Latest news with #AlohaAuthentic
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Yahoo
Aloha Authentic Ep 508
In this episode of Aloha Authentic, host Kamaka Pili welcomes cultural practitioner and 8th-generation weaver Keoua Nelsen to share his ʻike of lauhala. Keoua shares how his journey began under the guidance of his grandmother. Like many, he had a hard time getting the hang of the actual weaving. When frustration set in, he offered to help his grandmother gather leaves and material for her to weave. What seemed like a pause in learning became a foundational lesson. For Keoua, understanding where the leaves come from, how they grow, and the energy they carry is even more important than the weaving itself. He explains that the color of a hala leaf isn't just about the plant, it's shaped by its environment. Soil, minerals, water, and even weather all affect the quality and appearance of the leaf. Lauhala was originally woven for functional uses like mats, pillows, and baskets. Today, it is still rooted in tradition, however it has taken a more decorative role with its complex patterns and designs. As an 8th-generation weaver, Keoua carries a proud legacy. He recalls how his grandmother and her sisters were once asked to help recreate a lauhala sail for the Polynesian Voyaging Society. While honored, they respectfully declined. The challenge was too great given the complexity of the task. To bring the episode to life, Keoua walks Kamaka through a basic weaving technique to make a bracelet, a small but meaningful hands-on experience that ties together tradition, storytelling, and practice. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Yahoo
Celebrating 50 Years of Hōkūleʻa
On this special episode of Aloha Authentic, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hōkūleʻa, the legendary voyaging canoe that sparked a cultural renaissance for Native Hawaiians and the Pacific. To honor this milestone, host Kamaka Pili sits down with Nainoa Thompson, who helped bring traditional wayfinding back to life. For Nainoa, the journey to becoming a master navigator began with a deep question: How did our ancestors cross the vast Pacific without modern instruments? That curiosity led him to study the ocean, the stars, and the ways of the great navigators who came before him. But it wasn't just books or research that guided him—it was his teachers. In our conversation, Nainoa shares the powerful lessons he learned from his mentors, including the late Mau Piailug, the master navigator from Satawal, and Herb Kawainui Kāne, the visionary artist and historian who helped design Hōkūleʻa. Mau, in particular, was the key to unlocking the knowledge that had nearly been lost. He taught Nainoa not just the techniques of wayfinding, but the responsibility that comes with it—to care for the canoe, the crew, and the ocean itself. As we reflect on five decades of Hōkūleʻa's voyages, Nainoa also teaches us some basics of traditional navigation. He explains how wayfinders read the stars, ocean swells, and winds to find their way across thousands of miles. No GPS. No compasses. Just a deep connection to nature and ancestral wisdom. Hōkūleʻa's legacy is more than just a canoe—it's a symbol of resilience, cultural pride, and the power of indigenous knowledge. Join us as we honor this historic milestone and learn from one of the world's greatest navigators. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Why is it called Kūhiō Beach?
HONOLULU (KHON2) – In the ahupuaʻa of Waikīkī, which lies in the moku of Kona here on Oʻahu, stands a busy roadway named in honor of the only royal US congressman. We are speaking of Kūhiō Ave. Lewers St, who is it named after? In Hawaiian, the word kūhiō can be look upon as kū, meaning 'to stand' and hiō, meaning 'to lean or to slant.' To some, the meaning of the name Kūhiōis 'the one who leaned forward while standing.' The street is in honor of Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole who became Hawaiʻi's second delegate to the US Congress. As the only US Congressman of royal decent till this day, Prince Kūhiō worked to elevate the rights of his 1921, the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act was signed leading to what we know today as the Hawaiian Homelands. As did many of the Hawaiian royal members, Prince Kūhiō once lived in Waikīkī. At what is now known as Kūhiō Beach once stood his seaside residence named Pualeilani. Prior to the prince, this land belonged to Queen Liliʻuokalani with what she called 'my pretty seaside cottage.' What included a pier, the Queen's shoreline property was named Keʻalohilani and once stood near the intersection of Kalākaua and Liliʻuokalani Avenues. Hoʻoponopono with Kumu Earl Kawaʻa | Aloha Authentic Episode 505 In 1918, one year following Queen Liliʻuokalani's passing, Prince Kūhiō obtained her property. Built adjacent to the Queen's former pier, Pualeilani was the last space in Waikīkī that remained to the royal family. In 1935, following a succession of tea rooms, the property was purchased at auction by the City & County of Honolulu. In the name of beach improvements, the city, the house and the Queen's pier. Check out more news from around Hawaii Today, the area is known as Kūhiō Beach. Did you know? Now you do! Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lewers St, who is it named after?
HONOLULU (KHON2) — In the ahupuaʻa of Waikīkī, which lies in the moku of Kona here on Oʻahu, stands a roadway named after a haole merchant. We're speaking of Lewers St. Hawaiian language was nearly silenced By the middle of the 1800s, Ireland native Christopher Lewers arrived in Honolulu and started a lumber business. In partnership with a man named Joshua Gill Dickson, the lumber business evolved and was named Lewers & Dickson. Robert Lewers, who was a cousin to Christopher, arrived from New York and became a carpenter. It was Robert Lewers and a man named Charles Cooke who eventually continued the business under a new Lewers & Cooke, the company became one of the largest dealers of lumber and building materials across Hawaii. From its beginnings on Fort St, Lewers & Cooke eventually moved to what was once 404 Piʻikoi St. Today, the address has changed to 88 Piʻikoi St, which is now the site of the Hawaiki Tower condo and the KHON2 News Station. The name of the street, however, remains Piʻikoi. Hoʻoponopono with Kumu Earl Kawaʻa | Aloha Authentic Episode 505 In Hawaiian language, the word piʻikoi can mean 'to claim honors not rightfully due' or 'to aspire to be the best.' But the street name Piʻikoi is named after High Chief David Kahalepouli Piʻikoi, father to influential sons. Given the title of Prince, his sons included Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole, David Kawānanakoa and Edward Keliʻiahonui. Together, these three royal brothers introduced the art of surfing with the west coast of America while attending college. Check out more news from around Hawaii And it was through the works of Prince Kūhiō as a Delegate to the US Congress that today, we have what is known as Hawaiian Homelands. Did you know? Now you do! Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Hoʻoponopono with Kumu Earl Kawaʻa
On this episode of Aloha Authentic, hosted by Kamaka Pili, we return to Keiki o Ka ʻĀina to sit down once again with Kumu Earl Kawaʻa. This time, our focus is on hoʻoponopono, the traditional Hawaiian practice of healing and reconciliation. Kumu Kawaʻa begins by explaining the true meaning of hoʻoponopono–to make things right, to restore harmony within families and individuals. Rooted in Hawaiian culture, this practice goes beyond just saying 'I'm sorry.' It is a guided process to address conflicts, heal emotional wounds, and release burdens that may be affecting one's spiritual and physical well-being. One of the key aspects Kumu Kawaʻa discusses is the diagnosis of lele, mai waho mai, and mai loko mai. These terms help identify the source of a person's imbalance. Lele refers to when a person's spirit is unsettled, as if they are disconnected from themselves or their purpose. Mai waho mai indicates that the harm or illness comes from an external source–conflict with others, unresolved disputes, or even negative energy directed at a person. Mai loko mai speaks to internal struggles–guilt, resentment, or past trauma that continues to fester within. He shares powerful stories of patients who have come to him for healing, as well as those who sought his mother's wisdom in past generations. Some cases involved deep family disputes, where individuals held onto anger for decades. Others were about self-forgiveness–releasing personal shame and grief that had weighed someone down for years. Each example highlights the transformative power of hoʻoponopono when approached with an open heart and a willingness to heal. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
