Ten-year-old Moorea Winter Feliciano is both a dancer and an Upcountry junior rodeo participant. Dancing ballet since she was three years old with the Alexander Academy of Performing Arts (AAPA), she is also a member of the nonprofit Maui Youth Rodeo Organization (MYRO). Ballet and rodeo make such a unique and unexpected combination. Yet, they have a few important similarities: both take time and dedication, both take a specific skill level, both take passion, both have levels of difficulty that humble you greatly, and both take hours of extra practice.
Feliciano explained, “I spend many hours after my schoolwork practicing both ballet and riding. I help clean the ballet studio in exchange for extra classes, and I am a teacher’s assistant to younger dancers. Also, I volunteer time to help set up for rodeo, and fundraise for both ballet and rodeo. For me, it is being part of something greater than myself. Also, the number of friends from ballet who are coming to my rodeo shows, and the rodeo friends who are coming to ballet shows, makes my heart so full.”
MYRO provides opportunities for children on Maui to participate in rodeo events throughout the year: riding, roping and more. Members practice good conduct, sportsmanship, and a commitment to good grades. Morag Rice Miranda, Maui District-Hawaii High School Rodeo Association representative, always announces Feliciano as, “an accomplished dancer, our ballerina rider.”
This year, Feliciano landed the ‘every little girl’s dream role’ of Clara in AAPA’s 2022 annual holiday tradition, The Nutcracker. She will dance the role on Saturday evening and the closing performance, besides other parts. “A lot of hard work must happen first,” she said. “Both dancing and rodeo help me to set big goals for myself and see them through. My motto is: If you believe you can, you will!”
Paul Janes-Brown, Maui Curtain Call, said, “At ten years old, Feliciano is a young lady to watch. She helped choregraph a wonderful contemporary dance performance in the 2022 AAPA performance of Sleeping Beauty. I look forward to seeing her perform the role of Clara in this year’s Nutcracker.”
I love the magic that happens onstage and at the rodeo!” The Nutcracker will be performed December 16-18 at Seabury Hall’s ‘A’ali’ikūhonua Creative Arts Center. Visit Eventbrite for Nutcracker tickets and www.mymyro.com for rodeo information.
Moorea Winter Feliciano, Member, AAPA and MYRO
A distinguished line-up of speakers and mentors joined the 5th annual EMER-GEN Program presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) at the 2022 Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference. A joint initiative of AMOS and the Space Generation Advisory Council, over twenty leaders in the space industry supported the emerging generation of young professionals enthusiastic about careers in space. Forty-eight delegates met for EMER-GEN, with nearly half of these based in Hawaii, to help develop aerospace careers locally.
Maui resident Kalā Baybayan Tanaka offered the Celestial Navigation presentation. She is responsible for Education Direction and Program Implementation at Hui O Wa`a Kaulua, a sea-voyaging non-profit organization on Maui dedicated to the practice and perpetuation of Hawaiian canoe building, wayfinding and voyaging arts. She is also a UH Manoa STEMS^2 Masters student in Curriculum Studies. Tanaka introduced the EMER-GEN cohort to the Hawaiian Star Compass and other aspects of Hawaiian culture which pertain to leadership and communication. She inherited her love for the ocean and passion for sailing from her father, Pwo (master) Chad Kalepa Baybayan, who served as one of the lead captains and navigators of the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage—Hōkūle`a.
“I shared Hawaiian lore, explored traditional navigational techniques and provided an intimate look at the relationship between the celestial bodies and history,” Tanaka explained. “Each of my own voyages taught me to be more in sync with my environment. I shared my passion for wayfinding and told the cohort stories of the stars that have led my way forward, and always guided my way home.”
Cohort member Rishin Aggarwal, Indian Space Research Organization, said, “Tanaka has a way of breaking down navigation so we could all understand it and also feel empowered by it. She said you do not have to be Hawaiian to be wayfinders and learn voyaging. You simply need a deep desire to learn. She also stressed the importance of teamwork, skills much needed by our EMER-GEN cohort, in our space industry careers, and daily life.”
Frances Zhu, UH Assistant Professor, Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory, added, “Tanaka shows the spiritual side of astronomy, wayfaring and voyaging. I am so inspired by her.”
In 2016, as captain and co-navigator alongside my father on the Hikianalia, I learned so much while sailing from Hawaii to Tahiti, thousands of miles, without modern instruments.
Kalā Baybayan Tanaka, Hui O Wa`a Kaulua
On September 27-30, the 23rd annual Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference, a program of the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), had its highest-ever registration of 1,212 in-person attendees at the Wailea Beach Resort-Marriott─ Maui. An additional 259 participants viewed the livestream of the premier technical conference in the nation devoted to Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and Space Domain Awareness (SDA).
The conference represented a cross-section of government, military, industry, and academic participation that fueled important discussion on space sustainability at local, national, and international scales. Keynote presentations, SSA Policy Forums coordinated with Secure World Foundation, invited talks, poster presentations, exhibits, technical sessions and short courses were featured in the program.
“The AMOS Conference is experiencing astronomical growth on all fronts: attendance in-person from around the world, partnerships with our sponsors and exhibitors, and the technical contributions by our authors and presenters,” said Leslie Wilkins, MEDB President and CEO. “This year’s gathering mirrors the growth we have seen in the space economy across the globe. Our international participants, from 23 countries, included our neighbors from the Indo-Pacific region as well as Europe and Central America. Additionally, MEDB continues to support the Air Force’s mission on Maui which, in turn, supports our mission of economic diversification.”
Victoria Samson, Washington Office Director for Secure World Foundation (SWF) and an AMOS Conference panel moderator, noted, “AMOS provides the opportunity for networking and knowledge-sharing within the SSA community. The keynotes and SSA policy forums at AMOS offered collaboration on space security and stability by looking at how SSA can promote space safety among all nations. Space has become an increasingly complicated domain and it is vital to have a cooperative approach for space sustainability in order to benefit all people.”
Conference Technical Chair Paul Kervin, Air Force Research Laboratory (retired), noted, “In collaboration with the American Astronautical Society (AAS), the AMOS Conference provided participating authors the opportunity to be published in a well-respected peer-reviewed Journal of Astronautical Sciences. At the close of the conference, AAS also recognized outstanding efforts by presenting awards for Best Paper and Best Student Paper.”
The continued growth in attendance and participating countries at AMOS reflects the growing interest in space sustainability and space commerce initiatives.
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.
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
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.
The Maui Arts and Cultural Center is presenting the O Kalani exhibit at the Schaefer International Gallery from April 5-June 18, 2022. The show, featuring the work of prominent, Kānaka contemporary artists, Sean Kekamakupa’aikapono Ka’onohiokalani Lee Loy Browne and Imaikalani Kalahele, represents a pivotal moment in the history of Hawaii. Browne and Kalahele have been active since the latter part of the 20th century during a resurgence of Hawaiian culture. Drawing inspiration from stories, history, legends, and current events, and using themes from the past to create contemporary art narratives, each artist has charted his own course and helped define contemporary Hawaiian art.
Kalahele, artist, poet, musician, and respected kupuna, has developed diverse forms of expression with his work, including various Hawaiian anthologies in addition to his own book, Kalahele (2002), a collection of poetry. “I like to imbue my paintings with vivid compositions and imagery that connect us to history and legends,” Kalahele noted. “Using ancestral knowledge to guide me, I interpret spirituality and nature to manifest ideas in a unique visual style, addressing issues faced by the Hawaiian community.”
Drawing inspiration from his Native Hawaiian ancestry, Browne portrays mythical and historic figures in sculptural forms using cast bronze, carved wood and stone. Contributing to a sense of place, his large public works of art are installed throughout Hawaii. “Many of my historic figures are depicted realistically,” Browne explained. “My works with gods and demi-gods are stylized, translating supernatural acts and legends into smaller simplified forms. Organized in collaboration with the Honolulu Museum of Art, I hope the Maui community enjoys the exhibit.”
“I was so impressed with this show when I saw it, I knew I had to bring it to Maui,” said Gallery Director Neida Bangerter. “The title, O Kalani, which can be translated as ‘from the heavens’, references a relationship with the divine, and also acknowledges the names of both artists: Kalani.” Agreeing, Assistant Director Jonathan Yukio Clark said, “The two artists bridge the connection between past inherited knowledge and contemporary issues through their own very distinct language and vocabulary. What is beautiful about this show is the way their art works together.”
Gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday 10-4pm, free. Also free, the gallery is offering an Observe and Play Family Day on May 7, 10-12noon for families to view the exhibit together, explore activities in storytelling and legends, and make a piece of art to take home.
The 9th Annual Hawaii Energy Conference revisits the challenges of electrifying the grid and transportation – current successes, potential pitfalls, and future opportunities. There is no doubt that the push to Electrification will affect our way of life.
A study by Princeton University predicts that by 2050 electrifying transport and buildings could double the amount of electricity consumption in the U.S. Amy Myers Jaffe, a research professor at Tuft’s University, boldly declares in the Wall Street Journal, “The electrification of (almost) everything is coming, and we’re just not ready for it.” Our communities will need to develop disciplined, proportional responses to the challenges Electrification poses. Strategies for energy efficiency and the equitable distribution of Electrification’s benefits must balance building capacity for increased consumption.
Join us at the Hawaii Energy Conference for a two-day discussion that will review the issues surrounding electrification with the following thoughts in mind:
* How do we define “electrification” and is it the same everywhere?
* How are the community’s needs and concerns being addressed as the infrastructure for electrification become more prevalent?
* How is resilience being brought into the equation of electrification?
* What has been and will be the impact of COVID-19 on customers of the utility?
* What should the climate goals of electrification be – net zero carbon, net negative carbon, or zero emissions?
* What is the role of energy efficiency in electrification? …and more
The 2022 Hawaii Energy Conference is on May 10 and 12. Learn more and register at https://hawaiienergyconference.com. Use code FMNHEC to save.
