Blog — papale lauhala

It's Merrie Monarch!  Yesterday Cara coordinated a girls' day trip to the Craft Fair.  Among the list of items, pāpale lauhala was on the shopping list. Still smiling after the long ride to Hilo... we found a parking space relatively quickly. Cara found her "pencil roll" and fragrant fresh lei at Ipolani Vaughn's (from Oʻahu) booth. Tickets to the hula competition sell out immediately, so people get creative.  I don't know if this person was successful in their endeavor but points for creativity! I was enthralled with the sensory overload: the scenery, the variety of art and beautiful crafts, the sounds, the...

January is Muʻumuʻu Month.  I don't have enough muʻumuʻu to wear a different one each day like some on social media, but I try to wear one whenever I leave the house.  So when we went to see Hamilton and then Muʻu at the Museum after, I had to doll up in my nicest holomuʻu...  A vintage Mamo Howell. Seeing all the muʻumuʻu, holomuʻu, and holokū was amazing that night at Hānaiakamalama.  I confess, I fangirled-out seeing muʻu fashionistas that I follow on Instagram in person.  The mākeke was relatively small, but the vendors were excellent. The following week, luncheon with muʻumuʻu friends...

Sometimes thrift stores call to me... Like $7 good quality jeans for working in the yard. And this $2 Liz Claiborne purse... the "leather" handles are perfect for upcycling on a new lauhala purse.  The original purse had a scuff on the other side, but the handles were just fine. I wasn't going to buy it at first because I thought, "really? When are you making another purse?"  But $2!! So I bought the purse back in February and it sat patiently until "it was time."  Said time came up when EH accidently wrecked one of his favorite aloha shirts at work.  I...

  It was the Inaugural Aloha Shirt Festival in Keauhou. It was not well publicized but it's a learning curve and hopefully the future festivals will have better turn out. I went to check out the Aloha Shirts and ended up talking story and learning a lot (of history and life info) from master carver Nalu Andrade.  Mahalo to Nani Kupihe, Cultural Advisor at Outrigger Kona in Keauhou, who took the group selfie above, left to right, it's Nani; Island of Hawai'i Visitor Bureau Destination Manager Rachel Kaiama; me; Nalu Andrade, owner of Na Maka Kahiko, and Nalu's daughter.   There were displays of...

Please pardon the title... I didn't want my blog mistaken for official Ka Ulu Lauhala O Kona media. I am a member of the club but not an official representative. I'm just writing about my experience. The conference is usually held in May each year, but with the COVID-19 "shut down" opening up with short notice, they decided to hold it in September.  We were at a "new" venue, the Outrigger Keauhou a.k.a. "the Old Kona Surf."  The conference is a gathering of kumu from throughout the State and haumana that have come from not only Hawaiʻi but the continental...