A Senate race to watch--part two

The way it was

Hawaii's four federal seats seats were generally held by Democrats. Incumbents nearly always won, often facing little-to-no opposition. The pecking order was for Representatives to become Senators themselves, in due course.

Occasionally a death, a retirement, or an unsuccessful run for some other office, creates an open seat with no anointed heir. That sort of puka (hole) gets everyone's hat tossed into the ring! A pack of hopefuls are now in just such a scramble for an empty House seat in Hawaii's Second Congressional District.

And why the vacancy? This year, Hawaii's junior Congressman, Democrat Ed Case, did the unthinkable. Out of the blue, in January, Case announced he would challenge Hawaii's junior Senator, fellow Democrat Daniel Akaka. The winner of the September 23 primary will almost assuredly carry the general election come November.

The uproar swept the state like a tsunami!

The main contenders: Akaka and Case

Akaka is Hawaiian/Chinese--the first Hawaiian Senator ever. From humble beginnings, the former school teacher was elected to the House in 1976 and to the Senate in 1990. Akaka is renowned for his genuine warmth and dignity. Everyone likes him--although his Senate record has been unspectacular.

Akaka's voting record is on the liberal end of the spectrum. He has also been unswervingly loyal to Hawaii's very senior Senator, Daniel Inouye.

Sen. Dan Inouye need not seek re-election this term, but he's a big player in this contest. A brilliant and highly effective politician, Inouye keeps a low profile. 3rd in U.S. Senate seniority, Inouye has no plans to retire anytime soon. He is sometimes credited with bringing back enough political pork to count as Hawaii's second most important economic force after tourism.

Beside trying to define "effectiveness", a big talking point of this campaign is Senate seniority--and age. The two Dans, Senators Inouye and Akaka, are 82 and 81 years old. At 53, Ed Case has nominated himself as the Senate apprentice Hawaii needs to maintain a meaningful role in the future.

Case is a lawyer turned politician. A 4th generation islander, he's what we call a local haole (Caucasian). Case and his second wife, Audrey Nakamura, were classmates together as children on the Big Island. Together, this multi-ethnic, blended family makes for excellent brochure photos. With his history, and ties to Honolulu and the neighbor isles, Case cannot be denigrated as an outsider--something which counts for a lot in island politics.

Case has built his political career as someone who thinks for himself--with (or more often without) his own party's backing. Calling for an end to partisan gridlock in Washington, he casts himself as a moderate, albeit with a strong environmental record. Case made waves--and powerful enemies--in State politics as a crusader, unafraid of controversy.

To succeed, Case must fight his own party's distain and finesse the culturally-offensive role of tossing aside a Kupuna (a respected elder). His "Case for change" argument goes like this: if Hawaii stays the present course, eventually some transition will occur, leaving islanders with two new Senators--and no seniority at all. Hawaii could disappear from the power map, instead of punching above its weight, as it does now. (When pressed, Akaka's plan for succession was for Hawaii's senior Representative, Neil Abercrombie, now 68, to eventually move into his seat. As had been customary, "B.C."--before Case!)

Senator Inouye isn't buying Case's version of planned succession. Inouye is pointedly and actively campaigning for "my friend Dan Akaka". Inouye even contributed $300,000 from his campaign coffers to groups supporting Akaka's re-election. This is in marked contrast to the race to fill the seat vacated by Case. Ten Democrats are running in that primary. Inouye, and the rest of Hawaii's Democratic delegation, maintain official neutrality there, taking a "let the voters decide" stance.

Besides this not-very-subtle power struggle, Hawaii Democrats are arguing about the size and shape of their tent. Are "blue-dog" Democrats traitors to Hawaii's proud liberal heritage? Or should the party have room for more diversity? Republicans are inclined to bring votes and contributions to Case, exacerbating the internal party rift.

National interest, local sub-text

The Akaka/Case race has drawn national interest as the candidates differ over the Iraq War. Akaka was an early critic and he favors withdrawal from Iraq. Case says the situation requires a careful exit, with no set timetables. For many voters, the war is the overriding issue. However, locally this race is also about power and philosophy.

Who will lead Hawaii? Who may succeed in Hawaii's Democratic Party? The old guard, doing business the old way? Or upstarts, with whom all bets are off?

As is true of most incumbents, Akaka has tried to keep above his challenger. With far more money, and much party support, he is reluctant to mix it up. Case is seemingly everywhere, clamoring--sometimes annoyingly--for debates. Akaka has participated in just two joint appearances thus far, the most recent before a group of publishers in early August.

Case has made so out of Akaka's "refusal to debate" that Akaka eventually relented. There will be a moderated program, if not a direct debate, on Hawaii's PBS affiliate, August 31st. By now, a much-anticipated event!

Is Hawaii's beloved Senator Akaka too old, too partisan, too liberal? Or is he experienced, loyal and wise? Does this kind, gentle man--with his decades of untainted public service--represent what Hawaii voters still want and trust?

Is Representative Case too brash? Too conservative? Too recklessly independent? What good is a loose cannon--who cannot play ball with his own party? Or is Case the one who stood up and said "The past does not own your vote--choose for yourselves!"

For Case is not just running against Dan Akaka. If he wins, it will also be a stinging repudiation of "old school" politics in Hawaii.

Stay tuned!

Politics in Hawaii and a Senate race to watch--part one

From Kingdom to State--it still matters


In 1893, the Hawaiian monarchy was toppled. Backed by a borrowed contingent of U.S. marines--a coalition of businessmen pulled off a bloodless coup. In 1898, after delays and obstacles, the revolutionaries attained their ultimate goal, annexation into the U.S.


If the overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani and what followed was legitimate political evolution, then full statehood (in 1959) was a happy outcome. Dissenters argue otherwise, citing illegal acts of aggression, rendered invalid by proper application of U.S. and international law. Proponents of this view make up different factions in Hawaii's Sovereignty Movement.

Some, who feel there is no going around the fact of U.S. dominion, still want some new political structure granting distinct status to native Hawaiians. Perhaps a "nation within a nation" model, similar to what many Indian tribes already have, or something else.

What is pono (correct)? Singling Hawaiians and part-Hawaiians out for special status is a political mine-field. The Kingdom of Hawaii did not base citizenship upon race. The legal climate in the U.S. today generally forbids making distinctions based upon race. As for restoration of Hawaiian Independence, there is no procedure by which states may exit the Union. Lastly, still other native Hawaiians are proud Americans, who aren't about to give that up. The whole topic is highly contentious.

Thankfully, this unresolved dilemma has stayed at the level of shouting and demonstrations. With innumerable common interests, and generations of inter-marriage, Hawaii's people simply cannot be divided into tidy racial, or political, boxes. No ethnic group here has a majority. While race can lend a sub-text to a lot of things, politicians must at least appear to represent all voters.

Party rule and the winds of change

From Annexation through the 1950's, Republicans ruled Hawaii. Period. And racism was part of that picture. Change came after WW II. Even in the face of overt discrimination, Americans of Japanese Ancestry (AJAs) had volunteered in large numbers and served with great distinction. The GI bill gave returning Vets greater access to higher education. A new professional-class emerged, hungry for opportunity and reform. Unions gained strength, fostering block voting in support of Hawaii's Democratic Party.

With grass-root organization, by the 1960's Hawaii Democrats went on to win most races, becoming the party in power, for the next 40 years.

These Democrats were unabashed liberals--idealists who wanted to re-make Hawaii into a better place for the working-class. They introduced measures like mandatory employer-sponsored health insurance. Hawaii was first state to legalize abortion after Roe v. Wade. The pro-labor 50th State, with its anti-business reputation, was a conservative's nightmare.

As decades passed, dissent grew. Had Hawaii suffered by becoming a one-party state? Was government too firmly beholden to powerful union interests? Real or imagined, charges of cronyism and corruption became commonplace. Critics, even within the party, complained that the Democrats had lost their zeal for social reform, concentrating instead on retaining power.

When the Democrat's lock on top office was eventually cracked in 2002, the new governor represented the impossible: A Republican. A woman. A neighbor islander. A mainland Haole--Jewish, even! (Something of a rarity in Hawaii.)

Former Maui Mayor Linda Lingle did not win because Hawaii had gone Republican--though the number of Republican voters in Hawaii continues to grow. She ran on clean government, improving public education and creating a more business-friendly environment.

Although the idea of her "doing for Hawaii what I did for Maui" terrified environmentalists and anti-development factions, Maui had been the State's only success story in a period of economic gloom. Seeing their best chance to upset the pineapple cart ever, Lingle received sizable campaign contributions from mainland and national GOP interests, a significant issue for those who feared undue "outside" influence.

After a razor-thin loss in her first run for Governor, Lingle ran again and won, partially due to minimizing her party affiliation. She got the sizable "enough, already" vote.

Since taking office, Lingle has been hobbled. The State Legislature is still controlled by Democrats--why should they make the enemy look good? Even so, Democrats in Hawaii are seemingly in disarray. The party--which once could not lose--has not found a strong opponent to challenge Lingle in this fall's gubernatorial election.

Yes, the islands are in political transition, which brings me to part two: Hawaii's most interesting Senate primary ever.

Images of Lanai

Take him away, take her away!


Child-free parents kicking up their heels as the passenger ferry to Lanai departs Maui's historic whaling port of Lahaina.















Lanai by sea.













Ferry entering the harbor.



















Lanai City, the island's only town. Located inland at the cooler elevation of 1600'.


















A charming example of plantation-style architecture nestled among Norfolk Island Pines.















Above: The Lanai City Cemetery. A loved one's grave, marked with a fishing pole and the bell that indicates a fish on the line.





Night falls on pasture near the Lodge at Kolele.

















The Munro Trail, crosses the ridge-line of the central mountain range, highest point 3,370'.









The coast is marked by fishing camps, such as this one here along "Shipwreck Beach".































Right: "Home Sweet Home" says the wind-chime at another tidy beach fishing camp, now tramped by tourists, like me.


Lanai....a unique place, undergoing a sea-change.



Cliffs along Lanai's south coast.

Lanai: background and commentary

The local view

Lanai was long known as the "Pineapple Isle". Except for the public facilities--like the airport, school and roads--just about the whole island was owned by Dole, of fruit production fame. Only a few non-Dole jobs existed: storekeeper, school teacher, policeman.

Most there did field work: hot and dusty, reaching and striding through sharp leaves . Not an easy life at all. On the other hand, once pau hana time rolled around (after work), the inhabitants did have the whole place to themselves. Something only the islands of Lanai and Niihau could count on.

At its peak, Lanai reportedly produced 75% of the world's pineapples. Lanai was also known for Norfolk Island pine trees and good hunting and fishing. These remain important recreational pursuits, as evidenced by the local supermarket's bulletin board--covered with trophy photos.

The population was mostly Filipino, with a little bit of Japanese and Hawaiian. Hardly any Haoles (caucasians). And we do talk like that in Hawaii. We make frequent reference to race, using the terms as adjectives. Or we did. It's a local thing. It was shorthand for getting a handle on people.

Nowadays a lot of newcomers freak out about racial labels. So you gotta watch your step. Which is too bad, because it was quite egalitarian and we were all cool with it. (Travel writer Rita Ariyoshi did a great article about how comedians like Frank DeLima have made a career out of ethnic humor, and how that formerly-accepted custom can backfire.)

But I digress. The partnership of pineapples and Lanai hit rough seas in the 80's as it became cheaper to grow such crops overseas. The island was acquired by new owners, who puled the plug on pine.

That was then, this is now

Today, Lanai Company CEO David Murdock owns over 90% of the entire island.

Murdock envisioned making Lanai into a high-end tourist mecca and built two luxury hotels with that in mimd. He spent big bucks, turning Lanai into what he then billed as "the private isle".

Bill and Melinda Gates chose Lanai for their nuptials in 1994 for that very reason. A Seattle reporter trying to cover the wedding was arrested--on a public road--in violation of his civil rights. The subsequent lawsuit produced an apology a settlement and a donation of computers to Lanai High School.

What's it like for a "company town" to control an entire island? It's weird. Craig and I first toured Lanai together a decade ago. The tourist literature at that time stated that Lanai residents are Very Friendly! They will wave at you when driving by! Please do the same!

Now, a wave in passing is what country folks will do, almost anywhere. But I am not sure these Lanai guys had a choice. Without exception, everyone waved.

Ten years later, Lanai is obviously experiencing a mini-boom. Lots more cars, and people. No mention of waves. Indeed, we got no waves. Which was kind of a relief, considering.

These days Lanai's permanent population is still under 4,000. Plus tourists and lots of off-island workers, like Russell. He works there Mon-Fri, pulling cable to wire up one of the resorts. He goes home to Oahu on weekends.

Our conversation began in a parking lot, when he jokingly asked if he could rent our 4-wheel drive jeep. Of course we all knew it wasn't ours, we'd just rented one for a day to drive the Munro trail. Russell complained that the rental companies won’t rent to hunters. (They don't want to clean up blood.)

Russell's story reminded me about something I ought to mention more often in this blog: If you work in construction, or the trades, and you always wanted to see Hawaii, what are you waiting for? You will get a job. Maybe two or three. You'll have trouble finding a place to live. You might need several jobs to get by. But employers are tearing their hair out looking for employees in Hawaii.


Lanai has been a company town since the 1920's. In that sense, little has changed. In other ways, everything has changed.


A model in the hotel lobby shows the footprint of the largest complex, the Manele Bay Resort, next to the island's best beach, Hulopoe. Development creates social, economic and environmental issues to consider, but in this case there isn't much room for input from the island's citizens.


Water is increasingly an issue on the islands. Lanai is in the "rain shadow" of Maui's taller mountains. It's dry. Is there sufficient water to create the greenery and fountains visitors enjoy?

Today there are many shuttles that run back and forth between the main events. The airport. The ferry. The 5-star destinations, the Four Seasons Lanai Manele Bay Resort and the Lodge at Koele. Plus the dowager queen, the not-luxurious Hotel Lanai, up-slope, in Lanai City.

Riding the shuttle, gazing out at acre after acre of abandoned fields, I kept wondering which was better? The old days, when the work was so hard but the sense of community was so strong? Or today, with an invasion of tourists, and the construction of retirement homes for the uber-wealthy?

The island is no longer very private for the still-humble residents, now maids and groundskeepers. Most still live in older "plantation homes" clustered in the island's only town, Lanai City. On the other hand, the shuttle driver sits in air conditioned comfort. Boring as the driving must be, picking pine was also monotonous work. Lanai was cursed with a bad case of "brain drain". Young people who wanted more than field work had to leave. Today, more have come back, or chose to stay. That has to count for something.

What is there for the visitor on Lanai? Be warned. It's small. There's not a lot going on here. Which is why we go in the first place. To have a destination that one can "do" in just a weekend. It's pretty and peaceful, but it's not for everyone.

What do I make of that island? I guess I mostly come away wishing the choices for residents weren't so limited. All pineapples? Or all tourism? Seems like some middle path would be better.

Good Luck, Lanai!


Tall pines dominate Lanai City, including these in the central park.

Next entry: seeing the sights.

Finding the right balance

Lucky you live Hawaii?

If it seems like I have something against Hawaii, or against rich people, I should elaborate. I'm trying to say that too much wealth, parachuting in from elsewhere, causes frustrations and problems. At least, that's been so in Hawaii. Even the born-and-bred kama'aina elite have complaints about the invasion of off-shore nouveaux riche.

People really want to connect "Hawaii" with "Happy". Tell them that things aren't always happy in Hawaii and they get vexed.

Residents admonish: "Eh, no talk stink! Be nice!" Visitors say: "We went there and had a wonderful time! Hawaii is fantastic!"

If you must shoot the messenger, better go buy a bunch of bullets. Because it isn’t just me who heaves a heavy sigh when thinking about Hawaii today.

I just met an older gentleman--at a very happy party. It came out that he'd grown up in L------. A drop-dead gorgeous beach, that started out with not-too fancy houses, and wide-open yards. People started to ask him about it. His face fell. He looked like he wanted to spit. Or cry. He answered: "I never go back. It's been ruined. Nothing but walls, mansions and cars."

Joni Mitchell's classic "Big Yellow Taxi" was reportedly inspired by a visit to Hawaii.

Don't it always seem to go
that you don’t know what you've got till it's gone
They paved paradise
and put up a parking lot

In the 1970's the group Country Comfort had a big hit with this unofficial anthem of discontent:

Tired and worn I woke up this mornin'
found that I was confused.
Spun right around and found I had lost
the things that I couldn't lose.

The beaches they sell
to build their hotels
my fathers and I once knew.
The birds all along, the sunlight at dawn
singing Waimanaolo blues.

(Waimanalo Blues, by Thor Wold and Liko Martin)

Degrees of depression on this subject are closely linked to one's sense of loss. What do you remember? What did you lose?

Certainly there are plenty of things to enjoy in Hawaii! No question, it remains a beautiful place. One of my Dad's cousins says she loves the changes. She observes how much more there is to see and do now, compared to her childhood on Oahu. Many people feel that way.

But scratch a native Hawaiian, an environmentalist, or any young couple shut out of the housing market and you're likely to uncover a deep well of pain and confusion.

Is that a surrender to depression, or is that the simple truth?

Just after writing this as a draft, I went to my bank in Honolulu to update a problematic checking account. The account representative, whom I would have taken for a "local" from Hawaii, noted my Canadian address and launched into an enthusiastic conversation. Turns out, he grew up in up-state New York, attended Cornell, has been to Ontario often and loves Toronto. A Hawaii resident for 11 years now, I asked him how he liked it here. He expressed simple optimism, but with such conviction, that my spirit was lifted.

"I've lived in many places", he said. "New York State, New York City, Singapore, Hawaii. The thing is, there is no perfect place! You just have to accept the bad--and appreciate the good. There are lots of good things about Hawaii!"

Amen, brother. And thank you for sharing that.

Different worlds, same universe

Musings on ordinary life

With Craig back at work, my son and I are finishing up the Oahu part of the trip. It's not overly exciting. We go visiting. When friends are at work, or school, we sand, prime and paint. Or prune. The object of our affection is a small, wooden cottage.

My grandparents built it, almost 60 years ago. Helped by sons, safely back from war, and almost-grown daughters. Toiling in spare moments, scrounging for building materials. The finished house became a very practical home-base for a Botany professor, who still published and traveled, well into his 90's.

The upper floor is rented out now. There's a garage bedroom, which grateful descendants borrow when visiting Oahu. Here's a long-armed photo, of my many chins, in painting duds, fronting the spiffed-up stairs.

I loved our occasional childhood visits to both sets of grandparents in Manoa. Green, peaceful--truly beautiful. Today, the Valley has a feel of "too many rats in the cage". There's powerful economic pressure to utilize every foot of land. Any spare nook or cranny will produce a casting-call of desperate, potential tenants. Parking's an endless battle near the University. Residential streets see traffic jams. Expect daily concerts of leaf-blowers and emergency sirens. It's sad!

One of the surprises of adulthood is flashes of recognition, after unconsciously repeating family patterns. My mainland-born grandparents all ventured to Oahu in the 1920's. They loved it and stayed. My island-born parents decided Oahu was over-crowded. The tried a few different places before opting for Maui, when I was a toddler. Eventually, I concluded the islands were over-crowded and dysfunctional. Seeking respite, we headed off to our Canadian adventure. Which we love. But will we stay?

Craig and I had only been renters in Hawaii's expensive market. Coming to Ontario, in our early 40's, we signed our first mortgage. On a place in the sticks. I spent a lot of time finding just the right varieties of dwarf fruit trees for our home orchard. Cox's Orange Pippin, Rhode Island Green apples. Northstar and Evans Cherries.

It took a few years to realize I was following in my Dad's footsteps. Only his special orders were all tropicals. Meyer lemon, Mexican lime, Kona orange, tangerine, grapefruit, kumquat, soursop, mango, avocado, fig, lichee. And more papaya (pictured) than we could eat.

The cul de sac of my Maui childhood consisted of four houses--also out in the sticks. A mile east of Paia town, between Hana Highway and the ocean, when that road was lightly used. We had a right-of-way to a small beach. Idyllic, if isolated. That childhood home became a casualty of divorce, decades ago.

Lately, someone has merged the old lots, removed the existing homes, and turned it all into large, ocean-front compounds. There have been hordes of construction crews working there for years now. Replacing hedges with high stone walls. Erecting massive homes.

The citrus trees are gone. The shade tree we planted was spared. In true monkeypod fashion, it spreads wonderfully. It looks so good they've thrown a spotlight on it at night. I can't say that I like the new structures. To my eyes, they look like houses that got into a bad batch of steroids.

It occurs to me that this story must be universal, told a thousand times in exotic places like Maui--and the North Country? Ordinary people, simple homes. Built without fuss, amidst natural beauty. Replaced, over time, by outsiders with money. Who, apparently, cannot exist without big mansions.

Is my lament about wealth? Outsiders? Or bad taste? All of the above, I suppose. Live and let live is a fine principle. Having money--or not--doesn't determine people's true worth. The problem comes from getting swamped by someone else's wake.

When when wealth moves in, things change. For everyone. Old-timers get squeezed out by skyrocketing property taxes. Wealth commandeers the waterfront. The locals scrape along on low-wage service jobs, hopes of home ownership evaporating. Too often, the "just folks" end up feeling alienated in their own territory.

Is there a solution? I don't know. I can’t really see one from here

Random updates

And then there were two

Craig's gone. As he put it, "Some of us have to get back to work." He loves Hawaii and is leaning on me about moving back, some day. We'll see.

Craig is my resident tech support, so I have some concerns about potential problems with cameras, computers and blogging on my own. However, so far I've been doing most of this by myself. With luck I won't get stuck.

Because of all the new fuss about security we dropped him off with two and a half hours before his flight. The good news is he was all done, and twiddling his thumbs at his gate, in 20 minutes. The bad news is he was not happy about the tone and content of some of the airport announcements at his stop-over in Chicago. Some travelers like stepped-up security measures, it makes them feel safe. On the first of many "miss-you" phone calls, Craig recounts his experience and fumes darkly about "police state" mentality.

After living in Honolulu for almost 20 years, we still have a number of friends here. Including families with kids the same age as our son, Wili. That's been fun. Unfortunately, his peers are now back in school, leaving him a bit aimless at times.

School daze

Hawaii is the only state in the nation with a single school system. In theory, this can mean good things, like equal per-pupil funding. In practice, critics call the State Department of Education inefficient and top-heavy with bureaucracy. Anyway, various schools in the islands have been dinking around with modified school schedules for a long time. Now, after years of re-inventing the wheel, the DOE has finally decided all public schools need to be on the same page--the so-called "year-round" schedule.

It's plenty hot in Hawaii in August, so some kids are going back to classrooms with temps in the 90's. Lots of grumbling, from calls to change the schedule, or to get more air conditioning. Of course, the school system's budget will not stretch that far.

Most of my friends followed a pattern that's very common on Oahu, the island with more wealth and more choices. Send the kids to public schools until grade 6, then switch to private schools. For some reason there are splendid elementary schools in the public system. Things sort of seem to fall apart after that.

It's a chicken and egg situation. Did grades 6-12 deteriorate because of flight to private schools, or did the flight occur because the schools were so bad? Some of both, I suppose. State-wide nearly 20% of school-age students attend private schools. (A higher percentage on Oahu, fewer on other islands, which don't have as many private schools.)

In any case, the whole public/private school quandary was one of the biggest reasons we left Hawaii, seven years ago. Craig and I believe that good, free public education is a cornerstone of a healthy society. But we also want our son to have a decent education, in a safe environment.

Tuition for private schools in Hawaii is close to university fees: $8,000-$16,000 per child, per year. (This added to an already-high cost of living!) We voted with our feet and moved. Fortunately, we've been very impressed with the calibre of public education in Ottawa.

Hawaii's troubled public schools is a huge topic, full of old deadlocks and recriminations. Frankly, the staying power of a problem everyone agrees needs fixing, with so few signs of progress, is deeply depressing.

Economic recovery: good news?

Economists are excited about Hawaii's economy, of late. Lots of growth and some of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation. The unofficial "state bird" is back, the building crane. Cranes are busy in several hot spots of construction activity. This snap shot near Ala Moana, the state's biggest shopping center, is representative of Honolulu right now. Lots of bumper-to-bumper traffic. More pretty high-rise condos that only the rich can afford, and more of the same ahead.

I was emailing a friend about the ridiculous cost of real estate in Hawaii, especially on Maui. Quite recently, the median price of a house on the Valley Isle was around $700,000. Wanting to be current, I Googled for the latest figure. Was I ever shocked! Maui's median is now $970,000. The cheapest shack on the whole island, a small tear-down, was over $350,000. Ouch!

[Editor's Update: I think the $970K figure that shocked me so much was a typo. Other sources indicate $780K is the actual median for single-family homes on Maui, this year.]

Mmm, mangoes!

I'll end on a happier note. This is the tail end of mango season. Most trees are all pau (done). These beauties were grown on the windward side of Oahu, in Kailua, at a friend's house. She made a point of saving them, to give to us. Mahalo! (Thanks!) They were ono! (delicious)

Bon Dance Season!

Magic in the air

Back when we lived in Honolulu, one special weekend each August we would walk up Manoa Valley. Past stately older homes with established gardens. Closer and closer, to a hidden alcove. With twilight falling, faint snippets of music float by, carried by the breeze. A beautiful moon would rise from behind the high valley ridge, huge and illuminating. Hurry! It's starting! Our destination: the lovely Koganji Temple. At last! Music, lights, people, food and dancing. Time to greet your neighbors and soak up another...Bon Dance!

Where did this stuff come from, anyway?

Hawaii has a long pattern of single-industry domination. This began with stripping the forests of fragrant sandalwood in the early 1800's. Next came servicing the whaling industry. "King Sugar" had the longest run of all. Although its reign has come and gone, it shaped the lives of generations of Islanders. It's been replaced by the newest god demanding regular blood sacrifice: tourism.

Plantation days

After being discovered by Europeans, the native Hawaiian population rapidly declined--due to introduced diseases and to social upheaval. A century later, when sugar plantation became well-established, plantation owners felt compelled import labor. This practice started with Chinese, then Japanese. Portuguese and Puerto Ricans also arrived, in smaller numbers. The last large ethnic group imported to work in agriculture was Filipinos.

All groups brought food and traditions which remain important in island life to this day. These immigrants, and their children, also shared a common heritage of living in plantation housing, called camps. They were humble workers, intentionally kept on the lower rungs of the old power structure. Eventually, those barriers were torn down. The American success story, if you will. Hard work, education and perseverance--payed big dividends for the generations that followed, today's doctors, lawyers and politicians.

Plantation life was also the incubator for powerful labor unions and the rise of the Democratic party. Two forces that largely ran Hawaii for the last 50 years, for better and worse.

Early Japanese immigrants were mostly Buddhist. Pretty soon, every good-sized town in Hawaii had a Buddhist temple to serve their congregation. The tradition of Bon Dances in Hawaii was begun.

Bon Dances then and now

When I was a little girl on Maui, Bon Dances were attractive, but intimidating. They're night events, featuring lanterns marked with family names. Everyone enjoyed the food booths. Anyone could watch. But dancers were expected to have a kimono and a fan. And to practice beforehand. Eventually, I had my own obi-sashed kimono and a pretty fan to stumble my way through some of the easier dances.

Today, most temples are much less strict. At Manoa Valley's Koganji Temple, for example, the MC on the PA system is quick to say that all are welcome, and enthusiastically insists "You must dance! Don't be shy! No one should leave without trying at least one!"


This Bon Dance also includes a fine exhibition of Taiko drumming.





Bon Dances are still about all the good stuff: "shave ice" (snow cones) and other delicious food. Music, family and religion. It's festive time to remember one's ancestors and pay proper respect to by-gone traditions.


Bon Dances in Hawaii have become a nostalgic event for all ethnic groups. For old-timers who remember and for newcomers who want to touch the past.

Bon Dances take place throughout the islands. This year's schedule concludes in September.

One paddle, two paddle, 3,000 paddles...

The State Regatta

The promised entry on the island of Lanai will have to wait. Instead, here's a post about Saturday's HCRA State Outrigger Canoe Championships.

Flying from Maui to Oahu last Friday, we noticed very full flights and lots of different people with something in common. Travelers, all packing paddles, much like woman pictured here, from Hanalei Canoe Club on the north shore of the island of Kauai.

Oahu ("the gathering place") was living up to its name as 3,000 paddlers, plus coaches, family and friends all headed to Honolulu for the annual championship regatta.

The race season goes from April to August, when seas are calmer, with many smaller regattas during that time.

This was the grand event. A sprawling spectacle, featuring a total cross-section of Hawaii's people. Where the old blends with the new, to perpetuate key elements of Hawaiian culture.

The outrigger canoe was essential throughout all of Polynesia. Pre-western contact, the canoe was car, train, plane and water-sport recreational craft wrapped in one. The 6-man outrigger canoe has survived (and now thrives) in modern canoe clubs. Locally, this includes competing leagues and club rivalries that go back for decades. Paddling is also international, with teams from the mainland U.S., Tahiti, Australia and more.

Every major island has numerous clubs, open to all for a nominal fee. These are organized like a sport and social club--with a family focus. Members include young singles, with sculpted bodies, to whole families, including Tutu and Tutu Kane (Grandma and Grandpa). Paddlers try out for seats on competitive teams, made up of men, women or mixed gender crews. Age divisions start at 12 and go to 55 and up.

Ohana is Hawaiian for family. It's a broader concept than the nuclear family, or one based on blood kinship. For example, in Hawaii, it is customary for children to address all close adult family friends as "Uncle" or "Aunty". When you join a group based on Hawaiian culture, such as a hula halau (school), or a canoe club, you have instant "cousins".

This means many warm and fuzzy moments, and lots of flower leis. It also brings obligations. Kokua is expected. Show up, share, be helpful and take responsibility for the group.

Over 20 years ago, I paddled for 3 years with a Maui club, Na Kai Ewalu (meaning the eight seas, or channels, between the major Hawaiian Islands.) I was attending Maui Community College by day and working at night. I joined crews who paddled as an early morning fitness regime. Lots of fun, but the time commitment was exhausting. It left me wishing for some recreational league instead of doing competitive racing. Attending another state meet was a real blast from my past!

The flat-water regatta race course consists of lanes 1/4 mile in length, marked by buoys. Regatta races can be as short as 2 minutes for the quarter mile with no turns. Or as long as 11 minutes for 1.5 miles with five turns, where races may be won or lost.
Open-ocean races are also popular. They include what is considered the world championship for outrigger canoes, the 41-mile race across a rough channel from Molokai to Oahu. This takes 5 hours for first place crews and 10 hours or more for last place. Channel crossings are also done by kayakers and people paddling surfboards--even "stand-up" surfboards!

Ke'ehi Lagoon, close to the state's main airport, is just about perfect for a big flat-course event like this. Demand for parking was such that the playing fields were pressed into service. Some race sites, such as Waikiki beach, have lanes impacted by breaking waves. Ke'ehi is sheltered. The shore is long enough for everyone's tarps to go up and to allow for lots of good viewing.

There are different divisions, based on club size. In the AAA division, Maui's Hawaiian Canoe Club was the winner, for the 6th straight year. (Click here for full results.)

The race that had the crowd roaring was the women's senior event, where the ladies from the working-class Waikiki Beach Boys club held off clubs which operate with more money and better equipment. The underdogs prevailed, and here they are. Imua!

We're here!

Ah, the breeze!

After a heat wave in California, with many parts of the mainland still baking in unusually high temperatures, it was great to finally arrive in Hawaii last week. It's still hot here, temps are averaging in the upper 80's. And the sun is very intense.

To illustrate, my husband always rolls his eyes when the Ottawa weather report cautions that the UV index there will be 8, or high. Kid 's stuff! Contrast that with the UV index for Oahu. Today it is 11, or "extreme". Skin damage can occur in 10 minutes. Hats and sunscreen are more than a good idea. Except for Craig, who loves heat and covets a deep, dark tan.

What keeps this bearable are the steady trade winds.

You can feel a difference the moment you step off the plane. (Cliche alert!) The air in Hawaii really is soft and moist. Breezes come by like visiting friends. No steady blast, but in waves of different intensity. The air really does caress you, gently curving around your face, your arms your legs. Most of the time it has a pleasant smell, sometimes scented by flowers. Plumeria, ginger, gardenia. It is blissful!

Our Itinerary

This trip is a traveling circus. Maui. Lanai. Maui. Oahu. Then Maui, again. The details are boring. So, instead of a confusing chronological treatment, I'll do posts on topics--when possible. (Expect feast or famine, my internet access is intermittent and keeps changing.)

As of this writing, future blogs will cover: Lanai, Buddhist temples and the Summer Bon Dance season, the State Outrigger Canoe Championships, hooray for inter-island fare wars, plus a hot primary for a Senate seat. Other things too, I'm sure!

Aloha!

Where to stay?

Lodging

Another common question about Hawaii: "Can you recommend some nice place to stay, near the ocean, that's not too expensive?" Hmm. Sorry. No can do.

This pictured yellow building is the Hotel Lanai. That was the only hotel bill we will pay for the entire trip. A few days after arriving on Maui, Craig and I deposited our son at my father's place. (Thanks, Dad!) Then we left for a a two-night get-away on the island of Lanai. It's a historic slice of old Hawaii--charming, but basic. It's miles from the ocean. A room ran us $130 per night. (Still coming: a blog with pictures about Lanai.)

Mooching off of family is how we can manage long trips in Hawaii. The odd time we do go to an island where we have no connections, I use the internet to find and rent a rustic vacation house, with kitchen, for as little as possible. This is a photo of our house rental for a Kauai expedition in 2003.
Crash-pad in hand, we go hiking, swimming and touring everywhere via rental car. A few years ago, this started at about $130 per night for a furnished house which could sleep 5-8. I think there may be high-rise condominiums (with kitchens) in resort areas that also rent in this manner. There used to be internet deals for car rentals--that's worth a look. Where we once paid $20 a day for a car, this time around it's up to about $40 for the most basic vehicle. (Vans cost at least double that.)

You can pretty much count on paying at least $100 nightly per room for any commercial lodging. Double or triple that (or more!) for extra amenities, like proximity to the ocean.

NOTE: As we are only visiting Maui, Lanai and Oahu on this trip, photos of other islands in this blog are from previous visits.

Camping: think twice, choose carefully

Some tent camping is permitted in designated state and county parks. I cannot wholeheartedly recommend it. Pavilions are frequently hot, noisy and dirty--sometime dangerous--with bathrooms that may or may not be functional. Especially near roads, and at night, watch out for druggies or drunks. (Many parks in Hawaii are locked up overnight because of problems in this regard.) You may also be competing for space with homeless "campers".

Sadly, homelessness is a large and growing problem in Hawaii. Tent cities have sprung up in many places around the state, including public parks and beaches. The homeless include ordinary individuals, and whole families with children who cannot afford expensive housing. Or the mentally ill. Or substance abusers. Or those who simply prefer an 'unfettered' lifestyle. The problem of how to help the homeless causes much heartache and frustration on all sides.

Back to park standards in Hawaii. They have been so poor for so long that I was completely blown away when as a young adult I first tried camping on the mainland. There, we consistently encountered well-maintained, clean, quiet and pretty camp sites. (Some even had hot water--unheard of in Hawaii's beach pavilions!!) There's been a recent effort to improve Hawaii's park facilities, but vandalism is a persistent problem. Park restrooms and camp sites in the islands can be rather iffy.

Here are some big exceptions. Good, basic places, that are reasonably safe--in settings that are dreams come true.

For the fit hiker, try one, or all three, of the cabins in Maui's Haleakala National Park. These are over 6,000' in elevation, in the crater of a dormant volcano, with a landscape reminiscent of the moon. (Vandals tend to be a lazy bunch. They can't be bothered to show up here.)
Haleakala National Park is worth seeing. Bring warm clothes, though. Even in Hawaii, it's cold at 10,000'. The State bird nests in the crater, the Nene. These endangered and protected birds look like Canada Geese, but they are endemic to Hawaii. Like the famous example of the Galapagos islands, geographic isolation in the Hawaiian Islands led to many species evolving into new ones, found no where else. If rare flora and fauna appeal to you, come to Hawaii!

For any age and fitness level, enjoy a tropical jungle next to a breath-taking, black-sand beach by driving to Waianapanapa State park, near lovely Hana, on the far east tip of Maui. (The beach here is spectacular but the currents are dangerous and the surf is strong. Even strong swimmers must be very cautious here. Less strong swimmers should not go out.)

These photos are from a stay there in 2000. (Left to right: Wili buried in black sand; Wili in a Lauhala tree, the leaves of which make fine mats, hats and bags; anonymous Uncle with Wili and a camp fire outside one of the Waianapaanapa cabins.)


Kauai's Kokee State Park is also a good bet, with interesting hikes in the surrounding Alakai Swamp or in near-by Waimea Canyon.

There's world-famous wilderness camping on the beach in Kauai's Kalalau Valley, at the end of an 11-mile long hike along the Na Pali Coast. Craig and I have done this several times, "BC" (before child). It used to be extraordinary. I hear that valley is being loved to death and it is less wonderful now.

While the camping facilities at those sites are very basic, their settings are incomparable, for an inexpensive price. Typically, they are in high demand and must be reserved many months in advance. If your plans can be flexible, try calling at the last minute to see if there have been any cancelations. You could get lucky.

Car rentals and camping: a caution

It is often useful, or necessary, to rent a car in Hawaii. (Remembering that most companies will not rent to anyone under the age of 25.) If you rent a vehicle, when you arrive, the agent will ask you "Where are you staying?" They won't warn you before hand, but some companies will refuse to proceed if you answer "We're camping". This is because all parked cars risk being targeted by thieves, especially if parked in certain spots. (Property crime is rampant in the islands--see references to "ice epidemic". Rental cars are favorite targets.)

Forewarned is forearmed. You could be coy about your intentions and be ready with a cover story that includes some random hotel phone number. (The car companies don't check.) However, your rental contract, and any insurance, may be invalid if vandalism takes place while you left a car to go camping. You have to find your own comfort zone on this particular problem. There is no perfect solution.

Other travel costs

The truth is, it's expensive to visit Hawaii. And it's not just a matter of price-gouging visitors. Hawaii is just plain expensive, for everyone. Gas prices in Honolulu are always among th highest in the nation. Leave Oahu and it gets even worse. (On Lanai last week regular was $4.40 per gallon.) Practically all food costs more here. Astonishingly, store-bought tropical fruits like bananas, avocados, mangoes and lichee cost less in Ottawa, than here in Hawaii. Those all grow easily here--with enough yard space, which most people cannot afford.

Why is everything so pricey? Nearly all goods must be shipped in. Land here is tremendously expensive. These extra costs impact the price of everything. Bottom line: if you come, bring lots of money and plan on leaving it.