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Daily Smile

[{"type":"text","text":"Now, let's all enjoy a bulldog attempting to get on a chair..."}]

Smile 26 7 12

<title>Daily Smile: Sunday, July 12, 2026</title>

Now, let's all enjoy a bulldog attempting to get on a chair...

Daily Smile: Sunday, July 12, 2026

 Now, let&#039;s all enjoy a bulldog attempting to get on a chair...

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

Aloha Spirit

Tiny pieces of abalone shell fall into place on the bridge of the ʻukulele spelling out the glittering words: 110 years. The work is taking place inside Kamaka Hawai’i, a four-generation family business located on South Street in Kaka’ako, not far from Waterfront Plaza. This year, the shop celebrates its 110th year in business.

Today, it is older than the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, which is about to turn 100 years old, and 

At its helm is Chris Kamaka Sr., its president, who follows in the footsteps of his father, Sam Kamaka Jr., and grandfather, Sam Kamaka Sr., who founded the family business. His son, Christopher Kamaka Jr., represents the fourth generation of a family tradition.

The family is in the business of producing one of the 

 including Jake Shimabukuro, Taimane Gardner, Herb Ohta and 

. Instruments made by the company have also been played by movie stars, including 

And this weekend, ʻukulele is being celebrated as part of the 

International ʻUkulele Festival of Hawaiʻi

, a free event that returns to the Kapiʻolani Park Bandstand, from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 12, and features live performances, ʻukulele makers — such as Kamaka ʻUkulele,  — as well as food vendors, educational activities and more. New this year are performances at the Waikīkī Beach Walk stage, which extend the festival experience into the heart of Waikīkī on Saturday, July 11. 

On Friday, the International ʻUkulele Festival of Hawaiʻi held its Gala Party, which celebrated Kamaka ʻUkulele’s 110-year anniversary with a Generations of Tradition Concert that featured Raiatea Helm, 

, Jeff Peterson, Kris Fuchigame, and Mākena, which combines 

Kamaka ʻUkulele’s founder, Sam Kamaka Sr., started making ‘ukulele for family and friends in his garage in Kaimukī as a hobby.

“He got to travel the world a little bit as a merchant marine and even had a gig in New York for a little while before he came home and decided to do this,” said the company’s president. “He was always intrigued with the string instrument, and he played guitar, ‘ukulele, and bass, but ‘ukulele was always fascinating to him. It was small and easy to play. He started building ʻukulele in his garage as a hobby for family and friends.”

Music ran in the family. In fact, a lot of family members were musicians who used to greet the cruise ships when they came into the harbor.

“It kind of blossomed from there,” Kamaka said. “He started his first shop at King Street and eventually had to move out to the farm.”

[{"type":"text","text":"That was in Waiʻanae."}]

His grandfather also invented the pineapple ʻukulele, which has a rounded belly, rather than the classic figure eight design.

That design came up because he was experimenting with shapes and was using a pipe to shape the wooden instruments, Kamaka said. A rounded shape was easier to create. Different shapes also had different tones, he added.

“When we saw it, he thought: ʻThis kind of looks like a pineapple,’” he said. “And he even had an artist that he contracted with that was close to the shop to paint.”

The original patent for the design still hangs behind the cash register on the first floor of the factory.

After his grandfather died in 1953, his father took over. Kamaka’s father had been away at school pursuing a doctorate in entomology, or the study of insects, before returning home to care for his grandfather. He decided to pursue the family business for a year and re-evaluate.

“He did research at the library on instrument building,” Kamaka said. “And from there built the shop in 1958, where we are today.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Every instrument starts with Koa wood."}]

“From the beginning, Koa was always our go-to, mainly because it's from Hawaiʻi,” he said. “And it's a beautiful wood, and it's highly sought after — not only for instruments, but for flooring, cabinets, furniture. But for instruments it's ideal. It's got a beautiful tonal quality.”

Today, Kamaka ʻUkulele produces instruments in four sizes: soprano, alto, tenor and baritone.

Over more than 100 years, there have been some difficult periods, including the recession.

“During Covid was another tough time,” Kamaka said. “They actually shut us down because they deemed us non-essential, which is kind of weird, because people were calling from all over the place wanting to get a new ʻukulele, because they're just stuck at home.”

In June, the company launched a collaboration with the popular aloha wear brand Manuhealiʻi to celebrate its milestone anniversary. Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi also proclaimed June 18 – his father’s birthday – 

, in honor of the 110th anniversary of the ʻukulele business, he added.

Other collaborations are coming soon. In August, a special edition ʻukulele will be released for ʻAulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, for its 15th anniversary, he added. The design includes Mickey Mouses on the fingerboard.

“There's even a hidden Mickey in the instrument,” Kamaka said.

Kamaka ʻUkulele also has a collaboration with Reyn Spooner in the works to honor the ʻukulele business’ 110th anniversary, he said. And a new collaboration with Polynesian Voyaging Society is in the works for a fundraiser for the nonprofit.

Take a free guided tour of Kamaka ʻUkulele at 10:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday. 

Chris Kamaka Sr.

<title>Kamaka ʻUkulele celebrates 110 years</title>

The ʻukulele company which makes instruments played by ʻukulele virtuosos  and movie stars is celebrating more than a century of business. The instruments will be featured at the International ʻUkulele Festival of Hawaiʻi, a free event that returns to the Kapiʻolani Park Bandstand, this Sunday, July 12.

Kamaka ʻUkulele celebrates 110 years

Business & Tourism

Anna O’Brien’s, the Irish pub in Mōʻiliʻili not far from the campus of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, is under new management. The bar and performance space will have its soft opening on Friday, July 10, under the direction of singer and songwriter Tavana McMoore, who goes by the professional name, Tavana.

The pub’s upstairs space is being renamed Tavana’s at Anna’s and will be a listening room, where groups can perform. A new stage and a green room for the band are already in the works. Downstairs, Anna O’Brien’s will remain much the same as it has been in the past, with pool tables and darts, the singer and songwriter told Aloha State Daily.

“I spent my whole career here in Honolulu and have been given so much,” Tavana said. “There's so much talent out there in Honolulu, and I'm hoping that this can serve as a hub where people can come and curate their artistry and perfect it.”

Tavana started playing in this space as a teenager, more than 30 years ago. It is where he has seen some of his favorite bands, he said. The knick-knacks that the Irish pub has accumulated over the years will stay.

“All the cool quirky things about Anna's are still going to be here,” Tavana said. “It's still the same beautiful space it always has been, and I'm just showing up every single day and trying to beautify it.”

The space will continue to have its outdoor patio, he added.

“People can go out and relax outside, as well,” he said.

When the pub’s owners wanted to move on to other things, Tavana stepped in.

“The idea of it not being here was really a not fun thought,” he said. “It means a lot to me to be able to come in here and start to curate shows and try to save the space.”

Just days ago, on Tuesday, July 7, the Irish pub celebrated its 57th birthday. The space will be celebrating that milestone, plus soft opening under new management, at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, July 10. There is a $20 cover charge.

“We got Nick Danger and Ronnie V's flying over,” Tavana said. “We got Local Mojo. I'll be playing there. A lot of other musicians are going to be stopping by. Everybody's talking about it. We're all pretty excited.”

Other events on the calendar for July include 

karaoke, comedy, and musical open mic nights, as well as live performances

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Tavana

<title>Anna O’Brien’s under new management</title>

Learn what will and won't change as this Irish pub — not far from the campus of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa — soft opens under new management on Friday, July 10.

Anna O’Brien’s under new management

[{"type":"text","text":"The head of the canine mafia..."}]

Smile 26 7 8

<title>Daily Smile: Wednesday, July 8, 2026</title>

The head of the canine mafia...

Daily Smile: Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Lopaka and Tanya Kapanui

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui

Hawai‘i History

Columnists

“War shall cease on Hawaiʻi when one shall come and shall be laid above on the altar of Puʻukoholā, the house of god.”

This was the prophecy of Kapoukai of Molokaʻi when Kamehameha inquired how he could successfully control the island. By the death of Keōua, all of Hawaiʻi Island came under Kamehameha’s rule.

Years before that, Kalaniopuʻu was aliʻi nui of Hawaiʻi. His sons were Kīwalaʻo and Keōuakūʻahuʻula, and his nephew was Kamehameha. When Kalaniopuʻu died, he left the rule of the land to Kīwalaʻo and his war god, Kūkaʻilimoku, to Kamehameha. Kīwalaʻo offered some land to his uncle, Keawemauhili, leaving his half-brother, Keōua, with nothing.

Eventually, the death of Kīwalaʻo left Hawaiʻi Island divided between the rival claims of the three aliʻi. Keōua ruled over Kaʻū and much of Puna in the south, Kamehameha controlled Kohala and Kona in the west, and Keawemauhili held Hilo in the east. Regardless, Kamehameha continued his conquest by invading Maui, Lānaʻi, and Molokaʻi.

While on Molokaʻi, the kahuna Kapoukahi prophesied that war would end and the land would be his if Kamehameha built a heiau at Puʻukoholā and dedicated it to the war god Kū.

Historians say that aside from women and the kapu aliʻi, Kealiʻimaikaʻi, Kamehameha’s sacred brother, every person was involved in building the heiau, including Kamehameha himself. The kāhuna selected the site and determined the orientation, size, and arrangement, and the people formed a human chain nearly 20 miles long, passing the stones from person to person from Pololu Valley to Puʻukoholā.

In order for the heiau to be acceptable to the gods, the construction was under strict kapu, and every stage of progress was met with ritual and ceremony. Any person who was unfortunate enough to break the kapu, even by accident, paid with his life.

The prophet also proclaimed that the heiau would possess the mana (spiritual power) necessary to fulfill the prophecy only if a high-ranking individual were offered in sacrifice. So, after completing the heiau in 1791, Kamehameha invited his cousin, Keōua, to Kawaiahae with an offer of peace.

It is said that Keōua knew he was about to die. As his party traveled to Kawaihae by canoe, they made one last stop. In a pond called Luahinewai, he performed ʻūmuʻo, a ritual circumcision.

Ideally, when a man is meant to be sacrificed to the gods, his body could not be damaged. Keōua’s self-mutilation made him an imperfect sacrifice. His final act of defiance to Kamehameha.

As Keōua was about to step ashore at Kawaihae, he was killed by one of Kamehameha’s aliʻi. Thus, he became the first sacrifice of Puʻukoholā, but not the last. With Keōua dead and his supporters either killed or captured, Kamehameha became the aliʻi nui of Hawaiʻi Island, leading to the eventual conquest and consolidation of all the islands under one rule.

In 1972, the Queen Emma Foundation donated 34 acres of land around the Puʻukoholā Heiau, including the John Young Homestead, establishing the Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site. This landmark sees thousands of visitors each year, making it one of the most significant historic sites in Hawaiʻi. But not all of those visitors are among the living.

He pō Kāne kēia, ke māʻau nei nā ʻeʻepa o ka pō. 

This is the night of Kāne, for supernatural beings are wandering about in the dark.

This ʻŌlelo Noʻeau (Hawaiian proverb) is said of those who go wandering about at night. It is believed that on the night of Kāne — the night of no moon — ghosts, demigods, and other beings wander about among the living. Pō Kāne is often referred to when speaking of the legendary huakaʻi pō, also known as the night marchers.

The most common description of the night marchers is a group of ghostly warriors marching in a haunted procession. Their announcement comes in several forms: the sound of the pū (conch shell), the pounding of distant pahu (drums) getting closer, the music of the ‘ohe hano ihu (nose flute), the sound of stomping feet, or a line of torch lights traveling along a path. Some say that they have felt the earth shake or caught the scent of sulfur, and some have said that they witnessed a column of mist moving across the land.

If you are in the way of the oncoming procession, you should run. If it is too late to run, you must lie flat on your stomach, cover your head, and shut your eyes tight. If you know it, it would be helpful to chant your moʻokūʻauhau, your lineage, and pray that an ancestor walks among the dead to speak for you.

One woman shared her story about the huakaʻi pō that traveled through Kawaihae Hawaiian Homes. Their house was built near a path that the night marchers are said to travel. Her family is descended from the men who built the heiau, and now walk with the ghostly procession on the nights of no moon.

As a child, she remembers staying up late at night, listening for the sounds of marching feet. She saw no torch lights, as some people say, but she could hear the sounds. Once the marching grew closer, so did the sound of drums. She said that she stood near her window and peeked out, and just as her grandfather told her they would, the men walked past their house on a long-forgotten path toward Puʻukoholā. Knowing she had ʻohana in the procession, she was filled with wonder more than fear.

No matter how much time passes and how much the scenery changes, our ancestors continue to walk unhindered and uninhibited. After all, the land still belongs to them.

Puukohola Heiau

<title>Huaka‘i Pō at Pu‘ukoholā</title>

It is said that Kamehameha himself helped build the Pu‘ukoholā heiau, a massive undertaking that involved a human chain 20 miles long passing stones from Pololu Valley to Puʻukoholā. Once completed and consecrated, Kamehameha's kahuna had said, the heiau would mean the successful end to Kamehameha's wars of conquest. Naturally, tales of night marchers — Huaka‘i Pō — still haunt the area.

Huaka‘i Pō at Pu‘ukoholā

Yamachika Tom IMG 1913 Large

Tom Yamachika

Government & Politics

Viewpoints

 about one part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that could really hurt our state economically.

It’s about the federal SNAP program to help needy families with food costs. It used to be fully funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. So, Hawaiʻi citizens benefited from this federal largess to the tune of about $700 million a year.

The OBBBA changed this. Now, the USDA audits the states, who are responsible for running the program and paying out the benefits, and if a state paid out too much or too little, then the state will need to pick up an escalating share of the cost depending on our “error rate.” If our error rate is less than 6%, the USDA picks up all benefit costs as they did before. If it’s between 6% and 8%, we need to pony up 5%, which would be around $36 million.  Between 8% and 10%, we are on the hook for 10% of the benefits. And if the error rate is 10% or more, then we get socked for 15%, which would come out to about $109 million — which isn’t in our budget.

And then, of course, the feds didn’t make it easy for the states to comply. 

. The issues included federal policy changes that kicked in immediately, giving states zero time to learn about the new changes and work them in to their processing procedures before they were made accountable for errors.

Historically, we have had issues even before OBBBA. Our error rate for 2022 and 2023 exceeded 20%. The USDA was thinking about whacking us with a $11 million fine, but our folks managed to talk their way out of it with promises of new, badder, and better computer system that our Legislature had no choice but to fund.

In 2024, our error rate dropped to 6.68%. It was much better than the previous two years, but still left lots of room for improvement.

Now the 2025 error rate is out. There is good news and bad news.

The good news is that we don’t have the worst error rate, and ours was just slightly above the national average. Also, the penalties don’t take effect just yet.

. Double digits mean triple penalties, and don’t expect anyone to cut us some slack. “These payment error rates are further proof that state accountability is severely lacking in SNAP,” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a statement. “USDA has taken historic action to help interested states curb SNAP waste, and I hope other states, regardless of political leadership, prioritize needy families and the American taxpayer over politics.”

 that our Department of Human Services is keenly aware of the problem and is working hard to fix it. DHS reported that its error rate through the end of June was 6.52%.

Again, that’s an improvement, but we are still in penalty territory. We should be able to do better. Our error rate for most of the last two decades was under 6%, so we should be able to get ourselves out of the proverbial hot water.

The Trump Administration was able to trot out J.D. Vance to make us a national laughingstock over Medicaid fraud enforcement. The last thing we all want is for the administration to set us up on another issue, this one with a massive price tag which we probably won’t be able to wiggle out of like with the proposed $11 million fine.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Let’s do this."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Related ASD coverage on SNAP"}]

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Fresh produce (SNAP)

<title>Community Voices: SNAP disaster imminent</title>

The good news is that we don’t have the worst error rate, and Hawaiʻi was just slightly above the national average. The bad news is that our error rate was 10.92% in 2025. Double digits mean triple penalties, and don’t expect anyone to cut us some slack when they take effect.

Community Voices: SNAP disaster imminent

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Real Estate

The redevelopment of a West O‘ahu site that once housed a popular lū‘au is underway, and when the work on Waianiani at The Cove is done, the property will be open to the public for the first time in four decades.

Cove Campbell Kobayashi LLC is working to redevelop the 10.85-acre oceanfront property adjacent to the Ko Olina resort area in to a mixed-use entertainment, dining and shopping venue and community gathering place.

The 75/25 joint venture is led by property owners James Campbell Co., a nationally diversified private real estate company headquartered in Kapolei, with assets valued at 

, in partnership with Kobayashi Group, a locally owned and operated real estate development firm; and BlackSand Capital, a Hawai‘i-focused private real estate investment firm.

The property was previously home to the Paradise Cove Lū‘au, which 

 after 47 years; the closure allowed the long-planned redevelopment to move forward.

More than 200 people gathered at the site May 21 for a ground blessing ceremony.

Waianiani will include a new oceanfront entertainment amphitheater with nightly lū‘au shows from Tihati Productions; three full-service restaurants, including Duke's at the Cove, the chain's first West O‘ahu location; a cultural pavilion and open-air activity lawn; and a 20,000-square-foot "village walk" marketplace, with retail space that aims to showcase local artisans and produce, a May 21 announcement noted. Meanwhile, an existing wedding chapel will be retained and improved for future use. The redevelopment will create nearly 500 permanent jobs.

James Campbell Co. President and CEO Kevin Penn told Aloha State Daily after the blessing that the company has contemplated the redevelopment for about a decade. 

"This is such an iconic location, such an iconic place. The ‘āina is very, very important to the James Campbell family," Penn says. "... For the last 40 years, the only way you could get access to this land was through buying a ticket to go to the show. Our project will be open to the public. There'll be a pathway and a walkway to go through the retail. There'll be restaurants that are opening [for] lunch and dinner, and then the show will operate. Opening this property up — opening it up to the West Side, opening it up for the people that are visiting our island — was important to us, and we're excited about that."

According to Penn, construction is expected to be finished at the end of 2027 and the project is anticipated to open in the first quarter of 2028.

When asked how the partnership with Kobayashi Group and BlackSand Capital came about, Penn said that James Campbell Co. "really wanted to partner with a group that brought the hospitality perspective. ... They've done hospitality and entertainment venues before. The James Campbell Co. has not. ... This is a perfect marriage of what we can bring together."

Kobayashi Group CEO and Partner Alana Kobayashi Pakkala told ASD that the developer has been "admiring this opportunity for many, many years, so we were incredibly excited when we were offered the opportunity to present our ideas for the ability to partner with James Campbell Co."

Pakkala says that — among the reasons Kobayashi Group was interested in the opportunity — the company feels strongly that there's an "incredible opportunity" to grow key entertainment areas of the island.

"We have some of the most talented people here and to be able to share the Hawaiian culture and stories and music, both with our local residents and with visitors, that was really an incredibly interesting opportunity," she said.

Pakkala says, too, that Kobayashi Group are "strong believers in the West Side," and has been developing in the area for decades.

on land owned by the City and County of Honolulu, Kobayashi Group was 

 as the preferred negotiating partner for the redevelopment of nearly 14 city-owned acres in Kapolei into an affordable rental community).

, the cove property — acquired by James Campbell in 1877 — has been used commercially since the 1970s and was last redeveloped in the early 1990s.

According to Thursday's announcement, when completed in 2028, Highgate will oversee daily operations and 

 is just one of five active development projects in progress for JCC, a "high water mark" for the company and its history, Penn says.

Among those projects is another joint venture with Kobayashi Group and BlackSand Capital in Waikīkī, as well as an affordable rental project in Kapolei called Nāliko, which 

Daily Smile: Sunday, July 12, 2026

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Daily Smile: Sunday, July 12, 2026

Authors

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