City centennial and Star-Bulletin

[MadAzza]

The city is finally getting around in the last month to organizing some sort
of commemoration of its centennial, which is supposedly today (July 1).
Elsewhere, cities that do the same thing have well-organized committees to
do it, because they recognize that such events not only help a community
have pride in their city and a sense of its history, but because they
attract visitors. It could have been a tremendous cash cow for our visitor
industry. Too late for Honolulu!
The ironic thing is that Burl Burlingame of the Star-Bulletin (disclaimer: I work there) has been trying
to get the city to recognize the event for years, at least back in the 1990s.
Check out the online clips. He's been pretty much the lone voice on this,
so props to him. Burl also makes a pretty good case that Honolulu is
actually 200 years old, not 100. The city says Honolulu didn't exist before
1905!
The centennial should be a HUGE deal and it just seems like the city isn't seizing the opportunity.

[Glen Miyashiro]

Re: City centennial and Star-Bulletin

I wonder whether part of the reason that the Honolulu centennial isn't being played up more is that most anything having to to with the historical roots of the city of Honolulu, and the state of Hawai'i, brush right up against... sovereignty. I mean, if you're gonna commemorate the origins of our island society, you gotta talk about the old Kingdom. And you know where that's gonna lead you: straight into the 1893 overthrow of the Kingdom and the 1898 annexation by the USA.

[Screaming Eagle]

Re: City centennial and Star-Bulletin

Honolulu Centennial
By Screaming Eagle

Seems just a decade ago, someone named Burl from the Honolulu Star Bulletin was touting a big celebration for the Centennial. And now, it appears to be upon us. And typically of the Legislative process in Hawaii, it will probably be about fifty years from now before they get around to recognize the Centennial.
What is it with the people of the State and City Governments. I realize that the city council members are doing so much infighting and gathering of campaign funds that they have forgotten that a few of their previous members have done time for not paying attention to what they are there for. The same with the Senate and House. I remember the problems existing today with the Kamehameha Schools that should have been resolved when the previous group of trustees were invited to leave. But the Courts still behave as if they are going to hand over the reins of the money to their friends again.
So now we will have a dull and boring Centennial with a perfectly pathetic dull and boring logo while the City Council fights over the blue and green garbage collections in Manoa. Personally, I wouldn’t want that logo on a dishtowel.
At some point, the peoples of Hawaii are going to get totally disgusted and maybe actually do something about the shibai they are given in place of leadership and direction. Maybe they will throw out the hand shakers and bull artists and expect something besides the same old nonsense. Can you imagine what a leader with vision and determination could do in Hawaii. The spirits of the departed would rise together before our Asian “Sister Cities” file for divorce.

[lavagal]

Re: City centennial and Star-Bulletin

I've been getting emails about this from Mona Wood and Karen Winpenny, the PR gals who have the city's account for the centenial. They're trying. I don't know who sat on this at the city, or if the prior administration didn't want to act on it because it was on its way out or what. (isn't everything in this city done at the last minute?)

So yes, the grass is greener beyond our shores. But according to this release, the year-long event began July 1. Let's hope there's a year's worth of plans ALREADY lined up.

Here's the release:

HONOLULU CENTENNIAL GRAND OPENING TONIGHT
KICKS OFF AN EXCITING YEAR OF CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS JULY 1, 2005~JULY 1, 2006

A New City Motto, 100 Events, 100 Honorees and More to Honor Our Honolulu's 100th Birthday

HONOLULU, HI * The Honolulu Centennial Grand Opening Event this evening at the Waikiki Shell will feature 100 conch shell blowers, 100 hula dancers, 100 choral voices...and so much more, as we kick-off an exciting year-long birthday party for our Honolulu.

Here is the program.

"HA'AHEO NO 'O HONOLULU"
THE HONOLULU CENTENNIAL GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION
Friday, July 1, 2005 € 6~10 p.m. € Waikiki Shell
Gates open at 5:00 p.m. € Sorry - Coolers, lawn chairs & cameras not permitted

Masters of Ceremony - Brickwood Galuteria and Andy Bumatai

5:30 p.m. - Prelude by the Royal Hawaiian Band

6:00 p.m. - Program begins with the blowing of 100 Pu Kani (conch shells)

Welcome 'Oli

Queen's Prayer € Hawai'i Pono'i by the Royal Hawaiian Band with Misty KelaŒi, soloist

Star Spangled Banner by Jordan Segundo with the Honolulu Boy Choir

Invocation by Kahu Curtis Kekuna, KawaiaHaŒo Church
"Love at Home" (hymn)

Pahu Trilogy

Donovan Dela Cruz, Council Chair

Chinese Lion & Dragon Dances by the Lung Kong Physical Culture Club

The Hawaii International Jazz Festival All Star Big Band conducted by Abe Weinstein
with Owana Salazar, Jeff Peterson, Keahi Conjugacion, Ginai, and Jimmy Borges

Himigbayan & the Philippine Cultural Group of Hawai'i

- BRIEF INTERMISSION -

The Kenny Endo Taiko Ensemble

Salmunori Buseumse

Fa'a Samoa & Taupou Manaia, Introduced by High Chief Saveatama Max J. Sword

The Honorable Mayor Mufi Hannemann

Introduction of Honolulu Centennial Commission members

GRAND FINALE
Featuring Na Palapalai, Aunty Genoa Keawe, Makaha Sons and Marlene Sai € Solo Dancers Bev Noa,
Debbie Nakanelua Richards, and Pi'ilani Smith € 100 hula dancers € and Mayor Mufi Hannemann

Closing Remarks, Pu Kani

- Pau -

Continuing in the spirit of the Centennial, other existing events have signed on as "Centennial Partners." Some of the events in July, include:
€ July 2 & 3 - Aston ResortQuest Hawai'i presents "Sunset on the Beach," with a special live satellite feed of NASA's "Deep Impact" on the 30-foot screen at Waikiki Beach on July 3rd.
€ July 4th - Ala Moana Center 4th of July Fireworks
€ July 15~19 - National Association of Counties (NACo) Convention, Hawai'i Convention Center
€ July 29~30 - The Hawai'i International Jazz Festival, Hawai'i Theatre
€ July 31st - Starbucks 35th Annual Roy Sakuma Ukulele Festival, Kapi'olani Park

We recently had a press conference to publicly thank world-famous local designer Clarence Lee for donating the Centennial logo design to the City. (Please see attached photo.) The logo incorporates the new City Motto, "Ha'aheo No 'O Honolulu," or Honolulu Pride.

Logo merchandise will be on sale from July 1st at the Grand Opening event. Items include t-shirts, polo shirts, tote bags, caps, logo pins, and coolers. Logo merchandise will be sold at Centennial events, and will soon be available at various stores island-wide and online (tba).

The Centennial's website will be online from tomorrow, July 2nd, at www.honolulupride.com. It will be updated regularly with the latest Centennial news and event information.

One of the activities already garnering much attention is the search for the "Honolulu 100 Honorees" - nominated by the public, and selected by a panel (TBA). Please visit our website, call 523-4674, or e-mail 100@honolulupride.com to get a nomination form (see attached, which you may publish). Deadline for nominations is July 8th. The 100 people selected will be honored at the Centennial Gala at the Waikiki Sheraton on November 17, 2005.

About the Honolulu Centennial

In 1905, the Territorial Legislature passed the law which formed the basis of modern government in Hawai'i. It established five counties: Kaua'i, O'ahu, Maui, Hawai'i and Kalawao. (Kalawao settlement on Moloka'i's Kalaupapa peninsula under the jurisdiction of the state's Health Department.) The County of O'ahu began operating on July 1, 1905, and two years later was renamed the City and County of Honolulu. (For more information on Honolulu's history, log on to http://www.co.honolulu.hi.us/cchnl.htm#city).

The Honolulu Centennial Commission was formed by Resolution No. 05-020 dated January 27, 2005, signed by the nine members of the City Council, "Urging the Mayor to appoint a committee to plan and implement a celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the establishment of the City and County of Honolulu."

The fourteen Honolulu 100 members, appointed by Mayor Mufi Hannemann and the City Council, are: Ronald Wright, Chair; Linda Wong, Vice Chair; Marylou Foley; Denise Hayashi; Peter Kim; Fran Kirk; Azure McCall; John Monahan; Ted Saribay; Vicky Holt Takamine; Abe Weinstein; Sun Hung "Sunny" Wong; Charlian Wright; and Stanford Yuen.

Please direct all media inquiries to Mona K. Wood at IKAIKA Communications at (cell) 218-5546, or via e-mail at ikaikacomm@hawaii.rr.com.

[AbsolutChaos]

Re: City centennial and Star-Bulletin

Did anybody go?

I went for a little while but I had to be at another event later in the evening, so I left after the first jazz song (I enjoy jazz, so it was disappointing to have to go during that portion).

Interesting variety of entertainment, the usual overpriced alcohol (but I guess it cuts down on number of drunk people at a family event), typical overpriced food, and souvenir t-shirts/hats/pins (guess they have to try to offset the price of a "free admission event.") Despite reading that coolers weren't allowed, everybody seems to have gotten in with their cooler. I like seeing what everybody brings with them to eat!

I enjoy outdoor concerts, no matter what the entertainment, simply because it's a night under the stars. Hard to beat in HI!

[buzz1941]

Re: City centennial and Star-Bulletin

Many of the ideas put forth by the "committee" were brought up by Star-Bulletin readers in a "Brainstorm" column a couple of years ago:

http://starbulletin.com/2003/06/22/e...l/special.html