Wow, this month turned out to be eventful as things opened up from COVID-19 restrictions. Especially with Merrie Monarch and Earth Day. While I still generally wear masks while out in the world, it was strange but nice to see friends' full faces again.
First off, the Ka Ulu Lauhala O Kona weaving conference has been scheduled for September and registration packets became available. This year it will be held at the Outrigger in Keauhou a.k.a "the Old Kona Surf." The hotel is on the verge of a much needed major renovation, but the pool has a slide. This year I'll be teaching basic pāpale (again). Whenever I think "I'm teaching basic pāpale" I flash back to the first time I said it aloud, to a kumu hula friend, "I'm teaching basic pāpale," and he said "there is nothing basic about a pāpale!" Always makes me smile.
Donning our pāpale and vintage muʻumuʻu, Cara in a Two Potato (1970s Laguna Beach, CA) and I in my grandmother's 2000-ish Princess Kaʻiulani Fashions palaka shortie, celebrated Cara's birthday by having Tea and visiting with Sunshine. Sunshine works at the Palace and she's the most gracious person I know. That day I got to combine a bunch of my favorite things: talking story with friends, wearing pāpale, vintage muʻumuʻu, and enjoying refreshments in a beautiful setting.
Technically I didn't go anywhere for this Mamo Howell pīkake holomū. Just in my imagination. I'm so excited that I have to share: This muʻumuʻu (holomū) is not something I'd usually pick for myself but I had never seen peacock fabric design like this before on a Mamo Howell. It looks like there's black lauhala mat fabric on it too, which was the clincher, as I love me some lauhala designs. LOL. In the spirit of Earth Day with a Reduce/Reuse/Recycle vintage dress, I'm looking forward to welcoming this holomū back home to Hawaiʻi nei. This dress was on eBay from a UK seller. They offered a discount, I countered, they accepted. It should be arriving in June. I messaged the seller asking how this dress got to the UK. She responded she didn't know as she found it in a vintage store in Edinburgh and only wore it a couple times on holiday. Scotland. The other side of the planet. Whoa!
Merrie Monarch, including the Craft Fair(s), was back on this year. EH and I went over to say hello to weaver friends and do some shopping. It was reassuring seeing that they still had COVID-19 protocols in place.
While at the Butler Building, we ran into weaver friends Lorraine (in the picture) and Wendy (took the picture). While we keep in touch through social media, we haven't seen each other IRL since the last weaving conference prior to the COVID shut down. Lorraine often posts pictures of her beautiful artwork. Wendy tortures me by posting pictures of the food specials at her workplace in Puakō. :-)
This rooster hackle lei hulu by Kawika Lum-Nelmida caught my attention. I loved the way it flexed and how soft it felt. Kawika packed it for travel with lovely tissue, a sturdy box, and a bag with handles. Kawika teaches hulu classes on Oʻahu. His booth had an impressive collection of lei hulu, with beautiful lei hulu that looked like flower lei: mauna loa orchid, hala, lokelani, etc. Check out his work on Instagram here.
I forgot to take pictures. In fact, I completely forgot to take pictures while we were in Hilo. We visited Michelle and Shadi at Hana Hou. Paid homage to their Wall of Pāpale, IYKYK, and the really special ones in the case. Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, and there is an amazing pāpale Michelle has in her collection that I've been trying to "flatter" and imitate. So far I've fallen short by the width of the mauʻu (1/32 of an inch!), the shape of the brim, and the blocking... Pretty much all of it. I can't even attempt the color. LOL.
On Earth Day, I picked up some huli Mana ʻŌpelu from Naeha at Ola Brew. The huli was provided by Daniel Anthony, founder of Hui Aloha ʻAina Momona, a non-profit based in Kahaluʻu, Oʻahu, that works to increase food sovereignty in Hawaiʻi. I planted the huli in both our quack-a-ponic tank and on the ground. After reading about this native variety, I think I will replant the quack-a-ponic ones in the ground and keep them all together.
I think that is all for now.