The smell of fresh cut flowers fills the air as jubilant ʻukulele melodies provide the soundtrack for a tropical evening. Kālua pork and fresh poi are loaded onto plates and accompanied by sweet mai tais. After a feast of Island cuisine, the heart pounding thunder of drums begins, and an exciting show unfolds for a […]
The Merrie Monarch Festival has officially kicked off. The festival is a week-long celebration of hula and Hawaiian culture. For anyone unsure of terms and people referenced throughout the festival, this is your elementary guide to what you may hear and see. ʻAuana – Modern style of hula we see today. Haumāna – Student. Hiʻiaka
Travel is back, and visitors are once again welcome to discover the Hawaiian Islands. As we enthusiastically make post-pandemic travel plans, we do so with mindfulness and a deeper gratitude toward the planet. How can we make a richer connection with the places we visit and the cultures we experience? How can we leave our
Cultural classes and Hawaiian entertainment returns to the Royal Hawaiian Center. Since the center opened its doors on Kalakāau Avenue in 1980, it has welcomed both locals and visitors and aimed to provide the best shopping and dining experiences and cultural lessons. Step into The Royal Grove to discover the legacy of Helumoa, Waikīkī’s historic
History lives all around us—even in our street signs. Yes, those light green indicators of where you are in the city also happen to be named after significant figures, places or people in Hawaiʻi’s history. And in Waikīkī, once home to Hawaiian royalty, there are dozens of street signs all with their own fascinating tales.
You wouldn’t expect a slippah store to be a place for learning strategy, but in Kaua‘i’s Kapa‘a town, that’s exactly what Sole Mates turned out to be when I arrived on a weekday afternoon. In between walls lined with various kinds of rubber slippers, sandals and Hydro Flasks sits a wooden table with a burlap
For more than 40 years, Royal Hawaiian Center has been welcoming kamaʻāina (residents) and malihini (visitors) to experience the very best in cultural lessons, shopping and dining. Here is your guide to experiencing everything Royal Hawaiian Center has to offer. Embrace the Heritage Royal Hawaiian Center is built upon the historic lands of Helumoa. Waikīkī, meaning “spouting waters”, was
The camera’s light flashes. White gloved hands shift King Kalakaua’s pipe ever so slightly. Beside us is a room filled with relics, not often seen on display. Having belonged to Hawaii’s kings, queens and noble people, these are no ordinary antiques. Every delicate piece comes with a story, bringing history to life. Take a look
Your back has to carry it all. The slouch of the 2 p.m. work slump. That high tightness from a day spent juggling babies, bags and heavy purses. Those knots need to be unwound, and lomilomi (massage) practitioner Kamakanuiahailono Jingao has just the remedy. Named after one of Hawaii’s legendary first healers, Jingao honed his
“I think you can go thinner,” says Lisa Schattenburg-Raymond, leaning over my work with a critical eye. I nod seriously, like a good apprentice, but feel a flash of annoyance. I’ve been pounding my scrap of kapa for more than an hour. My back is sore from sitting cross-legged on a lauhala (pandanus) mat. My forearms are tired from the
