Nū Hou - Newsbriefs

By Ka Wai Ola Staff

Photo: Lisa Asato Age is but a number At 90 years old, Kent Ghirard is on a roll. Ghirard marked his September birthday with a celebration at Mission Memorial Auditorium in Honolulu, where former and current hula dancers from his 1950s-era traveling hula troupe Kent Ghirard and the Hula Nani Girls, gathered to honor him in song and dance. “I can't call them girls anymore,” he chided as they danced to old favorites. Pictured onstage with Ghirard is Maile Loo-Ching of the Hula Preservation Society. On Nov. 15, Ghirard was further honored with the second annual I Ola mau ka Hula award from Hula Grill Waikı¯kı¯, which recognizes those who have perpetuated hula throughout their lifetimes. A photo exhibit of Ghirard's private collection from the bygone Hula Nani Girls era runs through Nov. 6 at Honolulu Hale. For more photos from the birthday event, visit Ka Wai Ola online here.

Hoops, hot meals and hope for a drug-free community

A Thanksgiving meal, basketball competition, live music and door prizes are once again the main attractions of the annual Turkey Shoot. The free event will be hosted by DADDS on Nov. 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Ka'iulani Elementary School in Kalihi, where Dads Against Doing Drugs has become increasingly visible in its year-round mission of fighting substance abuse and taking a stand against drug dealers.

The Turkey Shoot will feature three-on-three teams of youngsters in basketball competition. While the hoopsters are working up an appetite, volunteers will serve turkey and all the trimmings to needy community members, including the homeless. Turkey Shoot attendance last year hit an all-time high of 400. More than 100 volunteers worked the event, including teens from several public and private schools. DADDS founder William Malina, who became a community catalyst after serving time in prison, asks interested volunteers to call 861-0660 or email daddshawaii@yahoo.com.

Sponsors include HEI, Hidden Treasures Ministry, Sgt. John of the Weed and Seed program, Chad Owens and the Hawai'i Football School and OHA. Along with the festivities, Malina said the Turkey Shoot is an opportunity to recruit new members for DADDS, which helps fathers become positive role models. “The more there are of us,” he says, “the more we are able to do interventions and make it known to the drug dealers that we are working with the police to make them pack up and leave our community.”— Liza Simon

Royal lā hānau

November marks the birthday month of King Kalākaua, a patron of the arts whose joie de vivre earned him the nickname the Merrie Monarch. But the king had a serious side, too. His progressive thinking led to accomplishments like sending youths abroad for higher education, restoring hula and other nearly extinct cultural traditions, achieving a written text of the Hawaiian creation chant, Kumulipo, not to mention his talents as an attorney, composer, singer, musician and literary author. His musical compositions, like the Hawaiian anthem “Hawai'i Pono'ī,” “Koni Au I Ka Wai” and “Ninipo,” still enchant music lovers in the 21st century.

On Nov. 16, celebrate the king's 172nd birthday at 'Iolani Palace, his former home, where a concert by the Royal Hawaiian Band, hula and palace tours will combine in a royal tribute to the Hawaiian Kingdom's seventh king. Runs from 11 am. to 3 p.m., free for kama'āina. He inoa no Ke Ali'i David La'amea Lumialani Mahinulani Nalo'iaehuokalani Kamanakaupu'u Kalākaua.

Leighton Look and his three daughters in undated photo. - Photo: Courtesy of Mel Pu'u

Remembering Leighton Look

Next month, beloved waterman Leighton Look will be remembered the way he lived – with a canoe surf contest that invites the island's best paddlers, surfers and water sports enthusiasts to come together and enjoy Mākaha Surfing Beach. “Leighton would have loved this,” said Mel Pu'u, who helps organize the Bradah Mel's Canoe Surfing and Stand-up Surfing Championships, planned for Dec. 6-7 or 13-14, depending on conditions.

Pu'u recalls how in 2004, Look led a six-man crew from Hui Lanakila Canoe Club to win the master's division of the Walter J. Macfarlane Regatta at Waikīkī Beach after their wide lead all but vanished near the finish line. Look's instructions? “ 'Catch the next bump. We just gotta do this.' ” Pu'u said. “And we did. I can still see Leighton, not saying anything, just smiling from ear to ear.”

Look, who helped to establish Hui Lanakila in 1977, died in August at the age of 52, four years after a diving accident left him paralyzed from the neck down. Proceeds from the fourth annual contest will continue to help Look's family pay for medical bills, which still remain. Donations of any kind, including cash and prizes, are welcome. Checks are payable to Hawai'i Amateur Surfing Association. To make an advance donation or for information, call 478-9086. — Liza Simon

Makahiki fest burning bright

A torch is being passed during this makahiki season of peace and abundance. The uber-popular pan-Polynesian Makahiki Maoli Festival will continue to feature makahiki games, arts, food and entertainment from Hawai'i, Tahiti, Rapa Nui, Samoa and Tonga, but starting this year the event will become a fundraiser for Pūnana Leo o Honolulu to “keep the language alive and to keep the awareness of the makahiki going,” said Ka'uhane Lee, president of Ke Ala 'Ōlino Hawai'i, the event's founder. All proceeds from the event will support the school's program and keiki.

The event has been such a success – it attracted 10,000 attendees when it traveled to Tahiti in 2006 – and has helped to achieve a new Hawai'i state law that establishes each Nov. 20 from here on as Makahiki Commemoration Day. So after five years of helping to raise awareness of the makahiki season, Lee says, “mission accomplished.” That's not to say Ke Ala 'Ōlino's work is done. The group is now setting its sights on cultural heritage preservation relating to sacred sites. For information or booth application for the free Makahiki Maoli Festival, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 22 at Kapi'olani Park Bandstand, call 728-5663, email plohonolulu@gmail.com or visit ahapunanaleo.org. — Lisa Asato

Kaua'i healthcare grant

Healthcare for Native Hawaiians on Kaua'i will be getting a boost from a $2.37 million grant provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the office of U.S. Rep. Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai'i) announced in August.

The funding will go to Ho'ōla Lāhui Hawai'i (HLH), part of the federally funded Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems, which operates on Kaua'i at medical centers in Waimea and Kapa'a. HLH will use the funds to expand services to Native Hawaiians by providing more primary health care, dental care, behavioral health counseling, substance abuse counseling, chronic disease management, case management and access to federally subsidized 340B pharmacies. Kaua'i is considered an underserved area for Native Hawaiians who are widely prevented from accessing comprehensive health care services by social and geographical barriers that include poverty, lack of medical insurance, lack of information on medical treatment and the declining number of primary care providers in the state's rural communities.

Educator lauded

David Kekaulike Sing, director of Nā Pua No'eau, has been named Educator of the Year by the National Indian Education Association. Sing received the prestigious honor last month in Seattle at the annual conference for the NIEA, which is dedicated to increasing educational opportunities for students of Native American, Hawaiian and Alaskan ancestry.

Under Sing's leadership, Nā Pua No'eau has successfully developed its statewide enrichment programs for gifted and talented Native Hawaiian children, including developing curriculum for K-12 students that has served as a model for the state's Hawaiian-focused charter schools, establishing seven Nā Pua No'eau outreach centers, which offer educational programs in collaboration with University of Hawai'i campuses and other Native Hawaiian community and professional organizations, including OHA, a major funder of Na Pua No'eau.

Sing is the first Native Hawaiian board member of the NIEA, which held its 2007 convention in Honolulu, attracting more than 3,000 educators. As part of his work with NIEA, Sing established a Native Hawaiian Education Association to provide additional support for Nā Pua No'eau as a venue for research, teacher training and community discourse on improving education for children of indigenous ancestry.

Lunalilo trustees

Probate Judge Colleen Hirai named the three trustees of the King William Charles Lunalilo Trust Estate on Sept. 26. The trustees are Stanley Hong, 73, who was reappointed; Harvey McInerny, 52, was appointed from interim trustee; and Kamani Kuala'au, 29, was a new appointee. The trustees will serve staggered terms of nine, seven and five years, respectively. The court approved Hong's reappointment to serve after the age of 70, which is the cut-off age stipulated by the king's will. “(Hong is) the glue between the past and the future,” McInerny said. “We felt it was very necessary to have him be a big part in what we're doing as far as stabilizing our trust.”

The king's will established Lunalilo Home for elderly infirm Hawaiians, which opened in 1883 in Makiki. In 1927 it relocated to its current location in Hawai'i Kai, where it operates a type two adult residential care home that can accommodate 44, provides respite services, an adult day care open to all, and Meals on Wheels. “We give preference to Native Hawaiians, but we have non-Native Hawaiians too because we need the revenue,” McInerny said. “If any part-Hawaiian is available to come out and we don't have room, we would always make that space available.” Lunalilo Home plans an open house Nov. 1 and its annual fundraiser lū'au Jan. 31, the king's 174th birthday. Call Grace or Dawn at 395-1000 for information.

Falls of Clyde

Now that the Falls of Clyde has been saved from possible sinking, its new owners are asking the public for its help in getting back the ship's many missing parts so that a full restoration can be done. No questions will be asked upon return of any missing items, which include portholes, skylights and equipment. The parts, believed to have made their way worldwide, were either given away or taken as it was widely believed the four-masted 19th century ship would be intentionally sunk, said Chris Woolaway, a vice president with the Friends of Falls of Clyde, which received ownership of the National Historic Landmark for $1 from Bishop Museum on Sept. 30.

The nonprofit group plans to assess the ship's condition in dry dock before the end of the year, and work on its preservation and long-term restoration, for which costs have not been determined. To make a donation to the Friends of Falls of Clyde, visit friendsoffallsofclyde.org. For information or questions on returning missing items, contact Keven Williamson at kwilliamson@friendsoffallsofclyde.org or Heather McGregor at hmcgregor@friendsoffallsofclyde.org or 526-1559 and leave a message.

USDA grants

Applications are being accepted for a U.S. Department of Agriculture rural development grant program that aims to help producers receive a greater share of revenues by expanding into “value-added agricultural products.”

Value-added items include those that change the physical form of a product, such as turning sweet potatoes into potato chips or strawberries into jam. Another example is going organic, free range or grass fed, and thereby enhancing a product's value.

Two types of grants are available. Planning grants of up to $100,000 cover activities such as creating a business plan, feasibility study, marketing plan or legal fees connected with establishing a value-added venture. Working capital grants of up to $300,000 may be used for expenses such as labor, inventory, office equipment and marketing and consulting fees.

Eligible applicants are independent producers, farmer or rancher cooperatives, agricultural producer groups and majority-controlled producer-based business ventures. A dollar-for-dollar match is required in the form of cash, line of credit or third-party contributions such as time, equipment, space or staff salaries. Other federal grants cannot be used as a match.

For application and deadline information for the Value-Added Producer Grant Program, call USDA Rural Development for your island: Moloka'i, Maui and Lāna'i, 808-553-5321; Hawai'i Island, 808-933-8312; O'ahu and Kaua'i, 808-483-8600 ext.118.

Book sale

Bishop Museum will hold its third annual Book Sale on Nov. 8 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the museum's Pākī Building conference rooms. This sale will feature a variety of publications from its Library and Archives Department – some that date back to the 1800s, out-of-print memoirs, bulletins and occasional papers from the 1900s.

Funds raised will benefit the nonprofit museum, which last year bought a much-needed microform reader for its Library and Archives, thanks to previous sales. “By making these many rare and out-of-print books available at below-market cost, we think that the community is able to support the museum's mission while also benefitting themselves,” said librarian Matthew Yim.

In preparation for the book sale, the museum's Library and Archives will be closed on Nov. 7. For information, visit bishopmuseum.org or call 848-4148.

Kumulā'au Arbor Day

Family activities and a free native Hawaiian plant giveaway are planned in honor of Arbor Day at three Outrigger properties in Waikīkī and Kona. Events are free and open to the public and the plant giveaway, which includes certified cuttings at the Waikīkī hotels, are one per family, while supplies last.

From 10 a.m. to noon, Nov. 6, Outrigger Reef on the Beach at Waikīkī offers free crafts and activities, including ti leaf lei-making, lā'au lapa'au and a calabash exhibit. Starbucks will provide used nitrogen-rich coffee grounds to grow healthy plants. Validated valet parking, $5. For information, call Luana Maitland, 924-6007.

From 10 a.m. to noon, Nov. 7, Outrigger Waikīkī on the Beach hosts exhibits and activities like lei-making and information about kalo by Calvin Hoe. Validated parking, $5. For information, call Ethan Chang, 921-9371.

From 9 to 11 a.m., Nov. 8, the Keauhou Beach Resort in Kona will offer information on native Hawaiian plants including hala, halapepe, lama (Hawaiian persimmon) and 'ōhi'a 'ai (mountain apple). Native plant giveaway is courtesy of the Amy Greenwell Botanical Gardens. Horticulturalist Brian Kiyabu will answer questions. For information, call Joanna Demeo on O'ahu at 924-6018.

The free annual Arbor Day celebration helps to educate visitors and residents about Hawaiian plants, their cultural significance and the importance of protecting the Islands' unique environment. The event is part of Outrigger's Kalākaua Experience, a year-round series of educational guest programs about Hawai'i's cultural heritage.

Breast cancer award

University of Hawai'i at Mānoa School of Social Work professor Noreen Mokuau has received a $300,000 award from the Susan G. Komen for the Cure to conduct research on the role of the 'ohana in the recovery of Native Hawaiian women diagnosed with breast cancer. The research project, titled Kū Me Ka 'Ohana, or Stand Tall with Family, will examine the feasibility of a culturally based intervention that aims to build on the strengths of 'ohana as a natural support system for Native Hawaiian victims of breast cancer. Studies show that Native Hawaiians have higher mortality rates and lower survival rates from breast cancer when compared with other U.S. populations, yet there is limited research on the role that the Native Hawaiian family may be able to play in helping loved ones to cope with and recover from the disease. Results of the study will be used to inform healthcare providers on ways to help Native Hawaiian families deal with breast cancer in the future. Support for the project has been provided by several community organizations, including OHA, the Cancer Information Service, 'Imi Hale, Queen's Medical Center and Straub Clinic and Hospital.