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| Hula connects people through an exchange between Ka`u, Lana`i, O`ahu and Japan during last night's finale for Ho`okupu Hula No Ka`u Cultural Festival held in Pahala. Photo by Julia Neal |
HO`OKUPU HULA NO KA`U CULTURAL FESTIVAL wrapped up two days of sharing music and dance in Pahala last night. Participants came to Pahala from Lana`i, O`ahu and several areas of Japan, including Tokyo and Okinawa, to carry on the annual festival with hula. Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder and her husband Kawehi began the festival when they lived on Lana`i. They recently moved to Pahala and brought the festival with them.
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| Kawehi Ryder talks about the importance of everyone respecting and learning from kupuna about culture, land and environment. Photo by Julia Neal |
More local dancers included Kumu Hula Sammi Fo and her Halau Kahoku Kauhiahionalani, of Ocean View, and Ka `Imia Na`auao Kahiko from Ka`u School of the Arts, with Kumu Hula Marsha Bolosan. Her halau told the story of Pele in their hulas.
Music was provided by Hands of Time, Makanau, Keaiwa, the Ryder family and others. Victor Chock & Friends performed a tribute to Gabby Pahinui.
The evening also included a remembrance of those who died in the past year, with Bobby Gomes reading names of those from Ka`u and Debbie Ryder reading names of others from Hawai`i Island and Lana`i.
IN THE MIDST OF HAWAI`I COUNTY’S battle over genetically modified crops, a coalition of farmers and environmental groups has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on behalf of six Midwest states where an herbicide called Dow’s Enlist Duo, a blend of glyphosate and 2,4-D, was approved on Oct. 15 for use on genetically engineered crops.
KA`U COUNTRY FESTIVAL TAKES PLACE Saturday, Nov. 1 at Honu`apo from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Organizers are planning fun activities for keiki and the whole family, with food, music, exhibits for learning, demonstrations, contests, workshops and a plant and seed exchange. Vendors will sell gifts and other items.
See hawaiifoodforest.com/festival.html.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
The evening also included a remembrance of those who died in the past year, with Bobby Gomes reading names of those from Ka`u and Debbie Ryder reading names of others from Hawai`i Island and Lana`i.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
IN THE MIDST OF HAWAI`I COUNTY’S battle over genetically modified crops, a coalition of farmers and environmental groups has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on behalf of six Midwest states where an herbicide called Dow’s Enlist Duo, a blend of glyphosate and 2,4-D, was approved on Oct. 15 for use on genetically engineered crops.
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| Tahitian dance from Lana`i honors the photo of the late George Na`ope, mentor of Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder, of Pahala. Photo by Julia Neal |
Approved for use on GE corn and soybeans that were engineered to withstand repeated applications of the herbicide, the creation of 2,4-D-resistant crops and EPA’s approval of Enlist Duo is the result of an overuse of glyphosate, an ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup, according to the Center for Food Safety. The misuse resulted in an infestation of glyphosate-resistant super weeds which can now be legally combated with the more potent 2,4-D. Dow Chemical has presented 2,4-D resistant crops as a quick fix to the problem, but independent scientists, as well as USDA analysis, predict that the Enlist crop system will only foster more weed resistance, CFS reported.
The lawsuit was filed by Center for Food Safety and Earthjustice in the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco on behalf of Beyond Pesticides, Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Food Safety, Environmental Working Group, the National Family Farm Coalition and Pesticide Action Network North America. The groups are challenging the approval under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, arguing that the EPA did not adequately analyze the impacts of 2,4-D on human health. They will also argue that the approval violated the Endangered Species Act, as there was no consult by the EPA with the Fish & Wildlife Service.
The lawsuit was filed by Center for Food Safety and Earthjustice in the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco on behalf of Beyond Pesticides, Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Food Safety, Environmental Working Group, the National Family Farm Coalition and Pesticide Action Network North America. The groups are challenging the approval under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, arguing that the EPA did not adequately analyze the impacts of 2,4-D on human health. They will also argue that the approval violated the Endangered Species Act, as there was no consult by the EPA with the Fish & Wildlife Service.
“Sadly, our environmental watchdog is playing lapdog to the chemical industry, ignoring hundreds of thousands of comments urging it to do otherwise,” said Earthjustice attorney Paul Achitoff. “The EPA is aiding and abetting the toxic spiral of using more and more pesticides to feed the industry’s sale of more and more genetically engineered crops while guaranteeing that 2,4-D use on our farmland will increase tremendously. The EPA’s heedless refusal to properly assess the impacts of expanded (use) on human health, to the toxic chemicals associated with this herbicide, and failure to acknowledge any of the deadly effects on endangered wildlife, is grossly irresponsible – we intend to stop it.”
See centerforfoodsafety.org.
See centerforfoodsafety.org.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
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| Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist tracks the lava's advance with GPS. Photo from USGS/HVO |
PAHOA RESIDENTS IN THE EXPECTED PATH of lava have received evacuation notices from Hawai`i County Civil Defense. They must prepare to leave their homes in the next three to five days. Lava is flowing closer and closer to their homes, having reached the cemetery on the outskirts of town.
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists said lava is currently spreading out over the relatively flat terrain in the cemetery area, but a steeper slope on the other side could cause the lava to advance at a faster rate once it gets there.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
KAHUKU PALI ON HWY 11 NEAR SOUTH POINT is one of the more spectacular geologic features on the Island of Hawai`i, according to a recent Volcano Watch article published by Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. The cliff has two Hawaiian names: Pali o Mamalu, for its mauka section, and Pali`okulani, for its makai section.
Kahuku pali is formed by a geologic fault. Its average height is 400 feet, but its maximum height, which is equal to the amount of offset (movement) on the fault, is approximately 560 feet.
Kahuku pali is formed by a geologic fault. Its average height is 400 feet, but its maximum height, which is equal to the amount of offset (movement) on the fault, is approximately 560 feet.
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| Traditional Hawaiian weapons made of koa are displayed at Ho`okupu by Ocean View resident Paul Book, who made them. Photo by Julia Neal |
The Kahuku pali also continues offshore, where the submarine segment of the pali is more than 5,000 feet high. This offshore mile-high pali dwarfs two picturesque landmarks in the Hawaiian islands: the north coast of Moloka`i, which, at 3,000–4,000 feet, is the highest sea cliff in the world, and the windward pali of O`ahu, a cliff that is 3,100 feet high.
Several research expeditions have studied the submarine extension of the Kahuku pali. The most recent study sent a remotely operated vehicle, called Jason II, to the base of the mile-high pali.
“From this expedition we learned that the major-element chemical compositions of the rocks are surprisingly consistent,” the article states. “This means that lava erupted from Mauna Loa stayed nearly the same for about 400,000 years. How can this happen? One possibility is that the magma supplied to the volcano remained unchanged for about 400,000 years. This would imply that the material being melted is relatively homogeneous.
“An alternate explanation is that the magma reservoir within Mauna Loa is large enough to allow different batches of magma to mix, thereby developing an average composition. In other words, each individual batch of magma could have a unique composition, but mixing them results in a blend of all the batches.
Ages were determined for some of the rocks collected from the mile-high Kahuku pali by the ROV. The ages range from 59,000 years for rocks near the top of the pali to 470,000 years for rocks near the base. However, the base of the pali does not expose the oldest rocks in Mauna Loa. Another rock sample collected from the distal end of the volcano's Southwest Rift Zone has an age of 657,000 years, plus or minus 175,000 years.
“These ages span a long period of time, indicating that Mauna Loa has been active for over 650,000 years. In fact, the volcano must be older, because the measured ages do not reflect the earliest growth of Mauna Loa, when it was in a stage of volcanism similar to that of Lo`ihi seamount, south of the island, today.
Several research expeditions have studied the submarine extension of the Kahuku pali. The most recent study sent a remotely operated vehicle, called Jason II, to the base of the mile-high pali.
“From this expedition we learned that the major-element chemical compositions of the rocks are surprisingly consistent,” the article states. “This means that lava erupted from Mauna Loa stayed nearly the same for about 400,000 years. How can this happen? One possibility is that the magma supplied to the volcano remained unchanged for about 400,000 years. This would imply that the material being melted is relatively homogeneous.
“An alternate explanation is that the magma reservoir within Mauna Loa is large enough to allow different batches of magma to mix, thereby developing an average composition. In other words, each individual batch of magma could have a unique composition, but mixing them results in a blend of all the batches.
Ages were determined for some of the rocks collected from the mile-high Kahuku pali by the ROV. The ages range from 59,000 years for rocks near the top of the pali to 470,000 years for rocks near the base. However, the base of the pali does not expose the oldest rocks in Mauna Loa. Another rock sample collected from the distal end of the volcano's Southwest Rift Zone has an age of 657,000 years, plus or minus 175,000 years.
“These ages span a long period of time, indicating that Mauna Loa has been active for over 650,000 years. In fact, the volcano must be older, because the measured ages do not reflect the earliest growth of Mauna Loa, when it was in a stage of volcanism similar to that of Lo`ihi seamount, south of the island, today.
“By studying the submarine Kahuku pali, scientists have documented how this sector of Mauna Loa grew, the time scale over which the growth occurred, the types of lava that were produced and how the chemical composition of the magma evolved.”
See hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch.
See hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
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| Bobby Gomes, of Pahala, dances hula with his granddaughter, backed up with music by the Gomes `Ohana. Photo by Julia Neal |
VOLCANO ART CENTER’S ANNUAL MEETING, which was postponed due to Hurricane Ana, is today at 3 p.m. at the Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village.
There will be live entertainment while ballots for board members are being counted, with current board member, vocalist Desiree Cruz, joined by Loren Wilken on keyboard for a set of Jazz music.
For more information, call 967-8222.
There will be live entertainment while ballots for board members are being counted, with current board member, vocalist Desiree Cruz, joined by Loren Wilken on keyboard for a set of Jazz music.
For more information, call 967-8222.
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| Sammi Fo, of Ocean View, directs her halau and dances hula. Photo by Julia Neal |
HAWAI`I WILDFIRE MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION holds community input meetings this week to update Hawai`i County Community Wildfire Protection Plans for Volcano and Ka`u.
One possible tool that could be used to mitigate wildfire on a landscape scale in Ka`u is strategic grazing. It may be too expensive to mitigate mechanically or chemically the large fire hazard presented by the vast grasslands in Ka`u. In other areas, HWMO has installed fencing and water infrastructure that also assists fire suppression to support well managed grazing and has funded fieldwork to gather information on grazing.
Historically, grazing to manage grasses has reduced the scale, frequency and intensity of wildfires and protected irreplaceable native habitats from wildfires.
Meetings are Tuesday, Oct. 28 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Cooper Center in Volcano and from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Na`alehu School. Another meeting takes place Wednesday, Oct. 29 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center.
One possible tool that could be used to mitigate wildfire on a landscape scale in Ka`u is strategic grazing. It may be too expensive to mitigate mechanically or chemically the large fire hazard presented by the vast grasslands in Ka`u. In other areas, HWMO has installed fencing and water infrastructure that also assists fire suppression to support well managed grazing and has funded fieldwork to gather information on grazing.
Historically, grazing to manage grasses has reduced the scale, frequency and intensity of wildfires and protected irreplaceable native habitats from wildfires.
Meetings are Tuesday, Oct. 28 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Cooper Center in Volcano and from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Na`alehu School. Another meeting takes place Wednesday, Oct. 29 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center.
See more at http://www.hawaiiwildfire.org.
KA`U COUNTRY FESTIVAL TAKES PLACE Saturday, Nov. 1 at Honu`apo from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Organizers are planning fun activities for keiki and the whole family, with food, music, exhibits for learning, demonstrations, contests, workshops and a plant and seed exchange. Vendors will sell gifts and other items.
See hawaiifoodforest.com/festival.html.
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. |
