Poke Nūhou - Newsbriefs

By Ka Wai Ola Loa Staff

Maui's Ko‘ie‘ie fishpond withstands another test of Mother Nature during recent tsunami warning

On Feb. 27, the State of Hawai'i was under a rare warning for a natural disaster. A magnitude 8.8 earthquake in Chile generated a tsunami, which set the state on high alert. The island of Maui was preparing for damage that could occur by closing roads and even shutting down water use to residents in low-lying areas. However, the tsunami turned out to be a non-event for all Hawaiian Islands. This video provided by Maui TV News documents the change in water levels at Ko'ie'ie fishpond at Kalepolepo Beach in Kïhei. Although the water is noticeably surging in and out of the fishpond, fortunately it caused no damage. Restoration of the ancient fishpond has taken place in recent years, thanks in part to a 2009 OHA Community Grant for $81,965 to A'oa'o O Nā Loko I'a O Maui, the Association of the Fishponds of Maui.

Proposed bottomfish regulations to be topic of public hearings

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources has begun this week statewide public hearings on proposed amendments to bottomfish administrative rules. Under consideration are amendments that would:

• establish a new rules section pertaining to the open and close of the bottomfish season
• change commercial reporting of bottomfish catches from monthly reports to trip reports to the state
• change the noncommercial bag limit from only 'ehu and onaga to all deep-seven species
• change the bottomfish vessel registration requirement from "one-time" to annual renewal
• allow for the use of certain nets to take Kona crab while on a bottomfish vessel.

Meetings will begin with a 6 p.m. public information presentation followed by a 6:30 p.m. hearing. The remaining meeting dates and locations are as follows:

• March 18, Läna'i, Läna'i High School and Elem School, 555 Fraser Ave.
• March 19, O'ahu, Ben Parker Elem School, 45-259 Waikalua Road, Käne'ohe
• March 22, Maui, Maui Waena Elem School, 795 Onehe'e St., Kahului
• March 22, Hawai'i, Aupuni Conference Room, 101 Pauahi St. Hilo
• March 23, Moloka'i, Mitchell Pau'ole Center, 90 Ainoa St., Kaunakakai
• March 23, Kaua'i, Wilcox Elementary School, 4319 Hardy St., Lïhu'e
  

All interested persons are urged to attend the public hearing to present relevant information that will be taken under advisement by the DLNR. Those who are unable to attend or anyone wishing to present additional comments may mail written testimony by Friday, April 9 to the Division of Aquatic Resources, 1151 Punchbowl St., Room 330, Honolulu, HI 96813.

Information on proposed rule changes is available online at state.hi.us/dlnr/dar. Or, call the Aquatic Resources Division office on your island.

Native Hawaiian novelist draws national kudos

Lurline Wailana McGregor's award winning novel Between the Deep Blue Sea and Me. Book image courtesy of Kamehameha Publishing

A Native Hawaiian author has garnered a national youth literature award from the American Indian Library Association (AILA), an affiliate of the American Library Association.

Lurline Wailana McGregor has been selected as the recipient of AILA's annual American Indian Youth Literature Award for Best Young Adult Book for her novel "Between the Deep Blue Sea and Me," published by Kamehameha Publishing. This marks the first time that Native Hawaiian literature has been considered in American Indian literature and won a national award in this category, McGregor said.

The AILA awards recognize excellence in books by and about American Indians. The awards are aimed at increasing support for published materials that fairly portray the humanity of Native Americans and other aboriginal groups.

"I'm hoping that this national recognition will open doors for future Hawaiian works to be considered (for national honors)," said McGregor, adding that Native Hawaiian authors offer a unique perspective that is valuable to anyone who wants to understand Native Hawaiian culture from the insider's point of view.

AILA will officially honor McGregor and other 2010 award recipients on June 28 during the annual American Library Association conference in Washington, D.C. The winners will each receive a cash award and a beaded medallion featuring the AILA awards logo.

PA‘I Foundation seeking applicants for Harvard summer program

Applications are being accepted through March 31 for Native Hawaiian high school sophomores and juniors to attend the Harvard Medical School Native American High School Summer Program.

The goal of the program is to improve opportunities in science education, encourage students to pursue careers in biomedical sciences at leading institutions and to provide training in biomedical sciences for teachers. The PA'I Foundation will select seven students and two teacher/chaperones from Hawai'i to participate in this summer's program, which includes one week on O'ahu and three weeks at Harvard Medical School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Program curriculum includes lectures in Harvard Medical School classrooms, independent study projects and extracurricular activities. For eligibility requirements and application forms, visit surveymonkey.com/s/hooulu_2010.
For information or for printed copies of application forms, call 754-2301 or email vtakamine@gmail.com.

March 31 is the postmark deadline for submission of required forms, essays, three letters of recommendation and high school transcripts. Mail completed applications to: Ho'oulu, c/o PA'I Foundation, P.O. Box 235012, Honolulu, HI 96823.

Chaminade rolls out scholarships for Native Hawaiians

Chaminade University in Honolulu is offering several types of scholarships to meet the higher education needs of Native Hawaiians. All eligible students of Native Hawaiian ancestry are encouraged to apply for half-tuition scholarships for the 2010-11 academic year.

Incoming first-year students whose families are members of Hawaiian civic clubs in Hawai‘i or the continental U.S. may apply for the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs Scholarship. Additionally, Chaminade University offers the Department of Hawaiian Homelands Student Educational Opportunity Grant Scholarship to residents of Hawaiian homestead lands.

Chaminade also offers educational opportunity grant scholarships for graduates of the schools of Nä Lei Na‘auao, the Native Hawaiian Charter School Alliance.

About 15 percent of the private university's day undergraduates are of Native Hawaiian descent, university President Brother Bernard Ploeger, said in a news release. "We are passionate about helping Hawaiian students here and abroad achieve their educational goals," he said.

Scholarship awards may be applied to cover the cost of Chaminade's new nursing program, which will include a focus on cultural competency in serving the health care needs of the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities.

For scholarship information, call 735-4750 or visit chaminade.edu/native_hawaiian.

Reminder for parents of kindergarten-bound keiki

Registration is underway for parents to enroll keiki in kindergarten for Fall 2010. The Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture (INPEACE) has partnered with the state Department of Education to encourage families to register their kindergarten-age children early for the upcoming school year.

INPEACE works throughout the state in communities with concentrations of Native Hawaiians to raise awareness of the importance of early childhood education in contributing to the best possible outcomes in later years.

To register children for kindergarten, families must be prepared to present several documents, including a child’s original birth certificate and updated immunization records.

For tips on kindergarten registration and preparation, visit inpeace-hawaii.org or doe.k12.hi.us/kindergartenprep.htm. Parents may also register through INPEACE for Keiki Steps to Kindergarten, a three-week program to help children prepare for the transition to kindergarten.

For information on registering your child for kindergarten, call the following Department of Education District Offices:

• Hawai'i Office, 808-974-6600 (All schools on Hawai'i Island.)
• Kaua'i Office, 808-274-3502 (All schools on Kaua'i and Ni'ihau.)
• Maui Office, 808-484-8000 (All schools on Maui, Moloka'i and Läna'i.)

On O‘ahu:

• Honolulu Office, 808-733-4950 (Includes all Honolulu ZIP codes, except for those in the Hickam, Moanalua and Pearl Harbor areas.)
  
• Central Office, 808-627-7478 (Includes schools in the ZIP code areas of 'Aiea, Haleiwa, Kunia, Mililani, Wahiawä and Waialua, and the Honolulu communities of Hickam, Moanalua and Pearl Harbor.)
  
• Leeward Office, 808-692-8000 (Includes schools in the ZIP code areas of 'Ewa Beach, Kapolei, Pearl City, Wai'anae, Waipahu and Nänäkuli.)
  
• Windward Office, 808-233-5700 (Includes schools in the ZIP code areas of Hau'ula, Ka'a'awa, Kahuku, Kailua, Käne'ohe, Lä'ie and Waimänalo.)
   

UH law school sends inaugural fellow to Washington

Haia

Coti-Lynne Haia, a 2007 graduate of the University of Hawai'i William S. Richardson School of Law, has become the first recipient of the Post-J.D. Legislative Fellowship, awarded by the school's Ka Huli Ao Center for Excellence in Native Hawaiian Law.

The yearlong fellowship, which Haia began in January, will enable Haia to work in U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye's office in Washington, D.C. The fellowship is aimed at giving federal legislative experience to law school graduates while also providing help to Hawai'i's congressional delegation.

"With the Akaka Bill taking center stage, this year promises to provide an unforgettable and enriching experience," Haia said in a news release.

A graduate of Punahou School, Haia holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Gonzaga University and served as a deputy prosecuting attorney for the City and County of Honolulu. Law school Dean Avi Soifer said: "It is particularly fitting that this first Legislative Fellow has been placed in Senator Inouye's office. Ka Huli Ao Center for Excellence in Native Hawaiian Law owes its very existence largely to Senator Inouye's help."

‘Aha Pūnana Leo seeks kōkua in online survey

For more than 25 years, ‘Aha Pūnana Leo (‘APL) has been a leader in the revitalization of the Hawaiian language in Hawai‘i. Answering the call of the community, the ‘APL will be expanding its reach through workshops in Hawai‘i and on the U.S. continent. The workshops, part of the "Ke Ola o ka Maui" series, will focus on the authentic application of traditional Hawaiian perspectives and practices through mo‘olelo (stories), hula (dance), mele (song) and the foundational philosophy of the Kumu Honua Mauli Ola.

'APL is seeking input on where the workshops should be held. To help ‘APL determine what communities are most interested, complete their online survey by April 30.

For information, call Këhaulani Shintani on Hawai‘i Island at 1-800-498-4979 (toll free) or 808-935-4304. E Ola ka 'Ölelo Hawai‘i!

March 27 concert to help support cancer patient

A Hawaiian music all-star benefit concert on March 27 will raise money for a young Native Hawaiian mother with breast cancer.

The concert will be held on Saturday, March 27 at Calvary by the Sea Church in Honolulu, 5339 Kalaniana'ole Highway, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Entertainers include Kapono Beamer, Jon Osorio, Kämau, Waipuna, Kūpaoa and Keola Beamer.

Laua'e Beamer, wife of Kapono Beamer’s son Kamana, was diagnosed with cancer in January. She was eight months pregnant at the time. In early February, she gave birth to a healthy daughter, Halialoha Kawahinekapuanolani Kapuailohiamanonokalani Leipuana‘ala Beamer. Laua'e is currently undergoing treatment for her cancer. Family members and friends are planning the concert and silent auction to help pay for her medical expenses.

The silent auction will include sails on the Hōkūle'a, a stand-up paddleboard donated by surfer Duane DeSoto, artworks from Solomon Enos and Peggy Chun, and items from singer Jack Johnson. "We are so touched by the love and support we have received from the community," said Laua'e's husband, Kamana Beamer, who is a member of one of the event's featured bands, Kämau.

To donate items for the silent auction, contact concert organizer Trisha Kehaulani Watson at kehaulani.watson@gmail.com. Fundraiser tickets are $25 to $100 and are available at benefitforlauae.blogspot.com or at Native Books/Nä Mea Hawai'i at Ward Warehouse.

Ritz-Carlton Hawaiian arts extravaganza to set its collective gaze on the future

The finest Hawaiian music and hula will be showcased at the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua's annual Celebration of the Arts. – Photo: Courtesy of The Celebration of the Arts

The Celebration of the Arts at the Ritz-Carlton on Maui will spotlight a gala blend of art and culture, presented by prominent Native Hawaiian masters and practitioners in an award-winning event that has been hailed for joining locals and visitors in an embrace of Hawaiian heritage.

Festivities run April 2 to 4 on the Kapalua grounds of the Ritz-Carlton, overlooking the Honokahua Preservation site. Through this year’ theme, "E ia ka Manawa – Here, Now is the Time," organizers say they hope to inspire awareness of the role that Native Hawaiians play in shaping the future.

"In prior years, we have focused on bringing the past to the present, while this year the concentration will initiate thoughts from the present to the future," Clifford Nae'ole, coordinator of the annual celebration, said in a news release.

Panels, events, performances and craft demonstrations for all ages from keiki through küpuna are continuous from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Most daytime events are free.

The weekend's highlight takes place Saturday, April 3 at 6 p.m., when the Celebration Pä'ina and Show is held in the Aloha Garden Ballroom, featuring master kumu hula Charles Ka'upu and his hälau and the creators and performers from the award-winning play " 'Ulalena," who will bring Hawaiian history to life with innovative theatrical vignettes. Pä'ina ticket prices are $90 for adults and $45 for children 5 through 12. Advance reservations for the Pä'ina are recommended.

On Easter Sunday, The Terrace Restaurant will offer a Sunday Brunch and keiki can enjoy a complimentary Easter Egg Hunt on the Plantation Lawn.

For Celebration of the Arts information, call Clifford Nae'ole at 808-669-6200 or visit celebrationofthearts.org. An events hotline is available 24 hours a day at 808-665-7296.

Stage encore for the myth of Maui the Demigod

Hale Mawae and Moses Goods III are cast members in the play 'Maui the Demigod,' adapted by Gary L. Balfantz with oli and hula created by Kahoa Malalis. The play runs through April 18 at Kumu Kahua Theatre in downtown Honolulu. – Courtesy photo by Firebird Photography

The myth of Maui the Demigod is in the limelight once again, as Kumu Kahua Theatre stages a revival of Gary L. Balfantz's play that first toured the islands in 1992. A cast of local talent, including several noted Native Hawaiian actors, combines hula, oli and mo'olelo in a theatrical portrayal of Maui’s prank-filled childhood and heroic deeds of manhood.  

Kumu Kahua board member Wil Kahele directs this production, based on Steven Goldsberry's book "Maui the Demigod: An Epic Novel of Mythical Hawai'i."

Kumu Kahua's "Maui the Demigod" runs through April 18. Evening shows begin at 8 on Thursday through Saturday; Sunday matinees are at 2 p.m. Ticket prices range from $5 to $16 and may be purchased 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays at the Kumu Kahua box office, 46 Merchant St., in downtown Honolulu. Online purchases may be made at kumukahua.org.