Mangoes, lychee, south swells and bon dances. These are all the things we look forward to in summer in Hawaiʻi. Wait—what’s a bon dance? The Obon—or bon—festival is an annual Japanese holiday held in the summertime that commemorates and remembers deceased ancestors. It is believed that their spirits return at this time to visit their relatives. […]
Who doesn’t love a lūʻau? And Oʻahu has some of the best. Don’t believe us? Check out this list, all voted as the best in our 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards. 1. Paradise Cove View this post on Instagram A post shared by Paradise Cove (@paradisecoveluau) Sprawling across a beautiful 12-acre beachfront estate, Paradise
Aloha wear has long been a symbol of Hawai‘i’s cultural heritage and the upcoming exhibit “Fashioning Aloha” at the Honolulu Museum of Art (HoMA), opening on April 12, takes viewers on a deep dive through nearly 90 years of aloha wear, showcasing 53 garments including holoku, mu‘umu‘u, holomu‘u and aloha shirts. The exhibit takes the
Bayner Afituk taught himself to ride a bicycle. “I just picked up the bike and started riding,” he says. “And I was like, oh, I’m going to try ride down the hill. Then I fell.” But Afituk was undeterred. Last April, he was one of about 30 middle and high school boys leading the Kalihi
This story was originally published on Jan. 24, 2020. Eight is a lucky number in Chinese culture since it sounds similar to the word for wealth or fortune. Here are eight lucky foods we eat in Hawaiʻi during Lunar New Year. Noodles View this post on Instagram A post shared by MIAN Honolulu｜ミアン・ホノルル (@miantastehi)
You may have seen Lindsay Watson around. The local girl—she grew up in Upcountry Maui, mainly in Kula—is making a name for herself in Hollywood, starring in Netflix’s “Finding ‘Ohana” as Hana who—like herself—has big dreams. And in “The Wind & The Reckoning” she portrays Pi‘ilani in an unapologetic and movingly real look at the
In the basement galleries of ʻIolani Palace, I’m accompanied by six other visitors, all of us pulling on shoe coverings to prevent damage to the palace’s wooden floors and carpets. The subject of this specialty tour at the palace is King Kalākaua, known as the Merrie Monarch for his appreciation of the Hawaiian arts and
The credits roll as the lights come on. I’m seated in the foyer of the Hawai‘i Theatre and I can’t stop staring at the walls. Intricate gold detailing highlights the delicate ornaments and fixtures fixed around the theater screen, which had just finished showing “The Princess Bride.” The viewing had been unlike any movie-watching experience
You know there’s something in the air when you see a jolly 21-foot Santa Claus flashing a sky-high shaka outside Honolulu Hale. Although there’s no sled riding or frosted windowpanes and the weather outside isn’t frightful, Hawaiʻi is still full of holiday cheer. After all, it’s the most magical time of the year. READ MORE:
Growing up in Kaimukī on O‘ahu, Keoni Williams remembers learning how to string plumeria lei with his grandmother, who used to work in a flower shop in Hilo. “That’s one of my earliest memories of making lei,” Williams says. “It kinda stuck with me through the years.” So when the pandemic hit in 2020, Williams
After a two-year interlude from in-person events, Aloha Festivals is back, and it begins this weekend. The month-long celebration of culture, tradition and aloha spirit kicks off on Sept. 10, 2022, with the opening ceremony in Waikīkī. Following the grand event, an exciting program of festivities dots the month of September. And woven throughout the
When vacationing on O‘ahu, visitors almost always include a lūʻau on their to-do list. Add award-winning entertainment, a 750-seat theater and Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson tribute artists to the mix, and you’re in for a memorable one-of-a-kind treat. It’s not every day you get to spend an evening in the heart of Waikīkī, so
