Kaʻū News Briefs Oct. 29, 2024

Hōkūle‘a and Maui Voyaging Canoes stopped off in Miloli‘i as part of Polynesian Voyaging Society’s outreach to communities
for late October and early November. Photo by Eric Edwards

MILOLI'I IS A SHELTERING BAY FOR Polynesian Voyaging Society's Hōkūleʻa and Maui’s voyaging canoe Moʻokiha O Piʻilani of Hui O Waʻa Kaulua. They sailed into Miloli‘i in late October for five days of public engagement. The voyage follows a visit to Kahoʻolawe where the crew was welcomed at Honokanaiʻa by the Protect Kahoʻolawe ʻOhana’s Kahoʻolawe Island Reserve Commission.
    Polynesian Voyaging Society describes the “brief but emotional over night stop at Kahoʻolawe” which included “a visit to the island’s sacred navigation platform and the sharing of stories from the last 50 years of work to reclaim, restore, and heal this special place. In the 1970’s, the stopping of the bombing of Kahoʻolawe and the birth of Hōkūleʻa to revive ancient Hawaiian voyaging were simultaneously part of the movement of what would become the Native Hawaiian Cultural Renaissance.”

Polynesian Voyaging Canoe Hokule‘a shelters at Miloli‘i as the crew opens up for
 public and student outreach into Ka‘ū and South Kona. Photo by Eric Edwards

    At 6 a.m. Oct. 26, Hōkūleʻa departed Kahoʻolawe and arrived in Miloliʻi at 5:30 p.m. Originally, the crew planned to sail to southwest Maui’s Keoneʻōʻio Bay, also known as La Perouse, which voyagers call “the gate” to one of the most dangerous channels in the world, the Alenuihāhā channel between Maui and Hawaiʻi Island. However, due to weather, the crew sailed directly to Miloliʻi. The two-week engagement included Miloliʻi and Hōnaunau (Oct. 28 to Nov. 1), Keauhou (Nov. 1-8) and Kawaihae (Nov. 8-15). A public engagement schedule will be announced soon.

    Polynesian Voyaging Society describes this Pae ʻĀina sail as “part of Hōkūleʻa’s larger mission to sail around the Hawaiian Islands, engaging communities in cultural and educational experiences and exchanges focused on mālama honua (caring for our island Earth). Each stop allows students and the general public alike to connect with the legacy of exploration, environmental stewardship, and aloha ʻāina that Hōkūleʻa embodies.”
For more on Polynesian Voyaging Society, a map and more info on the sail, see www.hokulea.com.

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Four of the five Trojan wrestlers last year qualified for state. They were La‘akea Kajiwara-Ke, Ocean Nihipali-Sesson, Rain Nihipali-Sesson, Alazae Forcum, Stephen Adler II, and Eli Crook. Coaches left to right were Head Coach Ray Mazyck, Assistant Coach Joe DeYoung, and Assistant coach Connor Norton. Photo by Elizabeth Crook

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PRE-SEASONING CONDITIONING FOR WRESTLING began in late October for the Ka‘ū Trojans BIIF team, which sent four out of five of its members to states last year.
    Head Coach Ray Mazyck said he is looking forward to another winning season. “This season is really promising. We have a large turn-out and have generated a lot of interest. I expect the boys and girls to really put the work in this season and become a dominant force on the island.”
    Assisting the Head Coach are Head Assistant Coach Connor Norton, Assistant Coach Tim Drafahl, and Women’s Coach Chantel Bender.
    Big Island Interscholastic Federation is also heating up for winter, with coaches meetings, student weigh-ins and preseason tournaments. Girls Weight Classes, at scratch weight are:100,105,110,115,120,125,1 30,135,140,145,155,170,190 and 235 lbs. Boys Weight Classes, at scratch weight are: 106,113,120,126,132,138, 144,150,157,165,175,190,215 and 285 lbs. The testing date for all schools weight certification will be Nov. 20 at 9 a.m. at Honoka‘a High School and on Dec. 4 at 2 p.m. at Kea‘au High School.
    A JV Wrestling Invitational will be held at Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy on Dec. 7 at 10. a.m and on Dec. 14 at Pāhoa High School. There will be a wrestling tournament on Dec. 21 at Kealakehe and on Dec. 27 at Punahou. Dec. 21. Regular Season Schedule will be every Saturday in January.

Rain Nihipali-Sesson, a Junior at Kaʻū High in 2023, works for pin against a Hilo girl. A senior at Volcano School of the Arts & Sciences this year, she will wrestle for Ka‘ū again. Photo by Coach Ray Mayzik

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THE FREE HEALTH FAIR IN NĀ’ĀLEHU ON SUNDAY, Nov. 3 is called Kūlia I Ka Nu‘u and will from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Ke Ola Pu‘uhonua grounds behind Punalu‘u Bakeshop. It is sponsored by Hawaiian Music Perpetuation Society.
    It includes Lā‘au Lapa‘au, health screenings, food demonstrations, resource provider demonstrations, mele and hula.
    The first 200 people to attend will receive fresh fish plates cooked by the new owners of Hana Hou Restaurant. Among the presenters are Mother’s Milk from Waimea, Ka‘ū Hospital & Rural Health Clinic, Ed Rau food and medicinal plant expert, Hui Mālama Ola Nā ‘Ōiwi, Women’s Recovery, Geneology with Babs Brooks & ‘Ohana, Ka‘ū Women’s Health Collective Midwives and Jonathan Whites with his honey water. Most will give short stage presentations and be available at their booths.

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Kaʻū News Briefs Oct. 28, 2024

The new Pāhala wastewater treatment plant is soon to be under construction, set back from the pine tree entrance to the village on Maile Street. Macadamia orchards will be irrigated with treated water. Image from County of Hawai'i

PĀHALA  SEWER PROJECT TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION: The Implementation Plan for the new wastewater, sewage system for Pāhala was submitted to the EPA on Oct. 24 by County of Hawai‘i. The County also announced awarding the construction contract to Goodfellow Brothers, Inc., with work anticipated to be approximately 18 months, beginning in January. Read the Implementation Plan at https:// www.dem.hawaiicounty.gov/home/ showpublisheddocument/308434. 

    The Implementation Plan describes the remaining planning, design, and construction schedule for the package wastewater treatment plant and new collection system, following EPA’s approval of the Final Environmental Information Document. 

    The County is overseeing the design and engineering, and the acquisition of necessary land and easements, for the collection system, treatment plant, and disposal system. Owners of homes in the affected area will have received via USPS a right-of-entry agreement for the construction of the new collection system. The County asks that owners sign the agreement and return it to the County in the enclosed envelope. 

   With questions, call the phone numbers listed in the letter. The final deadline for the County to close the large capacity cesspools is January 22, 2027. Those cesspools are illegal nationally and are left over from the sugar plantation days.

Moses Kaho'okele Crabbe and his halau will  perform at Ho'okupu Hula No Kaʻū Cultural Festival on Saturday, Nov.2.

FIVE HALAU WILL GRACE HO'OKUPU HULA NO KA'U CULTURAL FESTIVAL this Saturday, along with musical performers and cultural practitioners. Kumu Debbie Ryder said she welcomes hālau from afar and near and headliner singer Ku‘uipo Kumukahi along with the musical group He Mea Hou, led by Victor Chock. 

   The free event begins at 9 a.m. at Ke Ola Pu‘uhonua grounds in Nā‘ālehu, with Pule and Ho‘okupu, with Ku‘uipo Kumukahi at 10 a.m. She is followed by: 

    Hālau O Kaleo A Keahialapalapa with Kumu Hula Naoho Kanahele along with musical performers and cultural practitioners. Kumu Debbie Ryder said she welcomes halau from afar and near and headliner singer Ku'uipo Kumukahi along with the musical group He Mea Hou, led by Victor Chock.

    The event begins at 9 a.m. with Pule and Ho'okupu. Ku'uipo Kumukahi at 10 a.m. She is followed by:

    Hālau O Kaleo A Keahialapalapa with Kumu Hula Naoho Kanahele, Kanakaole, great granddaughter of Aunty Edith Kanakaole;

    Hālau Na Pua O Uluhaimalama with Kumu Hula Emery Acerat, whose ʻūniki is from the Late Ray Fonseca;

    Hālau Hula ‘O Leionalani with Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder whose ʻūniki is from the late Loea George Lankilakeikiahiali‘i Naope; 

    Ho‘omaika‘i Hula Studio with Kumu Hula Shona LamHo, an O‘ahu Hula sister of Debbie Ryder; 

    Hālau Auolaokalani with Kumu Hula Moses Kaho‘okele Crabbe.

    Cultural practitioner demonstrations include: Net Making with Uncle Chucky Leslie of Nāpō‘opo‘o;

    Poi pounding and demonstrating with Bobbie Pahia from Maui and Kawehi Ryder of Pāhala; 

    Medicinal Awa (Kava) with Todd Reilly. 

    There will also be food and vendor booths. The Saturday festival is followed by a free Kulia I Ka Nu‘u Health Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday at the same location, sponsored by Hawaiian Music Perpetuation Society. It includes La‘au lapa‘au, health screening, food demonstrations, resource provider demonstrations mele and hula.

Ku‘uipo Kumukahi headlines the  cutlural fest at Ke Ola Pu‘uhonua grounds in Nā‘ālehu this Saturday.

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