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Kani ka pū welcome at the 40th Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Cultural Festival. NPS photo by Janice Wei
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| Joni Mae Makuakāne-Jarrell (left) emceed. She and her 'ohana have been lead organizers and participants since the first of the 40 annual cultural festivals. Photo by Sara Espaniola |
Hundreds of community members and visitors made ti leaf lei, wove bracelets from lauhala, sanded their own makau (fishhooks), and created ʻohe kāpala designs on canvas bags. The scent of maile and puakenikeni lei filled the air as performers took the stage at the Kahuku Visitor Contact Station.
"Every cultural festival is a wonderful experience for the park and the community," said Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Superintendent, Rhonda Loh. "We send our biggest mahalo nui loa to all the performers, partners, food vendors, exhibitors and cultural practitioners who made Saturday such a huge success. It really is a kākou thing and I deeply appreciate everyone, including our staff and volunteers, who worked hard together to make the 40th fun and memorable!"
Festival goers were dazzled with hula performances by nā ʻōlapa (dancers) from
"Every cultural festival is a wonderful experience for the park and the community," said Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Superintendent, Rhonda Loh. "We send our biggest mahalo nui loa to all the performers, partners, food vendors, exhibitors and cultural practitioners who made Saturday such a huge success. It really is a kākou thing and I deeply appreciate everyone, including our staff and volunteers, who worked hard together to make the 40th fun and memorable!"
Festival goers were dazzled with hula performances by nā ʻōlapa (dancers) from
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| Ken Makuakane sang solo and performed with the original members of his legacy band The Pandanus Club. NPS Photo by Janice Wei |
Kaleilaniakealiʻi and Lori Lei's Hula Studio, and were treated to a day of mele by the original members of the legendary Pandanus Club: Ken Makuakāne, Roddy Lopez and Alden Kaiʻaokamālie. Ken Makuakāne, a multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano award winner, also performed solo.
The theme of the festival, E Ho'omau i ka Poʻohala, was personified by generations of the Makuakāne ʻohana who have helped organize, emcee, perform, and share Hawaiian cultural practices from the very first Hawaiian cultural at Kamoamoa through Saturday's 40th event. The park sends a special mahalo to the ʻohana, especially Joni Mae Makuakāne-Jarrell, who served as a vivacious emcee and helped organize the event.
The Park statement said, "In addition, the cultural festival would not be possible without the dedicated support of the park's supporting partners, the Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association."
The Park statement said, "In addition, the cultural festival would not be possible without the dedicated support of the park's supporting partners, the Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association."
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Dancers with Hālau Kaleilaniakealiʻi perform at the 40th Cultural Festival at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. NPS Photo by Janice Wei |
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| Volunteers with the Hawaiʻi Island Hawksbill Project engage with the public at an exhibit table at the 40th Cultural Festival in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park in Kahuku. NPS Photo by Janice Wei |
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| Keiki learn ʻohe kāpala with Khloe Ontiveros. NPS photo by Janice Wei |
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| Ulana lauhala with ʻAha Pūhala o Puna. NPS photo by Janice Wei |
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| Keiki learn how to play the Hawaiian game, kōnane. NPS Photo by Janice Wei |
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| Makau, fish hooks and line put together at the cultural festival. Photo by Sara Espaniola |
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| Lori Lei Studio hula at Kahuku. Photo by Sara Espaniola |
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. Support this news service with advertising at kaunews.com. 7,500 copies in the mail and on stands.
NINETEEN WERE ARRESTED FOR DUI DURING THE WEEK OF July 15 through July 21. Hawai‘i Island police made the arrests for driving under the influ
ence of an intoxicant. Five of the drivers were involved in a traffic accident. Two were under the age of 21.
So far this year, there have been 544 DUI arrests compared with 543 during the same period last year, a decrease of 0.18 percent. Hawai‘i Police Department’s Traffic Services Section reviewed all updated crashes and found 547 major crashes so far this year, compared with 467 during the same time last year, an increase of 17.1 percent.
To date, there were 18 fatal crashes, resulting in 20 fatalities, compared with 9 fatal crashes, resulting in 10 fatalities for the same time last year. This represents an increase of 100 percent for fatal crashes and 100 percent for fatalities.
In 2024, the non-traffic fatality count (not on a public roadway) is zero compared to zero non-traffic fatalities for the same time last year.
Police promise that DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.
So far this year, there have been 544 DUI arrests compared with 543 during the same period last year, a decrease of 0.18 percent. Hawai‘i Police Department’s Traffic Services Section reviewed all updated crashes and found 547 major crashes so far this year, compared with 467 during the same time last year, an increase of 17.1 percent.
To date, there were 18 fatal crashes, resulting in 20 fatalities, compared with 9 fatal crashes, resulting in 10 fatalities for the same time last year. This represents an increase of 100 percent for fatal crashes and 100 percent for fatalities.
In 2024, the non-traffic fatality count (not on a public roadway) is zero compared to zero non-traffic fatalities for the same time last year.
Police promise that DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. Support this news service with advertising at kaunews.com. 7,500 copies in the mail and on stands.
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| The Reunion features the screening of a PBS film Ka'u Sugar, A Town Remembers on the history of the sugar plantation and the closing of the mill in 1996 |
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| 5,500 in the mail, 2,000 on the streets Volcano to Miloli'i See www.kaunews.com |