Hawaiian Cultural Festival planned at Puuhonua
Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park will host its annual Hawaiian Cultural Festival Saturday and Sunday. The event marks the park’s 54th anniversary as a unit of the National Park Service.
On Saturday, activities will include canoe rides in Honaunau Bay, lauhala and coconut frond weaving, kapa beating and traditional lei making. On Sunday, the celebration continues with traditional Hawaiian foods tasting and a hukilau (fishing) demonstration. This year’s festival theme is, “I ulu no ka lala i ke kumu – without the ancestors, we would not be here.”
The festival takes visitors back in time so they can experience how Hawaii would have felt in the 1800s. Practitioners in traditional dress will provide visitors with a uniquely Hawaiian experience, honor the culture and traditions of cultural experts and the Hawaiian people and provide attendees a time and place to gather, learn and share.
Visit the park’s website or Facebook page for updates.
Picnicking, coolers and chairs are not allowed in the Royal Grounds. No food is available in the park.
Class explains how to self-publish a book
A class will explain how to self-publish a book from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday at Kona Stories Book Store in Keauhou Shopping Center.
Cost is $55. Robert Frutos will share the many aspects of successful self-publishing, including the best self-publishing options available from startup costs, royalty payments, the benefits and disadvantages of self-publishing vs. traditional publishing. Frutos’ first book “Photographing Nature in Hawaii: Capturing the Beauty and Spirit of the Island” was published in 2004 with Island Heritage Publishing on Oahu. Since then, he has self-published 20 books on his own, including a hard back inspirational photo coffee table book, 10 soft back books, of which six are also e-books.
Sign up by calling 324-0350 or emailing ks@konastories.com.
Yoga workshop focuses on pain relief
The public can learn cutting-edge solutions to the ancient problem of pain in a yoga workshop from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at Club Rehab, 79-7422 Mamalahoa Highway in Kealakekua.
“Yoga teaches us how the breath, alignment, self-study and the study of ancient wisdom can break the cycle of pain and restore natural radiance,” said West Hawaii yoga teacher and wellness mentor Marya Mann. She is offering this three-hour workshop to give people immediate, simple, powerful, scientifically proven and effective ways to address physical and emotional pain, she said.
Participants will learn daily practice methods for their specific conditions. The fee is $20.
To register and for more information, visit maryamann.com or call 328-0171.
Volunteers sought for cleanups
A clean stream through Waimea and less pollution entering the ocean are the goals of the Wai 2 Kai Project.
Sierra Tobiason, University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program extension agent and South Kohala Coastal Partnership coordinator, is leading an effort to help improve water quality at five specific sites which were identified as hotspots of pollution, erosion and stormwater runoff.
The two-year Wai 2 Kai project will take place at five sites along the Waikoloa stream and within the Waiulaula Watershed. At these sites volunteers will be recruited to install and maintain raingardens, participate in stream and beach cleanups, remove invasive plant species and help the project reach its goal of planting 20,000 native plants.
These native plant restoration and Wai 2 Kai volunteer activities were designed to not only restore and improve water quality, but to encourage long lasting stewardship and understanding of the importance of healthy watersheds.
Work days will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on the fourth Saturday of each month and the location of the work days will rotate between the five sites. On Tuesday at the Waimea Nature Park, the public is invited to help spread mulch, remove invasive plants and plant native shrubs and ground cover. To volunteer, email wai2kaicoordinator@gmail.com by Thursday.
For more information or to volunteer, contact Tobiason at tobiason@hawaii.edu, Maria Derval “Didi” Diaz-Lyke at mddiaz@hawaii.edu, or visit wai2kai.com.
Waimea town cleanup planned
Waimea Outdoor Circle volunteers will participate in Matson’s Ka Ipu Aina (container for the land) Program by removing litter, weeding, trimming and sprucing up the center of town on Sunday. Community members are encouraged to participate in this annual event from 7 to 10:30 a.m. and should meet at the Ikua Purdy statue at Parker Ranch Center, where trash bags and tools will be provided, along with snacks and refreshments.
For more information, visit wochawaii@gmail.com or call 443-4482.