Your Aloha Preview - September - "Battleships, Neighborhoods, Culture" - Kaimuki

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Your Aloha Preview - September - "Battleships, Neighborhoods, Culture"
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Courtesy of Cloudia Charters Author of Aloha Where You Like To Go?

Walking in Waikiki

With Cloudia Charters

Battleships, Neighborhoods, Culture

Aloha You! Thanks for stopping by today. Where did Summer Go? Suddenly the floats are being prepared for the Aloha Week Floral Parade, and the Honolulu Symphony is tuning up for a new season that will include "Ben" from the TV show LOST (Emmy winner Michael Emerson) narrating Poulenc’s classic musical tale, The Story of Babar. . .

The season just past was EPIC for South Shore surfers, and forecasters are calling for perfect big waves (and soon!) for Oahu's legendary North Shore. Just now, Waikiki is a glistening jewel set in azure waters, perfect for revving your engines - or just relaxing in style. China's Shaolin Monks are here, showing off their amazing moves at the Blaisdell Arena, and Aerosmith will perform here this Fall too. So many choices! Why just the other day a friend asked me if I was going to the Cazimero Brothers' Christmas Show at the Hawaii Theater again this year. Of course! But there's so much to enjoy around here before December. Heck, we even have opera! One thing you WON'T be able to do for a while is to visit the Battleship Missouri; The "Mighty Mo" will be freed from her moorings on October 14th for the first time since arriving in Hawaii 11 years ago. Beginning before sun-up on that day, all 887 feet, and 54,899 tons of the grey lady will be nudged by three or four tugboats the two miles from Pearl Harbor's Pier Foxtrot 5 to the famous shipyard's Dry-dock 4. Dignitaries are invited along for the 12 to 14 hour ride. But hundreds more of us average folks are expected to be watching from the sidelines. Some lucky people residing up on the hillsides will be able to see the drama unfolding from their homes. Engineers are custom building 310 wooden "keel blocks" (8,000 pounds EACH) on which the giant will rest. Once inside the dry-dock it should take 3 hours for the water to be drained out while divers ensure the correct placement of bulk on block. (The dignitaries will be stuck with each other's company until the ship is high and dry ;) One of Hawaii's top 10 visitor attractions, the Mighty Mo drew 48,111 guests and pilgrims in July. That's 12 percent of all visitors to this island, including numerous WWII veterans from EVERY side of the war. And yes, those are the big 16 inch guns that Cher cavorted on for her "If I could Turn Back Time" video! Sadly, the Association that manages the ship is forbidden from firing them (or the ships engines) inside Pearl Harbor. Watching the grey ghost glide past Waikiki from the deck of my own boat on Fathers' Day of 1998 was a surreal experience! Once tours resume on January 29th you can also hold your function or soiree aboard the ship's fan tail. What a place for a birthday party! (I'm just saying. . . .) You will again be able to walk the "Surrender Deck" where the Japanese Empire and the United States signed the instrument that ended WWII. While you are there, just look over one ship's length to the Arizona Memorial, and you will be looking at the spot where war began, from the very spot where it ended. Only in Hawaii!

The Hawaiians of old divided the land into pie-shaped sections called "Ahupuaa." These ran from the peak of the mountain, broadening out as they reached the coast. Thus the local village people would have access to the produce of the forests, the plain, and sea. The Liliha / Nuuanu corridor is one of my favorite such neighborhoods in our Honolulu, embracing Honolulu Harbor, Chinatown, working class commercial and residential Liliha Street itself, and the foothills of Nuuanu. The histories of the Hawaiians, the pre-statehood Chinese, Japanese, and Americans, all live richly in this area that contains the Royal Mausoleum, (sacred burial place of Hawaii's Monarchs) legendary Kunawai healing spring & pond, Kuakini (formerly "The Japanese") Hospital, which was the first such hospital supported by Japan's emperor, as well as Hawaii's oldest lychee tree. My favorite, 24 hour Liliha Bakery is a beacon to the whole island, and her coco puffs are the stuff of legend. Further along Kuakini Street, a well used cinder-block, neighborhood, Chinese Temple is right across the street from a Japanese Buddhist Temple & School, all just a few doors down from the Pizza Hut. Did I mention the four consulates? The Area is named for the Chiefess Liliha, Governor of Oahu under Kamehameha. (It was her father, Hoopili, who created the Royal Mausoleum). When his forces landed on Oahu, here at Waikiki, Kamehameha fought the local warriors all the way up into this valley. The famous Battle of the Nuuanu Pali saw the local defenders spill over the cliff (or Pali) rather than surrender. To this day, the Pali Highway carries a supernatural aura that is felt by drivers, particularly at night. Do NOT carry pork over the highway either, but that's a whole other (ghost) story ;-]. This year's "I Love Liliha Town Festival" opened with a traditional Lion Dance at Kawananakoa Park. Who are the Kawananakoas? Abigail Kawananakoa is the descendant of Hawaiian royalty, and would have a clear claim to the (overthrown) crown of the Kingdom of Hawaii. She has recently been acquiring dispersed royal possessions and gifting them to the Iolani Palace where we can all enjoy them. There was a controversy a few years back, when a national magazine photographed the lady sitting on the throne, and a fine man named James Bartels, who had dedicated his life to the heroic restoration of the palace, left his job in the resulting ruckus. Ms. Kawananakoa has since used her considerable personal wealth in aid of the Hawaiian patrimony and people - especially in recent years. Most recently she purchased one of Queen Liliuokalani's golden bracelets, a very early example of the Hawaiian heirloom jewelry worn by local women to this day, me included. Mr. Bartels has since passed, but will never be forgotten for his unique contribution to the restoration of the pride of Hawaii. One cannot pass by the palace, let alone enter it, without feeling the undeniable presence of so many loyal hearts. In my opinion, it is one "Do Not Miss" for any visitor, even if all you do is stroll the grounds - though the interior is AMAZING!

But we were visiting Liliha, so what about the food? No Hawaii gathering is complete without it! We do love our "grinds." That means "Kau Kau" or "food" to you. It also means to "EAT!" If you are in a western US state, you may have eaten at an "L&L Hawaiian Barbecue." The first L&L in the chain was a humble "plate lunch" place right here on Liliha Street. And saimin, one of our foremost local comfort foods, was also invented here. You can read about saimin at: <<http://comfortspiral.blogspot.com/2009/04/comfort-in-bowl.html%22%3Ehttp://comfortspiral.blogspot.com/2009/04/comfort-in-bowl.html>http://comfortspiral.blogspot.com/2009/04/comfort-in-bowl.html">

The world's greatest civic band was there too. They were established 1836 by a King, and play a unique repertoire of Monarchy era marches, Hawaiian music, western classics, Okinawan songs and MORE. Can you tell how much I love the Royal Hawaiian Band? They even played my favourite, "Kalakaua March." Which reminds me, the band's prominent German leader during the Monarchy, Henry Berger, would no doubt be pleased to know that the Hale Koa Hotel, and various other venues around Our Honolulu will be celebrating a full blown Oktoberfest as usual this year. Now THAT'S an entirely different ooompah altogether!

Smile for your close-up Hawaii; Filmmakers announced the Fall release of a period film entitled "Barbarian Princess" a biopic about our beloved Princess Kaiulani. (We talked about her - and the eponymous street she lived on here in Waikiki - a few "Walkings" ago). And now we hear that Tia Carrere will be playing the late beloved Rell Sun in a project entitled "Wave Dancer." The $10 million film is to be directed by Martha Coolidge. "I believe that Rell Sunn is the kind of hero that we need to see in film today," said Carrere who reportedly spent years researching and writing the script with husband Simon Wakelin. "Here's a woman who was not a wealthy woman, she was a single mother, she was sick, struck with breast cancer, yet she lived a far greater life than 99% of us." Known as the Queen of Makaha, Rell fought a very public 14 year battle before passing at age 47. A professional surfer, she used her grace, wit, and notoriety to mentor youth as the creator of the Menehune Surf Meet for children. She also served as a physical therapist for kupuna (seniors) out in rural Waianae here on Oahu. A portion of the film's proceeds are slated to be donated to the Rell Sunn Educational Fund. I can't wait to spend some quality time with these great ladies in a darkened theater! But of course, I'm fortunate to always be surrounded by lovely people - local & visitor - when I'm out walking. . . in Waikiki . . . ALOHA!

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Kaimuki, Hawaii News Item

Your Aloha Preview - September - "Battleships, Neighborhoods, Culture"

Kaimuki, Hawaii
News Item