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Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

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Kenny Kharisma2 0

<title>Hawai‘i Scene on Social: PTO preparations</title>

Today’s social media find comes from @KennyKharisma2.0, who may need to stay home for a few days.

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: PTO preparations

Gotta make it sound convincing!  Make sure you follow @KennyKharisma2.0 on Instagram! For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up here for our free Daily Edition newsletter!

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros Headshot

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

Aloha Spirit

Arts & Entertainment

Dust off your cowboy boots and hat and bring your appetite, friends and ʻohana to 

Windward Community College’s Paniolo BBQ

, the fundraising event is slated from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20, at the college’s Great Lawn. It will feature live music from 

 and Hawaiʻi Loa, hula performances, a mechanical bull, petting zoo and horse rides, Texas Hold ‘Em, roping competitions and more. 

house band for Sheraton Moana Surfrider Hotel in Waikīkī, 

Hawaiʻi Loa is known for its slack key and steel guitar sound showcased in albums such “Aloha Is a Love” and “Hawaiian Memories”. 

‘Alewa in an up-and-coming group of musicians and dancers, "who are redefining mele and hula, blending deep-rooted tradition with bold new energy," the college said in a recent announcement.

The event is free to attend, though guests are invited to purchase BBQ meals fit for a paniolo ahead of time.

will include pulled pork, hulihuli chicken, sausage, cornbread, baked beans, corn on the cob, Mac salad, pickled vegetables, and a house mustard. Vegetarian plate lunches are also available. Proceeds will go toward scholarships and advancement, according to the college.

“Windward CC is so excited to bring our community together with ʻono food, music and fun to celebrate our history, our home and our future!” Chancellor Ardis Eschenburg said in a statement. “Bring your whole family and enjoy being part of our Koʻolau ʻohana!”

 will also be open from 1–5 p.m. with a new show, “Kuleana,” a group exhibition that runs through Dec. 12, that explores “history, politics, culture, identity and socio-economic realities that shape Hawaiʻi and its people,” 

“Recently, 'kuleana' has become a buzzword or stock phrase for many who use it. However, it is far more than a reference to responsibility or privilege,” said Gallery ʻIolani Director Kapulani Landgraf in an Aug. 18 statement. “It is about accountability, and the moral courage to right a wrong, no matter the consequence.”

Landgraf co-curated the exhibit with April A.H. Drexel in partnership with participating artists, the announcement noted.

Can’t make it to the upcoming pāʻina? 

 to donate to Windward Community College’s scholarship endowment fund as part of its 50th anniversary. The college aims to raise $1 million to support students now and for future generations.

Aloha State Daily reached out to WCC for comment. Additional coverage on The University of Hawai’i Foundation can be found 

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Alewa

<title>Windward Community College’s Paniolo BBQ fundraiser celebrates culture and community</title>

Supported by the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation, the fundraising event is slated from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20, at the college’s Great Lawn, and will feature live music from ʻAlewa and Hawaiʻi Loa, a mechanical bull, petting zoo, Texas Hold 'Em, roping competitions and more. It is free to attend though pre-orders for BBQ meals are encouraged to help raise money for student scholarships at the college.

Windward Community College’s Paniolo BBQ fundraiser celebrates culture and community

Government & Politics

, a nonprofit cooperative association of the National Park Service since 1979, is soliciting feedback from the local community via surveys and meetings scheduled now through Oct. 4 to improve its visitor access and preserve the historically significant sites on Ford Island. 

These NPS-managed sites on Ford Island at 

 which include six Chief Petty Officer’s bungalows and the USS Oklahoma and USS Utah memorials 

 commemorate the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, which led to the U.S. entering World War II.

Pearl Harbor National Memorial Superintendent Tom Leatherman wrote in the introduction of the 

Ford Island National Park Service Sites Management Plan

, “Your engagement is vital as we plan the future of these significant memorials and nationally important places in American World War II history. We have developed preliminary concepts for the Ford Island sites and are interested in your perspectives.”

Leatherman told Aloha State Daily by email that “this is the first real opportunity for the public to provide their thoughts on how the Ford Island sites should be managed.”

“In terms of what is up for discussion, we hope that the public will provide information about what they see as the best uses for the bungalows and how they might help to tell the story of WWII in Pearl Harbor,” he said. “We do have laws, policies and guidelines which provide some sidebars are what we can do, but for the most part we are looking for all ideas. We won't, for instance, propose building anything that is not compatible with the historic landscape of the area

NPS will host an in-person open house from 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 16, at Pearl Harbor National Memorial, as well as virtual sessions from 10 to 11 a.m. and 5 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 17. More information and Microsoft Teams meeting links can be found 

Public comments can also be submitted through Oct. 4 at the Planning, Environment and Public Comment 

“A management plan is needed to determine how the buildings will be used and preserved," Leatherman told ASD.

The cost will be determined once we have an idea of how the buildings will be used. “Some of the costs will come from the National Park Service, but we will also be working with the Navy and our nonprofit partner, Pacific Historic Parks, for funding some of the potential improvements."

When asked about estimated cost and completion, he noted, “It is likely to also occur in phases, so we wouldn't need all of the money to move forward on making improvements.”

According to the proposed planning timeline, NPS aims to 

firm up the  plan with public input and conduct environmental compliance

 by fall of next year, and close out the final plan by spring of 2027.

“Pacific Historic Parks is proud to support this effort to engage the community in planning for these historically significant places,” said the nonprofit’s President and CEO Aileen Utterdyke in a statement. “The stories of Pearl Harbor continue to inspire and teach, and it’s important that these sites are preserved with care and input from the public.”

To view the Ford Island National Park Service Sites Management Plan, 

Ford Island Public meeting 02

<title>‘First real opportunity’ for public input on Ford Island’s future</title>

Now through Oct. 4, Pacific Historic Parks and The National Park Service are seeking public feedback for the NPS-managed sites on Ford Island, which include six bungalows and the USS Oklahoma and USS Utah memorials. Pearl Harbor National Memorial Superintendent Tom Leatherman shares why the proposed long-term site management plan is needed now and how community members can weigh in via in-person and virtual meetings, as well as an online survey.

‘First real opportunity’ for public input on Ford Island’s future

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Punahou School graduate Brandon Finn understands the power of a stare. It is something the actor does as 

when his father, King Kahekili of Maui, orders him to hunt down the main character of the series, Kaʻiana, and bring him back, dead or alive.

“And you see this moment where the camera racks focus and … Prince Kūpule is looking at Kahekili without saying any words, as if: ʻI cannot believe you are asking me to do this. ... And as your son, it is my responsibility to follow your lead.’ ”

The scene was “brutal” but marked his favorite moment to shoot, he told Aloha State Daily. 

King Kahekili was played by the New Zealand actor Temuera Morrison. Finn credits Morrison with encouraging him to hold his stare in that scene. For Finn, the role involved "a lot of homework with what that father and son dynamic was like,” he said.

“And that's a separate thing from the language itself, because obviously I spent a lot of time learning Hawaiian language, learning ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi,” he added. “But in terms of what's happening between the two of them as father and son, that’s something [where] I ended up delving into my own relationship with my own father.”

Written by Thomas Pa‘a Sibbett and Jason Momoa, the Apple TV+ mini-series launched its first episodes on Aug. 1. It follows Kaʻiana, played by Momoa, as he tries to unify the Islands before Western colonization. The eighth episode drops on Friday, Sept. 12, and the season finale comes out on Friday, Sept. 19.

Prior to filming “Chief of War,” Finn had not spoken more than a few sentences in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, he said. To get ready for this role, he worked closely with an instructor.

“His name is Kiawe Goodhue, and we just went lesson after lesson non-stop for a month and a half because I knew it needed to sound the right way," he said. "Let alone it's the right thing to do in terms of responsibility owed to the people of Hawaiʻi, their ancestors, their history and their cultures.” 

Finn was born in Maui. His family moved to Oʻahu when he was about two years old, he said. 

“But Maui is my birthplace,” he added. “And later on in life, all of these things led themselves to where I find myself today, playing Prince Kalanikūpuli, the last reigning king of Maui Island in Hawaiian history. I had this pinch me moment. I could not believe I'm born on Maui and in my lifetime, I get to bring Kalanikūpuli to life through ʻChief of War’ with Apple TV, let alone the platform that they have with 45+ million subscribers in over 100 countries.”

Finn wants viewers of the show to take with them an appreciation of language.

“You know what's beautiful?” he said. “The one that really gets to me is ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, the language. And there is already a resurgence of the language within Hawaiʻi. But I feel as if ʻChief of War,’ being as big as it's become thus far, will only move that needle further in the direction of having people interested in Ōlelo Hawaiʻi. And not just people from Hawaiʻi — people born and raised, who are of Hawaiian ethnicity — but also people who would love to come, visit, spend time and if it sparks their interest  learn Ōlelo Hawaii, as well, if that's something that interests them. Because that's how the language lives on forever.”

"Chief of War"

<title>Punahou School graduate is in “Chief of War”</title>

Brandon Finn, a graduate of Punahou School, explores complicated father and son relationships in his role as Prince Kūpule in the Apple TV+ mini-series, “Chief of War.” He shares his favorite scene to shoot and how he learned ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi for the role.

Punahou School graduate is in “Chief of War”

Lopaka and Tanya Kapanui

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui

Hawaii History

Columnists

Ala Moana Shopping Center is said to be the largest open-air mall in the world, but its beginnings were far humbler. Long before the plans were drawn and the foundation was laid, this flat, sandy area was once filled with loko i‘a (fishponds) and loko i‘a kalo (taro fields used to raise small fish). The ‘ili (land division) of Kālia ran from the ‘Ewa end of Ala Moana Center to what is now Halekūlani Hotel.

Within these wetlands, wildlife was abundant, and Hawaiian families lived and worked to care for the land and feed their people. They raised their children here, and served their ali‘i as was required, and lived out their years as a community of abundance. 

In the 1920s, the landscape of Kālia changed drastically as the Ala Wai Canal was created. The marshes, the lo‘i kalo, and loko i‘a were filled in with the dredge from the canal project, leaving a foundation for future developers. Later, a daring idea of an expansive, two-level, open-air mall broke ground. In August 1959, Ala Moana opened its doors, and almost overnight, it reshaped Honolulu’s commercial landscape. Where Fort Street once bustled as the city’s premier shopping district, lined with department stores and filled with foot traffic, Ala Moana offered something new and modern. With its wide walkways, ample parking, and a design that encouraged strolling between open-air shops, the mall became the city’s new hub for commerce and social life.

The shopping mall grew steadily, adding new wings and anchor stores as Honolulu expanded around it. Soon, Ala Moana Center was recognized as an international destination, blending entertainment, everyday necessities, and luxury stores. Its stage in the center court became a place for hula shows, school performances, and community events, reminding shoppers that the center is also a gathering place.

But beneath the polished storefronts and bustling walkways lies a much older story—one that reaches back to the days when Kālia was nothing more than sand, wetlands, and fishponds. In those sands, generations of Hawaiians laid their loved ones to rest. Though the newspapers of the 1950s said nothing of such discoveries during construction, the uncovering of pre-contact burials in the immediate vicinity in recent years reminds us that Ala Moana was not built on empty ground.

Behind the scenes, often out of view of the customers, Ala Moana Shopping Center takes on another life entirely. Employees who have worked its halls day in and day out tell of shadows that do not belong to any living person, of whispers caught in the stillness, and of presences that refuse to let go of the space.

One former worker at Sears confessed that the stockroom was unbearably haunted. At first, she just saw glimpses of a small girl darting between racks where no child should have been. After a few weeks, sightings of this girl were constant, even early in the mornings before the store opened. Another person stated that he once saw a man gliding across the sales floor in the middle of the day. He emphasized gliding.

“As in, his body didn’t bounce like a normal person walking,” he said, “The dude literally floated across the floor because he had no feet!”

There were strange sounds, too. At night, it sounded like hangers scraping over the metal bars of the clothing racks when no one was nearby. Others claimed to hear heavy ladders being dragged across the tile floors. The most numerous complaints were strange footsteps. One person said they’d often hear steps behind them as if someone was following them. Another said they heard what sounded like dozens of people walking past, but the store was already closed and no one was there.

And then there are the stories from the loading docks, places few shoppers ever notice. One man remembers working late at night, running air conditioning conduits overhead along the Mauka side and through the service corridor near where the old Arby’s used to be. As they approached the service corridor, one man jumped down from the scissor lift to open the door. He struggled a bit and realized that it was locked tight, the knob refusing to turn.

He turned around and started walking back to the lift, calling out, “The door’s locked!”

Suddenly, the door swung open behind him. For a long moment, no one spoke. The four men stared at the open doorway, the echo of what had just happened leaving their skin cold. Two decades later, the memory still lingers, sharper than any dream.

Another construction worker shared his story about the area when Foodland used to be near the Post Office. They were working on renovations, and in the middle of the day, he saw a Hawaiian woman walking through the construction area. He yelled at her because she was barefoot and not wearing a hard hat. As he rushed to approach her, he said she just walked right through the wall.

The old-timers at Sears whispered that Ala Moana sits atop a portal, a crossing point for spirits. Although the center has changed dramatically over the years, some things, like hauntings and portals, neer go away. Maybe it was the sandy ground, once used for burials, or maybe something older still, tied to the waters and fishponds that once filled Kālia. Whatever the reason, the mall seems to hold open a door to the other side.

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Ala Moana Loading Dock Gates Large

<title>Hauntings at Hawai‘i’s Biggest Mall</title>

With a long history of Hawaiians living in the area prior to Ala Mona Center's development, the shopping center has been home to many strange and eerie sightings.

Hauntings at Hawai‘i’s Biggest Mall

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

 is coming up Sept. 13 from 4 to 9 p.m. at Leeward Community College.

This cultural celebration, created by JCI Honolulu and Hawaiʻi Todaiji, is designed to support local performers and businesses while rekindling bon dance in Hawaiʻi. The event will also showcase LCC’s educational programs.

“This year marks our third anniversary, and our exciting move to a new home at Leeward Community College — and we have plenty to look forward to,” says Megabon co-chair Jenna Nakagawa. “We are dedicating this year’s celebration to the 80th anniversary of World War II, with special remarks from representatives of the 100th Battalion.”

Doors to the event open at 3:45 p.m. and the program starts at 4:15 p.m. (the event is expected to conclude around 9 p.m.). Attendees can look forward to a new cultural exchange opening ceremony, which will feature both Taiko drum and Hawaiian performances to kick off the festivities.

“We are also honored to present Osaka Expo’s original bon dance, ‘Kono Hoshi no Tsuzuki wo,’” Nakagawa says.

This year’s festival will include more than 100 food and craft vendors. Participating food vendors include Aloha Bento, Corner Rolls, Dave’s Ice Cream Waipio, Reecie B’s Onolicious Local Food, StrEats of Aloha, Takoyaki Yama-chan and more. Craft and snack vendors include Noms, Yo Mama’s Mochi & Snacks, Huff N Puff, Aloha Crisps and more.

Other festival highlights include traditional Japanese festival games; a lively beer garden with beers, sake and Chu-His; and a brand-new White Elephant tent called “Taikomaru’s Treasures,” according to Nakagawa.

Early access passes ($10) — which grant early entry at 3 p.m. — and VIP passes ($50) are available for purchase online. VIP passes include parking at the venue, early access at 3 p.m., an exclusive Megabon Holo card, Megabon tote bag, and VIP lounge access.

No public parking will be available at LCC. To get to Megabon, attendees can take the rail (there

’s a rail station at the front of the event entrance), and various nearby lots with free parking and shuttle services will also be available. 

Megabon drum performance Photo courtesy Reid Shimabukuro 090325

<title>Megabon is back this weekend</title>

The 3rd annual Megabon — created by JCI Honolulu and Hawaiʻi Todaiji — is coming Sept. 13 at Leeward Community College. Here’s what to expect.

Megabon is back this weekend

IMG 1445

Rick Hamada

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Imagine this scenario."}]

You see a person assault and rob a kūpuna in Downtown Honolulu late at night.

Even though it’s dark, the attack happened right in front of you, so close that you could clearly make out the profile of the violator.

You immediately take out your phone and call to request a police officer.

911:  911, what’s your emergency please?

You:  Yeah, I’m at the corner of Smith and Beretania. I just saw someone attack an elderly man. He was robbed, too! 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"911:  Is the victim injured?"}]

You:  He’s down on the ground, but he’s moving. Some are trying to help him and they called for an ambulance.

911:  Help is on the way. May I have your name for the record, please?

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"You give your name to the dispatcher."}]

911:  You said you witnessed the attack. Can you describe the assailant?

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"LET’S STOP THERE."}]

, which places the caller, which is you, under suspicion. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Why?"}]

Because this new law could allow that assault and robbery suspect to sue you because you described them to the 911 operator.

For example, if the suspect was an African-American man, he could have grounds to sue you for discrimination.

Thanks to this law, anyone calling 911 must not appear that they’re targeting someone based on protected classes.

According to Act 259, protected classes include:

This law sounds specific, but it’s broad.

We must remember that there are two primary types of lawmaking: laws that are created to address a specific issue and laws that have “good intentions” but can be manipulated by attorneys.

Obviously, 259 is the latter; so, let’s acknowledge its allegedly “good intentions.”

Act 259 aims to hold 911 callers accountable when they misuse and waste emergency resources.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Let me provide an example."}]

Someone calls 911, saying that a group of Micronesians are making a lot of noise and are selling drugs in a parking lot.

After police are dispatched, officers find the report to be false, and the caller admits they simply don’t like Micronesians.

In fact, the reality is an innocent local family was gathering outside their uncle’s apartment building to talk story while eating plate lunches.

Now, the police officers’ and the dispatcher’s time have just been incredibly wasted.

Act 259 aims to prevent this type of caller abuse from happening and to hold biased callers accountable.

However, the issue is how this law can be used against 911 callers who are not biased and are simply trying to do their part in maintaining a safe community.

Let’s return to the 911 call you placed after witnessing the assault and robbery.

911: You said you witnessed the attack. Can you describe the assailant?

You: Yes, the attacker looked like a guy in a woman’s dress. He … she … 

black or maybe Samoan or Tongan and could have been in their 50s or 60s.

By giving this detailed description, you have now opened yourself up to a lawsuit, and defense attorneys can use this against you.

The suspect’s lawyer can now launch an investigation into your past, including offhand statements made to friends and family, postings on social media, and any interactions with questionable social media influencers and pages.

The defense attorney’s goal is to cast as much doubt on you, the witness, by accusing you to be driven by bias, prejudice and, yes, hatred of any of the protected classes.

Whatever the defense finds, whether it’s true or accurate, has great potential to ruin your reputation or even your life.

And even worse, the prosecutor’s office could decide not to go to trial, and the suspect you clearly saw commit a heinous crime walks free.

I will leave you with one final thought: is this law actually necessary?

According to data from the state Department of Law Enforcement, there has not been one documented case in Hawai‘i of a misuse of law enforcement.

The best use of a law is to fill a need; and it simply doesn’t seem like there is one in Hawai‘i.

 Act 259 is, in short, the best way to make citizens and good Samaritans question if they should follow the edict: “See something, say something.”

In fact, perhaps the law is asking us now to “say nothing.”

Regardless, it’s a consequence we cannot afford.

calling 911 I Stock 2216412689

<title>Thinking twice before calling 911</title>

Act 259, signed into law this month by Gov. Josh Green, is meant to curb the use of 911 calls to discriminate against people. Not only is there no evidence of this happening in Hawai‘i, there's plenty of reasons to think the law will intimidate people out of using 911 at all, now that doing so risks legal liability.

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: PTO preparations

Kady Pascual

Social Media Editor

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Hawai‘i Scene on Social: PTO preparations

Authors

Kady Pascual

Social Media Editor

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