainland. A fan of Bott’s said, “She is one of Maui’s treasures. Anyone who reads Emily is richer for it.” Author Tom Stevens says the book is all “wit, warmth and wisdom.” Fellow writer Paul Wood added that Bott has produced “the career retrospective of a born humorist. Her voice has always been wry, authentic, and sane.”
Bott’s most memorable community service is her 30 years and 5,000 hours of volunteering in the Emergency Room (ER) at Maui Memorial Medical Center. “Comforting children and adults with my puppet, Lamb Chop, was memorable for countless Mauians,” Bott recalls. “I remember the many hands I held as an ER volunteer, all the ripped up, blown out, agonized, bleeding human beings I have registered, iced, and comforted. It was meaningful work and I would do it all over again!”
Bott also dedicated 20 years to Make-a-Wish Hawaii, ultimately earning their Lifetime Achievement Award. Thanks to her unwavering support, numerous Maui families with a seriously ill child have been uplifted by the power of a wish. “There are numerous Maui keiki battling life-threatening medical conditions,” Emily explained. “Volunteering for Make-A-Wish Hawaii is a great way to give back to the community. It is so rewarding to bring joy to a family in need. It fulfills a dream for a youngster who does not have much control over his current situation. When you give, you receive much love in return.” Bott’s Secret: “Keep Giving!”
Maui Economic Development Board wishes Emily a happy 100th birthday. Thanks, Emily, for your dedicated years of community service!
