Travel Tips

Madam Pele
Madam Pele is described in legend as the goddess of fire, who creates and destroys land. She causes the hot lava to be thrown into the air and to flow to the sea.

A more recent legend says that taking lava home, away from the Hawaiian islands, brings lots of bad luck. At the visitor's center of the Volcanoes National Park there are many display cabinets filled with letters that tell tales of woe that began with taking lava home. These tales came in packages of lava being returned, hoping to stop the bad luck. Travelers be warned!

What to Pack
It is always worth a giggle for locals when they see new visitors arriving with mounds of luggage for their stay. Truth be known, a backpack would suffice for a visit, which might help with today's luggage fees.

What is used most is a swim suit, some flip flops, and either a mu'umu'u for the wahines or shorts and a Hawaiian shirt worn outside the pants for the kanes.This will even get you into all the nice restaurants you want to enjoy. 

Notice that t-shirts are not mentioned as they are too hot. The daily drill is to take a dip in the ocean, lounge in the shade, rinse and repeat.   

Crack Seed
A real big favorite of locals, most especially children, are snacks known as crack seed These snacks originated in China and were brought to the island at the turn of the century. They can be found on small displays in all the local mom and pop bodegas. They are dried fruits, nuts, and seafood that are combined into crazy, strong flavors. Some favorites are

• Sweet and Sour Shredded Mango
• Seasoned Shredded Cuttlefish
• Sweet and Sour Cherry
• Sakura Arare

 Backstage
 Here is a picture of Aunti Marialani (aka Rap Reiplinger) backstage, without makeup or apron.

Just another taste of Rap:



 
Video
This video is for travelers headed to the island of Kaui. As always it is best interpreted with an ukulele, a falsetto voice and a hula dancer. Remember this when Hanalei is in view.



 

Humor

DANGER! No can try hide yo giggles!
In Hawaii humor can come in many forms and styles. All the cultural groups bring their style of humor to throw into the pot. It starts with the Hawaiians who have this child-like fun that is infected with giggling. In the seventies there grew a local cadre of comedians that included Rap Reiplinger, Andy Bumatai, Frank DeLima and even Pat Morita (the karate kid's master). Much mileage was made by each about all the cultural groups and their frailties.

One Memorial day weekend Aunti Heidi and I escaped from the tourists by staying on Molokai along with locals from Oahu and Kauaii. I joined a golfing group of kamaaina (locals) and have never had a funnier time playing Golf. It was constant giggles and jokes the whole way around. I didn't have time to get mad at my game!

Cooking with Aunti Marialani
With you blogwatchers rating the food entries so highly we now give you a cooking show for today's recipe. Here is Rap Reiplinger as seen on local TV from back in the day. This will also help you practice understanding pidgin. 



Singing in Hawaiian
Aunti Heidi says - Not long after we moved to Hawaii I came to know the Lord. I joined the choir at my church. The choir director was also a transplant and told the following story...

She accepted the position with our church and moved to Hawaii. The pastor picked her up at the airport. While driving to the church he told her that they needed her to sing at a wedding that afternoon. "Oh, and you will need to sing in Hawaiian", he added. Well she didn't know any Hawaiian!. The pastor assured her that she would recognize the melody and, anyway, that it was a haole (white) wedding.

So as they traveled to the church she started reading and memorizing all the street signs she could see. When she got up to sing, her voice was beautiful and warm as she sang "Aloha ha oe Kamaaina ke o ole, Napilii Kahului na ke Kahahumanu a oe...." (filled with locations on Maui). The people applauded. Everyone seemed pleased and the pianist just kept her mouth shut!

Flowers
Hawaii is one of the best places to see orchids. Orchids are notoriously hard to grow on the mainland as they need the right moisture level along with a temperate climate. My late brother-in-law, John, used to try to grow them in the shower stall in Southern California, with limited success. On Maui, uncle had an old Japanese-American customer who was world renowned grower of orchids. Instead of a greenhouse or a shower stall he just had a backyard full, as he lived on the rainy side of the island, in Wailuku.

 Video
Here is a video featuring one of the best Slack Key guitarist of today, Ledward Kaapana. Besides showing a mastery of the song, he demonstrates the playfulness that is typical of the Hawaiian people. Starting and ending with a giggle he plays around while delivering a thorough performance of a wonderful song, Manoa Slackkey.

Some one once asked him how to play slack key guitar and he replied "jus press". It is now embroidered on the front of a cap he often wears.

Old Hawaii

Polynesian Discovery

The Hawaiian island chain was settled by Polynesian voyagers, the first possibly from the Marquesas Islands and from Tahiti. They used navigation techniques that relied on celestial observation, wind and wave following as well as seabird sightings. In the 1970's a recreation of the double hulled sailing canoe, the Hokulea, was built. It has repeatedly sailed the Pacific, using only the ancient techniques of navigation.

In 1985 Aunti Heidi and Kimo's uncle traveled to the Big Island to see it as it began its voyage of rediscovery. The Hokulea was anchored at the little settlement of Milolii. Milolii is very isolated and well into the old ways with no electricity, no glass in the windows and being supported by fishing.

But what were the first voyagers thinking as they pushed off to the unknown? They had navigation techniques but did not know of anywhere to sail to. It was 1000mi untill first landfall!

Something Fishy

The state of Hawaii has declared a state fish. The great part of the declaration is that only the locals will have a chance saying its name correctly. It is the humuhumunukunukuapua'a. We will spare you the song from High School Musical 2.


Peanut Butter Chicken
The recipe is an ancient Hawaiian barbecue delight. Well OK, its only ancient because it is scribbled on the back of a Back Order Parts Invoice from Maui Toyota. Yeah, there really was a time of no computers kiddies! This recipe is from the former parts manager and the good friend of uncle's, Ron Sarrao.

12 chicken thighs                 NOTE: this works better with de-boned chicken thighs
5T Peanut Butter
1 stock celery minced
1 small onion minced
1/2 cup mirin - a sweet rice wine used in Japanese and Hawaiian cooking
5T Soy Sauce
1T sugar

Mix it all together in a big bowl and let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes to overnight in the refridgerator.

Slow cook on your hibachi. (You are practicing with a hibachi, aren't you?)

This is also another definition of ono.

Video
The video is a performance of He Aloha Ku'uipo (Beloved Is My Sweetheart) by Puna Keli'iho'omalu. The song is a beautiful love song with an infectious rhythm.At first the rythim seems fast but try to visualize a hula dancer's feet smoothly moving about. 


Notice that the house is wide open at one end, typical for older houses in the remote areas. Look also at the perfect posture the music teacher always wants, elbow planted on a table. Also notice that the finish is worn off where the strumming takes place. Beautiful music far from the madding crowd. All it needs is a hammock and your sweetie.

The Beach

Hawaii has some of the greatest beaches in the world. Though not large they are intimate, with smooth sands and picturesque settings. But be careful as they are often bordered by lava and likely have coral reefs offshore. Walking on lava is tricky, as one slip can slice open skin. Coral can also puncture skin and deliver a staph infection at the wound site. The coral also can break off in the wound and require a doctor's removal.


The Sun
The sun in Hawaii is a most welcome respite for winter weary visitors from places like Oregon, Idaho and Alaska. But sunlight is slyly fierce in its intensity, quickly causing sunburn in the unaware visitor. It seems like the reflection of the sun off of the water is a magnifier of the rays effects. It is much more intense than sunlight in California or Arizona. The best strategy is to avoid the middle of the day at the beach. Also sunscreen, a hat and covering clothes are a good defense.

Mu'umu'u

This mu'umu'u is from the Hawaiian Outpost. The mu'umu'u is best air-conditioned clothes for women. Upon arrival in the islands go to Hilo Hatties and get a mu'umu'u. It is great day ware as well as an evening dress for going out.

Aunti Heidi says "Trying to Fit In"
My skin gives me away. I can't wear makeup that looks good on me, so what is a girl to do? I decided to try to wear clothing like the locals. I have never thought that a mu'umu'u was something to be desired until I bought one. "Granny dress" is not for me, too much like the Beverly Hillbillies on TV. 

A good shop for mu'umu'us is Hilo Hatties. They have so many styles you can't see them all in one visit. I kept looking at the ones that were more fitted. "Maybe I can transition to this flowering dress" I thought.Then the clerk said something that sold me completely. "Hey you no have to suck up your opu!" (belly)  The mu'umu'u hangs from the shoulders and flows in the breeze. No one can see how fat you are and you stay cool too!

Ono 
Ono is the word for delicious. It can be used as it is here:
Waitperson: "I hope the delicate balance of aromas, sights and tastes meet your epicurean palate's satisfaction."
Diner: "Wooee Brudduah! Da stuffs you bring us stay so ono it broke da mouth!" 

POG
POG - nectar of the gods. POG (passion,orange,guava) is a juice mix made by Haleakala Dairy on Maui and sold in milk cartons. It is so ono! My father-in-law, who was a conservative, real rocket scientist, came to visit and was given a glass of POG. He was instantly addicted to it and always insisted on having it around during all of his visits. Try it!

Video
This video is by a man who started out with his brother in the group Makaha Sons of Niihau. They had sweet harmonies and sang songs of the islands. After his brother's passing Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (Bruddah Iz) went on to be the biggest star in Hawaii in his time. Here he demonstrates proper sun protection consisting of a hat, some shade, sun glasses, shirt and right sized shorts. In White Sandy Beach he sings about a wonderful time at the beach with his beloved. Don't miss his humor at the end.

Ohana

Ohana - family is the glue that holds things together in the islands. Without easy migration family trees have become very intertwined. When you mention someone to a local they are apt to say "oh that's my auntie's sister's mother on her uncle's father's side". You reply "say what?". Cultural groups have intermixed so much that it doesn't surprise you that a Santos is related to a Chung or a Lucero to a Watanabe.

Most weekend gatherings are parties for family events like birthdays or weddings. One of the biggest party is the child's first birthday party. The parties are large with many friends and family, and always with lots of food, often with a pig cooked in an imu (pit in the ground). The party's size is way out of relationship to the child. This is because in the not to distant past so many children died before making it to one year old that it was a genuine celebration of life..

Flower  

Ginger is a flower, rarely seen on the mainland, that can be spectacular to see in bloom. Gingers come in different colors like red, white and blue as well as different blossom shapes. They can be found on the windward sides of the islands and ofter grow tall enough to obscure the front of old plantation houses. It is fun to see them as the only mention we hear of them are on cooking shows or as tips for medicinal uses.

Music 
Hawaii has a very vibrant and unique music scene of its own. When you listen to the radio most tunes are from local artists and only a little is from the mainland. There are many categories including traditional, rock, and hapa-houle( think Don Ho singing 'Tiny Bubbles' ). Listening to local DJs can also be a good source of practice for learning pidgin ( the Hawaiian's take on how English really should be spoken). And when Friday comes be sure to sing along with "It's Aloha Friday", the local anthem celebrating the weekend and 'no work till Monday'.

 Food

Huli-huli chicken - chicken cooked on a rotisserie (huli-huli). This is a mainstay for fund raising efforts for sports teams, churches and others. Tickets are sold in advance and then usually on a Saturday in a public location the chicken is cooked and picked up by the lucky ticket holders. It has advanced so much that there are custom built cookers that handle a vast amount of chickens doing a tasteful version of the hula. If you see this kind of activity in a parking lot stop and see if they can sell you some. 

Video
The video shown here is a song from a once popular group, Olomana. It is a sweet lament on the passage of time and life. The singer, Jerry Santos, sings of returning to see his sister who still lives where they grew up, in the Koolau mountains on the windward side of Oahu. The words can be found here. What it says can be true for all of us. Be careful, this song can make your eyes leak.





 

Aina

Aina - 'the land', is a large part of the cultural makeup of the Hawaiian people. Places such as Diamond Head, Haleakala and Mauna Loa not only have history but also play a large part in the legends of Hawaii. The islands of Hawaii have windward as well as leeward sides. The windward side faces the trade winds which come out of the Bearing Sea and cool things down for most of the year. The windward side is the lush, tropical side because the rain gets dumped on its slopes. The leeward side can be like the desert, with cactus and kiawe (mesquite-like) trees.

Interestingly, directions are most often given with the reference to mauka (towards the mountain) or makai (towards the sea). Trying to explain things in the points of the compass gets you totally lost because the island are kapakai (crooked) to the path of the sun.

Fresh off the Boat
Aunti Heidi says: Our move to Hawaii first took us to Kahalui, Maui. This is the business district populated mostly by locals (kamaaina - man of the land). We were excited just to be in Hawaii but it brought some harsh realities very quickly. I was a 'houle' or a white mainlander. Because the stores have to import everything they only stock what sells. I quickly found out I was in the minority. Trying to buy personal things like nylons, lip stick or nail polish was impossible. They only had 'sun tan' or darker. No pink or peach lipstick, only browns and dark reds.

So what do you do? Go natural. No bada (forget it), no need da stuff anyways.


Video
This video is about Akaka Falls on the windward side of the island of Hawaii. Kaola Beemer writes about Akaka Falls:

Akaka Falls is a real place outside the little town of Hilo, along the Hamakua coast on 

the Island of Hawaii. I used to visit this area with my grandfather and we'd eat our bento box lunches, watching the water cascade down the rocky precipice. Beneath us, beautiful, dark currents of water seemed to move mysteriously through the verdant foliage. I still remember the sound of the first drops of summer rain, splattering on the broad green leaves.

from "Learn to Play Hawaiian Slack-key Guitar"

This rendition of the song is preformed by Nathan Aweau, using a falsetto voice that is very popular in the islands. His performance is interpreted in a beautiful hula by Kelehua Kawi. One can see the falling water and the movement of the plants and birds around it in the movement of her hands. The words to the song in both Hawaiian and English can be found here: Akaka Falls 

Aloha

Aloha all you kanakas, wahines, haoles, tutus, aunties, titas, blalas, paniolos and da gang of girls. This blog will offer some steps you can take on the way to a sandy Hawaiian beach. It will help you get in the mood, plan wisely, and gain the aloha spirit before you go.

Flower 
The plumaria tree with its white flowers are found all around the islands and may be the first flower you see upon arrival as it is used in making leis. It has a wonderful perfume like fragrance that can be enjoyed especially at each end of the day when the winds die down. If a golf course has fairways lined with these trees a white ball can get lost among the white flowers. Using a day-glow orange or yellow ball will aid in finding your ball.

Culture
The roots of the Hawaiian culture can be best found in the hula. Hula has been used to communicate the stories of the Polynesians since their arrival in the islands. The dances can be danced with either male or female dancers and can be staged with either a singular performer or by a halau (group). Each year the biggest cultural event in the state is held in Hilo, on the big island of Hawaii. It is a hula competition called the Merrie Monarch Festival and it runs for a week. The finals are broadcast live on TV to the whole state. Hula stories can be about love, bravery in battle and beautiful locations, among other subjects.

Video
This video is a performance by a hula halau, the Beamer-Soloman Halau O Poohala,
from the Waimea region of the island of Hawaii. The interviews in the beginning give details about the work they put in as a group. The performance also features singers and a band for the dance music. The crowd frequently shows its love for their dance and with the critique at the end one is reminded of a figure skating competion, but with a large group. This should get your blood moving, put a big smile on your face and the excitement of anticipation.