Sounds of Aloha - Believe in Santa

The holiday preparation has impeded my travel around the island.  Be patient with me as Hawaii scenes will return next week once we resume sightseeing!   On Sunday, my children served as Elves for the Sounds of Aloha (SOA) holiday production, BELIEVE IN SANTA (link).   They handed out programs ....

.... Andrew served as a "bonker" when Uncle Bill read the wrong word in TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS ...

... and they helped Santa deliver presents to the children!

One of the audience was wearing this shirt ... my husband is a bari (baritone)!

The ladies' quartet ALOHA SPIRIT (link) joined Santa.  These ladies also sing with the Honlulu Blend Show Chorus (link).  Their voices are angelic!   The very happy singer on the right, Stephanie, played a Mom on an episode of H50 last season.

What's your favorite holiday song?  One randomly selected commenter from this week's blogs wins a book choice from my convention stash.  Comments are open through Saturday, December 15, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, December 16, at SOS Aloha.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

Even elves wear slippahs in Hawaii!

Jane Austen meets King Kamehameha, Barbershop singers, and the Ulupo Heiau

Jane Austen, please meet King Kamehameha the Great.  He's known as the Napoleon of the Pacific.  After defeating his cousin to rule the Big Island of Hawaii, he conquered Maui, Lana'i, Moloka'i, and Oahu.  Once the king of Kaua'i signed a peace treaty, King Kamehameha united the Hawaiian islands.   In effect, he protected each island from becoming a European colony. 

King Kamehameha proudly stands outside
Hickam Elementary School.
Notice the yellow hibiscus, the state flower.

Jane joins us for a special Barbershop
Chorus event in Kailua.
Jane meets two members of Aloha Spirit.

Jane climbs the ladder to the pool's slide -
no doubt Marianne Dashwood would jump right in!

Jane admires the maile lei shared
by these fine gentlemen.

Ah, the comforts of Hawaii!

On our way home, we visit the Ulupo Heiau.

From its website (at this link),

Hauwahine, the mo'o or guardian spirit, protects the people of Kawai Nui and assures an abundance of fish. The legendary association of Ulupo Heiau with the menehune suggests the antiquity of this site. The massiveness and quantity of rock carried many miles hint at its cultural importance. Tradition records Kualoa, more than 10 miles away, as one source of these stones.

Hawaiians still bring treats for the gods.

The heiau is larger than it appears in these pictures.

Also from the website,

It is likely that the function of this heiau changed over time. It probably began as a mapele or agricultural heiau with ceremonies and rites conducted to insure the fertility of the crops grown in Kawai Nui. In later times, it may have become a heiau luakini dedicated to success in war with structures erected atop this massive stone platform, including an altar, an oracle tower or anu'u, thatched hale, and notches in the terraces to hold the ki'i or wooden images. The spring off the corner of the heiau was another important feature related to the ceremonial traditions of the site.

Jane inspects the taro patch.

Do you have a favorite fruit or vegetable from your area?  One randomly selected commenter from this week's blogs wins a book choice from my convention stash.  This giveaway is open to all readers.  Comments are open through Saturday, June 2, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, June 3.


Mahalo,


Kim in Hawaii

Jane found several coconuts!