MELE KALIKIMAKA FROM HONOLULU, HAWAII

Shaka Santa and Mrs. Claus with poinsettias
in front of Honolulu Hale

Each year, I visit the downtown area to check out the Honolulu Christmas decorations. At Honolulu Hale, Santa and Mrs. Claus reign over the festivities: the tall Christmas tree, the Mele Kalikimaka toy display, and the Christmas wreath contest of unique wreaths decorating the walls. Hearing the squeals and chatter of school children as they enjoy the sights always brings a smile to my face.

The days leading up to Christmas Day are a time for just that, squeals and chatter, the joys of childhood, and remembering the pleasures of past holidays. In our family, celebrations were prefaced with attendance at mass, first St. Luke's Church, and later Holy Redeemer Church. Giving thanks reminded us not to take our many blessings for granted.

Today I am focused on simple blessings so often taken for granted throughout the busy year: colorful birds and flowers during my walks; the sweetly-tart juiciness of a chilled tangerine; and an unexpected exchange of friendly greetings. Burdens lessen as I concentrate on a few of my "favorite things."  

May your days be filled with merriment and peace!

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The following is an article I first posted in 2009. Much of the information remains relevant, although I haven't seen The Candy Cane Train in years and Santa on the roof of Ala Moana Center doesn't have a lei this year!

MELE KALIKIMAKA is one of my favorite Christmas songs. Remember Bing Crosby's 1950 rendition, accompanied by the Andrew Sisters? "That's the island greeting that we send to you  . . ."

The holiday season on the island of O'ahu opens with the Honolulu City Lights celebration. The Electric Light Parade travels through downtown to Honolulu Hale (City Hall) for the annual tree-lighting ceremony. This year's tree is a striking 55-foot Norfolk pine. Another tradition is "Nutcracker" performed on-stage at Blaisdell Concert Hall. 

At the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl, rows of evergreen wreaths on grave sites honor fallen veterans this holiday season. The wreaths adorn 1,288 of the graves, part of the Wreaths Across America campaign.

Aunties like myself, keiki, and tutus all enjoy the entertainment of Hawaii's local groups this time of year - Na Leo Pilimehana, Makaha Sons, Kapena, and the Brothers Cazimero, to name a few; special hula dance groups (halaus) including Hoku Zuttermeister; and celebrities Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom, Keali'i Reichel, and Willie K (the title of his Christmas song "Aloha Kalikimaka" reveals what the K stands for.) Music by the late Israel (Iz) Kamakawiwo'ole is always heard around the islands. 



Candy Cane Train

At Ala Moana Center, our open-air shopping mall, children ride the Candy Cane Train and watch musical productions on Center Stage, the illusion of snow delighting the young at heart. Hula performers draped in colorful regalia entertain with beautifully choreographed, swaying movements.



Santa gets lei-d for the holidays

But it isn't officially the "season to be jolly" until the Santa Claus statue is assembled up on the center's rootftop for all to see!

In Honolulu, jolly ol' St. Nicholas arrives in an outrigger canoe, landing on the shores of Waikiki! http://bit.ly/IPRKP1 

And we do have real snow here. Recently, my cousin reminded me of the snow-covered mountain of Mauna Kea on the Big Island. Low temperatures on Maui's Haleakala also attract the white fluffy stuff that folks in the northern states take for granted this time of year.

http://gbjorn.wordpress.com/2008/02/02/pictures-of-snow-on-haleakala-maui/




Hawaiian Menehune

Kalikimaka is Hawaiian for Christmas.

Mele means song or chant; also, merry.

This is truly the locals' traditional way,

Of sending holiday greetings,

To say Merry Christmas. To you.

Aloha Nui Loa,

That's Hawaii's way to say

"a canoe-full of love."

Although some traditions come and go, the spirit of the holidays always remains,

and around the Islands, people of all faiths share the spirit of

ALOHA!

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U is for 'UKULELES AND UNIQUE FLOWERS

For this year's challenge, my theme is The Fun in Writing. Each of my 26 posts for April is aimed at
illustrating fun parts of an author's day. A writer doesn't only write.
Creating a story or an essay requires research, revision, editing, and lots and lots of coffee and chocolate.



U is for 'Ukuleles and Unique Flowers

Several days ago, a friend and I drove up to Haleiwa along the

North Shore of O'ahu. She spotted a sign that fit perfectly with my post for today so we stopped to get a photograph! The sun was hot, the waves at Haleiwa Beach Park were high, and the shave ice with vanilla ice cream and azuki beans from Matsumoto Shave Ice was ono! Along with ukulele music and unique flowers, they are all good reasons to stay living in Hawaii, or at least to come for a visit.

My first introduction to the 'ukulele was through Arthur Godfrey strumming a tune on his radio show. He was inducted into the Ukulele Hall of Fame Museum in 2001. "It is likely that no other single person has been directly responsible for the sale of as many ukuleles as Arthur Godfrey."

 

When Mr. Godfrey visited Hawaii in 1959, he piloted a plane from Honolulu to Lihu'e Airport on Kaua'i. He was accompanied by the Ambassador of Aloha, Duke Kahanamoku, Duke's wife, Nadine, and Hawaiian singer Haleloke Kahauolopua.

 

Haleloke performed on his television show several times in the 1950s. On the show, she sang and danced while he strummed his 'ukulele.

One version of how 'Ukulele got its name

'Uku is the Hawaiian word for flea; lele is the Hawaiian word for fly, jump or leap. Seeing  a musician's fingers fly or jump over the strings of a musical instrument reminded the local people of a flea leaping around. (Now it makes sense where the ukulele string-tuning words originated: my dog has fleas).

 

What could be more Hawaiian than ukuleles and unique flowers?

 

After a recent board meeting, I walked past an area that always brings me to a stop so I can photograph the colorful, fresh-blooming hibiscus offerings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On ukulele:

Somewhere Over the Rainbow
by
Israel "Iz" Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I

 

 

 

THE PEARL HARBOR MURDERS #FridayReads

The Pearl Harbor Murders by Max Allan Collins is a novel set in the last few days preceding the Pearl Harbor attack on O‘ahu. Much of the story’s action takes place in Waikiki. The fictionalized protagonists are the world-famous (real life) Edgar Rice Burroughs of Tarzan fame and his son, Hully, who share narrative and investigative roles within this murder mystery.

One of the central figures is a popular singer at a local night club. Her name, Pearl Harada, couldn’t be more apt for this tale leading up to a day that “lives in infamy.”

Woven throughout the story are details of first and second generation (issei and nisei) Japanese immigrants and citizens living in Hawaii, and how their lives were affected by incidents leading up to December 7, 1941. Some of the characters are either composites or pure fiction. Others, along with Edgar Rice Burroughs, are based on persons who played prominently in the making of history.

The author is noted for his historical fiction novels such as Saving Private Ryan, In the Line of Fire, and Air Force One; and his syndicated comic strip, Dick Tracy from 1977 through 1993. His research for this novel fills the narrative with titillating information about O‘ahu in 1941, focusing on A‘ala Market in Chinatown; Fort DeRussy; Aloha Tower; and Kewalo Basin. Also of note are the Halekulani Hotel (the location of the famous ‘House Without a Key’ Restaurant named for the eponymous Charlie Chan novel) and the War Memorial Natatorium.

The story may have fascinated me more as a guided tour of the area, but I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery within the tour, and was pleasantly surprised with the solution. 

Next up for review is:

Speaking In Bones by Kathy Reichs

 

 

RED DIRT WHITE BONES by GREG FIELD: Book Review

In the twenty plus years I've lived in Honolulu, Hawai'i, I have visited many areas of O’ahu. But this author’s familiarity with many “nooks and crannies” still unknown to me heightened the enjoyment of reading author Greg Field's RED DIRT WHITE BONES.

Police Procedural set in Hawai'i
Red Dirt White Bones by Greg Field

The mystery of a cold-case murder, brought home to roost in present day Hawai'i, added a double dose of interest. This Police Procedural takes the reader around the island and to vividly-described inner island residential areas, always with specific purpose and plenty of conflict. The reason this book is such a quick read is because exciting action tends to heighten the reader’s awareness and makes the scenes fly by. 

Protagonist, Detective Kai, battles demons in his personal life and in his career with the Honolulu Police Department. When a teenaged girl pleads with him to learn who killed her “perfect” older sister, he faces a new set of dilemmas that could cost him his job, earn him a prison sentence, or get him killed. If the bad guys aren’t the death of him, maybe the fourteen-year-old younger sister will be. He’s not sure which is the worse option. Lots of high-octane action, several whiplash plotline twists, and a climax well worth the journey. Even the short denouement is unpredictable.


Greg Field's Red Dirt White Bones (The Replacement Girl Mysteries Book 1) [Kindle Edition] is available at Amazon.com

Greg Field’s Red Dirt White Bones

 

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ODE to ORIGINATION

Ad Photo in This Week Oahu
for Aloha General Store

(TONGUE-IN-CHEEK)
ODE TO ORIGINATION
.........by Gail M Baugniet

One day in the 60s
The day he was born
O'ahu or Kenya
Has citizens torn

The hospital 's name is
Kapiolani
Though some folks will swear his
Birth cert is funny

Regardless the mascot
Gecko or Llama
His title's still President.
Barack Obama
.
.
.