As the world waits for Father Damien de Veuster to be canonized on Oct. 11, 2009, Hawaii celebrates his feast day (May 10) this weekend with three nights of evening prayer services and a statue ceremony in Honolulu. Last night, HAWAII Magazine was invited to attend the first evening prayer in honor of Blessed Damien […]
You ask. We answer. HAWAII Magazine reader Edd Kogan of Oak Ridge, Tenn. writes: Where I can view and purchase the 2009 Merrie Monarch Festival poster online? I collect them, and used to get them at a store in Hilo. While this year’s edition of the annual Big Island of Hawaii hula festival is over,
Today in Hawaii we celebrate tango-no-sekku, more commonly known as Boys’ Day. In Japan, where Boys’ Day originated, the holiday was joined with Girls’ Day to form Children’s Day. However, we in the Islands are fond of setting aside separate days for both sexes. Hence, Girls’ Day is observed on March 3, while Boys’ Day
Tomorrow is May 1: May Day, or Lei Day, in Hawaii. It’s an annual celebration of Hawaiian culture that’s popular with residents and visitors alike. A day for attending music and hula shows (many organized just for the occasion), sporting your best aloha wear and, especially, wearing colorful lei. Hawaii’s May Day origins date back
Where can you see people dress up in life-size Spam can costumes? In Waikiki, of course! This year’s annual Waikiki Spam Jam street festival kicks off tomorrow (4/25) on Kalakaua Avenue. The block-party celebration—which runs from 4 to 10 p.m.—includes two stages of Hawaiian music, a variety of Hawaiian crafts booths and merchandise stands selling
If you happen to be on Maui this weekend, you’re in luck. The annual East Maui Taro Festival kicks off this Saturday in Hana. Each year, the Hana community transforms its baseball park into a place that pays tribute to the ancient Hawaiian staple—the kalo (taro). The two-day festival includes Hawaiian music, arts and crafts
Jack Johnson’s annual Kokua Festival benefit concerts are taking a break this year, but his non-profit, Kokua Hawaii Foundation, is holding its inaugural benefit auction, starting today. Collectible items from the festival’s former performers are being auctioned off for charity. Up for grabs? Johnson’s autographed guitar, Willie Nelson’s sneakers and tickets to attend Eddie Vedder’s
“Maui is the place where I hope to my long and healthy latter years,” says 61-year-old Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood, who moved his entire family to Maui’s Napili shorefront—wife, twin daughters and his mother. But make no mistake. Fleetwood has not retired. He’s currently on tour with a (mostly) reunited Fleetwood Mac, currently in
This year’s Merrie Monarch Festival has come to a conclusion. Ke Kai O Kahiki walked away with the big prize of top hula halau. The Oahu halau (troupe) won the festival’s overall honor Saturday night thanks to a strong showing in the men’s categories. They won the men’s kahiko (traditional) competition with one of the
HAWAII Magazine reader Rosemary Grutt e-mailed us: I’d love to hear song samples from your favorite five albums of 2008, as mentioned in the article in my January/February 2009 issue of HAWAII Magazine. I went online and tried to find a link but was not successful. Please tell me where the link is. Mahalo. Click
The 46th annual Merrie Monarch Festival kicks off tonight. For many hula halau (troupes), the festival is their Super Bowl. They spend much of the year practicing and preparing for this weekend. Hundreds of dancers from around the world congregate to Edith Kanakaole Stadium in the Big Island town of Hilo for a weekend filled
Since they are virtually our neighbors in Hawaii Kai, we’d like to extend our congratulations to Josh Holloway and his wife Yessica Kumala, who had a baby girl, Java Kumala Holloway, last week. Local media were caught flat-footed, since the Holloways reportedly shopped for a Honolulu hospital that would keep the happy event under wraps.
