Arts + Culture

nymochi-opener2
Arts + Culture, Culture, Food, Oʻahu

Why We Eat Mochi on New Year’s in Hawaiʻi

*This story was originally published on Dec. 31, 2019. People worldwide are welcoming the new year with spectacular firework shows and glasses of Champagne. In Hawaiʻi, we celebrate with popping firecrackers (to ward off evil spirits), eating noodles (which symbolize longevity), cleaning our homes (so you don’t carry your old life into the new year)

Bishopmuseumhta
Arts + Culture, Environment, O‘ahu Arts + Culture, The Latest, What To Do

Bishop Museum Welcomes Last Known Survivor of Rare Hawaiian Snail Genus

Hawaiian land snails are among the most threatened animal groups on the planet.  Researchers believe 11 species of Endodonta once lived in the wild across the Hawaiian Islands—part of a family of about 200 species. Today, it is likely the last remaining species in the Endodonta genus. READ MORE: One Hawaiian Snail Dies, but the

Chef Sheldon Ohana Style
Arts + Culture, Recipes, The Latest, Where To Eat

Chef Sheldon Simeon’s Second Cookbook is For Everyone

It’s been four years since Hilo-born chef Sheldon Simeon published his first cookbook, “Cook Real Hawaiʻi,” putting local favorites like pork adobo, wok-fried poke and Spam musubi on a culinary pedestal. And he’s been busy. The two-time “Top Chef” finalist, who continues to run Tin Roof in Kahului, Maui, earned a James Beard Award nomination in

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Arts + Culture, From Our Magazine, The Latest

How the Slack-Key Guitar Became the Musical Heartbeat of Hawaiʻi

In Hawai‘i, f​​​rom baby lū‘au to backyard potlucks, the​ sounds of​ ​​​Hawaiian slack-key guitar—or kī hō‘alu—​​​fill the air​​.   These mele (songs) tell stories about life in the Islands, transporting listeners back in time and evoking a sweet sense of nostalgia. From ​​joyful​, energetic​ tunes about Waimea’s cowboy country ​to​​​​​ passionate ode​s​ to​​ sweetheart​s​ in Waikīkī,

Iaovalleyhike
Arts + Culture, First-Time, The Latest, Travel Tips

The Fascinating Origins Behind 7 Famous Hawaiian Place Names

*This story was originally published on Jan. 25, 2020, and updated in October 2025.   What’s in an outdoor name? Many people know the story of how Diamond Head got its English-language name—19th-century British sailors initially mistook calcite crystals on its slopes for the precious stone. The Oʻahu volcanic crater’s original name, however, was Lēʻahi,

na wahine
Adventure, Arts + Culture, Culture, From Our Magazine, Molokaʻi, Oʻahu, O‘ahu Arts + Culture, The Latest

The Remarkable Story of the First Women to Paddle the Kaiwi Channel

*This story was originally published on Sept. 12, 2017. The 2025 Nā Wāhine o Ke Kai will be held on Sunday, Sept. 28. For more information, visit nawahineokekai.com.   Considered the pinnacle of long-distance Hawaiian outrigger canoe racing, the Kaiwi Channel is a grueling 41-mile stretch of open ocean separating the Hawaiian Islands of Molokaʻi

Huamomonafoundation
Arts + Culture, Maui, Maui/Moloka‘i/Lāna‘i What To Do, The Latest

By Helping Feed the Maui Community, This Local Foundation is also Spreading Aloha

I haven’t reached the 2025 Maui Music & Food Experience yet, but already I can hear the echo of “Paint It Black” reverberating through the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa. I ask myself if it’s still considered a cover of the Rolling Stones’ original song when Bernard Fowler—who’s been in the world-renowned rock band

Mele Moc 2
Arts + Culture, Maui, Maui/Moloka‘i/Lāna‘i Arts + Culture, The Latest, What To Do

Tradition Meets Technology at Maui Ocean Center’s New Hawaiian Music Show

The theater lights dim, a drumbeat ripples through your headphones and the IMAX-style screen bursts to life with stunning footage that takes you from the slopes of Haleakalā to the depths of the Pacific Ocean. Live musicians and dancers blur the line between stage and screen in a fusion of Hawaiian tradition and modern technology.

Shangrilaexterior
Arts + Culture, Oʻahu, O‘ahu Arts + Culture, The Latest

With a New Partnership and Ticket System, It’s Now Easier to Explore One of the Most Unique Museums in Hawaiʻi

There is a surprising treasure trove of world history nestled on the slopes of Lēʻahi on Oʻahu. And thanks to a new partnership with Bishop Museum, there are now more opportunities to explore Shangri La Musuem of Islamic Art, Culture & Design—the former estate of the billionaire heiress and philanthropist Doris Duke.  The late Duke

Iolanipalace
Arts + Culture, Oʻahu, O‘ahu Arts + Culture, The Latest

This September Marks the First Official Hawaiian History Month

It’s official: This September is the first Hawaiian History Month.   Earlier this year, the Hawaiʻi State Senate adopted Act 167, designating September as a time to honor, reflect and recognize the complex history of Hawaiʻi. The month commemorates remarkable contributions of Native Hawaiians who have helped perpetuate Hawaiian culture—both in the past and today. 

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