aloha from washington state

[olivia]

hi, i'm new here and just looking to connect to others from hawaii to learn my culture. my father was from molokai and i was not raised on the islands, but am thinking about moving there in the future. in the meantime, i will visit again may this year, maybe next. so i am looking forward to meeting whomever i meet. also - not so familiar with ways of the internet - but learning. mahalo. olivia

[manoasurfer123]

Aloha and Welcome...

I used to Live in Washington also...

GO SEAHAWKS...

What city are you in? I used to live in Bellingham!

Aloha,

Manoa

[olivia]

i live in kelso and if you haven't heard of this place i would not be surprised. it is about 45 minutes north of Portland Or. it is a small lumber town along the I-5 corridor and very close to the columbia river. good sense of community here. but i will move on in time. what brought you to honolulu?

[Leo Lakio]

Aloha, Olivia.

There are a few folks from the Seattle area who post here regularly, myself included. Though I'm not from Hawai`i, my long-time girlfriend is, and that has drawn me into Island cultures.

I dance hula and play `ukulele and bass guitar with a halau in the area, co-host two radio programs of Hawaiian music (one of which is available on the internet - details at www.hawaiiradioconnection.com), program Hawaiian music at my job, and write CD reviews for a monthly Hawaiian newspaper (see www.northwesthawaiitimes.com); I think there might be some places in the Kelso area to get the paper.

There will be a festival celebrating the region's links between kanaka maoli and Native Americans, in the city of Kalama on August 19-20; there will be workshops and concerts of Hawaiian music, including Bill Tapia, Mihana, Brittni Paiva, Hema Pa`a, Bobo Miles, Michelle Kiba, Charlie Recaido and many others. I'll be there to emcee shows and probably perform a little; you should try to get over there that weekend and say "aloha"!

=Gregg=

[Miulang]

Aloha Olivia.
Leo is right. There are a lot of expats living in Washington State. There's even a couple of peeps who post here regularly who live in "da boonies" near you.

I live in Seattle, know Leo and attended that Kalama Festival last year that he mentioned. What a hoot that was! It's really cool to see the Native Americans and the kanaka maoli get together to celebrate their shared heritage. I didn't realize Uncle Bill was slated to be one of the performers this year...wow. He's such a treasure. May have to think about heading down to Kalama again this year...

Welcome to HT.

Miulang

[olivia]

Thanks for the messages - I will be attending the festival in Kalama for sure. Hope to see you there, and I don;t really know how to post other messages in other places - so this is it.There will be a festival celebrating the region's links between kanaka maoli and Native Americans, in the city of Kalama on August 19-20; there will be workshops and concerts of Hawaiian music, including Bill Tapia, Mihana, Brittni Paiva, Hema Pa`a, Bobo Miles, Michelle Kiba, Charlie Recaido and many others. I'll be there to emcee shows and probably perform a little; you should try to get over there that weekend and say "aloha"!Thanks for the info. I am exploring what I can do on this site. I plan to go to the fetival and look forward to meeting others. Will look for you and your girlfriend there, I may also bring one of my daughters, if she goes. There is a new Hawaiian store in Kalama, just opened earlier this month. chow and thanks for the hollar.
I live in Seattle, know Leo and attended that Kalama Festival last year that he mentioned. What a hoot that was! It's really cool to see the Native Americans and the kanaka maoli get together to celebrate their shared heritage. I didn't realize Uncle Bill was slated to be one of the performers this year...wow. He's such a treasure. May have to think about heading down to Kalama again this year...Thanks for the return message Miulang. Maybe I'll see you there and thanks for the welcome. I have re-taken up hula. Just for fun. See you maybe there - Olivia. Oh yeah, I am learning how to use this so may post things wrong - oh well.

[Leo Lakio]

There is a new Hawaiian store in Kalama, just opened earlier this month. chow and thanks for the hollar.Yep - stop in and say "aloha" to my kumu hula and her husband - Gloria & Bill - they own and operate the store, and are there most days. Tell 'em you know their bass player from this discussion group - though they won't know me by "Leo Lakio."

[IslandMystic]

Aloha Olivia and everyone in this thread!
I am from Molokai, born and raised on this small but special island. If there is anything you want to know about the island that your father lived on feel free to ask. Manoasurfer, I used to live in Bellingham too!!! I absolutely loved living there! Such a beautiful city with such scenic veiws! I miss it a lot.

[Leo Lakio]

Aloha Olivia and everyone in this thread!
I am from Molokai, born and raised on this small but special island.Aloha, IslandMystic. Any chance you know former Moloka`i resident (and Kamehameha grad) Manono Aki McMillan? She's up here in the Seattle area (as am I), and she's my co-host on a weekly Hawaiian radio show (we are on once a month, as part of a set of rotating hosts.)

[IslandMystic]

Aloha Leo!
Hope all is well in the Evergreen State! Hmmm her name sounds familiar. Does she have any grandchildren with the last name of Aki? I know several Aki's while I attended high school here and one of my classmates was an Aki too. The college that I attended in Bellingham (WWU) also had a once weekly hawaiian radio show that aired on the college radio station. Hows the summer this year up there? I heard about the record highs, must be beautiful weather!

[Leo Lakio]

Manono does have one adult son, with the name of McMillan (first marriage), up in this area, but no grandkids. I understand there are two or three different Aki family branches on Moloka`i, so it can get confusing; the slide guitarist with our halau spends time there each year, and plays guitar with another Aki, and there is another family there that serves at tour guides to the island's visitors.

I think the WWU station may still do their Hawaiian radio show, too, though they have changed hosts a couple times in the past few years. The expat community in this region is large enough to support upwards of five radio shows (Bellingham, Everett, Olympia, Seattle & Bellevue stations), a monthly newspaper, a couple of television shows, several restaurants and gift shops, as well as uncountable hula halau and Island music acts.

Record heat indeed. It's been in the mid-to-upper 90s this weekend, which can make sleeping (as well as moving and breathing) a little challenging, especially without air conditioning - and no tradewinds to help, either.

[olivia]

Aloha IslandMystic - There is much I would know about Molokai. Perhaps you know my family - Kikukawa. John and Phillip, my cousins and their children still live there, as well as their mother. All my other Aunties and Uncles now gone. I was there a few years back. I am called to visit again and need to do so soon. Hope to here from you again.
Olivia

[olivia]

Aloha LeoLakio - I know of the store in Kalama but have not yet visited. I will see on Sat. 19th because I will visit then. Hope to see you and wife there too. I am looking forward to good time.
thank you - olivia

[Leo Lakio]

Please try to catch me that day; I'd love to meet you!
I'll be doing all kinds of things that day, coordinating at the workshops, playing bass or `ukulele somewhere, emcee-ing somewhere else, maybe even dancing kahiko briefly.

[Miulang]

Aloha Olivia and everyone in this thread!
I am from Molokai, born and raised on this small but special island. If there is anything you want to know about the island that your father lived on feel free to ask. Manoasurfer, I used to live in Bellingham too!!! I absolutely loved living there! Such a beautiful city with such scenic veiws! I miss it a lot.
Oooh! Moloka'i is my favorite island! My family is on Maui now (I'm on the Mainland) but my dad grew up in Kamalo and my mom spent a few of her formative years in K'kai. Took a trip over there a couple of years ago...what an incredibly beautiful place. Couldn't get enough of Kunemitsu Bakery (loved their loco moco, their bread and long johns!), that Filipino place up the street (Oviedo's?) and their chicken papaya, and those big bumbucha double decker spam musubis from the Shell (or maybe it was a Chevron) station on the corner by the flashing yellow light. Everybody is so friendly over there.

Miulang

[olivia]

Leo Lakio - I feel dumb - what is the dance? I am so uneducated to my own culture - have recently read some books re: History of Islands. Know no language and have very little connection to my island family - long story - but that's the way it is. I am working to change this.
I will most definitely look you up. See you then - Olivia

[blueyecicle]

i live in kelso and if you haven't heard of this place i would not be surprised. it is about 45 minutes north of Portland Or. it is a small lumber town along the I-5 corridor and very close to the columbia river. good sense of community here. but i will move on in time. what brought you to honolulu?
My sister lived there for about 2 years! We visited regularly. Nice little towns there!

[olivia]

Muilang -
What wonderful memories - when I was last there - would go to bakery with younger sister, Kari, early morning - and greet the day. My father lived last years there - and Auntie #2 owned old store and Uncle Art owned Midnight Inn - when it was around. Too bad - not there now.
Shell Station - Coconut Grove - Harbor - Bicycle Shop -makes me smile. I was only sorry I did not go camping with my sister at Halawa Valley. Father said too many mesquitos. Thanks for the note - Olivia

[olivia]

Hello blueyecicle -
what great picture - and name - wonderful small towns eh? my father lived in kaunakakai. but really i thought it was the only town on the island. i was only there two times - took my daughters to visit their grandfather and get reacquainted with my family and then to funeral of my father.
thanks for the note - olivia (wished I had an original name like yours- not so clever)

[Levia]

Hi Olivia,

Most my family moved up to WA years ago - police department thang.
You should look up a halau, 2 of my sisters and my nieces dance... look it up, great way to connect with displaced Hawaiians. :)

I have a big family on Molokai too! It's changed.

Have a safe trip and a wonderful time re-meeting your family.

[Miulang]

Hi Olivia,

Most my family moved up to WA years ago - police department thang.
You should look up a halau, 2 of my sisters and my nieces dance... look it up, great way to connect with displaced Hawaiians. :)

I have a big family on Molokai too! It's changed.

Have a safe trip and a wonderful time re-meeting your family.
So did your relative end up with the Federal Way or the Bellevue Police Dept? Those were the two who were recruiting in Hawai'i. I think the Fed. Way Police Dept. was helping to find housing and stuff too for the new officers. At least here in WA there are lots of expats and we tend to move in the same crowds. And no need to be homesick for the local grinds anymore. Most of that stuff we can find up here no probs.

Miulang

[alakai]

Oooh! Moloka'i is my favorite island! My family is on Maui now (I'm on the Mainland) but my dad grew up in Kamalo and my mom spent a few of her formative years in K'kai. Took a trip over there a couple of years ago...what an incredibly beautiful place. Couldn't get enough of Kunemitsu Bakery (loved their loco moco, their bread and long johns!), that Filipino place up the street (Oviedo's?) and their chicken papaya, and those big bumbucha double decker spam musubis from the Shell (or maybe it was a Chevron) station on the corner by the flashing yellow light. Everybody is so friendly over there.

Miulang
Small world. I spent a summer in Kamalo valley with my uncle Wren. He's the fire cheif over there now and my aunt Nancy is a dental hygenist in the "city", heh. Me and cousins would hike up the valley and swim in the river, it was a real good time. I think they are living in Ualapui now.

[thendisc]

Here's a list of Hawaiian Restaurants and Businesses in the PacNW.

Guide to Hawai'i In the Pacific Northwest
http://www.thenyoudiscover.com/weblog/?page_id=139

[pzarquon]

Hey, Mikey, good to see you here! Hope you stick around for more talkstory.

Though I shudder at the thought of ever leaving Hawaii, I've always felt the Pacific Northwest was where it'd be perhaps the least painful, given the strong support system and other close ties that are fostered throughout the region.

[Leo Lakio]

Here's a list of Hawaiian Restaurants and Businesses in the PacNW.
Guide to Hawai'i In the Pacific Northwest
http://www.thenyoudiscover.com/weblog/?page_id=139
That's your site? Very nice - looks like you've been doing your research. If I think of additional information, I'll let you know.

[thendisc]

Aloha Ryan - I'm a lurker, but I had to chime in on this one.

Hi Leo - I always rush down to get the paper when I hear it's out. Love the music reviews. Try checking out my streaming radio station if you get a chance. http://www.northshoreradiohawaii.com. I'm adding new stuff everyday, but feedback from a reviewer would be great.

[Ita]

Aloha and Talofa! My name's Ita and I'm originally from San Francisco, moved up here a year ago and I've been searching all around for Polynesian festivals....poly events, etc. Where can I find information on hula/poly events? I also hula and I'd love to attend any kine of festivals or events that happen from time to time in Washington State.

Mahalo!

[Leo Lakio]

Talofa, Ita.

Hawaiian restaurants and stores throughout the Seattle/Tacoma area carry the monthly, free Northwest Hawai`i Times newspaper, there's also a website for the Hawai`i Radio Connection shows, as well as the Hawai`i General Store in Seattle, which puts out an irregular calendar of events. Yahoo Groups has a "nwhawncalendar" where people post all kinds of Polynesian activities.
Hope we'll see you at some event somewhere soon!

(I write for the paper and am a host on the radio shows mentioned above.)