WAKINIKONA CLUB NEWS

HALAU HONORS KAMAHELE AS KUPUNA OF THE YEAR

Halau O'Lono, in their second annual Aloha O Na Kupuna Festival, chose for the first time a Kupuna of the Year. They named one of our club's charter members, Larry Kamahele for his many contributions to the Hawaiian community in the Pacific Northwest.

     As fitting for this festival, the halau recognized the role kupuna have in our community for providing the foundation to our Polynesian values, culture & traditions.  Our kupuna carry with them knowledge passed on from generations before them. Information, experiences and folklore that often can not be found in writing (except in Na Mea Kahiko, Larry’s contribution to our monthly newsletter).

     Larry exemplifies what we should all see in a kupuna.  He is consistently perpetuating the Hawaiian culture in his daily life.  Through mele, correctly pronouncing Hawaiian words, and explaining their meanings, he has brought life to our heritage.  Larry has the foresight, recognizes the need, and takes action to ensure our younger generations develop leadership skills that will help them integrate their Polynesian values while co-existing in our western world.  He does this annually through the National Pacific American Leadership Institute (NAPALI), a 9-day course for emerging leaders in Honolulu.  Closer to home, he writes an insert to our newsletter on tidbits of Hawaiian history and folklore—which are all available on-line in our club website.                          

Halau O'Lono put on a touching and fitting ceremony for Larry.  They kept it secret from us to truly surprise Larry.  The wahines of  Halau o' Lono danced dressed in  purple mu'u, wearing red carnation leis with ohia flowers in their hair. We were fortunate to capture this special ceremony on video and will share it at one of our meetings. You could see that the halau worked for months to show this special aloha for Larry, our own boy from Keaukaha.

     We are blessed to have Larry in our club and look forward to getting future makana from him.  As sure as taxes, we will all be kupuna one day, so ask yourself will I be able to pass on my culture to the next generation as it was gifted to me?  Be a student of your culture despite your current age. Find the importance and meaning in your own experiences and share it

                                                             HOLOHOLO  NEWS

 If you still want to keep up with the holoholo news that Uncle Dan Kaopuiki used to write about in the NW Hawai’i Times, go to:

   www.//holoholonw.com   Dan continues to “roam the NW” and provides human interest stories that have been a hit. Check him out! 

                                               RADIO SHOW ON AIR  TWICE WEEKLY

Our local Seattle radio show, Hawai’i Radio Connection, broadcasts twice weekly, and continues to serve our community with timely news here in the PNW and back home in Hawai’i.

     Here is the schedule for each week:

· KXPA-AM  1540      9 to 10 AM

· KBCS-FM   91.3      Noon to 2 PM

      Tune in each week, and catch local personalities, including Braddah Gomes, Auntie Moody, Manono, Cousin Gail, Sistah Kulina, Uncle Ed, Uncle Danny, Uncle Greg, and others, bring you Hawaiian music, news, information and conversation each Saturday.

     Both shows now steam live, at kxpa.com and kbcs.fm.

WA'A NEWS

The long distance season came in like a bang now that Rooster Rock and the Gorge are behind us.  We were able to assemble both a women’s (albeit with a male steersman) and a men’s crew for the race at Rooster Rock.  Mahalo to Erin, Abby, Jan, Nicole, and Sue Z for our women’s crew, and to Jon, Jason, Keka, Jeff, and Vern.  We drafted Doug Miyata from Kihaha to steer the women’s crew and Sean from SOCC to fill out the men’s canoe.  Both crews had excellent races, then enjoyed the camaraderie and the raffle prizes.

     Our hui provided a bit of warm aloha in co-hosting the sendoff of Margo Pellegrino, the solo paddler who is paddling from Seattle to San Diego to bring attention to the plight and care of our oceans. Iwalani Christian blessed Margo’s wa’a at the end of our practice on July 1st, and we had the sendoff ceremony on July 3rd.  Wakinikona contributed to the send off by providing “our beach, a PA set, a pule, and group participation in singing Oli Mahalo and a rousing 3 rounds of the E Ku Mau Mau chant.  Nicole Juliano did an excellent job with the oli, and Keka Ichinose kicked up the enthusiasm with his animated chant.  We then joined a flotilla of 50 to 75 paddlers in OC-1, OC-2, OC-6 and SUP to escort Margo to the Ballard Locks.  In commenting to the crowd, Margo, who has paddled from Miami to Maine, and the Gulf Coast,  stated that in the coldest of all her start points, Seattle had given her the warmest of all send-offs.   Wakinikona had a 2nd chance to give aloha to Margo when she put in for the night in Ocean Shores/Westport.  Jan and Vern Heikkila monitored Margo’s progress and were waiting at the harbor entrance to hail her in.  They invited Margo and her ground support person to spend the night at their home.  Because of the weather, the overnight stay turned into 3 days.  After this much needed rest, Jan and Vern gave another sendoff to Margo.  Who would have guessed there would be a 3rd opportunity to give aloha to this solo paddler.  In putting in tat Longview, Margo had a  rough huli in the shore break and this damaged her ama.  She needed this repaired and asked for Vern’s help. Vern agreed and patched her ama while he was at the Gorge race.  She is now set to continue the journey.

     At the Gorge 2010 race, our hui again had two crews racing.  Our men’s crew of Bryan, Keka, Jason, Jeff, Mike and Jon did extremely well and all were ecstatic with the way they paddled and raced.  Given the wave conditions, this was something to be proud—-and talked about for years.  Our mixed crew of Vern, Sue Amott, Abby, Stan, Sue Z and Jerome—yes, Jerome Cox, put in a valiant try, but had to drop out after the 1st lap due to a re-injury.  It was a great run while it lasted.  We got some satisfaction in seeing about 8 wa’a that were behind us go by after we dropped out.  It was wise to not continue, but we should have star

EDITORIAL

I’m not sure what’s got into me this last couple of weeks, but I’ve been mulling over what legacy I will leave when I die.

     There have been a death or two in the family, as well as others who I am close to that are very sick.  In trying to look beyond the immediate difficulties (sickness, hospitalization, medical treatments, etc.), I find comfort in thinking about the positive side of the person.  This can lead to remembering the major points or highlights of his/her life.

     None of the people I’ve ever known have built something that is memorable, e.g., a huge house, a successful company, or a valuable invention, etc.  As I think of our Hawaiian ancestors, you hear about one who united all the islands, one who brought hula back to life, one who founded Queen’s Hospital, one who founded the Kamehameha Schools, or one who worked to have the Hawaiian Homesteads Act passed through Congress.  These are all big accomplishments, and legacies left behind for us to remember these alii. 

     However, I have known people who have established and expanded organizations, influenced and nurtured leaders, or simply did a great job in raising his/her children.  The good works of an organization,  the leadership accomplishments, or the good deeds or responsible living of children are in themselves the legacy that one will leave.  I sometimes have referred to this as the “footprints” you leave behind in your life.   

     While we should be ha’aha’a (humble), it is still important to do something in your life to be remembered.  And when you do this, you will be setting the example to those in your ’ohana who are sure to notice.  When they emulate what you do, they perpetuate your legacy and they become the footprints you leave behind. 

                                   CALENDAR OF EVENTS