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ASD Staff

Hawai'i Skies

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Daniel Dinell. "This was taken in December 2020 on a hike during the pandemic. Social distancing at its best. Double rainbow over the city."

To submit your Hawai'i Skies photo, visit us 

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<title>Hawaiʻi Skies: Throwback Thursday</title>

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Daniel Dinell.

Hawaiʻi Skies: Throwback Thursday

Today&#039;s Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Daniel Dinell. &quot;This was taken in December 2020 on a hike during the pandemic. Social distancing at its best. Double rainbow over the city.&quot; To submit your Hawai&#039;i Skies photo, visit us online or email: general@alohastatedaily.com

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Aloha Spirit

For the first time since it opened in 1964, Sea Life Park Hawai‘i near Waimānalo is under Native Hawaiian stewardship.

Hawaiian Council on Wednesday announced it acquired the oceanfront attraction from Herschend Family Entertainment. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Georgia-based Herschend 

"The transaction ensures that the park remains in local hands while creating an unprecedented opportunity to shape its next chapter as a place where marine life, Native Hawaiian culture, education and community come together," an announcement from 

, formerly known as the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, noted.

Sea Life Park will continue to operate without interruption; Hawaiian Council says that existing reservations, memberships and annual passes will be honored, and no layoffs associated with the purchase are planned. 

“For generations, Sea Life Park has helped people discover the beauty of Hawaiʻi’s marine life. Our opportunity now is to help people understand something deeper — that these animals have always been part of Hawaiʻi’s story,” Hawaiian Council CEO Kūhiō Lewis said in the announcement. “They appear throughout our moʻolelo, genealogy, navigation traditions and cultural practices. Under Native Hawaiian stewardship, Sea Life Park can become a place where kamaʻāina reconnect with those relationships and visitors experience Hawaiʻi through the voices and values of the people who have cared for these Islands for generations.”

Former Sea Life Park General Manager Valerie King will support the transition with other operational support in place to help "ensure continuity," the announcement says.

"Sometimes you go looking for opportunities, and sometimes the kuleana finds you. This was one of those opportunities," Lewis told Aloha State Daily in an emailed response to questions. "Valerie King first approached me about Sea Life Park and the possibility of bringing it back under local ownership, and I give Herschend a lot of credit for wanting to find a buyer that understood Hawaiʻi and cared about the park’s future. The more we looked at it, the more we saw an opportunity to create local economic value, support jobs and bring an important Hawaiʻi institution under Native Hawaiian stewardship. For us, local ownership also means that the value generated here can stay here and be reinvested back into our communities."

According to the announcement, Sea Life Park operates on state-owned land and Hawai‘i Pacific University holds the master lease; Hawaiian Council will continue operating under the existing lease structure, and continue working with HPU, the state and other partners to grow opportunities in marine education, research and community learning.

The park will be operated by Attractions Hawai‘i, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hawai‘i Holdings & Investments, or HHI, Hawaiian Council's for-profit holding company.

"Sea Life Park is an important Hawaiʻi institution with a long history and deep connection to the community,” Eric Rose, senior vice president of zoological advancement at Herschend said in the announcement. “As we considered its future, it was important to identify an owner who understood that responsibility. We believe Hawaiian Council is well positioned to guide Sea Life Park’s next chapter with care, continuity and respect for Hawaiʻi.”

Lewis told ASD that because the terms of the acquisition are confidential, Hawaiian Council is not able to disclose the purchase price, but noted that the acquisition was made through HHI and no nonprofit resources were used.

[{"type":"text","text":"Long-term vision"}]

Hawaiian Council says the acquisition builds upon its broader work in Native Hawaiian culture, economic development, destination stewardship and community impact, which includes initiatives like its tourism division, 

 and the upcoming Broadway-style musical, "

Hawaiian Goddess: The Epic Tale of Hi‘iaka

The nonprofit's long-term vision for Sea Life Park is "still being shaped," the announcement notes, "but the organization sees the park’s future as a Native Hawaiian-led cultural and educational destination inspired by the ocean, navigation, healing and the deep sea — a place where marine life, cultural interpretation and education can help residents and visitors understand that Hawaiʻi’s honu, nai‘a, monk seals, sharks and other marine species are more than remarkable animals. They are part of Hawaiian genealogy, moʻolelo, navigation, spirituality and the enduring relationship between people, the ocean and ʻāina."

Initial investments at the park will focus on "preserving what guests already value while introducing experiences that deepen their understanding of Hawai‘i," the announcement states.

Planned improvements include enhancing landscaping with Native Hawaiian plants, expanding cultural storytelling, educational programming and hands-on demonstrations. The organization also will evaluate opportunities to expand  cultural partnerships, school programs, community access and learning opportunities, and look for ways to "strengthen the integration" of marine science, Native Hawaiian knowledge and storytelling.

[{"type":"text","text":"Lewis says that guests shouldn't expect any immediate major changes."}]

"Sea Life Park remains open, reservations and programs continue, and our focus right now is on supporting the team and making sure operations remain strong," he told ASD. "We know the park needs investment, and we absolutely intend to reinvest in the property, its facilities and the overall guest experience. We are still assessing those needs, so it would be premature to put a dollar figure on that today, but we did not acquire Sea Life Park simply to maintain the status quo. We see a lot of potential here."

More details about future investments, educational experiences, cultural programming and community partnerships will be announced in the coming months. 

Lewis says that Native Hawaiian stewardship is really about responsibility.

"Sea Life Park is in a special place, with a deep connection to the ocean, the surrounding community and the culture of Hawaiʻi," he says. "We now have the opportunity to think intentionally about how the park reflects those connections through education, culture and storytelling. Just as important, it is locally owned. That means decisions about its future are being made here in Hawaiʻi, with the goal of creating opportunities for local people and ensuring the park’s success also benefits the broader community."

Sea life park

<title>Hawaiian Council acquires Sea Life Park near Waimānalo</title>

"Sometimes you go looking for opportunities, and sometimes the kuleana finds you," Hawaiian Council CEO Kūhiō Lewis told Aloha State Daily of the acquisition. "This was one of those opportunities."

Hawaiian Council acquires Sea Life Park near Waimānalo

Lopaka and Tanya Kapanui

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui

Hawai‘i History

Columnists

Queen Emma was born on January 2, 1836, to Nā‘ea and Fanny Kekelaokalani Young. As was customary in Hawaiian society, she was raised in the hānai tradition, and much of her childhood was spent in the care of Fanny’s sister, Grace Kamaʻikuʻi Young, and her husband, Thomas Charles Byde Rooke.

‘Emalani, as she was then known, grew up at Rooke House, which stood near the Waikīkī/makai corner of what are now Beretania and Nuʻuanu streets, where Mark’s Garage is now. Educated at the Royal School along with other children of ali‘i, and then taught by an English governess, Emma was fluent in both Hawaiian and English, was a skilled equestrian, and was an accomplished vocalist and pianist. 

In 1856, she married Alexander Liholiho, King Kamehameha IV, and two years later, gave birth to a son, Prince Albert Edward Kauikeaouli. By all accounts, the young prince brought a great deal of happiness to the King and Queen, and was beloved by the people of Hawai‘i. But it seems the happiness was not to last.

Succumbing to an unknown illness, Queen Emma’s only child died in 1862, at just four years old. After his death, the Queen was referred to as Kaleleokalani, meaning flight of the heavenly one. King Kamehameha IV, grief-stricken and feeling responsible for his son’s death, withdrew from public life. Suffering from chronic asthma, the young king died a year later at the age of 29. After her husband died, the Queen’s name changed again to the plural form of Kaleleonālani, flight of the heavenly ones.

In the midst of her grief, Emma traveled to England. The journey gave her some distance from the sorrow she had experienced at home, but it also became an important turning point in her life.

She was concerned about the future of the young women of her island nation and recognized the importance of education. Queen Emma was already involved in establishing the Anglican Church in Hawaiʻi. While in London, she raised money toward the construction of an Anglican cathedral in Hawaiʻi. She sought the counsel of the Archbishop of Canterbury regarding her vision for a school for girls.

On Ascension Day, May 30, 1867, Queen Emma founded St. Andrew’s Priory School for Girls, together with Mother Priscilla Lydia Sellon of the Society of the Most Holy Trinity of Devonport, England.

The Priory’s primary educational objective was the teaching of English. Instruction was conducted in English, and the girls were not permitted to speak Hawaiian, even during their playtime. Along with their academic studies, they were taught sewing and embroidery, music and drawing. Religious instruction was also an important part of the curriculum.

For Queen Emma, St. Andrew’s Priory was more than simply a school. It was part of a larger vision for the education and future of the young women of Hawaiʻi.

For more than 150 years, generations of young women passed through its halls, sharing lessons, laughter, friendships, and celebrations. It should come as no surprise that a place so closely connected to Queen Emma would eventually become associated with stories of her lingering presence.

Over the years, tales have circulated among the students and staff, revealing strange occurrences at the boarding school. Some of the students claimed to have seen the actual ghost of Queen Emma in the halls, while others are said to have heard the stairs creaking late at night and believed she was making her rounds.

There are also reports of unexplained cold spots, particularly near Queen Emma’s portrait and just outside the main entrance to the girls’ dormitory. On some nights, the grand piano could be heard playing long after midnight. Lights would mysteriously switch on and off, tools would disappear only to turn up elsewhere, and belongings left in handbags would be rearranged or simply dumped on the floor. These unexplainable events led many to believe that ghostly hands were still at work within the walls of St. Andrew’s Priory.

My dear friend recently gifted me with his personal stories and those of his ʻohana, who were boarders at the school.

Reportedly, gardenias were among Queen Emma’s favorite flowers. The smell of fresh gardenia was common around the Queen’s portrait and in Emma Hall.

My friend’s aunt told him, “The smell was so strong, it was like you were standing right next to a big gardenia bush in full bloom, and then it would suddenly be gone, and you wouldnʻt smell it again.”

As girls, his aunts spent many evenings cleaning up Emma Hall before heading to bed, as part of their nightly chores. On one occasion while straightening up the room, one aunt saw a woman in a dark blue, Victorian-style gown with her hair pulled up, walking away from the piano, but the figure vanished just before reaching the door. She only saw the woman from behind, but the image stayed with her.

Another memory went back to when she was about eight or nine years old. One night, during a storm, she left the dormitory to use the bathroom. Frightened by the weather, she ran back toward the dorm when a nun gently stopped her and said, “No running.”

She was about to answer, “Yes, Sister,” when the nun began to fade away. The figure seemed to turn light gray before disappearing completely.

Years later, my friend returned to St. Andrew’s Cathedral for the first time since childhood. He learned that there was a stained-glass window depicting Queen Emma and King Kamehameha IV, and he went to search for them.

He was looking up, trying to find their images when a woman’s voice behind him said, “Look down for what you are looking for.”

He looked down and found himself standing directly in front of the panel showing the King and Queen. When he turned to thank the woman, no one was there. In fact, he was all alone in the cathedral.

On a more recent visit, my friend was showing his partner the sights around St. Andrew’s. He said he always wanted to see the inside of St. Paul’s Chapel, but like each time he tried to visit, the door was locked. It was raining that day, and while they were standing beneath the arched portico talking about where to go next, a man’s voice suddenly came from behind them.

[{"type":"text","text":"“The door is open.”"}]

My friend turned, already explaining that they had tried the door, but his words choked off mid-sentence. No one was there.

They turned back to the chapel and tried the door again. This time, it opened.

The two quickly peeked inside for a brief look before leaving the chapel. Neither could explain who had spoken to them. There had been no one else around, and yet someone, or something, had apparently known exactly what they wanted to see.

There may be a perfectly reasonable explanation for everything that has happened at St. Andrew’s. Then again, perhaps there isn’t. The stories have survived because people experienced things they could not explain, and in a place so closely connected to Queen Emma, it is easy to understand why some believe her presence can still be felt. Perhaps, after all these years, the Queen and other spirits are still making their rounds.

Cathedral of St Andrews

<title>The Ghost of a Queen</title>

Queen Emma was instrumental in establishing the Anglican Church in Hawaii and in 1867, she founded St. Andrew’s Priory School for Girls, to uplift the young women of Hawai‘i. The school meant the world to her, so is it any wonder that people claim to still see her presence there? Ghostly nuns and mysterious voices have also been encountered, spirits that seem more nurturing than frightening.

The Ghost of a Queen

Arrasmith Portrait

Perry Arrasmith

Government & Politics

From the First Congressional District to the House and the Senate to the lieutenant governor's race, many of the most pivotal elections of this year will be decided within Democratic Party’s primaries. 

We’re a heavily Democratic state. I know that. You know that. We know that.

I’ve often wondered how that came to be the case. To answer that question, my default setting is history. History gets you answers if you know where to look. It’s not for nostalgia’s sake alone that history is useful. More often than not, history reveals the true location of present-day problems. 

In a local history class, you’ll be taught (maybe) that there was a Democratic ‘Revolution’ in November 1954. It was like the local version of the Republican Revolution of 1994. Rural Democrats organized by the ILWU from across the Neighbor Islands combined with urbanite Democrats in Honolulu to successfully seize control of both houses of the Territorial Legislature. 

The Democrats established a beachhead in the Legislature, one that they steadily reinforced until they effectively consolidated control over all branches of state government in the ’60s. Such consolidated power is where we are likely to remain in 2026.

So 1954 is the beginning of that history, but what made the Democratic Party so appealing in 1954?

To answer that question, I started to search for a document that’s not easily findable online. In fact, finding the document required me to scan newspaper archives in the hopes of finding a stray copy printed in an edition. 

Even seasoned politicos have never read the document. However, I’d argue it remains one of the most political documents in the last century of Hawai‘i’s history.

It’s a statement that rationalizes the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i’s right to power and their vision for the future, at least in 1954. The future, in 1954, was full of so much promise. There was so much to build in Hawai‘i. 

It is the 1954 Platform of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i. I found a copy, which I’ve transcribed and left 

It’s a bombastic document that hails the Democratic Party as “the greatest political party in the world today.” I don’t know if I’d agree with such a statement, or whether even Democrats would agree with such a statement today. 

Beyond that one bombastic statement, however, I was surprised by the document’s tone. It is not about a person’s rights alone, but what a person is expected to be able to do with the rights they attain. People should be able to get an education, work a decent job, have a home, and start a business. In 1954, the Democratic Party wanted to make it easier for residents to do those things. The Democratic Party wanted to build a Hawai‘i where people would be able to live the lives they deserved to live. 

The platform of 1954 makes commitments on statehood, taxation, small business and home ownership, land ownership and economic development, education, labor, home rule, the rights and obligations of individuals, and health and welfare. Some of the commitments feel especially relevant to a young person concerned with the viability of Hawai‘i as a place with a future.

Many sections feel foreign, if only because their ideas seem to run contrary to the general state of affairs in our time. On small business and home ownership, for instance, it pledges to “provide financial assistance from the Territory to encourage” small business, independent, farming, ranching and home construction. It also pledges to “repeal existing laws which discriminate against” small-scale enterprises. 

Government needed to let small business boom. People deserved to be able to build homes. Fallow agricultural land needed to be brought into production by local people.

It’s a document built on a person’s access to opportunity – and their ability to build out a better place. Such sentiments are not partisan, and perhaps that’s where the Democratic Party Platform of 1954 is not a very partisan document.

1954 remains important, if not for any particularly romantic reason. The 1954 Democratic Party Platform is therefore refreshing because it is not a romantic document. It is idealistic, but as a political proclamation, it is also measured. 

You may not be a Democrat. However, any resident of Hawai‘i is the figurative (and even literal, for a few) descendant of the Hawai‘i imagined in the words of the 1954 Democratic Party Platform. Our politics, culture, economics, and society is framed by a party which came to power in 1954 on the principles of that platform.

The 1954 Platform is concise. Perhaps it also remains a vision for Hawai‘i’s future. The current 

 of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, in contrast, is nearly three times as long as the 1954 platform. 

The 1954 Platform was a sober and responsible document. Hawai‘i would benefit from such sober and responsible concision in 2026. 

Spark Matsunaga Patsy Mink Lyndon B Johnson John Burns Daniel Inouye 1966 A1901 36 A

<title>What Hawai‘i’s 1954 Democratic Party platform says about today</title>

Hawai‘i has been a virtual one-party state since statehood, but how did that happen? ASD political historian Perry Arrasmith explores how, with a look at the local Democratic Party's 1954 platform and a comparison with the party's current priorities.

What Hawai‘i’s 1954 Democratic Party platform says about today

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

 — which has locations in Japan and California — is bringing is signature Japanese kissaten-style café experience to Honolulu for a limited time.

The pop-up will be open to the public starting at 10 a.m. Aug. 13, according to Takuma Lathrop, president of Dining Innovation West. It’s located in an enclosed section of TsuruTonTan, which is located in Royal Hawaiian Center.

“We’re friends with the owners of the brand in Japan,” says Lathrop. “They opened in California and we went to check it out; we started talking about the possibility of partnering up.”

Right now, there is no set end date for the pop-up, but Lathrop says it should be open for at least one month. To start, the pop-up will be open to the first 60 customers — no reservations accepted; first-come, first-served — but Lathrop says its hours will eventually be extended.

“As soon as we feel more comfortable to handle more people, we’ll get to a point where there won’t be a limit,” he says. “We just want to make sure we are making the best possible dishes correctly so everyone can enjoy the taste.”

Takagi Coffee is known for its handcrafted, made-to-order souffle pancakes and freshly roasted coffee. The Honolulu pop-up’s menu is more limited, compared to the brand’s California and Japan locations, but will still feature signature dishes, according to Lathrop.

The coffee menu features a house blend ($5), cold brew ($6) and lattes ($7). Customers can also choose from several hot or iced matcha lattes ($7-$9). The matcha cream ($2 add-on) comes highly recommended for the iced matcha lattes.

Souffle pancakes come with toppings like strawberry, mango and matcha (two pieces for $17, four pieces for $22). In addition to your fruit of choice, pancakes are topped with whipped cream, cookie crumbles and vanilla ice cream.

A savory option (two pieces for $18, three pieces for $23) — topped with thick-cut bacon, sunny side-up eggs and hollandaise — is also available. 

“Personally, I like savory things; the savory pancake is really good,” Lathrop says. “It’s surprisingly very hearty and good for people who aren’t super into sweets.”

The pop-up also features Yoshoku (Japanese-style Western dishes) plates, which are served with miso soup.

Choose from omurice ($19), tonkatsu with rice ($20) and wagyu hamburger steak ($22).

The omurice features a more traditional version, according to Lathrop. The Japanese tomato-flavored rice comprises bacon, onions and mushrooms, and is enrobed with a fluffy egg and topped with demi-glace sauce.

The hamburger steak features American wagyu beef and is served with rice and miso soup. The demi-glace is served on the side, so customers can add as much or as little as they want.

Customers can opt for the tonkatsu plate or the katsu sando ($16), which features pork cutlet, veggies, mustard mayonnaise and katsu sauce between pieces of Japanese bread. It’s served with wedge fries on the side.

Customers can also look forward to Japanese-style parfaits ($13), which are layered with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, cornflakes and more.

[{"type":"text","text":"Choose from matcha, fresh strawberries and coffee jelly."}]

The pop-up might add dishes to the menu as time goes on, according to Lathrop, who encourages customers to follow the business on Instagram for updates.

“It’s simple dishes, but executed with very high-quality ingredients,” he says. “Because we’re slowly rolling out, we want to make sure that we can give everybody a good experience.”

Open from 10 a.m. Aug. 13; limited to 60 customers per day (to start)

Takagi Coffee Takuma Lathrop 081026

<title>Takagi Coffee is a new Japanese-style cafe pop-up in Honolulu</title>

The pop-up is opening to the public on Thursday, Aug. 13, at 10 a.m. It’s within Royal Hawaiian Center’s TsuruTonTan, and for the first few days, the pop-up will be limited to the first 60 customers. Takagi Coffee is serving up sweet and savory Japanese souffle pancakes, omurice, wagyu hamburger steak and layered parfaits.

Hawaiʻi Skies: Throwback Thursday

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Hawaiʻi Skies: Throwback Thursday

Authors

ASD Staff

Reporter

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