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| Thermal Hotspot area near Puhimau Crater on Chain of Craters Road, which has reopened after period of seismicity. NPS Photo by Janice Wei |
CHAIN OF CRATERS ROAD and other previously closed roads are now open as unrest and seismicity have diminished in Kīlauea volcano's upper East Rift Zone (ERZ) and near its summit. Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park made the announcement Wednesday.
Areas accessed by Chain of Craters Road, Hilina Pali Road, and Kulanaokuaiki Campground are now open to vehicle traffic. Backcountry sites have reopened as well.
Since late July, an increase in earthquakes and seismic activity along the upper ERZ of Kīlauea resulted in many large cracks and ground faults on Chain of Craters Road and Maunaulu parking lot. Chain of Craters Road closed to vehicle traffic on August 21 after some cracks suddenly grew in size and depth after new earthquakes. Park staff monitored the road over the last week and determined the cracks were not increasing in size and travel at low speeds would not deteriorate the road further.
While the unrest has diminished, Kīlauea is one of the most active volcanoes on earth and conditions can change at any time. Visitors to Chain of Craters Road should drive with extra caution, obey the speed limit, and slow down for any and all cracks, humps, and wildlife.
The Park recommends that visitors always check the park website for updates, closures, and alerts that could impact their visit.
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HAWAIIAN IMMERSION SCHOOL , Ke Kula Nā ʻAʻaliʻi Kū Makani o Kaʻū, is planned and the community is invited to a public meeting on Sunday, Sept. 7 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at The Shirakawa Hotel in Wai'ohinu, located at 95-6039 Mamalahoa Hwy. The leaders for the school are these Alaka'i: Raylene Auli'i Fujikawa Moses, Berkely Yoshida and Nohea Ka'awa. Advisors are Kehau Mauga and Louisa Lee. Parent Advocates are Wai'ala Ahn, Cadence Feeley and Miki Moses.
The organizers describe it as "Ka'u's first ever Hawaiian Immersion School" and invite the public to "See our kula location and kukakuka with makua and keiki." They have chosen a Hawaiian proverb for their mission. It's No. 1226 in the book by Mary Kawena Pukui titled Ōlelo Noʻeau – Hawaiian Proverbs and Poetical Sayings. It says, "I lele no ka lupe i ke pola." Translated into to English, it says, "It is the tail that makes the kite fly."
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The OKK website gives context to the location:
"Ke Kula Nā ʻAʻaliʻi Kū Makani o Kaʻū (NAKM) is a place based aloha ʻāina educational experience grounded in Hawaiian language, culture, values and foundation that honor our past while nurturing community contributors and stewards of the future.
Berkeley Yoshida: "Born and raised in , Berkeley Yoshida traces his family lineage to Hilea Iki and Kehena, Puna. After graduating from Ka'ū High School, he attended Brigham Young University – Hawai'i and is a graduate of the Executive Leadership program from Graduate Schools based in Washington D.C. Berkeley currently works for the Department of the Interior-National Park Service with 34 years of service. He also serves as the Pelekikena (President) for the Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka'ū. Currently residing in Pāhala with his wife, Leanette, in his spare time, Berkeley helps on the family farm and spends time with mo’opuna."
BUY ONE-TON CHIPS AND SUPPORT THE WALK TO END ALZHEIMER'S in Hilo this Saturday. All branches of CU Hawai'i Federal Credit Union, including Nāʻālehu and Pāhala are selling 15oz Maebo one-ton chips for $10 each. Proceeds go towards the Alzheimer's Association. See info on Alzheimer's Walk at https://act.alz.org/site/TR;jsessionid=00000000.app20058a?fr_id=17557&pg=entry&NONCE_TOKEN=493C6BCF48B1325729479A53846A23E4
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"Ke Kula Nā ʻAʻaliʻi Kū Makani o Kaʻū, is located in the ʻili of Kaʻū the largest and southern most district of Hawai’i, in the ahupuaʻa of Waiʻōhinu. Kaʻū is steeped in a rich history and legacy, as it is where the first Polynesian voyagers arrived in the Hawaiian archipelago; a wahi pana of Native Hawaiian Aliʻi, and home of the largest nature preserve with the most intact expanse of native forest in the state, and undeveloped coastline."
"The mission of Ke Kula Nā ʻAʻaliʻi Kū Makani o Kaʻū is to provide our keiki of Kaʻū with opportunities to achieve academic success and personal growth through a Hawaiian immersion education experience. Through keikiʻs daily exposure at NAKM they will develop an “aloha” for their community, their 'aina' and grow into contributing citizens within their communities having a desire to perpetuate the knowledge, exposure and experience they receive at NAKM."
The OKK website lists the goals of the immersion school project:
"To create a place that supports Hawaiian language and cultural education through a Hawaiian immersion program; To raise community awareness of the Hawaiian language immersion programs by providing classes which will assist children and adults with ways to incorporate Hawaiian language into their homes and daily lives; To financially assist the Nā Aʻaliʻi Kū Makani with operational expenses not provided through other sources; To provide opportunities for professional enrichment and development for Nā Aʻaliʻi Kū Makani (NAKM) staff; To provide tuition scholarships to NAKM families."
The OKK website states the mission of the immersion school:
The OKK website lists the goals of the immersion school project:
"To create a place that supports Hawaiian language and cultural education through a Hawaiian immersion program; To raise community awareness of the Hawaiian language immersion programs by providing classes which will assist children and adults with ways to incorporate Hawaiian language into their homes and daily lives; To financially assist the Nā Aʻaliʻi Kū Makani with operational expenses not provided through other sources; To provide opportunities for professional enrichment and development for Nā Aʻaliʻi Kū Makani (NAKM) staff; To provide tuition scholarships to NAKM families."
The OKK website states the mission of the immersion school:
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| Raylene Auli'i Fujikawa Moses |
Ke Kula Nā ʻAʻaliʻi Kū Makani o Kaʻū is an inclusive center of knowledge, beginning with a preschool, where students learn ʻŌlelo Hawai’i and expand by grade level in increments each year. Where ancient practices meet modern technology and integrate computer science as a tool that will connect kanaka maoli globally and preserve our traditions and cultural practices well through the 21st century and beyond.
The OKK website gives the biographies of the immersion school leaders.
The OKK website gives the biographies of the immersion school leaders.
Raylene Auli'i Fujikawa Moses: "Graduate of Nāʻālehu School, Kaʻū High School, Hawaiʻi Community College, and the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, Raylene has been on a mission to improve the quality of life for our community through business, education, health care, and affordable housing.In her various roles within the community, she has worked in providing opportunities for employment, in teaching social emotional learning to youth who struggle with traditional classroom settings, in striving diligently with O Kaʻū Kakou to secure an affordable senior housing site for the elderly, our kupuna, and in obtaining Keiki Scholarships for our children, lifesaving equipment for our local hospital, as well as transportation for residents who lack the necessary means.
"Currently, Raylene is collaborating with several organizations in creating and establishing a Hawaiian Immersion school in Kaʻū where our keiki and kupuna are able to thrive in place-based education."
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| Berkeley Yoshida |
Nohea Ka'awa: "Nohea is a lineal descendant of Ka'ū, where she was born and lives with her Husband and two Keiki. As a life-long cultural practitioner and Kumu Hula under the traditions of Unukupukupu and Hālau o Kekuhi, she is an advocate for respectful resource management. Having followed an educational background in Hawaiian Studies and Social Science at the University of Hawaiʻi in Hilo, Nohea is employed with
the Ka'ū branch of The Nature Conservancy as the Hawai'i Island Forest Program Coordinator, works part-time with Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund and is the President of Ka ‘Ohana o Honu’apo and the founder of ‘Iewe Hānau o ka ‘Āina. Nohea appreciates the opportunity to host interpretive hikes as she loves to share mo’olelo wahi pana (stories of her home) but most importantly, she takes pride in being able to connectand assist others in sharing the practice of Aloha ʻĀina (love of the land)."
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| Nohea Ka'awa |
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| Pāhala Hongwanji Pres. Wayne Kawachi and designer Kiko Ando dressed up for a previous Bon Dance. Photo by Julia Neal |
NA'ALEHU PUTS THE EXCLAMATION POINT on the end of Bon Dance Season, with the last dance of the year on this island, and its first Bon Dance since the COVID pandemic began. Following some 30 events at Buddhist temples and other venues around the island this summer, this Obon Ceremony & Dance will be sponsored by Pāhala and Nāʻālehu Hongwanjis.
It will be held at Nāʻālehu Hongwanji on Saturday, Sept. 14 with an Obon ceremony in the sanctuary at 4 p.m. Pāhala Hongwanji Taiko performs at 5:30. p.m. along with Paul Sakamot's Puna Taiko. Bon Dance
begins at 6 p.m. More taiko will will fill the 8 p.m intermission. Bon Dancing resumes, until 10 p.m. p.m.
Bon dance is a traditional dance in the round, with participants circling a tower where music is played, and the emcee calls the dances. There will be food and bon dance scarves and other items to purchase.
Obon season celebrates the end of the harvest and honors ancestors with the presentation of fresh vegetables, fruits and other foods on the temple altar. The tradition is mostly lost in Japan but remains alive in the Hawaiian Islands, brought here generations ago by immigrants working in the sugar plantations. Some people from Japan come to Kaʻū to see the bon dance each year, and also to enjoy traditional Japanese foods, Hawaiian style.
Pāhala Hongwaji President Wayne Kawachi said that everyone with or without traditional kimono, Happi Coats and other Japanese clothing is invited to circle the tower and to learn the dances, accompanied by singing, flutes, drums and other music. Bon dancers who go from Buddhist temple to temple around the island all summer will come to Nāʻālehu for the occasion.
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