BOT:

Aloha Ahi Ahi from 30,000 feet!

Just thought I’d get a head start on this transmission on the trip home.

It’s been one eventful week, we’ve said our tearful Alohas to our new Ohana, we’re on our Airship and look toward the horizon for home. The sun slowly leads us back to California as I turn inward and try to recall memories of the past week. Herb Ohta was incredible as an Ukulele Kumu, watching him teach his art is inspiring. But perhaps most touching is seeing a sensitive side of him that I never suspected. A true humanitarian. Of course there was the incredible music, Sonny Lim on the Steel, John Keawe, George Kahomuku Jr, Dennis Kamakahi, and Keoki on Kihoalu, Herb and Brittni on the Ukulele, add to that being able to Kanikapila with them made me yearn to live in Hawaii all over again. It seemed as though I was having our “Friday Nights” every day! To live in a place where all of this is such an natural part of the culture would be my dream. But what touched me the most was the laughter, the Meles, and the genuinely warm Aloha from the children of Pahala that continue to resonate in my heart. The respect for their new “Uncles and Aunties” was incredibile, Someone is definitely raising these kids right. Learning about their lives in Ka’u made me feel like I was back in my own village in the Philippines. These Keiks have grown up living off the land, one in particular was left on the beach by his mother while she worked. She taught him were to find food on both land and the ocean, where the dangers were and how to avoid them.  He was taught to respect the He’iaus and passed this knowledge onto us during “Beach Day”. He’s 20 now and is trying to make his way through college. From the looks of it, he’s become Keoki’s Hanai son. It’s obvious that their lives are not easy and was made more obvious when I gave one boy my yellow Micro Fiber polishing cloth. His name is Jamal, a little myopic boy with glasses so thick you could start a fire with them. Jamal is one of Keoki’s Camp Keiki's. He was one of the fortunate recipients of a ‘Scholarship’ Ukulele. I told him that he should use the cloth to keep his ukulele clean so that it would it always sound good and would help make it last longer. He thanked me profusely, “Thank you Uncle, thank you Uncle!” Later I spied him through a window ginger folding the cloth into quarters and carefully placing it on his Uke and then smiling as he carefully closed the case.

From my conversations with Keoki I’ve realized that Keoki must of had some kind of life changing event and is now on a mission. A mission to save these and other troubled children of Pahala and I have vowed to assist our brother in any way possible. I suspect that the profits from the Music Camp go to the Children Club of Pahala which Keoki uses to fund “Mini Camps” just for the children. Having learned this, Pua and I will be returning next year to the camp and I hope to have some of you join us. I guarantee that it will be not only an awakening musical event, but a life experience that will stay with you for some time. Now I realize how powerful our little Ukuleles are, the children are rarely without one in their hands, even while on their skate boards! Because of this little instrument, I’ve met people from Japan and Washington D.C. and then some states in between. All sharing the love of the Ukulele. We’ve even made connections with some from the Bay Area and hope to see them at one of our Kanikapilas. More on that later . . .

Looking out of our Airship’s Portal I can see that the sky has turned a deep indigo and the battery on my laptop is running low . . . enough of the camp for now, back to our UFOhana. Again, Mahalo Nui Loa to our Ohana for an experience of a lifetime!

SPECIAL NOTE!!!!!!!!

Due to scheduling conflicts, I need to reschedule our Kanikapila from this Friday to Saturday, again. So we’ll be meeting on December 12th at 7:30PM. Please do leave a post here if you’ll be attending.

As for food theme, considering all the Pig products I’ve eaten this past week how about we go with “Heart Health Foods”? As for Music Solo theme who about we try Music from Any Island? In other words, not just the Hawaiian ones? Or maybe music with the word Island in it?

So here a few images (and sounds) from our Last Friday Night and the Camp:

1st Night Dinner and Kanikapila:

Below: Herb Saying Aloha to KimoB! Right and below left views from the staircase. Bottom Right Keoki greating us.

Saturday Morning Ho’oponopono Circle:

  

Top Left: Herb, Sonny, Samson and George, chilling after the Kanikapila. Top Right: Herb under Lori’s spell, “Wash Dishes . . . yes . . . dear”. Bottom Right: Pua, Susie and Lori. Bottom Right: Pua and Susan.

 

Da’ Schedule, Keoki and Pua doing Lauhala Weaving. Herb chilling with the Scholarship Students. Bottom Left: Tiffany, Nobu and one of the Wang Girls. Bottom Right: Aunty Kaiwi and Pua.

 

Top Right: Rev. Dennis Kamakahi, John Keawe, Terry & Moses, Brudda BuBu.

Below: Rev. Kamakahi and Ohana getting ready for Kaukau. Top Right: What is that in our bed room? Oh! It’s just Kuka! Our Dead Pet KukaRoach! Sit Kukua, Roll over play dead, goooood Kuka! Bottom Left: Next day’s Line Up. Bottom Right: Herb-San’s Graduation “Beginning Ukulele for Advanced Players (?) Class”. Hey . . . is that a Portagee Joke or what?

Below Panels: A Day at the Macadamia Nut Farm with Sista BJ.

Below: Kekoa, Bradley, and other Scholarship Students help Keoki with teaching the Pahala Boys and Girls club the Ukulele.

Below: A Panoramic view of the drive way. Middle: Brittni with her Speed Racer Tercel!

Below: View of the Peaks from Hilo. Fran and Del, Keoki at the Beach house getting Kaukau ready. Del waving Hi! from Hilo Town. Aunty Kaiwi weaving Lauhala.

Below: Greeting the Sun at Punaluu Beach.

Del’s feet in Black Sand . . .

Ho’oponopono Circle at Punaluu Beach House . . .

Bradley Climbs a scales a Coconut Tree! Sherly and Fran checking out her Uke. Del as doing his imitation of a Hawaiian Lounge Lizard. Aka hails Akua!

Below, Keoki and Keikis getting the LauLau and Pig ready for the Luau our last dinner . . .

Below Bottom Right: Fruits of their labor . . . OOONOLICIOUS!!!!! You had to be there! Pua says she’ll never eat Hawaiian food again because this was the best she’s ever tasted! Until next year anyway . . .

Tiger and Talon Playing the humongous Plumeria Tree. Below Right: Kanani (our Kumu Hula), Hope, Tiffany and Debbie making Ti Leaf Leis.

 

Below: Right, Kekoa vogues with Ukulele. Yes, that is a Cellist playing with us!

 

Our last day below: Uncle Dennis gets ready for his set. Del with his Hanai Nephews after setting up the sound system. Below Right Middle: Puna Kealiihoomalu, Del and Puna. Funny how we bump into him every time we go to Hawai’i Moku. Then we find out that he’s Aka’s cousin!!! Bottom Left Middle: Tiffany and Pua. Bottom Left: Kanani (Del’s Kumu Hula) and Pua.

 

Ok so that’s all we got for now. I’ve still got a load of images, movies and MP3s to sift through yet!

For you reading pleasure I’ve listed a few Haiku’s from the Late Hawaiian Comedian Rap Reiplinger

Rap Reiplinger Haiku:
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Home from the fields
Someone has painted my door
A stranger sings in my bathroom
Whoops, wrong house

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no urinals
only kleenex
and the smell of heavy perfume
where am i?

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a lonely figure
in a non-existing line
i wait for hours
oh, banks close on Saturdays

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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Did anyone get it?

Ok, no forget, NO UKULELE NIGHT THIS FRIDAY! We’ve MOVED IT TO SATURDAY! Please do post if you stay coming.

Aloha A Hui Hou Hohoho!

-=SqL=-

:EOT