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| Rep. Richard Creagan, Sen. Kaiali`i Kahele and Council member Maile David welcomed the koa canoe, Malolo, back to Miloli`i. Photo from Maile David |
MILOLI`I YESTERDAY WELCOMED the return of their koa wa`a (canoe), the Malolo, with a blessing and feast. Built in Miloli`i in the 1920s, the Malolo is one of the oldest and most storied koa racing canoes in Hawai`i. Many current members of Miloli`i Canoe Club had grandparents who paddled on the Malolo in the 1930s. The Malolo also won and set the record at the 1954 Moloka`i Channel race.
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| Canoe paddling is a longtime tradition for Miloli`i `ohana. Photo from Miloli`i Canoe Club |
Hoe wa`a (canoe paddling) has been a longtime tradition for the families of the fishing village of Miloli`i. The kupuna of this tiny village paddled in numerous canoe regattas and long distance races, and many owe their physical strength to paddling their own personal `opelu canoe on a daily basis to fish for `opelu to feed their family and community.
In 2015, after 81 years, the newly formed Miloli`i Canoe Club, with the help of Pa`a Pono Miloli`i, returned to the water with a total of 22 paddlers, many of whom have lineage to those past kupuna of the village. Both the Novice B men’s and women’s teams dominated the water course throughout the 2015 canoe regatta season which gave them berth into the 2015 HCRA State Races held in Hilo. Hard work and dedication by each paddler and supporter of the canoe club paid off.
“The King Kamehameha Day race was the most exciting,” said Miloli`i native Laila Kaupu. “We had lane one with the worst swells coming in against Kailua pier. We still won gold in both the women’s and men’s team races.”
The season also featured a number of open water distance races. Frank Durao, who moved to Miloli`i from California and is operating a macnut and coffee farm, likes the longer races. “We raced in the Queen Lili`uokalani Race,” he said. “The women paddled from Kailua pier to Honaunau, which is eighteen miles, and then the men paddled back. There were over 100 wa`a from all over the Pacific. In a race like that, you learn to feel the rhythm of everyone paddling together. You can feel the single motion of the wa`a moving forward with each stroke.”
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| Miloli`i Canoe Club paddlers celebrate a victory. Photo from Pa`a Pono Miloli`i |
In its second year, the Miloli`i Canoe Club aims to not only build participation in the club but to also build the community that fuels the club. “We hope the history and cultural practice of paddling will boost the morale of the village,” said Lei Kaupu, “and motivate the paddlers to strive and work harder and inspire the future generation to continue on in the practice of their kupuna.”
Nohea Kaiaokamalie, 2015 president of canoe club, agreed. “Paddling a canoe is the true Hawaiian sport,” she said. “It is ingrained in us. Even if it has been gone for a generation in Miloli`i, we can still find it.”
The canoe club has brought together a wide community of paddlers. In the wa`a, participants may find themselves paddling with a fisherman, an ethnobotanist, a farmer, a minister, an emergency room doctor, a grandmother or someone from as far away as Vermont. They all become “part of the family here. Our small club is very welcoming, and people learn quickly. Only a few of us paddled when we were young,” said Didja Llanes, head coach of Miloli`i Canoe Club.
Before the fall of 2014, Amoe Taetuna hadn’t paddled before, but after a few weeks as the club began to train, she was asked to take the steering seat and captain the women’s boat in the 2015 Pa`a Pono Miloli`i Ocean Fest. “It just came naturally to me,” she said. “I know the feeling of the water – the currents, the wind, the waves. I grew up on the water. Now as captain, I want to share this with the crew. I like to talk to them and motivate them. We are all learning together.”
Miloli`i Canoe Club welcomes new members to practices on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. and on Saturday mornings at 8 a.m. The wa`a are launched at the southern end of Miloli`i village, and paddles are provided.
For more information, contact Didja Llanes at 345-6738 or Nohea Kaiaokamalie at 937-9333 and nkaiaokamalie@gmail.com. Sponsorships and donations are welcomed.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.
NATIONAL PARK WEEK ENDS TODAY. Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park waives entry fees.
The canoe club has brought together a wide community of paddlers. In the wa`a, participants may find themselves paddling with a fisherman, an ethnobotanist, a farmer, a minister, an emergency room doctor, a grandmother or someone from as far away as Vermont. They all become “part of the family here. Our small club is very welcoming, and people learn quickly. Only a few of us paddled when we were young,” said Didja Llanes, head coach of Miloli`i Canoe Club.
Before the fall of 2014, Amoe Taetuna hadn’t paddled before, but after a few weeks as the club began to train, she was asked to take the steering seat and captain the women’s boat in the 2015 Pa`a Pono Miloli`i Ocean Fest. “It just came naturally to me,” she said. “I know the feeling of the water – the currents, the wind, the waves. I grew up on the water. Now as captain, I want to share this with the crew. I like to talk to them and motivate them. We are all learning together.”
Miloli`i Canoe Club welcomes new members to practices on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. and on Saturday mornings at 8 a.m. The wa`a are launched at the southern end of Miloli`i village, and paddles are provided.
For more information, contact Didja Llanes at 345-6738 or Nohea Kaiaokamalie at 937-9333 and nkaiaokamalie@gmail.com. Sponsorships and donations are welcomed.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.
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| Ka`u's state Sen. Russell Ruderman and Rep. Richard Creagan, in blue shirts, joined other members of the Hemp Caucus who all wore hemp shirts to celebrate Earth Day. Photo from Sen. Ruderman |
KA`U’S STATE REP. RICHARD CREAGAN announced that he is running for re-election.
“My main issues are to preserve our good life on the Big Island and in our district,” Creagan said. One focus of Creagan’s is improving schools. He said he hopes to have capital improvement projects funded at several schools for various projects.
“My biggest effort will be in working on a plan for the West Hawai`i University Hospital, which will hopefully be sited on or near the Palamanui campus across from the Kona Airport,” he said.
“Providing land and water for our small farmers as well as more outlets for their produce is also a major issue for me,” he said. “Exploring the conversion of some of our more marginal agricultural land to rural designation is also something I want to explore during the campaign ahead.”
Creagan, along with Ka`u’s state Sen. Russell Ruderman, who previously announced his candidacy, is a member of the Legislature’s Hemp Caucus. Members celebrated Earth Day yesterday by wearing their hemp shirts. Ruderman said members expect a hemp bill to pass this year, after years of effort.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.
“My biggest effort will be in working on a plan for the West Hawai`i University Hospital, which will hopefully be sited on or near the Palamanui campus across from the Kona Airport,” he said.
“Providing land and water for our small farmers as well as more outlets for their produce is also a major issue for me,” he said. “Exploring the conversion of some of our more marginal agricultural land to rural designation is also something I want to explore during the campaign ahead.”
Creagan, along with Ka`u’s state Sen. Russell Ruderman, who previously announced his candidacy, is a member of the Legislature’s Hemp Caucus. Members celebrated Earth Day yesterday by wearing their hemp shirts. Ruderman said members expect a hemp bill to pass this year, after years of effort.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.
KA`U RESIDENTS CAN PROVIDE INPUT on Hawai`i Department of Education’s review and extension of its joint Strategic Plan. The plan, which was last updated in 2012, is a combined effort to further develop comprehensive strategies focused on three foundational goals of quality education: Student Success, Staff Success and Successful Systems of Support. Public input is essential for revisions and updates that will be included in the development of the 2017-2020 extension of the Joint DOE/BOE Strategic Plan.
“Over the past five years, we’ve experienced great progress in our public school system and our schools,” Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi said. “To help all students reach their aspirations, we are taking a close look at lessons learned and ongoing challenges.”
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| Hawai`i Department of Education seeks input on its Strategic Plan. Image from HIDOE |
Notable progress includes reduction of chronic absenteeism, improvement in high school-level academic achievements and increasing college enrollments. The number of high school students taking college-level courses for dual credit, for example, rose four percentage points between the graduating classes of 2013 and 2015. The number of graduates enrolled in college also rose by six percentage points between 2010 and 2015.
HIDOE is seeking input from students, teachers, school leaders and community partners to help define student success and support student aspirations. This feedback will be reviewed and incorporated into the revised Strategic Plan for presentation to BOE in December 2016.
Tammi Chun, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent of the Office of Strategy, Innovation and Performance, said, “The passage of the new federal education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act, is a critical opportunity to reconsider our current strategies and indicators for success.”
ESSA, which replaces No Child Left Behind, provides more flexibility to states to direct their own educational strategies to support states’ goals, while keeping several federal requirements tied to funding in place. The Strategic Plan sets the vision for Hawai`i’s public school system, supported with strategies and objectives for the state's students, educators and schools. The BOE approved the review and extension at its General Business Meeting on January 19.
The public can provide input in several ways. Take the survey through May 31 at the Strategic Plan community conversation blog, where you can also leave a post with ideas for students and schools: hiqualityed.tumblr.com. Email input directly to StrategicPlan@notes.k12.hi.us or mail to Office of Strategy, Innovation and Performance, PO Box 2360, Honolulu, HI, 96804. Join the conversation on social media with #HIQualityEd.
For more information about the review and extension effort, see bit.ly/DOEBOEstratplan.
The DOE will work collaboratively with a separate effort announced by Gov. David Ige on April 14 to form an ESSA team, comprised of 17 individuals, which plans to hold an education summit and town hall meetings.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.
HIDOE is seeking input from students, teachers, school leaders and community partners to help define student success and support student aspirations. This feedback will be reviewed and incorporated into the revised Strategic Plan for presentation to BOE in December 2016.
Tammi Chun, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent of the Office of Strategy, Innovation and Performance, said, “The passage of the new federal education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act, is a critical opportunity to reconsider our current strategies and indicators for success.”
ESSA, which replaces No Child Left Behind, provides more flexibility to states to direct their own educational strategies to support states’ goals, while keeping several federal requirements tied to funding in place. The Strategic Plan sets the vision for Hawai`i’s public school system, supported with strategies and objectives for the state's students, educators and schools. The BOE approved the review and extension at its General Business Meeting on January 19.
The public can provide input in several ways. Take the survey through May 31 at the Strategic Plan community conversation blog, where you can also leave a post with ideas for students and schools: hiqualityed.tumblr.com. Email input directly to StrategicPlan@notes.k12.hi.us or mail to Office of Strategy, Innovation and Performance, PO Box 2360, Honolulu, HI, 96804. Join the conversation on social media with #HIQualityEd.
For more information about the review and extension effort, see bit.ly/DOEBOEstratplan.
The DOE will work collaboratively with a separate effort announced by Gov. David Ige on April 14 to form an ESSA team, comprised of 17 individuals, which plans to hold an education summit and town hall meetings.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.
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| Pete Hoffmann |
HAWAI`I COUNTY MAYORAL CANDIDATE Pete Hoffmann meets with Ka`u residents tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. He plans a short, 10-minute presentation and will answer questions. “Bring issues,” he said. Pupus, water and soft drinks will be provided.
See more about Hoffmann's campaign at friendsofpetehoffmann.com.
WHAT MAKES A SPECIES INVASIVE? Ecologist David Benitez answers that question and discusses some of the most unwanted species in the park, Hawai`i and around the world at After Dark in the Park, Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Attendees learn what they can do to stop their spread. $2 donations support park programs; park entrance fees apply.
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/TheDirectory2016.html. |
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| See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_April_2016.pdf. |
