With the 61st annual Merrie Monarch Festival coming up next week (March 31–April 6) in Hilo on the Big Island, I’ve been thinking about hula lately. Not just the graceful dance moves or the beautiful costumes, but the story behind it. Hula is like a living,...
We’ve all been there. Whether it’s kicking back on a weekend or during a much deserved vacation, you get lulled into thinking that nothing can ruin your rest and relaxation. Then you hear that all-too-familiar whine in your ear. No, not your spouse....
Ahhh. Vacationing in paradise. You’ve left the rat race for a brief, blissful respite in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. What could go wrong? Unfortunately, plenty. We all tend to throw caution to the wind to some degree when it comes to vacationing....
In South Kona on the Big Island, there is a very special place named Pu‘uhonua o Honaunau, also called Place of Refuge. (This is a good opportunity to work on Hawaiian pronunciations—POO-OO-HO-NEW-AH O HO-NOW-NOW.) Though it can be difficult to pronounce, it is is a...
Ask anyone what the tallest mountain in the world is and you’ll probably get the most obvious answer—Mount Everest in the Himalayan Mountains. Sure, that’s Earth’s tallest mountain above sea level. However, if we’re taking into account...
