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| Kawika Yahiro, CEO of Uhane Pohaku No Moku O Hawai`i, gave a presentation about working with Ka`u youth during last night's meeting at the Old Pahala Clubhouse. Photo by Julia Neal |
Yahiro said the organization helps youth avoid risky behavior. He called it a community- and family-centered approach for project- and place-based learning. Uhane Pohaku offers cultural and spiritual appreciation along with experiential and self-discovery activities.
Restoration, conservation and preservation efforts bring students into their culture, where they can feel safe and build self-confidence, he explained. The students learn respect and caring for kupuna. They also learn how to keep waterways and the ocean clean.
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| A Pahala youth named Kyle works with Kawika Yahiro at the presentation last night. Photo by Julia Neal |
He and the Ryders talked about high-risk kids and more secure young people working together and bonding positively with the right adults leading the way.
One student wrote, “It took me away from the city life and got me very into my culture … people so friendly … so generous.” Two gang members and leaders immersed in outdoor education never went back to their gangs and are now working, Yahiro said.
One student wrote, “It took me away from the city life and got me very into my culture … people so friendly … so generous.” Two gang members and leaders immersed in outdoor education never went back to their gangs and are now working, Yahiro said.
Program organizers said the land “gives the opportunity to heal” and referred to the common practice within indigenous cultures: “One great task of all teenagers coming of age is to tell a story … their meaning in life, why they make a difference.”
The word "sustainability" was used a lot, and Yahiro talked about a young person who learned to farm and whom he asked, with his business hat on, “Where are you going to sell your product?” The young farmer said he was going to use his skills to feed his immediate family and his larger family, Yahiro said, leading Yahiro to think about sustainability in a different way.
He talked about the importance of rites of passage for all ages. “Celebrate birth; celebrate adulthood; celebrated marriage; celebrate death,” he said.
The organizers of the educational program said they hope to someday align with the schools here.
From the state Office of Youth Services, Edralyn Caberto said, to the surprise of many in attendance, that Ka`u has more youth in the criminal justice system per capita than in any other place in Hawai`i. She said that land- and ocean-based programs are healing. She said that working with kalo (taro) can be magic. “We want to create a place where people can be healthy,” she said and referred to Ryders’ programs that she witnessed on Lana`i.
Kawehi Ryder said he is starting to prepare for planting dry land taro in Wood Valley and for possible fishpond and lo`i restoration projects along the Ka`u Coast, approaching government agencies, private nonprofit organizations, Native Hawaiian groups and private landowners.
The word "sustainability" was used a lot, and Yahiro talked about a young person who learned to farm and whom he asked, with his business hat on, “Where are you going to sell your product?” The young farmer said he was going to use his skills to feed his immediate family and his larger family, Yahiro said, leading Yahiro to think about sustainability in a different way.
He talked about the importance of rites of passage for all ages. “Celebrate birth; celebrate adulthood; celebrated marriage; celebrate death,” he said.
The organizers of the educational program said they hope to someday align with the schools here.
From the state Office of Youth Services, Edralyn Caberto said, to the surprise of many in attendance, that Ka`u has more youth in the criminal justice system per capita than in any other place in Hawai`i. She said that land- and ocean-based programs are healing. She said that working with kalo (taro) can be magic. “We want to create a place where people can be healthy,” she said and referred to Ryders’ programs that she witnessed on Lana`i.
Kawehi Ryder said he is starting to prepare for planting dry land taro in Wood Valley and for possible fishpond and lo`i restoration projects along the Ka`u Coast, approaching government agencies, private nonprofit organizations, Native Hawaiian groups and private landowners.
The organizers also talked about the term kino`ole, which most attending recognized as a street in Hilo. Yahiro said it means patience, which will be needed to immerse the program into the Ka`u community with good timing and meeting many members of the community, he noted.
The Ryders recently moved from Lana`i to Pahala, and Debbie Ryder is a kumu hula here. Contact them at 808-315-7033.
The Ryders recently moved from Lana`i to Pahala, and Debbie Ryder is a kumu hula here. Contact them at 808-315-7033.
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| Spiral pattern indicates vog being wrapped into Hurricane Flossie. Image from UH-Manoa |
VOG CAN CONTRIBUTE TO FORMATION of thunderstorms and lightning, according to a study by atmospheric scientists at University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. UH-Manoa graduate assistant Andre Pattantyus and Atmospheric Science Professor Dr. Steven Businger found that microscopic gasses and particles from Kilauea exerted an influence on Tropical Storm Flossie in July of last year.
Pattantyus and Businger researched data from satellites that monitored lightning, rainfall, cloud cover, temperature and winds during Flossie. In addition, they maintained their vog model that provides guidance on the location of the vog plume and concentrations of sulfur dioxide and sulfate aerosol for Hawaiian Island communities.
They found that prior to Flossie’s passage over Hawai`i Island, there was no lightning in the storm. One hour later, vigorous lightning occurred as Flossie approached the island. “As volcanic emissions were wrapped into this moist environment, sulfate aerosols promoted the formation of a greater number of smaller than normal cloud droplets, which favored charge separation in the upper cloud region and the occurrence of lightning,” Businger said.
“This is the first interaction between an active, vigorously degassing volcano and a tropical cyclone captured by a vog model run over the Hawaiian Islands – providing a unique opportunity to analyze the influence of robust volcanic emissions entrained into a tropical storm system,” Businger said.
He also said the observations of Flossie’s changing dynamics as it encountered Kilauea’s vog has implications for the impact of polluted air on hurricanes as they approach the mainland coast.
Pattantyus and Businger researched data from satellites that monitored lightning, rainfall, cloud cover, temperature and winds during Flossie. In addition, they maintained their vog model that provides guidance on the location of the vog plume and concentrations of sulfur dioxide and sulfate aerosol for Hawaiian Island communities.
They found that prior to Flossie’s passage over Hawai`i Island, there was no lightning in the storm. One hour later, vigorous lightning occurred as Flossie approached the island. “As volcanic emissions were wrapped into this moist environment, sulfate aerosols promoted the formation of a greater number of smaller than normal cloud droplets, which favored charge separation in the upper cloud region and the occurrence of lightning,” Businger said.
“This is the first interaction between an active, vigorously degassing volcano and a tropical cyclone captured by a vog model run over the Hawaiian Islands – providing a unique opportunity to analyze the influence of robust volcanic emissions entrained into a tropical storm system,” Businger said.
He also said the observations of Flossie’s changing dynamics as it encountered Kilauea’s vog has implications for the impact of polluted air on hurricanes as they approach the mainland coast.
“The Hawaiian Islands provide a unique environment to study this interaction in relative isolation from other influences,” according to Businger. He plans to model the interaction of the vog plume and Hurricane Flossie with a more complex model that integrates chemistry into the predictions to better understand the processes at work in this unique confluence.
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| Kamehameha Hawai`i campus covers 300 acres in Kea`au. Photo from Kamehameha Schools |
KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS HAWAI`I K-12 PROGRAM applications for the 2015-16 school year are now available online at ksbe.edu/admissions. The deadline to apply is Sept. 30, 2014.
The primary admission points are kindergarten and grades six and nine.
For kindergarteners, eligible applicants are born between Aug. 1, 2009 and July 31, 2010. As part of the transition from the previous age requirement, this year KS will also accept kindergarten applications from boys born in July 2009.
Applications for grades 10, 11 and 12 for are accepted, but spaces are limited and based on availability.
For more information, call 982-0100.
THE U.S. CONGRESS HAS APPROVED BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION taking a strong step toward overhauling the Veterans Administration. The bill incorporates the framework proposed by Ka`u’s U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, requiring the VA to allow eligible veterans to visit doctors in their communities to receive care so they don’t have to wait months to see a doctor. It authorizes funding to hire more doctors and care providers and also gives the new VA secretary tools and flexibility to hold employees accountable and hire those who can lead the VA through the reforms.
For kindergarteners, eligible applicants are born between Aug. 1, 2009 and July 31, 2010. As part of the transition from the previous age requirement, this year KS will also accept kindergarten applications from boys born in July 2009.
Applications for grades 10, 11 and 12 for are accepted, but spaces are limited and based on availability.
For more information, call 982-0100.
THE U.S. CONGRESS HAS APPROVED BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION taking a strong step toward overhauling the Veterans Administration. The bill incorporates the framework proposed by Ka`u’s U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, requiring the VA to allow eligible veterans to visit doctors in their communities to receive care so they don’t have to wait months to see a doctor. It authorizes funding to hire more doctors and care providers and also gives the new VA secretary tools and flexibility to hold employees accountable and hire those who can lead the VA through the reforms.
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| Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is a veteran of two tours of duty in the Middle East. Photo from Office of Rep. Tulsi Gabbard |
Gabbard said, “I won’t stop fighting until we uphold the commitment our nation made to our veterans, honoring their service and sacrifice.”
Sen. Brian Schatz said, “If there’s one area where Democrats and Republicans should be able to come together to find common ground, it’s making sure veterans have the health care they need.”
Sen. Mazie Hirono said, “We’ve reached a deal that will help Hawai`i veterans access the care they need, reform the way we hold VA officials accountable and work to recruit more doctors and health care professionals to care for our veterans – but our work doesn’t stop here. … There are many issues within the VA that need to be addressed. I’m proud that we were able to work together with our colleagues in the House and look forward to continuing to improve VA care and services – our veterans deserve nothing less.”
ZENTANGLE: THE BASICS are taught tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. This pre-requisite for subsequent Zentangle classes provides a foundation in the philosophy, ceremony and benefits of tangling. $40 VAC members/$45 nonmembers.
Sen. Mazie Hirono said, “We’ve reached a deal that will help Hawai`i veterans access the care they need, reform the way we hold VA officials accountable and work to recruit more doctors and health care professionals to care for our veterans – but our work doesn’t stop here. … There are many issues within the VA that need to be addressed. I’m proud that we were able to work together with our colleagues in the House and look forward to continuing to improve VA care and services – our veterans deserve nothing less.”
ZENTANGLE: THE BASICS are taught tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. This pre-requisite for subsequent Zentangle classes provides a foundation in the philosophy, ceremony and benefits of tangling. $40 VAC members/$45 nonmembers.
Call 967-8222 to register.
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| `Ohi`a Lehua is the topic at a program Sunday. NPS Photo by Dave Boyle |
KAHUKU UNIT OF HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK offers its free `Ohi`a Lehua program Sunday at 9:30 a.m. Participants bring lunch and learn about the vital role of `ohi`a lehua in native Hawaiian forests, the many forms of the `ohi`a lehua tree and its flower.
For more information, call 985-6011.
OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY CENTER PRESENTS a candidate forum Monday at 6 p.m. County Council candidates Richard Abbett, Maile Medeiros David and Jim Wilson participate. This is their final forum before the Aug. 9 primary election.
Call 939-7033 for more information.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
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| See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf. |
