Kona Historical Society announces the launch of “From the Collection,” a new monthly virtual program series highlighting the society’s archives, its historic sites, and people, places and things in our community. The last Wednesday of every month, discover unseen objects from the Society’s collections, learn how to care for family heirlooms, get behind-the-scenes sneak peeks of historic sites, and hear Kona stories.
“Our collections have always been at the center of our mission at the Kona Historical Society. They are where our stories are kept, and there are thousands of them to tell. Our collections come directly from our community, collected thoughtfully over time by Kona Historical Society. Within our walls, we get the honor of caring for and sharing these stories that are found nowhere else,” said Public Programs Manager Audrey Blair. “During our closure to the public, we have found more time to complete collections-based projects and wanted to find a way to share our work virtually. This is how the From the Collection series was born.”
The first installment, “Bread, Baking, and ‘Kneading’ a Community,” begins at 1 p.m. Sept. 30 and will be livestreamed on Kona Historical Society’s Facebook Page and on Zoom. During this approximately 30-minute-long program, viewers will be introduced to Hawaii Island bakeries and bakers, both past and present, and hear their memories, inspiration and reasons to bake. Some of these bakers have survived through generations by changing with the neighborhoods or staying true to their recipes and always maintaining a strong connection to the community. Throughout the program, viewers are welcome to ask questions and leave comments.
“Normally, we bake traditional sweet bread each Thursday to share the story of the Portuguese in Kona. The first From the Collection program will be quite different from that experience. While we will discuss the Portuguese and some of their experiences, we are taking a broader look at bread and baking in Kona and including a much wider range of stories,” Blair said. “When designing the From the Collection series, our staff found renewed energy and inspiration from hearing the stories found in our archives and collections. We hope the same for folks who will tune in for this virtual program. They are the ones who gave their stories to be shared and kept safe at Kona Historical Society, and now these stories can help us become grounded in our community’s resilience and beautiful history.”
Registration is required to participate on Zoom. To register and watch, visit https://bit.ly/3iVLkPP
While the From the Collection series is free to view, Kona Historical Society welcomes donations of any size in support of this new program series and our nonprofit.
For more information, call Kona Historical Society at (808) 323-3222 or visit www.konahistorical.org.