Homespun Honolulu

Car shows are not normally my area of interest but this one was special and I had to be there to capture the scene a couple of weeks ago at Aloha Tower Marketplace. What was so special about it? The Oahu Motorsports Advisory Council put together this show to highlight the “Build the Track” campaign to provide a place for the different motor sports to enjoy their sport.

Right at the edge of the mall’s main entrance sat this race car. That’s what it’s all about – Build the Track! Since I found out about this campaign I have heard several comments. One of those comments was that there is a lack of interest. Well, let’s look through these pictures and you tell me if there’s a “lack of interest!”

There were trucks, cars and even a couple of motorcycles parked all over the place. I didn’t know where to turn first. With so much to see that it was hard to stay focused while trying to take in every corner of this automotive pageantry.

There were trucks with added character, truck-like coverings with a patriotic flair, and organizations whose specialty is, well, trucks.

I gave up trying to get perfect, clear pictures — there were just too many people walking around and too many balloons to get in front of the camera. Suddenly, it dawned on me that I should just take those shots so that I could show everyone how there’s such a “lack of interest” in this venue. Lack of interest my foot!

There was a truckload of representatives from several automotive firms and there were a few vendors sharing their ideas. In addition to those sponsors, there were others as well. This brings up another comment that was made to me recently about the track project. “They need big sponsors to make it happen.” The translation of that is that they need money. Oddly enough, there were no booths collecting donations. This was to raise awareness and to gain support of the community.

It wasn’t just the automotive places or tire stores who took part in this event! At least one of our radio stations, HOT I-94 (93.9 if you want to be picky), was there. There may have been other stations but I was focused on the automobiles.

There was at least one branch of the armed services in attendance. The National Guard even had their own vehicle there!

It’s quite obvious that this project was not completely without some governmental support! Even the sheriff’s office was there with their vehicle all pretty and shiny for the occasion.

Relax, they weren’t there to serve anyone with papers. They were there, I think, to show support while probably hoping “The Track” would come to fruition. They would have less drama with the freeway racing that we have seen so much of recently.

This brings up another statement that was made to me a couple of months ago. The statement went something like, “Those are not experienced racers doing that!” I know that. We all know that. What we have is young people wanting to race and having no place to do so.

When I was hanging with friends in the late 70’s and early 80’s, people went to Hawaii Raceway Park every weekend! Teens had something to do, something that captivated them and kept them out of trouble. They closed Hawaii Raceway Park. It’s gone. There is no place for them to go.

Youth of all ages love racing, they love anything with a motor that they can ride. That adoration doesn’t die with age.

There is no age limitation for the fascination with auto racing. The organizers of this show knew it too!

There’s just something about it that draws out the excited smiles of our keiki!

This really was a family event and everyone seemed to be having a great time. The real focus though was on the automobiles.

People were making their way in and out and around the vehicles on display.

There were many exhibitors enjoying the opportunity to share their hobby with others.

The vehicle above was my favorite drenching of colors but the intensity of conversation was even more interesting to observe. The passion, like a lot of things we involve ourselves in, is very intense for this activity!

I was hard-pressed, a few times, to figure out who was enjoying things more — the visitors or the exhibitors!

There was a lot of information to absorb and a lot of vintage vehicles to see and examine — inside and out.

I will continue making my point as we move down but I just couldn’t let any of these pictures be left without sharing them.

This way, everyone can get a better feel for just how important this event was to the organizers, and just how important this sporting venue is to so many.

We’ve got cobras under the hood and engines that are as clean and shiny as the car’s exteriors!

Beautiful colors and classic models glistened around every corner.

These racers have the traditional look of those race cars in the video games! Wow, they really do look like that!

Why do I care? I don’t race, I don’t like loud noises, I don’t like smoke, screeching wheels, or the smell of burning rubber. So, what’s it to me? I grew up on the West side of Oahu and every weekend there was almost always someone who was not home because they were reportedly at Hawaii Raceway Park. It was a life’s passion for many and a fun hobby for others. It was a place for youth to go and to burn off their energy instead of getting into trouble.

As I mentioned, they closed Hawaii Raceway Park. It has never been replaced. Nobody shared a place for the racers to go. They’re working on it!

There were no booths collecting donations but there was this booth to sign their petition with room for comments. Yes, I signed it and yes, I left a comment!

This says it all in a nutshell. “We Just Wanna Race!” The best argument that I have heard was that every other sport or hobby has it’s place to go. Basketball, baseball, volleyball, tennis, golf, bowling, running, swimming, shooting, and just about anything else you can think of, has it’s own place to happen — it’s own field, it’s own course, etc. Everything, that is, except for racing. Good point!

This was the best photo! Isn’t he cute? He was so amazed at the sight of all those trucks! Oblivious to all else, I think he was just amazed that his toy trucks had become reality. Right along the sidewalk too!

Okay, we couldn’t let the bikes go unnoticed. There were a couple of them there. They too need a place to race. We all know the dangers of motorcycle racing. It would be better for all if they had a place designed just for that purpose.

My heart goes out to the racing community and I can comfortably say they have my full support. I would rather put my support behind TheTrack than that stupid rail! If you feel they’re right, watch them, follow their progress and support their efforts. Our community needs a track to replace what we lost. Let’s support them while they Build the Track!

Technorati Tags: Auto Racing, Build the Track, Car Show

No, not the trade-winds. The winds I’m referring to here are those winds that carry the fairy tales to the ears of today’s youth and the ears of those who choose to still believe. Recently we were treated to a production of “Wind of a Thousand Tales, Folk Tales from Faraway Places” by John Glore with Music and Lyrics by Diane King

The Mid-Pacific Institute School of the Arts pulled together this production and, under the direction of CoCo Wiel, pulled the Winds together to tell three tales in an attempt to show protagonist, Kimberly-Kay, the value of fairy tales.

Kimberly-Kay had already decided that bed-time stories and the like are a waste of time. The “Winds” were on a mission to change her mind!

Just that abstract notion alone — that the winds are going to guide Kimberly-Kay into the world of the literary fiction — was enough to pull at my heart strings. I couldn’t wait to see if they would be successful.

The play was performed in a small theater inside the charming little building seen below. The building has obviously been around for a long time but it was equally obvious that there has been some recent repairs done to the building while maintaining it’s historic appearance.

Meet the Winds

This tree, seen here on the right, is Brisa, the first animated “wind” to share a bit a folklore with the audience.

Played by Julie Comstock, this wind leads everyone through an unusual Mexican love story that actually manages to peak Kimberly-Kay’s interest.

There’s nothing like the anticipation of hearing what ’s going to happen! After following the storyline for a bit, Kimberly-Kay can’t wait to find out what happens next. That was one bedtime story that was not going to put anyone to bed any time soon!

The most humorous part of this first tale would have to be the narcissistic Carlos, seen here on the left. He is more concerned with his hair and his collection of combs than he is with the young girl who is very much in love with him.

It is not until Carlos loses his sight that he is able to “see” that the same little friend from his youth has loved him all along.

The puppetry and the character of Carlos were created and played by Matthew Conners.

After the story is told, Kimberly-Kay wants to know, “Is it true?”

Her question is answered with another question: “Is it?”

I was waiting to hear the answer to Kimberly-Kay’s question but what I heard raised my eyebrows and made me start thinking. “Is it?” I think it was.

My own affectionate view of the world of fantasy fiction in general, and the fairy tales we grew up with, in particular, was certainly not jeopardized by this collection of tales. I have always seen fairy tales as one of the great teaching tools of early childhood and, while not really aimed at “early” childhood, these yarns being spun had stories to tell, lessons to teach, and left you with things to think about.

Nushi, played by Todd Aquino-Michaels and seen here on the right, is what I assume to be something of a Samurai wind. Nushi tells a Japanese tale of a girl who secretly dances for a spirit and whose secret is eventually discovered. She is later reunited with the young man to whom she was forced to disclose her secret.

Now, with this one, we were leaning more on the fantasy side of things — my kind of story! The magic of romance and the realities of what a woman is willing to dedicate her life to always makes for a good tale! Ah, the insufferable romantic that I am! Sigh.

In case you hadn’t noticed, the costumes for each of the stories in this play were a combination of clothing, make-up and puppetry.

Bluster, played by Zak Lathrop, was probably my favorite from a theatrical point of view. Quite the blustering, gasconading goofball, this peculiar breeze shared a European tale about a cranky princess who needed a suitor who could make her laugh, or lose his head trying.

This windy character, as you can see here on the right, was very appropriately styled — with the look of a court jester. Kudos to CoCo Wiel, the show’s director, for her creative puppetry!

In addition, there were some very appropriate sounds effects that were used to get a few points across. Bluster had a spring, or a “boing” in his step and the sounds of heads hitting the floor spared us the need for any visual confirmation — thank goodness!

The useful application of these sound effects for this segment was a nice addition and quite an effective touch.

At least twice I picked up on what I thought was a suggestion to Kimberly-Kay, played by Kellianne Cadavona and seen here on the left, to determine in her own mind if the stories were true.

Aren’t they all true for us at any given time in our lives? Certainly some of the emotions evoked by these stories are things we can all relate to — discovering the people who really do care for us, finding out that there really are people who can bring us happiness, and seeing the useful lessons and charm in the artful gift of storytelling.

The cast seemed to enjoy sharing these tales and as you can see below, they were very happy to do so!

No, these “Winds” were not our beloved trades but I must say that these Winds did carry some wonderful messages as they blew across the stage. The Wind of a Thousand Tales also carried the message that upcoming productions put on by the Mid-Pacific Institute School of the Arts may very well be worth seeing. I’m counting on it!

The Honolulu Academy of Arts did the “green” thing this past Sunday for its Family Sunday. Assuming this was in anticipation of yesterday’s Earth Day, I would say they did a great job.

For those who drive down Beretania Street and pass the Academy on a regular basis, like me, you’re familiar with the colorful banners in front of the Academy that are blowing in the wind as you drive by.

These banners, as festive and alluring as they are, have nothing to do with Earth Day. These are part of the motif that continues on the inside and is the current exhibit visiting the Academy.

The sacred arts of Bhutan are currently this featured display at the Academy of Arts. The full display of this attraction is on the second floor.

We did not venture up to see the display but it was definitely the topic of conversation while we were there. “The Dragon’s Gift,” as this exhibit is titled, is an attraction which focuses on the “Himalayan kingdom’s Buddhist art and culture.”

This exhibit represents an unusual opportunity to learn about a culture we don’t hear about very often. In addition to the educational aspect, it is definitely a visual feast of very colorful arts, sacred ritual dance, and rich textiles.

Those colorful banners we mentioned, the ones pictured above, are actually covered in writings that you would only see if you were standing next to them. While the writings are not in English, the quality and detail involved with such labor still makes quite an impact.

So, just what was going on for Earth Day? Well, there were a lot of things to make you think about protecting our environment and a lot of hands-on activities for the keiki (children).

Here we’ve got some terrariums being made to further educate the youngsters. I was surprised to see just how little parking was available and how many young children were there. The Academy is not usually a place where you find young children. Its focus is more on the arts of various World cultures. Bishop Museum is a more common place to see the kids.

It certainly made for some creativity and quality time for families. Happy Tamanaha, seen below, was showing people of varying ages the art of basket weaving from simple coconut leaves.

While the push has always been to plant more flora than concrete, the other, more-recent focus for our planet is to recycle products that may otherwise end up in the landfills.

Local sculptor, Mark Chai, has the right idea and shares those ideas with attendees. Pictured above, left, we see a conversational mood light created from a waste basket. In the center we have a decorative light made out of an x-ray film carton that would have otherwise been discarded. The item on the right is a wastebasket made from corrugated tin roof and, get this, old cafeteria trays.

This one is my favorite. The backing of this piece is actually the backing of a street lamp that Mr. Chai found at the dump. He has made a useful creation that, while maybe not suitable for your living room, would certainly make great shelf space on the lanai or in the garage. What’s the Aloha sign? Nothing more than thick cardboard. Imagine that — attractive, functional and Earth-friendly!

The Academy is not done with the green of the past Family Sunday. For their Art after Dark celebration on April 25th (held from 6 - 9:00 PM on the last Friday of the month) attendees will enjoy more live presentations for uses of recycled materials, some organic cuisine and drinks, a variety of entertainment, and a final chance to see The Dragon’s Gift exhibit.

Honolulu Academy of Arts
900 Beretania Street
Honolulu, Hawai’i 96814
Phone: (808) 532-8700

Technorati Tags: Earth Day, Honolulu Academy of Arts, Bhutan

I know people are looking for this. I talked about it last year but didn’t think to get on it quickly enough this year. Here is the link to the Kamehameha Schools 2008 Song Contest live broadcast where you can pick your software version for viewing. This is their 88th Annual Song Contest and KGMB is going to show it live this evening!

It’s already on — there’s a pre-show information running right now that gives some of the background of the school and the ongoing preservation of the Hawaiian language! It makes me proud to hear them and makes me want to cry. There is a short interview segment with Keali’i Reichel and that put my tears over the edge.  (Don’t ask… I don’t understand it either.) 

Mahalo to Kamehameha Schools for the preservation of this tradition and the continued protection of our island culture. Mahalo to KGMB Channel 9 for bringing it to us live!

The best part is that, even if you miss it, you can order a copy of it this year! I don’t think they made it available last year. If they did, I certainly didn’t know about it!

Technorati Tags: Kamehameha Schools

I remember that! I don’t know why I remember it, I just do. It’s an old childhood memory and, as I got older, I frequently thought about it and wondered where we were when people were trying to “Save Queen’s Surf.” While I was looking up something about the Natatorium, which is located next to the Waikiki Aquarium, I found the answer to this age old question of mine — the Queen’s Surf was a restaurant and nightclub that was nearby a beach where we used to go swimming when I was only about 4 or 5 years old.

They must have made good cheeseburgers or something… or maybe I thought we were trying to save the beach. I don’t remember. All I know is that it was an important issue to this little girl — so much so that it has stuck with me all these years! As it turned out, that little girl, and a lot of other Honolulu residents, lost that battle. The restaurant was closed in 1969 and subsequently torn down in 1971.

It was a perfect area to have a little family picnic and celebrate my sister-in-law’s birthday. We just happened to be very close to the Natatorium on Monday, after the Great Aloha Run. It was also perfect timing too because, after 8.2 miles, I was hungry!

Okay, maybe this was not the healthiest of diets, but we had veggies too!

In fact, there was tossed salad and some mushroom, zucchini and tomato kabobs — I don’t like tomatoes, but I love zucchini!

While waiting for the food to cook, I just had to take a quiet saunter down the beach walk. I can imagine how beautiful this place must be at night.

Since we were so close to the Natatorium, I thought it would be a cool thing to write about. So, I decided to continue in that general direction.

While meandering towards the Natatorium, I passed a lady sitting and talking on her cell phone. I couldn’t help but notice the tattoo on her arm. I continued on for just a bit but then I stopped and went back to where she was sitting. I’m sorry, I just had to get a picture of those star fish! I’ve told you guys before, it’s all about the art!

I motioned to the lady that I wanted to get a picture of her arm. Without even flinching she turned a little so that these lovely star fish faced in my direction. I took pictures of her tattoo as she just sat comfortably and continued her phone conversation. This was obviously not the first time she has had this happen!

Anyway, on to the Natatorium. I know very little about it except that it is “The War Memorial” that was built to honor WWI veterans from Hawaii and the 100+ local lives that were lost in that war. Unfortunately, the Natatorium has been closed since 1980 or so because it is deteriorating and has been deemed unsafe.

It is a point of contention as many want to see it restored while many others want it torn down and the beach restored. I have no opinion myself except that if it is polluting the coastline, it needs to go. If not, we should preserve it in some form to memorialize its original purpose. Maybe they should just lose the crumbling bleachers, maintain the facade and clean up the swimming pool portion for schools and other organizations to use.

My mother used to participate in a lot of swimming meets there — around 1950 or so. My grandfather pushed her to be a champion swimmer — probably with the hopes that she would follow in his Olympic footsteps.

We had a lot of strong swimmers back in the days of Duke Kahanamoku. In the 1920 Summer Olympics, Duke Kahanamoku won the Gold Medal in the 100-meter freestyle; my grandfather, William White Harris, Jr., took the Bronze. Pua Kealoha took the silver in that same race and Warren Kealoha won the Gold in the 100-meter backstroke. Yep, we had a lot of strong swimmers.

Duke Kahanamoku United States (USA)

1:00.4

Pua Kealoha United States (USA)

1:02.2

William Harris United States (USA)

1:03.2

Someone was kind enough to provide Wikipedia with the above information and for that I thank them. Like I said, I’m sure my grandfather saw to it that Mom participated in several meets! The water wasn’t dirty then.

Even “The Duke,” according to an article I read, didn’t want to swim at the Natatorium in the later years. It’s unfortunate, but understandable. The Great War Society has some nice pictures and further explanations about the Natatorium.

Technorati Tags: Historic Hawai’i

It’s that time again! February 7th is Chinese New year! Celebrations have already started and the stores are already selling gau. The best part, for me, is that it’s time for the drums and the Chinese dragons (or lions) to make their presence known!

One of the best things about working close to Fort Street is that it is so close to Chinatown and the organizations that put on these wonderful, cultural performances are always close by!

I can’t explain it but the sound of those drums is like a lure for me. Time to drop everything, grab the camera and some dollar bills, and follow the sound of those drums! I was fortunate enough, yesterday, to be forewarned that they were on their way down Fort Street.

This particular group was very welcoming of the admiration I was more than ready to give them. This was exciting for me because it was my first for the year. Unfortunately, I only had $1 bills to give them. I have, in the past, given them $5 bills… they seem to “digest” those a little better.

Anyway, this group was the first to confirm for me that we’re about to leave the Year of the Boar behind and enter the Year of the Rat. Co-workers have already bought the wall calendar for those traveling to Vegas to check on their Chinese zodiac sign to see where their luck is going to be while they’re in Vegas.

Like I said, these guys were more than willing to soak up the admiration and have their pictures taken. What a sight they are! The beautiful colors and intricate detail of their costumes is really something to witness. Obviously they’ll get my vote every time!

As far as cultural art forms go, just show me a dragon and let me hear those drums and I’m one of the most appreciative observers that you’ll find!

Here’s a list of some of the festivities coming our way. Kung Hee Fat Choy, Honolulu!

All Aboard! Come along and catch a ride on Chapter 5 of the Carnival of Aloha! There is no order of preference, just a bit of timing and making use of these wonderful posts that carry us through this holiday Carnival! We’re going to wrap up 2007 and welcome in the New Year!

Let’s hop aboard this Menehune Train over at Honolulu Hale before it chugs its way back to the North Pole. We’re going to share some gift-giving stories from 2007 and some of the ways we share the Aloha!

Lynn Vasquez starts us off with her selfless giving at her Slippah Project 2007! posted over at Auntie Pupule, saying, “Please read “Delivery To The Leeward Coast!”

I’m going to slip in here that this is important because that delivery of slippers, and other thoughtful gifts, to the Leeward side of Oahu is not only close to my heart but something that links Lynn’s and Skeet’s posts together. Skeet blogged about the Leeward trip as well and you can find it on her blog… as soon as you check out her entry for the Carnival…

Skeet certainly continues the emotional impact of the aloha style of gift-giving as she shares the sentiments behind a rather unusual gift. For overly-emotional saps like your host, this is another one the pulls at the heart strings. I was very struck by the intent behind this gift that Skeet received, and she tells us all about My Mo’olelo over at Skeet’s Stuff.

Sheila shares 8 Great Rainy Day Things to Do on Maui that she posted at her Hawaii Vacation Blog - GoVisitHawaii.com. Sheila says that, “Maui is wonderful even when it rains. If you find you’re on Maui when it rains for a day or two, this article will give you some suggestions of what to do to have some fun out of the rain.” I guess running up Haleakala in the rain would not be the best or safest idea, huh? Shucks!

Kuanyin helps us along with Sheila’s suggestion. If it’s Thursday and it’s raining Kuanyin suggests Thursday Thirteen posted at Who’s Yo Mama? Kuanyin is also helping us start the New Year right by getting better after being sick for so long. Let’s all start the New Year healthy! Glad you’re feeling better Kuanyin!

Mel presented Gone to the Birds posted at Mel’s Internet Universe Weblog. I have to giggle… Mel said, “And for something completely different, I offer birds…” Actually, Mel, those beautiful birds are perfect timing! We may need to catch a ride with those birds since the airline tickets to the place we want to be are so scarce!

Where do we want to be? Following the Warriors of course!

Cheryl over at Hawaii Vacation Gifts shares a reminder with us that Life is Sweet, as she tells us all about the wonderful season the University of Hawaii football team has had and the excitement that awaits us on the first day of the year, January 1st! That’s tomorrow! That’s the place we want to be!  Thank you, Cheryl, for taking us into the New Year in style!

Okay, maybe we can’t actually be at that game, but we can certainly watch the whole thing on TV. We can stock up on drinks and snacks for the game. I almost forgot about my post… so let’s get our football party supplies at Safeway!

Evelyn at Homespun Honolulu (that’s me) wraps up the gift giving for this holiday Carnival by sending, Aloha to My Safeway Family for Christmas.

If we’ve successfully caught your attention and/or heightened your interest in the Islands, you might want to think about coming over to visit, or… maybe even coming over to get married?!?

Mitch McDonald will help with that last part by telling everyone that Hawaii Wedding Packages Are A Dream Come True posted at FYI About.com.

That concludes this Chapter of our Carnival.  At this point I would like to extend my gratitude to all of the wonderful bloggers who have participated and made this Carnival an ongoing success!  I am so proud of the wonderful things you all bring to the table for our monthly celebrations of our Hawaii bloggers!

Happy New Year everybody!  God bless and warm wishes to all for a safe and fun celebration.  AND… Go Warriors!

If you missed this edition, feel free to submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Aloha using the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found at the Carnival’s index page.

Technorati tags: carnival of aloha, blog carnival.

Welcome to Chapter 4 of the Carnival of Aloha!

Let’s take our festive canoe paddle and do the Carnival circuit via canoe this month. That way we can take a nice leisurely cruise as we enter into December.

We need to acknowledge Thanksgiving just because it’s a very important holiday for all of us. We have a lot to be thankful for and I want to take this time to thank all of the bloggers for wanting to participate in our monthly Carnival of Aloha and to thank all of the readers who want to join us and share a little touch of aloha! You guys are the ones who make this all possible!

While we’re giving thanks, let’s join Lynn as she shares a great Thanksgiving story with us…

Lynn Vasquez tells us all about “KauKau Wagon’s Annual Thanksgiving Saturday” when she shares, Many Came ~ Many Were Fed ~ All Were HAPPY!” posted at Auntie Pupule. It takes a certain kind of person with a good heart to get herself involved in these things on a regular basis. Thanks, Auntie, for reminding us, once again, just what sharing the aloha is all about.

There are other people who need to be a little thankful right about now…

Lika presents Racist, me? posted at Lika’s Log. Some people have a lot to be thankful for and I think Mr. Chapman should be thankful that this topic is no longer at the top of the media’s list! Nice job, Lika, of explaining just how we are about ethnic name dropping. We use it all the time and The Dog was right… it’s just how we talk! Although most of us do avoid the “N” word.

Aside from the Dog’s verbal slip, there have been many points of contention recently and none smaller than the Hawaii Superferry! Did anyone keep a diary? Um, a web log? Mel did!

Mel presents Mel’s Internet Universe Weblog with Superferry-specific posts posted at Mel’s Internet Universe Weblog, saying that this link, “covers recent posts I did on the Hawaii Superferry. By the time the Dec. Carnival of Aloha is published, the ferry should be up and running.” Thanks, Mel, for keeping track for us and for sharing it all here!

Let’s keep the sense of humor alive that Lika started…

L.P. “NEENZ” FALEAFINE presents LAUGHTER. posted at INFINITY., saying, “A sense of humor in Hawaii is as essential as suntan lotion.” I like that line — very true! Neenz is always thoughtful and this post is no exception.

Since Lika seems to be the key to keeping this canoe moving, and since she mentioned Waipahu in her post, let’s welcome Karin to the islands, to the Carnival and into our festive canoe as she also finds her way over to the Leeward side of Oahu…

Karin Gallagher presents Go Ahead And Get Your Coffee, This Here’s A Long One posted at Double Duty Diary: Twice the Angst in Half the Time. Karin lets us know that, “This is my first submission to the carnival of aloha” as she takes us to Hans L’Orange Field to enjoy our minor league baseball!

Now I’m thinking about those hot dogs that Karin told us about! I’m hungry so let’s go get some good sweets…

Sheila has some Hula Pie! Oh my! that she posted at her Hawaii Vacation Blog - GoVisitHawaii.com. I think we should get some of that! It must be good because Sheila says, “My mouth is watering just thinking back about this pie. As my dad would say in one of his old-timers, Southern sayings, ‘It tastes so good it will make your tongue slap your brains.’ :-)”

This pie is on Kaua’i… it is so decadent we need some exercise now! Let’s join Andy, our hiking enthusiast, on his camping trip…

Andy Kass presents Salt Pond Surprises posted at A Kaua’i Blog. Andy always gets the best pictures! It’s great to see one of our monk seals basking in the sun and enjoying a little peace and quiet. Okay, that’s not much exercise for us is it?

While we’re at it, let’s check in with our other endangered beach dweller…

Cheryl presents the Best Big Island Hawaii Beaches to See Turtles in Natural Environment posted at Hawaii Vacation Gifts Blog - Hawaiian Blog. Cheryl has a knack for finding the best links to compliment her posts. I strongly recommend following those links just to see what she saw while sharing her passion with us.

Okay, we’re island hopping again. We weren’t done with Kaua’i yet. Let’s head back to Kaua’i and stop at Maui on the way back. All of this canoe paddling is making me hungry again…

Jamie presents Cheap Eats in Maui posted at Go Maui Card Blog, saying, “A guide to cheap eats in Maui!” Cheap is good, I like cheap… almost as much as I like food!

We return to Kaua’i to paddle down the river…

Pua presents Best Things to Do on Kauai - Wailua River Tour posted at Best Hawaii Vacation with Hawaii Vacation Blog, saying, “Best Things to do on Kauai Vacation” I didn’t know about this river — that’s a lot of water!

We’ve given thanks and moved down the river and back out into the ocean where we are about to welcome winter, or at least our version of it…

Susan Johnston brings us back to Oahu at Go Oahu Travel Blog » Blog Archive » Winter Surfing on Oahu’s North Shore posted at Go Oahu Card Blog, telling us about the “Winter Surfing on Oahu’s North Shore.” How did we get winter and surfing into the same sentence? As we very often say around here when things don’t sound quite right, “Only in Hawaii!”

Let’s dry off and go enjoy some artistic creativity…

Skeet took the time to share A Day at the Theatre over at her blog, Skeet’s Stuff, and quite a day it was! The topic of grave diggers and bones has never been so charming! There’s just something about meeting other bloggers in person that can make a day great!

I’ve been lucky to meet two of our blogging ladies in person. Just before meeting up with Skeet to spend “a day at the theatre,” I dropped by Lynn’s Lair and was equally delighted to talk story and share thoughts and stories with her. I’m thankful for these meetings too!

For those of you with family or friends on the mainland, or for those of you on the mainland with family or friends over here, it might be helpful to keep track of the Christmas shipping dates…

Angie over at True Aloha has given us Key Mailing Dates from Hawaii. This is something useful to print and tack up on the refrigerator! We’re heading into the yuletide season gang!

Let’s wrap up these Carnival rides and our canoe excursion with the State of Hawaii’s best ride of the month…

Evelyn at Homespun Honolulu (that’s me) had to tell the World, just one more time, that They Did It! BCS! BCS! BCS! I’m sorry guys but all other blog posts that I might have pulled in for this Carnival had to take a back seat to the UH Warriors! I was going to share the shopping post but the greatest gift was the one given to all of us, and to the University of Hawaii, by the Warrior football team!

That’s it for Chapter 4 of the Carnival of Aloha. Be sure to submit your blog article for Chapter 5 of the Carnival of Aloha using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page. If you’re new, guidelines can be found here.

There’s an old State building on the corner of Merchant and Bethel Streets in downtown Honolulu. I walk past it all the time. I never really knew there was a functioning little theater in there! The building is just there and usually looks abandoned, like a lot of old State buildings. These buildings are not really abandoned but their age and lack of any visual activity around them gives the impression that they are.

There’s even a… a dispossessed person (that’s my kind word for the day) who spends a lot of time in the back corner between this theater-harboring, State building and the relatively-newer Bank of Hawaii parking structure.

Anyway, Kumu Kahua Theater is inside this quiet little building and has been having performances for quite some time. So, why did I choose this play? Well, once I found out about Kumu Kahua Theater, I’ve been wanting to go see some of the stuff that goes on there. I’m not sure how the subject came up but while talking to a fellow blogger who hangs her keyboard on the Leeward side of the island, she mentioned that she not only frequents the productions at Kumu Kahua Theater, but she was also familiar with this particular playwright’s work.

Great! I’ll get tickets to Ola Na Iwi (The Bones Live) so we can go too! It’s about what? Bones? Graveyards? Regular readers know how I love graveyards! So I get to finally meet an online friend and see a play about cemeteries! Perfect!

This is great! I’ve been trying to find a way to meet up with Skeet since… April or May, I think. Maybe longer. Then I get to see a play about Hawaiian graves and stuff! Uh, well, that’s not it exactly. Read on…

I was excited to finally meet Skeet and I was certainly not disappointed. On the contrary, while I expected her to be somewhat nonchalant about our meeting, I later told my mother that I couldn’t tell which one of us was the most excited! Skeet’s a more seasoned blogger than I am, and anyone who reads her stuff at Skeet’s Stuff gets a kick out of it! She blogged about our play adventure quickly afterwards. I have been slowed down for a few reasons, which I will tell you guys about later, I promise.

So, that part went well! Skeet is as bubbly and fun-loving as the “voice” in her blog. She’s vivacious and excited about the functions and opportunities that appeal to her internal scribe. Along with Skeet we got to meet her friend, nicknamed Dusty Flint, who shares many of Skeet’s passions. Dusty Flint (I’m guessing she quit smoking and that’s why her flint is dusty but I’m not sure) seemed as knee-deep in the passion of literary art forms as Skeet did.

Skeet and my mother hit it off quickly and Dusty Flint, to Mom’s delight, is an opera fan! We’re doing really well here. Skeet did a short write-up and put up a picture on her blog. Mine didn’t come out so well, but, I’ll include it anyway just to say I did.

We had so much to talk about, but at some point we had to stop talking to each other because the play was about to start! I have to admit, the play was confusing to me because there were so many parts that I kept trying to piece together — trying to link them the way you do when you read a novel. I kept trying to find the connection between the scenes. The reality was that they had nothing, yes I said nothing, to do with each other. The disassociated parts were inserts with a connection to the past that actually explained a lot of the “Why?” that was going on in the play.

Here’s an insert of my own. This familiar piece of art below is a lithograph of the 1824 painting by artist John Hayter, of Chief Boki, governor of Oahu, and his wife Liliha, who later succeeded him as governor of Oahu. This art work is owned by the Honolulu Academy of Arts.

In Ola Na Iwi, we are led to deduce that the spirit of Liliha lives in the bones that were illegally “rescued” from a museum in Germany by a young Hawaiian girl who, while visiting with a theater group, couldn’t bear the thought of leaving them behind when she returned home to Hawaii. So, while it wasn’t exactly cemetery stuff, we’ve got us a ghost! Liliha is part of the play! She’s smart too — she assumes a different name, Nanea, to manipulate the other characters into helping her achieve her goal — to come home where she belongs, and ultimately rest in peace.

Why were the bones so far away? How did they get there? Here’s where one of those disassociated scenes come in handy and explains, in a nutshell, that it was the anthropologists who took them many years before.  Grave robbers were paid to get these bones and turn them over to the scientists who then took them elsewhere for scientific study.

It was also one of those out-of-context, disassociated scenes that made me want to slap one of the characters as he spoke of the primitive shape of the… pacific islander’s skull. I say pacific islander for lack of a better word and for lack of a better memory — but you get the message.

At some point I found my internal voice saying things like, “Yes, change the scene please. I don’t want to listen to those idiots anymore!” Obviously the play was working on me (albeit not as the playwright had intended)… working on me and getting my emotions involved. Now that think about it, what we were actually seeing was a tongue-in-cheek peak at historic anthropology.

The play’s director, Sammie Choy, said it best in her portion of the play’s write-up when she talks about both the aspect of “cultural memory” and playwright, Victoria Nalani Kneubuhl’s thoughtful ability to take these seemingly separate scenes and treat them with equal amounts of understanding for both the native Hawaiians, and for the 19th century anthropologists. Choy writes that the anthropologists, as abominable as it is to us now, felt that “scientific advancement was a rationale for grave desecration.” After I had a chance to put it all in perspective, I understand what Kneubuhl was trying to accomplish.

Kumu Kahua Theater has a newsletter that explains all of these things. Had I read the issue with the synopsis and the essays by others about this play, I would have known what it was I was watching. But, then again, wouldn’t that have spoiled it? I don’t know. If I had read it ahead of time, my intellect might have been more involved with my experience of the play rather than my emotions.

If I hadn’t already been feeling that emotional impact, perhaps the closing monologue by Liliha, the spirit member of the cast portrayed by cast member, Mane, would not have been as capable of bringing me to tears. I already felt anger so the pain and subsequent restitution experienced by the wronged spirit of Chiefess Liliha was no problem for me to assume and digest.

Worth seeing? Absolutely. Advice? Read the newsletter so you know what it is you’re watching! You won’t spoil the story, so don’t worry. What it will do is help you to understand and appreciate the humor in it a little more.

One more tip: bring a napkin or tissue, just in case you need it. In a short little essay, Justina Mattos calls Ola Na Iwi a postmodernist look at science and culture. I have to agree. Mattos also quotes a portion of the closing monologue that we get from our ghost, the spirit of Liliha, which wraps it all up nicely and brings us emotional people to tears as it brings Liliha home. The part of that monologue that gets me even now:

“Lay me there on a bed of green ferns, of palapalai and laua’e, and maybe a bit of maile you found along the way. Hide the resting place with rocks and branches, hide it so only the birds know where I am, and then leave me. Leave me in the breathing, beating heart of my beloved ‘aina.”

The play continues through December 2nd. Check out the schedule of performances here.

Kumu Kahua Theater
46 Merchant Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: 808-536-4441

…without me! Arrrghhh! I’m trying, but life, as usual, is getting in the way. But that’s okay because I am still reading Chris Baty’s book and gathering insights. While I read and focus on the idea of creative writing (which is exactly what this novel-in-a-month thing is all about) I’ve started to remember things that I used to think about a long time ago.

While I may not make it to the 50,000 word mark, I’m still going on the journey to learn, absorb and share with my readers here. Time may not always be available for me to get through it all this year, but the passion always will be!

Most importantly, I’ll continue to be a cheerleader for and a supporter of the other crazy Wrimos out there! If you guys want to scream, feel free to do so here any time you want! Misery loves company you know.

There are already a lot of places set up for screaming and other related activities — like the National Novel Writing Month website, where you can still go and sign up! It’s not too late! I had to chuckle when I was reading the FAQ. One of the questions was about the deadline for signing up. The answer? November 30th at 11:59 pm! Yes, there is a definite sense of humor to it all. With a deadline like that and a task like this one, you need a sense of humor.

Here’s a thought for writers — one that came out of my head from a place that’s been dormant for a very long time (this would be especially useful for students):

• Making yourself cry while you write (over something other than a deadline) is usually enough to guarantee an “A!” You do need to write it in good English though. My point is that if you can inflict that kind of passion on your readers, you’ve got it made!

Part of what you write is either coming from your own passion or from what your mind tells you will rock your readers! Trust you instincts and just go with it!

Hint: You know you’ve done a good job when one of your professors invites you to coffee a semester later.

Hint No. 2: Cordially decline.

As a young reader, I always found it disturbing that writers like Stephen King and Dean Koontz could write the things that they do. Actually, I still do find it a bit disturbing. They have got to be at least a little demented. But then again, aren’t we all? The terror in the works of Dean Koontz is that he makes you believe his stories could actually happen. Gulp! Creepy stuff! Koontz, in my opinion, blows King out of the water! Just my opinion. I think they haven’t made movies out of his stuff because it would either be too gruesome or too expensive, or both.

Many of us really do love good literature. We love to hear about it, we love to read it and we love to write it. NaNoWriMo is a good way to get around the procrastination bug that a lot of us suffer from. “Yeah, I’ll do it.” “I’ll get around to it later.” “Next week I’ll have some time.” Let’s face it, 50,000 is a heck of a lot of words. But, people have done it! There are gatherings (or write-ins as they’re called) going on, and/or being scheduled, in Honolulu and all over the country as we speak.

So, now you have the knowledge that it can be done… if you want to do it bad enough. The good part is knowing you have people to cheer you on or join in on your drama! What else could you possibly need?