Makahiki Games: The Hawaiian Olympics
For Native Hawaiians, it wasn’t the lighting of a torch but the appearance of a star that signified the opening of the games. The appearance of the Makalii, also known as the Pleiades, in the eastern sky would mark the Hawaiian New Year and the start of the Makahiki (pronounced mah-kah-hee-kee) season. Makahiki was a time for the Hawaiians to honor Lono, the god of rain, agriculture, harvest, peace and fertility. Alii (chiefs) of each island traveled clockwise to the various ahupuaa (or districts) holding Lono’s image atop a long pole collecting tributes for Lono as well as taxes from their tenants such as taro, sweet potatoes, dried fish, clothing and rare bird feathers. Some of these taxes were stored away as emergency supplies and some shared with lesser alii, but most were redistributed and used for the celebrations. The…
Interest in Local Farmers’ Market Grows
There are quite a few reasons why people love a Hawaiian getaway – the mesmerizing scenery, year-round warm weather, the exotic mixture of cultures and the delicious local delicacies. On your next Hawaii vacation take a bite into the best the islands have to offer at one of many farmers’ markets across Oahu. One of…
Drift Away with Lantern Floating Hawaii
Each year Memorial Day is a time for people from around the country to honor those who have given their lives to protect our freedom. In the islands many use the day to visit the graves of loved ones. To help cultivate cultural harmony and understanding, Her Holiness Shinso Ito, the Head of the Shinnyo-en Buddhist Order, launched the first Lantern Floating Hawaii ceremony on Memorial Day in 1999. For the first three years the ceremony was held at Keehi Lagoon until 2002, when the service was moved to Ala Moana Beach Park where it has been ever since. While elements of the ceremony are taken from religious traditions, Shinnyo-en, in partnership with other groups, has adapted the ceremony to be a interfaith celebration of the people who have come before us. This year Lantern Floating Hawaii will celebrate its…
Congressional Gold Medal Event
Roberts Hawaii was privileged to help provide ground transportation for the Congressional Gold Medal Luncheon on Maui on Feb. 25, in recognition of 39 Maui veterans who courageously served in the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team and Military Intelligence Service during World War II. We’re proud to honor the brave men and their families who sacrificed so much to protect and secure the comforts and freedoms we enjoy today. Roberts Hawaii was privileged to help provide ground transportation for the Congressional Gold Medal Luncheon on Maui on Feb. 25, in recognition of 39 Maui veterans who courageously served in the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team and Military Intelligence Service during World War II. We’re proud to honor the brave men and their families who sacrificed so much to protect and secure the comforts and freedoms we…
Visit us at the Great Aloha Run Expo!
Save the date and come visit us at the Great Aloha Run Sports, Health & Fitness Expo! The expo is Friday February 17 through Sunday, February 19th at the Neal Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall. Friday: 4PM – 9PM Saturday: 9AM – 7PM Sunday: 9AM – 5PM Come by our booth (T5) and learn how you can play tourist, and in addition, be sure to enter-to-win a pair of tickets to either the Alii Kai Catamaran, Lani Misalucha Show or Magic of Polynesia! For more information about the Great Aloha Run Expo, please visit www.greataloharun.com/events/expo
Eddie Aikau – The Man Behind the Name
*Photo Credit: Dan Zelikman In Hawaii the name Eddie Aikau is as famous as Waimea Bay, the celebrated Oahu surf break where the prestigious big-wave surf contest carrying his name is held each year. Wherever you go — whether you’re passing a bumper sticker along Pali Highway or grabbing breakfast from Rainbow Drive Inn you’ll…
Fourth of July Fireworks and Family Fun Throughout Hawaii
The Fourth of July, the day that we, as Americans, celebrate our nation’s independence is a national holiday characterized by backyard barbecues, impressive fireworks displays, and a pervasive pride in our nation’s proud history of liberty and freedom. What the actual date commemorates, however, is not as widely understood as the fact that it’s a…
Making Merry at the Merrie Monarch
For those who practice the ancient and storied art of hula, the annual Merrie Monarch Festival is considered the Olympics of the dance. Each year the annual event hosted in Hilo, Hawaii brings together the top echelon of hula dancers – the most talented and dedicated halau from across the globe — to participate in…