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[{"type":"text","text":"When you're just too tired to walk..."}]

SMILE 26 6 21

<title>Daily Smile: Sunday, June 21, 2026</title>

When you're just too tired to walk...

Daily Smile: Sunday, June 21, 2026

 When you&#039;re just too tired to walk...

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Sterling Higa

Hawai‘i History

Columnists

 in Civil Beat this week about the tune of “Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī.” He learned that the melody served the British and the Germans, and perhaps the French, before it reached Honolulu. He felt some angst about it.

I can’t share the angst. A tune is like a coin. It passes through many hands and is no worse for the trip.

Words are different. Anthem lyrics are where a nation says what it means, and the words of "Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī" pushed out other words. Olin mentions the older anthem twice and moves on. But it’s worth more than a moment. The king’s sister wrote it, and it is the better song.

On Feb. 20, 1875, King Kalākaua stood in Kawaiahaʻo Church, five days home from a trip to America. His 

 was read in Hawaiian and in English. He told his people that idleness had thinned the nation since the days of Kamehameha. The cure, he said, was “material and social progress.” He wanted enough of it that the powerful governments then friendly to Hawaiʻi would think the kingdom worth keeping. The king placed the nation’s safety in its own industry and in the favor of stronger nations.

Then the choir rose and sang the national song, written by Princess Liliʻuokalani nine years before. It places the nation’s safety in the care of God.

Liliʻuokalani wrote the song in 1866 because Kamehameha V wanted a national air of Hawaiʻi’s own in place of “God Save the Queen.” Her 

 is a prayer to the Almighty Father. The most powerful man in the Islands appears in his own anthem as someone who needs looking after.

The English translation sings well, though it hides some of what the Hawaiian chorus says.

We recognize these words from our state motto: 

, commonly translated as “the life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.”

That motto was spoken by Kamehameha III in 1843 after the Paulet affair. But Liliʻuokalani turns it from a declaration into a petition.

, in thy enduring righteousness. May the life of the land endure through thy everlasting righteousness. The motto never says whose righteousness it means, but Liliʻuokalani’s chorus does.

Liliʻuokalani’s anthem looks to God for every blessing on the nation. The first constitution, in 1840, said the same in prose: “God must be our aid, for it is His province alone to give perfect protection and prosperity.”

By the time she wrote, that sentence was gone from the law. The constitutions of 1852 and 1864 spoke of a God who gives men their rights and may be freely worshipped. That is good law, but it is not a confession. So for 10 years Liliʻuokalani’s anthem carried the faith that the constitution had dropped. At the opening of a legislature or on the birthday of a king, the kingdom stood and told God that its hope was all in him. It was the last place where the nation still said so with one voice.

Kalākaua wrote his own words in 1874. They were first sung at Kawaiahaʻo on his birthday, the day before he sailed for America. The tune was one the royal bandmaster had arranged two years earlier as a hymn to Kamehameha. For more than a year the kingdom had two songs. In 1876 the king kept 

The reasons for Kalākaua invoking Kamehameha are not hard to find. The legislature had elected him over a beloved queen, and a riot followed. He was not of Kamehameha’s line, and everyone knew it.

A shaky throne wants a song that ties it to something solid, and Kalākaua reached for the great king. But Kamehameha died before the first missionaries landed. He kept the kapu to the end, with Puʻukoholā heiau dedicated with human sacrifice. Kamehameha was a great king, but he is an odd father for a Christian nation to sing to.

Kalākaua’s mele is a different creed from his sister’s. Her song speaks to God about the king. His speaks to the people about the king, and God is not addressed at all. Hers gives the name Father to the Almighty, and his gives it to Kamehameha. She asks for peace from God. The only defense his song names is the spear. The psalmist cautioned against relying on arms for defense: “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.”

With the old song went the last public words that rested the nation on God. They went at the king’s whim, in favor of his own verses. 

But spears could not defend that king. Eleven years later he signed a constitution at the point of other men’s bayonets. Six years after that the throne fell, and no spear was strong enough to defend it. His sister, a prisoner in her own palace, wrote another hymn, the “Queen’s Prayer.” She asked again for peace from God.

Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī is still sung at ball games and graduations, and with special feeling at sovereignty rallies. Most of us learned it before we could ask what its lyrics said, or what they replaced.

But “He Mele Lāhui Hawaiʻi” is the better song, and Liliʻuokalani’s anthem is still worth hearing.

Liliuokalani i Stock 1701031086 16x9

<title>"Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī" lyrics and history: The Liliʻuokalani anthem that Kalākaua replaced</title>

For 10 years the Hawaiian Kingdom stood and sang a prayer written by the future queen. Then her brother wrote his own song. ASD opinion columnist Sterling Higa on the words “Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī” replaced.

"Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī" lyrics and history: The Liliʻuokalani anthem that Kalākaua replaced

[{"type":"text","text":"Now let's all enjoy a bunch of baby goats..."}]

Smile 26 9 18

<title>Daily Smile: Friday, Sept. 18, 2026</title>

Now let's all enjoy a bunch of baby goats...

Daily Smile: Friday, Sept. 18, 2026

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Michael Brestovansky

Crime & Courts

Government & Politics

How much of the $4 billion Lahaina fire settlement should go to attorneys?

That question went before the Hawai‘i Supreme Court Tuesday, as some attorneys who were involved in the years-long Maui fires settlement took issue with how the settlement funds were disbursed.

In June, Maui Judge Peter Cahill declared that the attorneys who worked on the case could only claim up to 8% of the settlement funds, despite state law allowing for attorneys to receive up to 25%.

Cahill’s ruling also established a $222 million fund from the $4 billion award to create a common benefit fund, which Hawai‘i-based lawyers could apply for a share of, commensurate with the amount of work they did on the case. Out-of-state attorneys do not qualify for that fund.

Attorneys from the Hawai‘i law firms Ranken & Shnider, the PACLAW Group and the San Diego-based Montegna & Thickstun appealed Cahill’s ruling, arguing that the judge didn’t have the authority to make that decision, and that disbursing the funds in such a way will be detrimental to the state.

Samuel Shnider told the Supreme Court Tuesday that Cahill’s fee order “jeopardizes access to justice for the people of Hawai‘i in the next disaster,” as he believes attorney’s will be less likely to accept similar cases if a judge can change their fees despite the terms of a settlement agreement.

Shnider argued that even if a judge had the authority to create a common benefit fund — they don’t, he claimed — nobody in the case requested that the funds be disbursed in this way. He added that Cahill’s order “takes away [victims’] right to have that conversation first of all with their attorneys.”

However, as Associate Justice Sabrina McKenna noted, Cahill’s order also would reduce Shnider’s attorney’s fees below what he initially believed he would receive under the contract.

“Are your clients complaining about the fact that they cannot pay any more in attorney’s fees?” McKenna asked.

But Shnider said invalidating Cahill’s order would require attorneys to “follow the principles of reasonableness” and negotiate reasonable fees with their clients. He added that he believes that “market forces and the existing Hawai‘i law” are sufficient to ensure victims are not overburdened by attorney’s fees.

Meanwhile, attorneys for the state argued otherwise. Attorney Cynthia Wong claimed Cahill’s attorney fee order is no different than any other legal exercise of power he made during the case.

Wong added that there are 21,750 victims in the case, who have made claims totaling $12 billion to $15 billion. When the case began, she said, Mainland attorneys “descended upon Maui,” leading to the creation of a case management policy that appointed some attorneys as Liaison Counsel, attorneys who spoke for the whole during the case.

It is those Liaison Counsel attorneys who stand to gain the most from Cahill’s fee order, Shnider argued, reducing other victims’ shares in the process.

On the other hand, state’s attorney Lance Collins said the idea that the attorneys who did the most of the work for the common benefit would not be entitled to request compensation for that work is “an absurd conclusion”.

[{"type":"text","text":"A decision by the Supreme Court in the case remains pending."}]

Aliiōlani Hale

<title>Maui fire settlement back in court over lawyers' fees</title>

Attorneys challenge $4 billion settlement to victims of the 2023 wildfires

Maui fire settlement back in court over lawyers' fees

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros Headshot

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

Aloha Spirit

Business & Tourism

Located on O‘ahu’s North Shore, the Polynesian Cultural Center has found its new leader in Jarod Hester, who previously served as chief operating officer and chief financial officer. Hester succeeded P. Alfred Grace, who retired on May 1, after more than a decade as

“I truly and deeply love the Polynesian Cultural Center,” said Grace, 65, a native of New Zealand. “I have no doubt Jarod will do a fine job.”

Hester, also from New Zealand, told Aloha State Daily that Grace has been a key mentor in his career, which, at PCC, started in 2013.

“My mentors have mainly been the people I work alongside,” he said. “Alfred Grace has been a great mentor for me in terms of his passion and the legacy of this place. I thoroughly enjoyed working closely with him and am excited for his next chapter.”

Another mentor is PCC board chairman Frasier Bullock. “He provides good guidance and allows executive management to manage. I love that philosophy. I hope with the team I’m now responsible for leading that I can give them room to breathe and do well in their respective roles. … I believe in the principle of servant leadership. And I consider it a privilege to be working here.”

The Polynesian Cultural Center is affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is one of Hawaiʻi’s most visited attractions, with all its revenues benefiting student-employees and operations of Brigham Young University-Hawaiʻi. Spanning 42 acres, the property showcases “the people, culture, arts and crafts of Polynesia,” including six island villages — Hawaiʻi, Samoa, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Fiji, Tahiti, and Tonga. Guests can enjoy hands-on activities and shows, shopping, dining and an evening lūʻau called “HĀ: Breath of Life.”

“We love that people (locals) come and rediscover this place,” Hester said. “We know living here is expensive, coming here is expensive but we try to make it reasonable for locals as much as we can.”

He shared more about the transition, goals ahead and more.

What initially brought you to Hawaiʻi and what has kept you here?

From New Zealand, [my family and I] moved here 12 years ago in fall of 2013. In Aukland, I worked in administration looking after the LDS church school system throughout the South Pacific (Samoa, Fiji, Kiribati and Tonga) before coming here as a financial controller, then CFO in 2017, adding COO duties in 2019.

The food was shockingly different for our family. But the culture didn’t feel too different. Everyone dreams of living in Hawaiʻi, and we thought it would be a great adventure. What kept us here is the lifestyle, living on the North Shore out of the city. Being able to walk to work every day. More travel opportunities. It is the perfect climate for night walks, pickleball and fishing.

What trends in tourism has the center seen in the last decade?

Visitor count has decreased since pre-Covid and part of that is entirely by design. The other part of that is macro market conditions. [In 2020,] we took a look at a model where we could operate five days a week (instead of six) with 20-30% less tourists coming through. Now there was a huge bounce back in tourism in 2022-2023 and a lot of pressure to open the sixth day again and make more money. But we’d rather make a better tourist experience. … Another example: Prior to Covid, we would seat 500 people in that venue [for the lūʻau]. We won’t allow more than 330 in there now. 

Our total attendance numbers are right now closer to 500,000 and 600,000 annually. [PCC saw more than 795,000 visitors in 2023, down from over 1 million in 2022, 

. The center's revenue was nearly $58 million per its 

form 990 tax filings from 2011 to 2024 via 

What accomplishment(s) as COO/CFO are you most proud of?

Since I joined PCC in 2013, I’m proud to have helped it transition from where it was with legacy systems and ways of governance. I think that’s transformed over the years into new systems, different processes and new governance that has enables PCC to operate more efficiently, as well as improve upon the guest experience.

The most satisfying sort of transformation was being involved with executive leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s hard to call Covid an accomplishment, but it’s how we responded. We went from being open six days a week to five days, which transformed the quality of our labor force. It caused us to relook at our whole mission, vision and purpose for being and how we look after our employees.

Tell me more about your staff makeup and how PCC has approached recruitment?

Adjustments to minimum wage, for example, have put pressures on our model more than the tourism scenarios. We have about 150 full-time employees and roughly 1,000 part-time employees. We’re affiliated with BYU-Hawaiʻi, a lot of our employees are students there and a big part for our reason of being is to provide employment through the educational experience. And we hope that continues.

My replacement as CFO has been announced: Tauariki Kalama, who has served as PCC’s financial controller for 10 years. We’re now searching for a financial controller.

What is your top priority in your first 90 days? What about more long-term goals?

I think I’m pleasantly surprised at how much I’m enjoying this role. I am much less “in the books” and far more about the people. … I’m very energized and engaged, looking forward to helping PCC move into the next generation.

Short term, I’m focused on continuing to find the 1% improvements we can control (i.e. guest experience), while striving to make sure everyone who comes here feels the aloha spirit, the spirit of the Polynesian people. We’re all part of one big family. There’s more that unites us than divides us. I think the world needs that message more than ever.

Over the course of 18-24 months, we’ve got quite a change coming to the Hawaiian village experience. We want to make it the anchor village of the center. They are kanaka, people of the land, and so looking at how do we better share the story of the Hawaiian people through culture, language, voyaging and their connection with the other Polynesian Islands. We’ll be investing in and expanding its footprint in PCC. … As for construction, routine roof repairs and other maintenance will be taking place throughout the property.

How does PCC integrate with the surrounding community?

We just hosted the Samoan fire knife dance competition, which has kept me busy.

With more than 100 homes impacted in Lāʻie after severe flooding in March, PCC opened its grounds for food and supplies distribution. The community rallied together but there are still a lot of people affected.

For me, I’m happy to support the community, while remaining focused on PCC’s core mission and objectives.

PCC CEO Jarod Hester 16x9

<title>Jarod Hester now oversees Oʻahu’s Polynesian Cultural Center</title>

Earlier this month, Hester succeeded P. Alfred Grace as president and CEO of the cultural attraction in Lāʻie and in his role plans to prioritize people — workforce, guests and community members. Hester, who previously served as PCC's chief operating officer and chief financial officer, is originally from New Zealand and shares what initially drew his family to Hawaiʻi nearly 13 years ago, pleasant surprises in the role so far, and his vision to continue to enhance experiences at PCC.

Daily Smile: Sunday, June 21, 2026

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