Ka`u News Briefs Monday, Oct. 13, 2014

Iwao Yonemitsu, a retired sugar agronomist and John Cross, of Olson Land Trust, shared photos, maps and drawings
 during Ka`u Plantation Days. Photo by Julia Neal

A MAGNITUDE-4.0 EARTHQUAKE STRUCK seven miles north of Na`alehu at 6:43 p.m. yesterday. According to Wes Thelen, HVO’s Seismic Network Manager, this earthquake was at a depth of 3.4 miles. A map showing its location is posted on the HVO website at http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/seismic/volcweb/earthquakes/.

Yesterday's 4.0-magnitude earthquake was between Na`alehu
and Pahala. Map from USGS/HVO

      The earthquake was felt on the south part of the island. The USGS “Did you feel it?” website at earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/dyfi received around 20 felt reports, mostly from the Na`alehu area, within an hour of the earthquake. Only weak shaking (Intensity III) has been reported around the epicenter. At these shaking intensities, damage to buildings or structures is not expected.
      No aftershocks had been recorded as of 9:30 p.m. last night.
      Over the past 50 years, the area north of Na`alehu has experienced eight earthquakes, including yesterday’s event, with magnitudes greater than 4.0 and at depths of zero to 6.2 miles.
       The earthquake caused no detectable changes in Kilauea Volcano’s ongoing eruption or on Mauna Loa and other active volcanoes on the island.
       This event is a reminder for Hawai`i residents to be prepared for earthquakes. The second annual Great Hawai`i Shakeout, scheduled for 10:16 a.m. on Thursday, is an opportunity for people throughout the state to practice “Drop! Cover! Hold On!” — actions that are proven to reduce injury in an earthquake. For details, see shakeout.org/hawaii.
      For information on recent earthquakes in Hawai`i and eruption updates, see hvo.wr.usgs.gov.

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The Puna lava flow is now almost one-half mile from Pahoa's transfer station.
Photo from USGS/HVO

LAVA IS JUST OVER ONE-HALF MILE from the Pahoa transfer station as of this morning. Hawai`i County Civil Defense reports that the flow front continues to be active and has advanced approximately 75 yards since yesterday, moving northeast. 

      All burning activity is limited to vegetation that is in direct contact with the flow, and there is no brush fire threat at this time. Smoke conditions were moderate to heavy this morning in the Ka`ohe Homesteads area due to a light northeast wind.
      The public is reminded that the flow is not visible and cannot be accessed from any public areas. Access to Ka`ohe Homesteads subdivision remains restricted to area residents only.

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CANDIDATES FOR STATE HOUSE DISTRICT THREE gave their views on labeling of genetically engineered food and pesticide regulation when they answered questions posed by Civil Beat. Are these public safety issues, or are the dangers exaggerated?

Walter Wong Yuen, Jr. shares history, culture and traditions of Chinese in Ka`u.
Photo by Julia Neal

      “I believe that these issues are for the federal government to decide upon based on reliably verified scientific research on the affects on human health and the environment,” said incumbent Democratic Rep. Richard Onishi. “The federal government has the systems and resources in place to evaluate the volumes of information, require the cooperation and participation of the private and public sectors and to mandate regulations and rules that apply to all government agencies and states. Neither the state nor the counties have these systems in place or the resources necessary to fully evaluate the scientific research in this area to make the determination on these issues. The state of Hawai`i is one of the smaller state economies in relation to the consumption of food and the use of pesticides, and it would be difficult to mandate the private sector to comply with regulations and rules that would only apply in Hawai`i. Stricter regulations may cause these private companies to decide to just not do business in Hawai`i instead of having to meet more rigorous and potentially more costly regulations which would be specifically mandated only in Hawai`i. Also, these decisions need to be evaluated on what the effects would be on our farmers, on our ability to produce food in Hawai`i, on the cost of food and on our ability to become more food sustainable.”

Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka`u had Hawaiian games and crafts.
Photo by Julia Neal

      Libertarian candidate Fred Fogel said, “An easy and effective start would be labeling all produce to give people an informed choice at the point of purchase. Growers know if their produce is GMO. However, requiring the manufacturers of processed foods to label GMO foods should happen at the federal level. (Unfortunately, given today’s political climate and the relatively long time it took years ago to standardize the present food info labels, I don’t see that happening anytime soon.) If the state requires such labeling, we might find ourselves with a reduced selection of processed foods. Of course ‘every cloud has a silver lining,’ and the unavailability of processed foods might steer people toward more ‘real food,’ in turn supporting local agriculture. Eventually, all food products should be labeled for GMO, thereby giving the consumer a complete choice at the point of purchase.
      “As far as the ‘public safety issue,’ present laws regarding GMO and the use of pesticides are adequate. However, I believe the counties should have more say than the state or the federal government on all issues, not just pesticides and GMO. The present philosophy of federal law ‘trumping’ state law and state law trumping county law is exactly opposite of what our founding fathers envisioned. If the people (and associated government) in a specific county want to regulate, ban or legalize something, they should be able to trump higher-level governments. Of course this philosophy would apply to everything and include things like education, health care, transportation, alternative energy, gambling, prostitution and cannabis. If people have ‘home rules’ in the areas of pesticides and GMO, they should have home rule for everything.”
      See civilbeat.com.

Ka`u High School sold T-shirts to raise funds. Photo by Julia Neal

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CENTRAL PACIFIC HURRICANE CENTER is monitoring tropical storm Ana east-southeast of South Point. The system is expected to become a hurricane and could reach the Big Island this weekend.
      Information is available at prh.noaa.gov/cphc.

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THE ARC OF KONA HAS JOBS AVAILABLE to support individuals with disabilities and is hiring in Ocean View, Na`alehu, and Pahala. Contact Yvonne at 323-2626.

BOOTHS AT KA`U PLANTATION DAYS celebration on Saturday at Pahala Plantation House offered everything from history to health, from food and drinks to fun and games and from crafts to fundraisers. Many community organizations raised money for their causes and their programs, from Ka`u High to Friends of Ka`u Libraries.

Ka`u CDP Steering Committee meets tomorrow to discuss the document's
first comprehensive draft.

THE FIRST COMPREHENSIVE DRAFT of the Ka`u Community Development Plan will be presented to the CDP Steering Committee tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. The public is invited to the meeting, which will include presentations, questions from members and short activities to assess committee members’ understanding of the draft. 

      Working draft CDP materials will be available at the conclusion of the meeting. They will also be available at kaucdp.info, community centers and libraries by Wednesday.
      For more information, contact Whitmore at 961-8137 or rwhitmore@co.hawaii.hi.us.

AT TOMORROW’S AFTER DARK IN THE PARK program, Dr. Patrick V. Kirch, Chancellor’s Professor Emeritus at University of California, Berkeley, reviews the history and presents current evidence for the history of human settlement throughout the Pacific.
      The free program takes place from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
      Park entrance fees apply.

Francine Weller displays her crochet work. Photo by Julia Neal

AUDITIONS FOR GIAN CARLO MENOTTI’S classic tale Amahl and the Night Visitors take place next week on Monday, Oct. 20 and Wednesday, Oct. 22. The auditions will be held at Kilauea Militiary Camp’s Kilauea Theater at 6:30 p.m. Performances are scheduled for Dec. 26, 27 and 28 and Jan. 2, 3 and 4. The show is directed by Suzi Bond, with Christopher Tomich as musical director and Pam James as choreographer. Armando Mendoza will conduct the orchestra. The show was the debut production of Hallmark Hall of Fame in Dec. 1951.
      Parts available for the show are Amahl, a crippled boy of about 12, his mother, the Three Kings Kaspar, Melchior and Balthazar, a page and a chorus of shepherds and dancers.
      Amahl, a shepherd, tries to tell his mother about an enormous star with a long tail. His mother grows angrier when Amahl tells her that a knock at the door is three kings come to visit them. The kings enter and tell them that they have come to find a king. Amahl’s mother tries to steal some of the kings’ gold to use to help her child. She is caught, and when the kings offer to let her keep the gold, explaining that the king they seek will need nothing but love to rule his kingdom, she returns it. Amahl offers his staff as an additional gift, and suddenly finds that he can walk. He leaves with the kings to pay homage to the child who has healed him.
      For more information about the auditions, call 982-7344 or email kden73@aol.com.

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Ka`u News Briefs Sunday, Oct. 12, 2014

Ka`u High Trojans are BIIF inaugural eight-man football champions following their win in Kohala yesterday. Photo from Facebook

KA`U HIGH TROJANS ARE INAUGURAL CHAMPIONS in Big Island Interscholastic Federation eight-man football after their win in Kohala yesterday. With a final score of 62-36, the team finished the season with six wins and one pre-season loss.

Kupuna who studied under the late Edna Aguil continue their hula tradition
at Ka`u Plantation Days yesterday. Photo by Julia Neal

      Trojans dominated every quarter yesterday. Three touchdowns and two extra points brought the first-quarter score to 20-14. Cy Tamura scored two of the touchdowns with runs of three and 43 yards.
      Kupono Palakiko-Leffew took the ball one yard into the end zone for the first touchdown of the second quarter. Two minutes later, Anthony Emmsley-Ah Yee carried the ball into the end zone for another six points, followed by a two-point conversion by Tamura. With a minute left in the first half, Palakiko-Leffew ran 18 yards for a touchdown, and Tamura scored another two points. Halftime score was 42-22.
      In the third quarter, Tamura made a 43-yard touchdown pass to Emmsley-Ah Yee. Kainalu Ke made an interception and returned 27 yards for another touchdown. Two extra points by Kaimanu Medeiros-Dancel brought the third-quarter score to 56-22.

A drummer joins Keoki Kahumoku & the `Ukulele Kids. Photo by Julia Neal

      In the fourth quarter, quarterback Jordan DeRamos ran the ball 13 yards for the final Trojan touchdown of the game and the season.
      Before their game, the champs attended Ka`u girls varsity volleyball team’s final match of the regular season at Parker, where the Trojans won in three straight sets. Scores were 25-7, 25-11 and 25-16.

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A RESOLUTION TO BE CONSIDERED by Hawai`i County Council Wednesday urges the Board of Water Supply to authorize acquisition of land required for development of Ocean View Well Number Two, a reservoir, support facilities and water main to connect with Ocean View Well Number One in its five-year plan. It also authorizes the Department of Water Supply to engineer and construct a second well and all accessory facilities.

Kupuna of Hannah's Makana `Ohana perform at Ka`u Plantation Days.
Photo by Julia Neal

      The meeting begins at 9 a.m. at West Hawai`i Civic Center in Kona. Ka`u residents can participate via videoconferencing at Ocean View Community Center.

      Agenda is available at hawaiicounty.gov.

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REP. RICHARD ONISHI, DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE for state House District Three, gave his views on issues and answered questions posed by Civil Beat.
      The first question was, “Why are you running for the Hawai`i Legislature?”
      “I am running for re-election to a second term to represent the House of Representatives Third District because I believe that there is still more that I can do to fulfill the vision for our Third District communities that I pledged to support in my initial campaign in 2012,” Onishi replied. “That vision was for our communities to be safe, healthy, economically viable and sustainable. I feel that I have worked hard to accomplish this vision through my record of legislation introduced, issues supported, and the securing of funds for projects within the Third District. However, there are still more issues to address and projects that require funding. I believe that I can make it happen as the Third District’s state representative.”

Organizer Darlyne Vierra, at right, with supporters.
Photo by Julia Neal

      Onishi answered questions regarding the state’s unfunded liabilities, homelessness, genetically modified food and pesticides, Hawai`i’s cost of living, energy, public records, the public school system, the economy, environmental resources and health care.
      Regarding health care, Onishi said Hawai`i Health System Corporation, the state’s medical services safety net in rural communities, faces financial and administrative issues at the corporate level and in all five regions. “State support for the system is critical to the continuation of medical care, but the question of what level of care the system is required to provide has not been fully established and has to be determined by all of the stakeholders of the system.
      “The lack of primary care family physicians is at a critical point in Hawai`i as well as across the U.S. The development of the Hilo Medical Center’s Rural Primary Care Physician Training Program is very crucial throughout the state, especially in our rural communities. This program must have continued state support to solidify and establish itself. Once the program is established, it will then be able to receive federal physician training funds.
      See civilbeat.com.

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INDIVIDUALS RESIDING IN LOW-INCOME neighborhoods in Hawai`i experience higher barriers to the adoption of healthier behaviors, according to research by Dr. Vanessa Buchthal, of University of Hawai`i-Manoa’s Office of Public Health.
      Also, patterns of change in obesity-related behaviors suggest that disparities may be increasing between low-income and moderate/high-income Hawai`i residents.

Members of Pahala Dojo share their karate skills. Photo by Julia Neal

      “In 2001, the percentage of Hawai`i residents consuming the recommended two fruits and three vegetables per day was 12.8 percent among middle/upper income Hawai`i residents, 12.2 percent among low-income Hawai`i residents and 10.9 percent among those in poverty,” Buchthal reported in the October issue of Hawai`i Journal of Medicine & Public Health. “By 2009, consumption of the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables increased modestly among moderate/upper-income individuals (15.3 percent) while remaining nearly flat among low-income individuals (12.7 percent). Those living in poverty (13.7 percent) surpassed the low-income group, but still lagged several percentage points behind moderate/high income Hawai`i residents.

Kumu hula Debbie Ryder dances in from of spectators and members of her halau.
Photo by Julia Neal

      “Similar results can be seen for physical activity. In 2001 there was no appreciable difference in the percentage meeting physical activity recommendations among moderate/upper income (52.9 percent) and low-income (51.6 percent) Hawai`i residents. Those in poverty (45.2 percent) had the lowest percentage of individuals meeting physical activity recommendations. Between 2001-2009, the moderate/upper income group showed steady improvement over time (55.1 percent), while the percentage meeting recommendations among the low-income group (51.5 percent) remained unchanged. Those in poverty (49.7 percent) caught up to the low-income group, but lagged substantially behind the middle/ upper-income group.

Ka`u Plantation Days emcee Clyde Silva Photo by Julia Neal

      “We cannot assume that campaigns, programs, and policy/environmental interventions aimed at improving obesity outcomes in the general population are benefitting low-income households, unless these interventions include components that address the specific needs and barriers within low-income communities. The additional barriers and needs of low-income households should not be relegated to a subset of ‘low-income’ projects, but rather need to be integrated into the planning of physical activity and nutrition campaigns overall. The first element, however, is awareness – recognition of poverty as not just a demographic variable, but as a driving force in health disparities, and awareness of the potential for an emerging gap in physical activity and nutrition outcomes between lower-income Hawai`i residents and the rest of our state. We cannot progress, either as a state or as a nation, towards reaching the Healthy People 2020 goals if our obesity-prevention efforts are not reaching those most at-risk for lifestyle-related chronic disease, disability and death,” Buchthal concluded
      See hjmph.org.

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KA`U PLANTATION DAYS in Pahala yesterday featured a lineup of entertainment from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. While the sun was shining all day, performers and spectators were protected by the shade of massive banyan trees at Pahala Plantation House.

THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO TUESDAY'S MEETING of the Ka`u Community Development Plan Steering Committee at 8:30 a.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. Committee members will discuss the first comprehensive draft of the CDP, which was developed by the CDP Planning Team, including consultants and county planners. It has not yet been reviewed by the Ka`u CDP Steering Committee or other community stakeholders. It is presented as an initial working draft for discussion and improvement.
      When the Steering Committee thinks the CDP is ready for full community review, then the broader community and stakeholders will have a thorough opportunity for review and recommendations. Only after the Steering Committee is satisfied that the CDP truly reflects community preferences will it recommend that the CDP be adopted by the County Council.
      The meeting will include presentations, questions from members and short activities to assess members' understanding of the draft. Planner Ron Whitmore anticipates that this meeting will recess in the late afternoon and continue on Oct. 28, Nov. 15 and Dec. 13.
      Working draft CDP materials will be available at the conclusion of the Oct. 14 portion of the meeting. They will also be available at kaucdp.info, community centers and libraries by Wednesday.
      For more information, contact Whitmore at 961-8137 or rwhitmore@co.hawaii.hi.us.

THE SETTLEMENT OF THE PACIFIC AND HAWAIIAN ORIGINS: A Perspective from Archaeology is the title of Tuesday’s After Dark in the Park program. When Captain James Cook and other European explorers entered the Pacific in the 18th century, they were astounded to find that virtually every single island was already populated by indigenous island cultures. Where had the ancestors of these island people come from, and how did they manage to discover and settle even the most remote islands, including Hawai`i? Over the past century, archaeologists have sought the answers to these questions. Dr. Patrick V. Kirch, Chancellor’s Professor Emeritus at the University of California at Berkeley, reviews the history and presents current evidence for the history of human settlement throughout the Pacific.

South Side Serenaders, from left, are Ti Chun, Elijah Navarro and Terrie Louis.
Photo by Julia Neal

      The free program takes place Tuesday from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
      Park entrance fees apply.

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK commemorates Hawaiian Archaeology Week with ranger-guided hikes to Pu`u Loa Petroglyphs. Participants visit the largest ki`i pohaku (petroglyph) field in Hawai`i and ponder the meaning behind the tens of thousands of carvings that Hawaiians etched into lava there. The hike is 0.7 miles one way and takes about 1.5 hours roundtrip.
      Meet the park ranger at 2 p.m. at the Pu`u Loa Petroglyph parking area on Chain of Craters Road, a 45-minute drive from the park entrance, this Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 16, 17 and 18.
      The hikes are free; park entrance fees apply.

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Ka`u News Briefs Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014

Miss Ka`u Coffee Amery Silva and Fourth of July Rodeo Queen Caliya Silva Kamei ride in the pa`u parade at Ka`u Plantation Days.
Photo by Julia Neal

CHAIN OF CRATERS ROAD WILL BE REBUILT WITH TWO LANES. After weeks of collaboration between county, state and federal officials, U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and Mayor Billy Kenoi announced that the National Parks Service intends to reestablish the Kalapana-Ka`u route to its original alignment width of 22 feet with a gravel surface, which will be consistent with the width of the existing park roadway segment and will accommodate two-way traffic along its entire length. This announcement comes at a critical time, as the tip of the lava flow is less than a mile from Pahoa.

Jenny Castenada and Jesse Lorenzo represent Hawai`i Island and honor Stanley
Lorenzo, Sr., Lorenzo's grandfather. Photo by Julia Neal

      Schatz and Gabbard have been working with Kenoi to persuade federal officials to rebuild lava-covered portions of the road as a two-lane route out of Hawai`i Island’s lower Puna District in anticipation of the Kilauea lava flow cutting off access to major roadways this month.   

      Schatz visited Chain of Craters Road to meet with NPS Superintendent Cindy Orlando and saw first-hand the bulldozer work being done to clear the access road. Gabbard went on a helicopter with Hawai`i County officials and got a close look at the Kilauea lava vent, the path toward Pahoa that the lava has flowed, all access roads in and out of Puna, to include the active bulldoze clearing ongoing on the county’s portion of Chain of Craters Road.

      “This is a win for Puna residents who need access to the rest of the Big Island, and it was a great team effort,” Schatz said. “I want to thank Mayor Kenoi, Rep. Gabbard and all of the federal, state and county agencies for completing a difficult negotiation. Our work isn’t done, but this is an important first step.

Katie Helbush and Solomon Singer, representing O`ahu, honor Helbush's great-great
grandfather Edward C. Searle. Photo by Julia Neal

      “The people of Puna have faced great uncertainty and difficulty over the last several weeks, first with back to back hurricanes and tropical storms, followed by Kilauea’s lava flow. Ensuring that Chain of Craters Road is rebuilt as soon as possible and that two-way access is available to the people of Puna now and in the future is absolutely critical,” said Gabbard. “Mayor Kenoi’s strong leadership, collaboration with Sen. Schatz and quick action by the community and local leaders proved essential to bringing about this outcome, to enable Puna residents to make their own plans accordingly.”
      “We are all very grateful to Sen. Schatz, Rep. Gabbard and the entire Hawai`i delegation for their efforts on behalf of Lower Puna,” Kenoi said. “The two-lane, reconstructed Chain of Craters Road will be a lifeline for thousands of our residents, and is essential for the safety and well-being of our working families and our entire community.”
      Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported this morning that the leading edge of the flow has advanced 65 yards per day to the northeast over the past two days. Active breakouts were observed at the flow front and continue along the tube system upslope from the leading edge of the flow.

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KA`U RESIDENTS WHO WANT TO QUICKLY GAIN specialized education and increase their employability are invited to attend informational events hosted by Hawai`i Community College. Hawai`i CC cafeteria at 200 West Kawili Street in Hilo is the site of one event on Thursday, Oct. 23 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Another takes place at West Hawai`i Civic Center, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy, Bldg A in Kona on Tuesday, Oct. 28 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Kercia Hanoa-Derisan and her riding partner represent Maui and honor Kainoa Hanoa,
Hanoa-Derisan's great-grandfather.
Photo by Julia Neal

      The events will highlight Hawai`i CC’s new online, accelerated certificate programs designed to increase students’ skills while accommodating their schedules and locations. The classes are conducted using an online format or a mix of online classes with hands-on fieldwork.
      The new certificate programs being offered include business certificates in Business Foundations, Business Essentials, Retail Foundations, Entrepreneurship and Virtual Office Assistant.
      Sustainable construction certificates are being offered in Sustainable Construction Technologies as well as Sustainable Lot Design, Preparation & Development.
      Students will also receive support services that include tutoring, academic counseling, internships and job development and transcript evaluation/Prior Learning Assessment, which allows adults to earn credit for work knowledge and experience.

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FRED FOGEL, LIBERTARIAN CANDIDATE for state House District Three, gave his views on issues and answered questions posed by Civil Beat.
      The first question was, “Why are you running for the Hawai`i Legislature?”

Teani Souza and her riding partner represent Lanai and honor S&S Dairy.
Photo by Julia Neal

      “Incumbent politicians need challengers,” Fogel answered. “Voters need a choice at the polls — someone without political career ambition. Someone who is willing to make the necessary, systemic governmental changes to better serve the people. Government is like a pyramid with the small federal oversight at the top, larger state government below, county governments beneath that, and the people as the broad foundation. Today that pyramid is upside down, with an overreaching federal government at the top and correspondingly less power until you reach the people at the tip. We must right this pyramid before it collapses. To continue the analogy, the trees of freedom planted by our forefathers are losing their leaves. The fruit from these trees must be replanted in the still fertile ground before the trees whither and die. Hopefully through careful attention and nurturing over the decades to come, the fruit from these trees will once again feed the hopes and dreams of all who desire to improve their lives.”  

      Fogel answered questions regarding the state’s unfunded liabilities, homelessness, genetically modified food and pesticides, Hawai`i’s cost of living, energy, public records, the public school system, the economy and environmental resources.

Lorilee Lorenzo and her cousin John Kalahiki, representing Kahoolawe, honor
their great grandfather. Photo by Julia Neal

      Fogel said his “primary goal in representing the people is to implement fundamental changes to they way government operates — the result being government that serves the people better at the lower cost of the taxpayer. In simple terms the people will get more bang for their buck. This can be done by creating an environment where the people have more freedom to pursue their dreams and enjoy the benefits of their efforts. The resulting growth in the economy and business environment will support generations to come through better job opportunities. This can only be achieved with a coalition of like-minded politicians working together. It will not be easy, given the pressures of special interests (internal and external) and procedural rules allowing committee chairs to table proposals without hearing, gut bills to change original intent or insert items that do not pertain to the purpose of the bill. However, persistence will prevail. Eventually lawmakers will come around to doing the right thing.”
      See civilbeat.com.

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KA`U PLANTATION DAYS CELEBRATED Sweet Memories in Pahala today, with a pa`u parade on Maile and Pikake Streets and entertainment, ethnic food, dance and history displays at Pahala Plantation House.

PATTY JOHNSON PRESENTS MEDICINE FOR THE MIND tomorrow at 4 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. The free Buddhist healing meditation for beginners through advanced takes place the second Sunday of each month.
      For more information, call 985-7470.

A decorated cane truck leads the Ka`u Plantation Days parade.
Photo by Julia Neal

A WEEK FROM TODAY, FAMILIES ARE INVITED to celebrate International Archaeology Day with Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park archaeologists and cultural practitioners who will share Hawaiian culture through its cultural treasures. Fun, hands-on, keiki-friendly activities from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. include shoebox excavations (dig in and excavate your own archaeological site with a friend); a stone tool-making demonstration with master stone-tool artist Tom Pico; pono petroglyph rubbings (without damaging real-life petroglyphs) and Lapita pottery impressions, where keiki can trace the Polynesian migration through pottery shards the ancients left behind and create their own ceramic tile to take home. In addition, the short film Pacific Clues: Footprints in Lava, hosted by park archaeologist Dr. Jadelyn Moniz-Nakamura, reveals the story of ancient footprints in the Ka`u Desert and will be shown in Kilauea Visitor Center throughout the day.
      At the end of the day, visit the future home of the park’s new cultural museum at the 1932 Administration Building. At this final station, keiki can take the pledge and earn their Junior Archaeology Ranger patch. Each junior ranger will receive the new Archeology in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park children’s booklet.
      The 1932 Administration Building, also known as the `Ohi`a Wing, is between Kilauea Visitor Center and Volcano House.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf.