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<title>Daily Smile: Friday, May 22, 2026</title>

Give this guy extra treats...

Daily Smile: Friday, May 22, 2026

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros Headshot

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

Viewpoints

Aloha Spirit

The debate between the spelling and pronunciation of Molokaʻi or Molokai (with or without the glottal stop, or ʻokina, between the “a” and “i”) has been ongoing for decades.

Shortly after Aloha State Daily launched in January 2025, we decided to use diacritics in our reporting and across our website, setting out to do so accurately and consistently. 

The house style agreed upon at the time was "Molokai," based on this article from 

We chose to use the ʻokina and kahakō because, one, because our Content Management System allowed for it (some donʻt). But mostly, to preserve the culture, history and meaning of the Native Hawaiian language, people and places we write about daily.

Among our earliest articles was ASD Reporter Stephanie Salmons' 

, a professor of Hawaiian language and Hawaiian studies at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, who is also known as “the godfather of the Hawaiian language revitalization movement” in the 1980s.

According to past reporting, Kimura also was a producer for Ka Leo Hawai‘i, a 

 show that ran from 1972 to 1988, where he interviewed native ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi speakers. Those recordings can be heard at Kaniʻāina (

). Naturally, he was one of our go-tos on the Molokai question.

“Those speakers, who were born and raised on Molokaʻi, all pronounced the name of their island as Molokaʻi with the ʻokina letter,” Kimura recently told ASD by email. “Also, all the Native Hawaiian speakers not from Molokaʻi who interacted in conversation with them pronounced Molokaʻi with the ʻokina. … It is too bad the missionary alphabet did not know how to deal with that phonetic letter for the Hawaiian spelling back then.” 

For Hawaiian references, our newsroom primarily uses this site, 

, or a physical copy of the revised Hawaiian Dictionary co-authored by Mary Kawena Puku’i and Samuel H. Elbert in 1961, along with the revised and expanded edition of “Place Names of Hawai’i” by Puku’i, Elbert and Esther T. Mookini.

Those resources list the island as “Molokaʻi,” the latter book defining it as being “38 miles long, 10 miles wide, 261 square-miles in area, and in 1970, a population of 5,261.” Today, its population is between 7,000 to 7,500 people, per the most recent census data.

Merriam-Webster cites the geographical name as "Molokai," varying as “Molokaʻi." 

 has entries both ways but lists “Molokaʻi” first and most often, followed by “Molokai,” citing the revised Hawaiian dictionary by Henry H. Parker from 1922.

Peter T. Young of local planning and consulting firm 

opined that this debate dates back to 1778 when Captain Cook visited the Hawaiian Islands and attempted to turn an oral language into a written one, using 

Morotoi, or Morokoi (Molokai). See how the early writers spelled and pronounced certain words 

What seems to be the biggest point of contention; however, is over its meaning.

Molokaʻi (pronunciation: Moh-loh-kah-ee) translates to twisting or turning (“mola”) leader (alakaʻi).

Molokai (pronunciation: Moh-loh-kye or (Moh-Kye) means “twisting waters (kai)” or "gathering of ocean waters.”

Molokai native Miki'ala Pescaia shared with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ Ka Wai Ola magazine in June 2021: “When you put them together, what makes more sense 

 ‘Moloka'i’, the twisting leader, or ‘Molokai’, the twisting ocean waters? The late Harriet Ne 

 a historian, hula master and one of my father's teachers 

 said it should be 'Molokai,' referring to the waterspouts often seen off the island. Old maps show spelling variations, including Molokai, Morotoi and Molotoi, but they all have three syllables, not four as there would be when you say those words with an 'okina."

Current KWO Editor Puanani Akamine told ASD, “At OHA, we use the ʻokina mainly because that is how it is spelled in UH Hilo's online Hawaiian dictionary, 

. My grandmother was from Molokaʻi and a native speaker. She always pronounced it with an ʻokina, so that is my personal default, as well.”

asked Hālawa Valley resident Anakala Pilipo Solatorio to share why he uses “Molokai,” which he learned from his grandparents and ʻohana from the island. In the interview he notes, “My kūpunahine Lilia Hale also told me the same thing and went on to say that ʻMoloka'iʻ would refer to ʻAlaka'i,ʻ the Hawaiian value of leadership, which would then change the meaning ... to ‘twisted leader.’”

One Oʻahu-based Hawaiian language teacher didn't want to go on record with their thoughts for fear of backlash from the community. Some of the folks we asked from the Friendly Isle sided with “Molokai.”

 Executive Director Alice J. Ka'ahanui told ASD, “Personally, I choose to use ʻMolokaiʻ without the ʻokina because I was born and raised on Molokai and that is the way I was taught by our kūpuna. (It almost sounds like there is an 'okina because the ‘ai’ sounds like ‘eye’ with a heavy accent on ‘i’)."

She added that during the mid-to-late ’80s, that generation of college students started learning to use the ʻokina.

“I remember one person saying they learned the term ʻMolokaiʻ was incorrect because they likened the twisting and turning in the ocean to the way a toilet bowl turns. That cast a negative view of the word, and thinking back was probably used to encourage more people to pronounce it with the ʻokina.” Ka'ahanui continued. “To me, Moloka‘i just became a more contemporary pronunciation.”

“I also remember someone saying that when Mary Kawena Pukui was working on the dictionary, she didn't ask someone from Molokai for the pronunciation. It was someone on Hawaiʻi island that gave her the pronunciation.”

Kumu Pa’a Nui Lawrence Kalainia Kamani Aki of 

 is a 50th generation Hawaiian cultural practitioner, who teaches online and in-person workshops on the island.

“I live by the oral teaching of Na Kūpuna O Hālawa Valley, Molokai,” she told ASD by email. “I understand the University of Hawaiʻi standardizing the language. I have heard all the points of views of the younger generation and Na Kūpuna agreeing with the University of Hawaiʻi due to their degrees they have received from these Western education institutions.”

, also from Hālawa Valley, said that the pronunciation is not as important as the meaning, which he acknowledged references the ocean currents surrounding the island's southern shores.

pronunciations are correct and depends on which ʻohana you are speaking with.

Keldin Calairo-Nakagawa, lead singer of Hawaiian-reggae group 

told ASD this week that he uses both and that either way works.

ASD ghost stories columnist Lopaka Kapanui

 weighed in, saying, “According to natives of the island, and our dear friend whose ʻohana is from there, it's ‘Molokai,’ or 'rolling waters due to the Ka'iwi channel.'

 from the Mary Kawena Pukui Cultural Preservation Society, his answer broadened to, “Guess it depends.”

While “guess it depends” seems like the best answer for colloquial conversations, as a news organization where words are the backbone of our business and meaning matters not only to us but our readers, our inclination is to stick with Molokai.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"What’s yours?"}]

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Molokai map

<title>Molokaʻi or Molokai, and why? ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi speakers, community share manaʻo</title>

Aloha State Daily revisits the Molokaʻi or Molokai debate over the spelling and pronunciation of the place name — with or without an ʻokina — initially for our own house style guide used across the website. Here’s what we learned from community members statewide.

Molokaʻi or Molokai, and why? ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi speakers, community share manaʻo

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Real Estate

The long-shuttered, 90-year-old Queen Theater in Kaimukī has hit the market for the first time in more than 50 years.

Originally constructed in 1936, the 12,497-square-foot building sits on a 10,396-square foot parcel at 3588 Wai‘alae Ave. CBRE's Matthew McKeever is leading the marketing efforts.

According to an announcement from CBRE, the property is offered fee simple and as-is, "providing the acquiring investor full ownership of both land and improvements in a submarket where such control is rarely available."

The asking price was not noted in the announcement or on a 

The Queen Theater has been a fixture on Wai‘alae Avenue for nearly 90 years, and opportunities to acquire fee simple control of a property like this in Kaimukī simply don't come around," McKeever said in the announcement. “Investors who understand Honolulu's land constraints recognize what that means for long-term value."

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"He declined to comment further."}]

"Kaimukī is a supply-constrained urban infill submarket characterized by limited new commercial development and infrequent ownership turnover along its primary corridor," CBRE says. "Fee simple assets of this scale along Wai‘alae Avenue have rarely changed hands, positioning the Queen Theater as a durable long-term hold for investors seeking established Honolulu neighborhood retail fundamentals."

The Historic Hawai‘i Foundation says that the 850-seat theater, listed as "endangered" in 2006, is a relic from the "golden age of cinema" that hosted everything from traveling vaudeville shows to 25-cent matinees. In later years, it became a second-run theater that hosted midnight showings of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and later an adult theater, the 

The news of its listing follows recent action from the Honolulu City Council, which on June 3 approved 

, a move that could allow the city to potentially move forward on the acquisition of the theater. 

The resolution revises the city's Public Infrastructure Map, or PIM, for the Primary Urban Center Development Plan area, adding a symbol for a government building to the property.

"Two years ago, the Council adopted Resolution 24-1 76, CD1, which requested the administration to take the steps necessary to acquire the Queen Theater property for public use as a city-owned multipurpose venue for theatrical, musical and community performances, and if necessary, to prepare a resolution for the Council to initiate proceedings in eminent domain," a 

 on the May 21 meeting of the city's Committee on Zoning & Planning notes. "The PIM amendment will allow for the appropriation of funds in the city’s capital budget for land acquisition of the Queen Theater property, which is owned by Narciso Yu Jr., and Adoree Yu."

The fiscal year 2027 capital budget currently appropriates $4 million to do so, the report states.

However, according to the report, the deputy director of the city Department of Planning and Permitting testified on May 21 that because of current and competing budget restraints, the administration does not want to purchase the theater property at this time, although "there is always potential for future consideration."

Queen theater 061026

<title>For sale: Queen Theater in Kaimukī</title>

Originally constructed in 1936, the long-shuttered 12,497-square-foot theater sits on a 10,396-square foot parcel at 3588 Wai‘alae Ave.

For sale: Queen Theater in Kaimukī

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

North Shore brothers Nyjah Music & Zyah Rhythm

 will take one of the biggest talent competition stages as they audition for “America’s Got Talent” in an episode that will be televised tomorrow.

The duo already has a connection to fame as 

. Nyjah Music & Zyah Rhythm will be featured in the second episode of Season 21 of “America’s Got Talent,” which airs at 2 p.m. HST on 

 on NBC. The grand prize for the competition is 

 and has millions of followers on social media.

The brothers could not be reached immediately for comment.

“Every stage is an opportunity to share our passion, learn and grow,” shared the duo on Instagram.

Currently, they have more than 250,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. In 2025, their cover of the Elvis Presley classic “Burning Love” was featured in Disney’s live action 

 Today, that song, which was produced by their pop star uncle, has more than 12 million streams on Spotify.

 include “Always on My Mind,” “The Island Girl is Mine,” and “Love Slow.”

Contestants for “America’s Got Talent” can be 

, according to the show’s audition website. The judges for this season are Howie Mandel, Melanie Brown or “Mel B,” Simon Cowell and Sofía Vergara.

, where select acts get a chance to perform a second time before judges choose which groups advance to the live shows, according to NBC’s website.

Nyjah Music and Zyah Rhythm recently announced new music. The duo shared on social media that their new song “Waste No Time” will be released on June 12.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Nyjah Music and Zyah Rhythm

<title>'America’s Got Talent' has Hawaiʻi contestants</title>

These North Shore brothers will be featured in Season 21 of “America’s Got Talent.” Tune in Tuesday, June 9, to catch their performance.

'America’s Got Talent' has Hawaiʻi contestants

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

Father’s Day is coming up Sunday, June 21. Whether dad wants a buffet, steak or seafood, check out the following options:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"100 Sails Restaurant & Bar"}]

: Prince Waikīkī, 100 Holomoana St. 3rd Floor, Honolulu

: The Father’s Day dinner buffet costs $109 per adult ($54.50 for children ages 6 to 10 years old). Highlights include:

The brunch buffet costs $111 per adult ($55.50 for children ages 6 to 10 years old). It includes similar offerings with brunch additions like a waffle station and toppings and an omelet station.

: June 18-21 dinner buffet from 5 to 9 p.m.; June 21 brunch buffet from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"604 Clubhouse"}]

: Leilehua Golf Course, 199 Leilehua Golf Course Road, Wahiawā

: This Father’s Day brunch buffet costs $60 per adult ($25 per child, children ages 3 years and under have free admission).

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Bird of Paradise"}]

: The Father’s Day brunch buffet costs $98 per adult ($49 per child ages 6 to 12 years old).

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"The buffet will include:"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Chart House Waikīkī"}]

: This three-course dining experience costs $90 per person. It includes:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Chef Chai"}]

: This all-you-can-eat lobster buffet costs $139 per person (50% off for children under 10 years old). The buffet will include:

: June 20 and 21; dinner seatings at 4, 4:30, 7 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday brunch at 9 and 9:30 a.m., 12 and 12:30 p.m. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Hy’s Steak House"}]

: This Father’s Day brunch buffet costs $140 per adult ($105 for seniors ages 65 years and older, $65 for children ages 6 to 12 years; children ages 5 years and under have free admission).

A 20% service charge will be added for groups of eight individuals or more. 

: June 21; brunch from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., last seating at 1 p.m. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Kamukura Surf + Dine"}]

: This special Father’s Day celebration box costs $35 until June 13 (it’s $38 from June 14 to 18). It includes strawberry mochi; ‘ahi katsu; washugyu vegetable roll; garlic shrimp; edamame, unagi, salmon and hijiki rice; steamed vegetables; vegetable kakiage tempura; fried gyoza and an avocado mentaiko omelet. 

: Orders must be picked up before June 21

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"P.F. Chang’s"}]

: Royal Hawaiian Center, 2201 Kalākaua Ave., Honolulu 

: This Father’s Day meal costs $99.99 for two people. It includes:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Plumeria Beach House"}]

: The Kāhala Hotel & Resort, 5000 Kāhala Ave., Honolulu

: This buffet costs $137 per adult ($55 per child ages 6 to 12 years) and will take place in the Plumeria Beach House restaurant and Maile room. Customers can look forward to carving stations, fresh seafood, chef specialties and desserts. 

: June 21, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., 5:30 to 8 p.m. 

kahalaresort.com/dining/plumeria-beach-house/

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Quiora Waikīkī"}]

: The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikīkī Beach, 383 Kalaimoku St., Honolulu

: This Father’s Day brunch buffet costs $125 per adult ($75 for seniors ages 65 years and older, $60 for children ages 6 to 12 years, children 5 years and under have free admission).

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"The buffet includes:"}]

A two-hour dining period will be enforced. 

: June 21; brunch from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., last seating at 1 p.m. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"The Buffet at Hyatt"}]

: Hyatt Regency Waikīkī Beach Resort & Spa, 2424 Kalākaua Ave., Honolulu

: This Father’s Day brunch buffet costs $110 per person ($55 for children ages 6 to 12 years, $5.99 per child ages 5 years and under).

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Buffet highlights include:"}]

The eatery’s kamaʻāina discount is not applicable for the Father’s Day buffet. There will be a 90-minute dining time limit. 

: June 21; seatings at 9:30, 10 and 11:30 a.m.; 12 and 1:30 p.m. 

https://www.buffetathyatt.com/menus/#fathers-day-brunch

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Tim Ho Wan Waikīkī"}]

: Royal Hawaiian Center, 2201 Kalākaua Ave. A-307, Honolulu

: Customers who celebrate Father’s Day at Tim Ho Wan Waikiki will receive a complimentary dessert (inquire with servers). If you purchase a $100 gift card, you’ll receive a $20 coupon for your next visit. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Waikele Country Club"}]

: The Father’s Day dinner buffet costs $129 per adult ($74 for children ages 4 to 9 years).

The buffet will also feature live music entertainment. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Wolfgang’s Steakhouse"}]

: Royal Hawaiian Center, 2301 Kalākaua Ave., Honolulu

: This Father’s Day special costs $155 per person. It includes a glass of red wine, Wolfgang’s signature extra-thick slice of bacon, and 24 to 26-ounce prime bone-in rib-eye steak with mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. 

Fathers Day 2026 Buffet at Hyatt 052126

<title>Where to celebrate Father’s Day 2026 - part 1</title>

Whether you’re looking to dine-in or celebrate at home, we’ve got you covered.

Where to celebrate Father’s Day 2026 - part 1

Business & Tourism

It's no secret — or surprise — that Toyota Tacomas are popular in the Islands.

In fact, according to Servco Pacific, which has exclusive distributorships of Toyota, Lexus and Subaru in Hawai‘i, it's been the top-selling vehicle in the Islands for 25 years. 

To commemorate that milestone, Servco has unveiled a Hawai‘i-exclusive special edition of the best-selling truck and just 25 will be available statewide, Servco says.

"Hawaiʻi has embraced the Toyota Tacoma as part of its ‘ohana for a quarter of a century,” 

, president and CEO of Servco Pacific Inc

, said in an announcement Friday. "This special edition is our way of saying mahalo to the community that has made this truck the undisputed favorite across the Islands."

The truck comes in the color "mudbath" and comes with a "comprehensive suite of custom components designed to enhance both aesthetics and functionality," the announcement notes.

[{"type":"text","text":"The special build includes:"}]

Dames told Aloha State Daily in an emailed response to questions that the goal was to create something that feels "authentically local" and pay tribute to the community that has made the Tacoma the best-selling vehicle for the past 25 years.

"We're excited to see how customers respond because this edition was inspired by the people who drive Tacomas every day in Hawaiʻi," he says. "We know there's a strong sense of pride around the Tacoma locally, and we think many customers will appreciate seeing that connection reflected in a vehicle designed with Hawaiʻi in mind.

"More than anything, we hope it resonates with the communities, families, small business owners, outdoor enthusiasts and longtime Tacoma owners who have helped make the truck such an iconic part of life in Hawaiʻi."

Dames says that the Tacoma's popularity in the Islands goes beyond transportation.

"The truck is incredibly versatile and well-suited to island life. Whether you're heading to work, spending time with family, going to the beach, exploring the outdoors or supporting a small business, the Tacoma fits naturally into many aspects of daily life.

"Just as important, Tacoma owners in Hawaiʻi have built a strong community around the vehicle over the years. For many families, it's a truck they've trusted for generations," he continued. "That combination of capability, reliability, and deep local connection has helped make the Tacoma one of the most recognizable and beloved vehicles in Hawaiʻi."

You'll be able to reserve the truck in person beginning June 6 at Servco Toyota and Maui Toyota dealerships across the Islands. The TSRP, or total suggested retail price, is $44,770 and $7,999 for the Hawai‘i edition accessories.

In 2025, Tacomas made up 7.1% of the market share in Hawai‘i, according to a 

 from the Hawai‘i Automobile Dealers Association.

MY26 Tacoma Hawaii Edition 22

<title>Servco Pacific unveils exclusive Hawai‘i edition Toyota Tacoma</title>

The Tacoma has been Hawai‘i's top-selling vehicle for 25 years.

Servco Pacific unveils exclusive Hawai‘i edition Toyota Tacoma

Lopaka and Tanya Kapanui

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui

Hawai‘i History

Columnists

At the ‘Ewa end of Waikīkī lies a 22-acre resort with more than 2,800 guest rooms and its own 5-acre lagoon. But before the Hilton Hawaiian Village and surrounding resorts were built, the place was called Kālia.

Streams from Mānoa and Palolo Valleys ran down toward the ocean and joined to create the Pi‘inaio Stream. This stream flowed beneath and through the Waikīkī marshlands, entering the sea at Kālia. This estuary, where freshwater mixed with the salty ocean, created a unique environment that supported a diverse array of life.

The Kālia shore was abundant with marine life and limu of all varieties. Kūpuna have described the once-common practice of walking across the reef to choose lobster, crab, shrimp, or octopus for a quick meal. One could pick ‘oama (young goatfish) by hand from the shallows because the schools of the young fish were so plentiful. As the ‘ama‘ama (striped mullet) made their annual runs across the south shore of O‘ahu, the men of Kālia would swim out in a row, surround the fish, and drive them into a bag net by slapping the water and kicking their feet over the shallow reef.

On the mauka portion of Kālia, there were many loko i‘a (fishponds) and loko i‘a kalo (taro fields used to raise small fish). A complex system of gates unique to Kālia helped manage the many interconnected ponds.

After Western contact and throughout the 1800s, epidemics of smallpox, typhoid, mumps, whooping cough, and influenza devastated the Hawaiian population. In the aftermath, Waikīkī’s once-thriving agricultural system began to change forever.

In the 1920s, in the name of “progress,” the Ala Wai Canal was dredged, and the marshes, the lo‘i kalo, and the loko i‘a were filled in. Waikīkī was on its way to becoming the epicenter of Hawaii’s tourism industry.

Daily Smile: Friday, May 22, 2026

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