As a traveler, there are some things I’ll never do. I won’t eat whale or turtle meat, I won’t surf alone at an unfamiliar break and I won’t jump off a cliff into a body of water. I tried to do that last one, standing at the edge of Ka Lae, or South Point, on […]
There’s video footage of Daniel Koval, a Kona-based freediving instructor, plunging 335 feet into the sea. It’s an intoxicating sequence through the ocean’s many layers, and as Koval descends, the video shows the water’s slow transition from light blue to black. Finally, he makes it to his desired depth. In the video, Koval has been
For hula practitioners and avid spectators, summer is another exciting season for cultural celebration as the Prince Lot Hula Festival takes center stage. While many halau prepare tirelessly for prestigious hula competitions, the Prince Lot Hula Festival distinguishes itself as Hawaii’s premier noncompetitive hula festival. Welcoming halau and dancers of all ages and skill levels,
Did you know Iolani Palace on Oahu had electric lighting two years before the White House? Or that the world’s largest dormant volcano is Haleakala on Maui? Or that billboards are not allowed in Hawaii—at all?
I make a scoop with my hand and pull out sticky, slippery white beans from a ridged, yellow pod. It’s a cloudy Friday afternoon in Kapaʻa in East Kauaʻi. I’m in a small clearing in a cacao orchard on Lydgate Farms. Every month, Will Lydgate, the owner and namesake of Lydgate Farms, hosts cacao-harvesting volunteer
The Na Hoku Hanohano Awards concluded last Saturday night, and Hawaii’s top musicians have been awarded for their talent and hard work. Below, you can check out some of the albums and singles that were so good that they had to be given an award in their specified genre or category, such as Single of
After three full days of competition, the 2019 Merrie Monarch Festival is officially over. Twenty-four hula halau (hula schools) competed in auana (modern) and kahiko (traditional) styles of hula, and schools were split into wahine (women) and kane (men) divisions. A panel of judges reviewed each performance and assigned points to each halau using the Merrie Monarch judging sheet before announcing who
It’s that time of year again, when humble Hilo town lights up and the Merrie Monarch Festival commences. For a full week, hoolaulea (celebrations), parades, performances, art fairs and hula competitions take over Hilo. However, with so much to do and see, creating an itinerary is a must, so check out our event guide below
If you didn’t get a ticket to watch the Merrie Monarch Festival, Hawaii’s premier hula competition, don’t feel bad, not many of us did. But just because you aren’t going to be able to see the hula halau (hula schools) perform in-person doesn’t mean you can’t see it at all. Below is the schedule of events for the three
These are the Hawaii festivals that people travel from all corners of the world to attend. Whether it’s a legendary hula festival or a block party in honor of Hawaii’s favorite canned meat, you won’t find these unique gatherings anywhere else in the world. Here are the festivals and celebrations of Island culture our readers
Island-born locals like Alana Kysar know all too well how homesickness can tug on the heartstrings when they move away from home, but a comforting dish of mochiko chicken can often soothe the ache. The Maui native grew up in the kitchen with her parents, learning to cook and bake from her mother and channeling
Every restaurant that award-winning chef Peter Merriman has opened in the Islands—from the laid-back Merriman’s in Waimea nestled amid ranches on Hawaii Island to the bustling Merriman’s Honolulu that opened last year in one of Oahu’s most vibrant new neighborhoods—has one very important thing in common. And it’s come to define him for more than
