April is a special time in Hawai‘i. Marking not only the early days of spring, April is also Native Hawaiian Plant Month, celebrating the rich biocultural diversity of our over 1,400 native plant species. This auspicious month also arrives in 2025, which has been declared the Year of Our Community Forests. The mission of this year is to promote caring for the trees in our wao kanaka, the communities where we live, learn, and play.

Yet there is a renewed urgency to this year’s Native Hawaiian Plant Month. At a time when both endangered species as well as public lands housing important ecosystems are at risk of exploitation and decimation, it’s vital now more than ever that we read, learn and actively engage in conservation efforts to protect and preserve native species.

To curate our recommended reading list, we spoke with Danya Weber. A conservation biologist and local artist, Weber is also founder of Laulima, a fashion and home goods brand that’s raised more than $50,000 for more than 20 Hawai‘i nonprofits and conservation efforts.

SEE ALSO: Celebrate Hawai‘i’s Trees During the Year of Our Community Forests

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

Nā Lei Makamae: The Treasured Lei

by Marie A. McDonald and Paul R. Weissich

Selected by Danya

Containing some of the most beautiful photographs I have ever seen, Nā Lei Makamae showcases a plethora of lei made from an impressive diversity of native Hawaiian plants, many of which are quite difficult to find today given perils that native species have faced over the last few centuries. Not only does this book highlight incredible ephemeral artworks made from flowers, foliage, fruits, and seeds, but it also provides botanical information about plants’ natural ranges, historical uses, and significances in mo‘olelo. Altogether, Nā Lei Makamae inspires a deep appreciation for Hawai‘i’s unique and magnificent native flora.

SEE ALSO: Fashion Designer and Lei-Maker Meleana Estes Launches A New Book

Looking for more titles on native plants and nature conservancy? Check out our bookseller recommendations:

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

Lā‘au Hawai‘i: Traditional Hawaiian Uses of Plants

by Isabella Aiona Abbott

Recently reissued by Bishop Museum Press, this vital work of ethnobotany by the great Isabella Aiona Abbott is a comprehensive guide of traditional Hawaiian plants used for food, clothing, shelter, transport, religion and recreation. Abbott’s goal is intentional and admirable: by studying the ways people of old Hawai‘i cultivated and depended on lā‘au Hawai‘i (Hawaiian plants) to meet their needs, Abbott wished to glean insight into their meaningful relationship to the natural environment we collectively call home. Over 30 years past printing, and Abbott’s words continue to ring true: “There is no time to lose in protecting these plants, upon which the authentic revival of many Hawaiian cultural elements depends.”

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

Plants in Hawaiian Culture

by Beatrice H. Krauss

Plants in Hawaiian Culture is a fantastic introduction to the ethnobotany of Hawai‘i, which highlights the relationship between native plants and people. In this book, Krauss pays special attention to native plants, which include endemic species found only in Hawai‘i, Indigenous plants and Polynesian-introduced plants. Complete with photos of habitat views, beautiful line drawings, and detailed descriptions, Krauss shares information on early Hawai‘i and the native plants used in food, crafts, houses, instruments, games, medicine and more.

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

Under the ‘Ōhi‘a Tree

by Erzsi Palko

We could not be more excited for Erzsi Palko’s thoughtful meditations on the beautiful ‘ōhi‘a tree and the diversity of native forest species it supports and sustains. From the pueo that invites the reader into the book to the endemic forest birds that subsist off the ‘ōhi‘a tree’s sweet nectar to the kāhuli dreaming under an ‘ōhi‘a leaf, this is a dazzling and informative picture book we simply can’t put down. Complete with detailed notes about Hawai‘i’s Native Species across the Hawaiian Islands and even an informal pronunciation guide, Under the ‘Ōhi‘a Tree is a beautiful love letter to native forest species and “those who love them and act on their behalf.” Keep your eye out for this stunning picture book forthcoming from Bess Press!

Da Shop: Books + Curiosities, 3565 Harding Ave., open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., (808) 421-9460, dashophnl.com, @dashophnl

Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino

Where a few years ago we had just a handful of choices, there are now at least nine sources for local eggs on O‘ahu—and with mainland eggs in short supply, our local poultry farms are more essential than ever. Here’s where to find eggs from KLK Farm, HoaMoa Eggs, Ka Lei Eggs, Shaka Moa Eggs, Full Circle Farm, Golden Farms, Kahumana Organic Farms, Waialua Fresh and Kunia Thai Farm.

KLK Farm

What: Educational tropical fruit farm that also raises honeybees and chickens that graze under the fruit trees. The farm practices permaculture and regenerative farming methods using a zero-waste model. Fun fact: You can attend a coconut workshop by contacting klkfarm.com.

Find eggs at: Hapa Market, 1720 Palolo Ave., Tuesday to Saturday 10 a.m to 6 p.m.

Price: $13.50/dozen (sizes vary)

HoaMoa Farm 

What: Hoamoa, meaning companion of chicken, raises free-range chickens on organic feed. Kōkua Market carried its eggs for years and continues to carry them inside Hapa Market in Palolo.

Find eggs at: Hapa Market, 1720 Palolo Ave., Tuesday to Saturday 10 a.m to 6 p.m.

Price: Grade A eggs in three sizes: medium $11.50/dozen, large $13.25/dozen, XL $15/dozen

Golden Farms

What: Free-range Leghorn (white eggs), Rhode Island Red (brown eggs) and Americana (blue eggs) hens on this North Shore farm are raised without antibiotics, producing beautiful organic eggs. The brown eggs are bigger and the blue eggs are creamier with bigger yolks, according to interviews with co-owner Channon Harris.

Find eggs at: KailuaTown Farmers Market, 640 Ulukahiki St., Kailua, Sunday 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Price: $12/dozen

Image: Courtesy of @kahumanaorganicfarm

Kahumana Organic Farm

What: Kahumana purchases hens and eggs from local growers and farmers around the community. They carry chicken and duck eggs, each carton labeled with information on where they are from, breed of chicken and what they are fed.

Find eggs at:

• Kaka‘ako Farmers Market, 919 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu, Saturday 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Wai‘anae Farmers Market, 86-120 Farrington Hwy, Wai‘anae, Saturday 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Kahumana CSA Program
• Kahumana Farm Cafe, 86-660 Lualualei Homestead Road, Wai‘anae, (808) 696-2655, Monday to Friday 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Price: $10/dozen for chicken eggs, $12/dozen duck eggs, $5/dozen quail eggs

SEE ALSO: Worth the Drive: Kahumana Farm Café in Lualualei Valley

KK Poultry  (formerly OK Poultry)

In business, but asked not to be included in this listing.

Ka Lei Eggs (Hawaiian Maid)

What: Ka Lei Eggs, or Hawaiian Maid Eggs, is a family farm in Wai‘anae that has been around since 1975. These brown and white Grade A organic eggs can be found at most grocery stores on island.

Find eggs at:

• Ka Lei Eggs, 419 Waiakamilo Road Unit 1E, Kalihi, (808) 841-7695, eggshawaii.com.
• Also at Foodland, Times Supermarkets, Whole Foods, Safeway, Walmart and more.

Prices:

• Whole Foods $11.49/dozen (for organic, large)
• Times $10.79/dozen (large), $7.99/dozen (brown, large)

Image: Courtesy of @petersonsuplandfarm

Petersons’ Upland Farm (closed in 2024)

What: Established in 1910 and run by the fourth and fifth generations of the Peterson family, the oldest egg operation on O‘ahu sold fresh eggs at the farm five days a week. They came in different sizes and were beloved by local chefs.

Mā‘ili Moa/Shaka Moa

What: Opened in 1998, this family-run farm raises cage-free chickens and markets their eggs under the Shaka Moa brand. You can find them in grocery stores all over the island or pick them up fresh from the farm.

Find eggs at:

• Mā‘ili Moa Farm, 87-102 Maliona St., Wai‘anae, (808) 696-3823, shakamoaeggs.com, Monday to Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Also available at Farm Link Hawai‘i ($9.49 /dozen large, $10.49/dozen extra large) and most grocery stores on O‘ahu, including Foodland, Times, Whole Foods and more.

SEE ALSO: Local Online Grocer Farm Link Builds Up Hawai‘i’s Food Systems

Waialua Fresh

What: This sustainable farm’s 300 off-grid acres were developed to lessen Hawai‘i’s dependency on imported eggs. Pick up these cage-free eggs from the farmstand near the entrance to Sweet Land Farm or at grocery stores islandwide.

Find eggs at:

• Villa Rose Egg Farm (Waialua Fresh), 65-1001 Kaukonahua Road, Waialua, Friday to Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., waialuafresheggs.com.
• Also available at Kaka‘ako Farmers Market, Don Quijote, Foodland, Times, Costco and more.

Price:  

• Times $8.29/dozen (large), $12.59/dozen (extra large)
• Kaka‘ako Farmers Market (at Ho Farms booth) $11/dozen

Kunia Thai Farm

Find eggs at: Kapi‘olani Community College farmers market, 4303 Diamond Head Road Parking Lot C, Saturdays 7:30 to 11 a.m.

Price: $10/dozen

Photo: Courtesy of Mananalu Powered by Boomerang Water

The battle against single-use plastic water bottles has gained significant momentum with technology fostering the use of recycled aluminum water bottles at several Hawai‘i hotels and Kamehameha Schools Kapālama.

What’s pushed the aluminum bottles into the spotlight?

Call it big-time star power. Hawai‘i-born actor Jason Momoa, who plays Aquaman, owns Mananalu Water and has partnered with Boomerang, a North Carolina-based reuse company, to roll out a high-tech machine that can be stationed at sites to sanitize and fill aluminum bottles with his water.

Standing racks for guests to place empty bottles have been strategically placed at several hotels, including The Twin Fin, Romer House Waikīkī, ‘Alohilani Resort Waikīkī Beach, Four Seasons Resort Hualālai, Four Seasons Resort Lāna‘i and Four Seasons Resort Ko Olina.

SEE ALSO: Our 5 Favorite Hawai‘i Shops for Eco-Friendly and Zero-Waste Products

Momoa and his business partners expect more hotels, visitor destinations and schools to come aboard soon. Eventually, they want to usher in a new norm, where people return water bottles for reuse instead of disposing of them.

“I originally launched Mananalu to challenge the drinking water industry to shift away from single-use plastic bottles that are destroying the health of people and the planet,” Momoa said at a January press event at The Twin Fin. “This technology is a game-changer, and I’m honored to be able to bring it to Hawai‘i first … to help restore the local ecosystem.”

Photo: Courtesy of Mananalu Powered by Boomerang Water

If guests in each of the 50,000 or so hotel rooms in Hawai‘i drank from just two water bottles a day, that’s 100,000 bottles a day—a staggering waste, according to Boomerang’s Jason Dibble and Jerrod Freund. And not only do plastic bottles fill up landfills, transporting them is costly to the environment, too.

As people become more mindful of their carbon footprints, “You’ll find that people want to do the right thing and return” the bottles, Dibble says. He adds that about 95% of bottles are returned at sites where the machines are stationed around the country.

This year, as Hōkūle‘a commemorates the milestone, it sails as a proud symbol of Polynesian navigation on a continuing journey that’s helped spark a Hawaiian renaissance in culture, music and language. Back in 1975, the scrappy replica of a traditional voyaging canoe struggled through skepticism and squabbles before proving that celestial navigation—without the aid of modern instruments—could guide crews across oceans and around the world. During its three-year Mālama Honua journey that started in 2014, crew members visited 150 ports in more than 18 countries. Join the celebrations at hokulea.com.

Wāhine Wayfinders  |  Events  |  Hōkūle‘a Timeline

SEE ALSO: Your Insider Guide to Hōkūle‘a’s 50^th Birthday Celebration

Lehua Kamalu. Photo: Polynesian Voyaging Society/Jonathan (Sav) Salvador

Wāhine Wayfinders

While steering Hōkūle‘a miles from shore, navigator Lehua Kamalu relies on the sea and sky rather than GPS and satellites. “It’s really hard for anything else actually to penetrate into your focus because you just are constantly looking at the ocean, looking at the waves, looking at the sky, taking every possible clue and cue that’s out there,” she says. “They’re all trying to tell you what’s going on, where you are, and you’re really trying to make sense of it all.”

Kamalu, a captain with the Polynesian Voyaging Society, grew up speaking Hawaiian, immersed in cultural learning at Ke Kula Kaiapuni ‘o Pu‘ohala in Kāne‘ohe. Now 38, her first encounter with the canoe was during a field trip as a student there before she transferred to Kamehameha Schools. After receiving her mechanical engineering degree, she landed full time with PVS in 2013 and underwent extensive training with veteran voyagers.

For Hōkūle‘a’s worldwide voyage, she coordinated logistics. She believes the widely publicized voyage showcased Native Hawaiian culture and linked Hawai‘i more deeply to the rest of the world. “I think we’ve come to a place of really embracing that much larger global community, allowing Hōkūle‘a to be this connecting point between Hawai‘i, its place and its people and everything that it represents to the wider world,” says Kamalu, who was interviewed in Tahiti, where she’s planning future journeys.

Master navigator and PVS CEO Nainoa Thompson estimates that about 650 crew members have served on Hōkūle‘a over the past 50 years, including about 60 navigators. He sailed with the first two female crew members, Keani Reiner and Penny Rawlins, from Tahiti in 1976. He now estimates that the number of female crew members has grown to roughly 1 in 3.

Thompson says PVS has always functioned as a values-based organization with women playing critical roles. “Women are very focused; they’re disciplined,” he says. “And they come to the training with an open mind, open heart.”

Kayla Kalepa. Photo: Polynesian Voyaging Society/Perrin James

Crew member Kayla Kalepa, 19, is among the youngest aboard. She grew up around the canoe because of her father, renowned Maui lifeguard captain and waterman Archie Kalepa. “When I was little, I didn’t understand why my dad was sailing around the world,” she says. “When I turned 14, that’s when I started sailing, because my dad built his own canoe, a 30-foot replica of Hōkūle‘a, and after that, I was hooked.”

Kai Hoshijo. Photo: Polynesian Voyaging Society/Jonathan (Sav) Salvador

Meanwhile, having sailed on Hōkūle‘a to Tahiti in 2022, Kai Hoshijo, 27, appreciates the life skills of training at sea. “We’re going to be resourceful and flexible and resilient based on what our voyage might be, whether it be a task or a job, and there’s huge value in that,” she says.

Events

March 8, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.

Hōkūle‘a’s 50^th Birthday Commemoration will be celebrated at the 16^th Annual Kualoa/Hakipu‘u Canoe Festival at Kualoa Regional Park. In partnership with the City and County Department of Parks and Recreation, this free, family-friendly event will take place where the canoe was first assembled, blessed and entered the ocean.

March 10, 3–6 p.m.

Hōkūle‘a will offer dockside canoe tours at the Hawai‘i Convention Center. The public is invited to step aboard Hōkūle‘a and hear from young crew members and navigators training to for the next chapters of the Moananuiākea Voyage.

March 14, 5–9 p.m.

Hōkūle‘a’s 50^th Birthday: E Ola Mau, Bishop Museum

Bishop Museum will host an after-hours event honoring Hōkūle‘a’s 50^th. As a pivotal partner in Hōkūle‘a’s inception, the museum will host this tribute to the canoe’s origins and legacy with special exhibits and programming dedicated to the history of traditional Polynesian voyaging.

Hōkūle‘a Timeline

1973: The Polynesian Voyaging Society is founded by artist Herb Kawainui Kāne, anthropologist Ben Finney and waterman Tommy Holmes.

March 8, 1975: The society launches Hōkūle‘a for the first time, from Hakipu‘u, Kualoa, O‘ahu.

1976: Hōkūle‘a sails to Tahiti and back for the first traditional deep-ocean voyage from Hawai‘i in 600 years.

1980: Nainoa Thompson navigates Hōkūle‘a to Tahiti and back, making him the first Native Hawaiian since the 14^th century to complete a voyage using only traditional wayfinding techniques.

1985: Hōkūle‘a voyages to New Zealand, venturing outside of tropical waters for the first time.

1992: Hōkūle‘a sails to Rarotonga, while 30,000 students connect and talk with navigators aboard Hōkūle‘a and astronauts on the Columbia Space Shuttle.

1995: Hōkūle‘a and Hawai‘iloa travel to Seattle with Hawai‘iloa heading to Alaska to thank the Tlingit, Haida and Tshimshian tribes for donating two Sitka spruce logs for the Hawai‘iloa hulls and Hōkūle‘a sailing down the West Coast for the first time.

1999: Hōkūle‘a sails to Rapa Nui, successfully visiting the three outer corners of the Polynesian Triangle.

2004: Hōkūle‘a sails to Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.

2007: Hōkūle‘a sails to Japan and Mau Piailug’s home island of Satawal in Micronesia.

2007: Five Hawaiian navigators are initiated into the navigator rank of Pwo, a ceremony initiated by navigator Mau Piailug. The five are Nainoa Thompson, Shorty Bertelmann, Onohi Paishon, Bruce Blankenfeld and Kalepa Baybayan.

2013–2017: The Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage takes Hōkūle‘a across the globe to 18 countries and 150 ports.

2023: Hōkūle‘a begins the Moananuiākea Voyage from Alaska.  This is the 15^th major voyage in the canoe’s first 50 years.

Photo: Courtesy of Polynesian Voyaging Society

Happy birthday, Hōkūle‘a! You’re invited to a week of festivities to honor the legendary canoe’s half-century anniversary. Step aboard the double-hulled watercraft, meet the crew members, attend a canoe festival, celebrate with a pau hana event and support the canoe’s mission at a fundraiser.

The special events celebrate Hōkūle‘a’s beginnings and her expeditions inspiring cultural renewal across the Pacific and environmental stewardship worldwide. From her launch in 1975, Hōkūle‘a has sailed nearly 300,000 miles and completed 15 deep-sea voyages while sharing messages of resilience, revival, cultural pride and earth-to-ocean connection.

The much-anticipated anniversary festivities are organized by the Polynesian Voyaging Society, a nonprofit dedicated to perpetuating the art and science of traditional Polynesian voyaging and the spirit of exploration. Other community partners are also part of the celebrations, including Bishop Museum and the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Parks and Recreation.

What’s next for Hōkūle‘a? After the birthday events, the canoe will set sail to continue her 47-month Moananuiākea voyage circumnavigating the Pacific which began in 2023. The canoe will stop in Tahiti first, then spend the rest of 2025 visiting the major Polynesian island groups.

SEE ALSO: Hōkūle‘a’s 50^th Anniversary

What to Do and See

Photo: Courtesy of Honolulu Parks & Recreation

Kualoa/Hakipu‘u Wa‘a Festival

Saturday, March 8, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Celebrate Hōkūle‘a’s historic launch on March 8, 1975, at the very site where the canoe was first assembled, blessed and entered the ocean. From 8 to 11 a.m., witness the ceremonial arrival of Hōkūle‘a leaders and crew, hear stories from Polynesian Voyaging Society navigators and watch hula and music performances, including from Paula Fuga and Kamuela Kimokeo. Starting at 11 a.m., enjoy the canoe festival with cultural activities, storytelling, voyaging education, wa‘a tours, paddling, sailing, food booths and entertainment.

Family-friendly, free, Kualoa Regional Park, 49-479 Kamehameha Hwy., Kāne‘ohe, www8.honolulu.gov, @honolulu_parks

Birthday Gala

Sunday, March 9, 5 to 9 p.m.

Dress up for an evening packed with star power. Watch performances by some of Hawai‘i’s favorite artists, including Amy Hānaiali‘i, Paula Fuga and Jack Johnson. You’ll dine on fine cuisine prepared by renowned local chefs, such as Mark Noguchi, Roy Yamaguchi and Michelle Karr-Ueoka. This fundraiser supports the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s mission of preserving voyaging traditions and protecting the world’s oceans.

BUY TICKETS

$500 and up, Hawai‘i Convention Center, 1801 Kalākaua Ave., hokulea.com, @hokuleacrew

Photo: Courtesy of Polynesian Voyaging Society

Dockside Canoe Tours

Monday, March 10, 3 to 6 p.m.

Step aboard Hōkūle‘a and talk story with crew members and navigators. Learn about the parts of the canoe, find out what daily life is like onboard and hear about the upcoming voyage.

Family-friendly, free, no reservations needed, Hawai‘i Convention Center, 1801 Kalākaua Ave., hokulea.com, @hokuleacrew

Photo: Courtesy of Bishop Museum

Bishop Museum After Hours

Friday, March 14, 5 to 9 p.m.

This month’s pau hana festivities will celebrate Hōkūle‘a’s birthday and honor visionaries associated with the museum who helped inform the creation of the canoe in the late 1960s. Explore the new permanent exhibit, Wayfinders: He Wa‘a He Moku, He Moku He Wa‘a, We Are One and the Same, watch the planetarium show Mai Ka Lewa Lani: Stories From Our Sky, hear a keynote presentation by Pwo Navigator and CEO of Polynesian Voyaging Society Nainoa Thompson and enjoy live music by Robert Cazimero.

BUY TICKETS

Family-friendly, $10 pre-sale, $15 at the door, free for keiki under four years old, 1525 Bernice St., bishopmuseum.org, @bishopmuseum

Photo: Courtesy of Polynesian Voyaging Society

Tips

• For the festival on March 8, arrive early to find parking. Bring a reusable water bottle, sunscreen and a mat to sit on.
• Remember your first Hōkūle‘a visit or experience? Share your memories for a chance to be part of a 50^th anniversary compilation project. Submit photos, videos and stories by Saturday, March 1.
• Be inspired by the Hōkūle‘a’s mission for a healthier planet. Download the #voyage4earth worksheet, make a pledge, upload it to social media or submit it here. As the crew sails to communities around the Pacific, they will share your pledges.
• Follow the canoe on her next voyage. View the Google map for her real time location, speed and current wind conditions. You can also trace past voyages.

Hōkūle‘a’s 50^th Birthday Celebration, Saturday, March 8, to Friday, March 14, various locations, hokulea.com, @hokuleacrew

Photo: Courtesy of Kamehameha Schools

Waipahu Street Fest

Saturday, March 1, 4 to 9 p.m.

Get ready for an epic block party celebrating everything you love about this town. Eat and shop your way through more than 35 local food and retail vendors, including Waipahu favorites, like Grandma’s Pasteles, Highway Inn, Da Ultimate Grindz and Sama Sama. Enjoy an exhibit showcasing Waipahu artifacts and plantation history, live entertainment, a beer garden and giveaways.

Family-friendly, free admission, corner of Waipahu Depot St. and Hikimoe St., @waipahustreetfest

SEE ALSO: Reader Poll: Who Makes the Best Garlic Shrimp Plate on O‘ahu?

Rent

Friday, Feb. 28, through Sunday, March 9

Relive this beloved rock opera presented by University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s talented young performers. While the production honors the play’s original setting in the Lower East Side of Manhattan during the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, it also incorporates elements that speak to current issues and the local context of Hawai‘i.

BUY TICKETS

Mature themes not recommended for children, $8–$25, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Kennedy Theatre Mainstage, 1770 East-West Rd., manoa.hawaii.edu, @uhmkennedytheatre

SEE ALSO: 10 Staycation Deals on O‘ahu for Kama‘āina

Photo: Credit Howard Wolff Photography

Re-Use Hawai‘i Grand Opening and Sustainable Pop-Up Market

Saturday, March 1, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Check out the selection of salvaged lumber and building materials, secondhand furniture and unique antiques at the nonprofit’s new redistribution center, plus join them for a full day of eco-friendly festivities. Sign up for an educational workshop, shop sustainability-focused businesses, snack at local food and coffee booths, recycle your e-waste, listen to an award-winning harpist and more. Remember to bring your own mugs and reusable bags!

Family-friendly, free, Stadium Marketplace, 4561 Salt Lake Blvd., reusehawaii.org, @reusehawaii

SEE ALSO: Say It Ain’t So-rabol: Mahalo to a Longtime Eatery That’s Closing After March 7

Photo: Courtesy of Super American Circus

The Super American Circus

Friday, Feb. 28, through Sunday, March 2

Get ready for laughter, lights and lots of cotton candy as the circus returns to town. Expect all the things you love about a classic circus—jugglers, daredevils, clowns—minus the animals. New to the lineup this year is acrobat Ilya Strakhov of NBC’s television series America’s Got Talent. Get your free keiki admission with each adult ticket with this coupon.

BUY TICKETS

Family-friendly, $25–$75 online presale or $119 online presale family pack for two adults and three children, Neal S. Blaisdell Arena, 777 Ward Ave., superamericancircus.com, @superamericancircus

SEE ALSO: Your Insider Guide to the Hawai‘i Triennial

Photo: Courtesy of Justin Lee

Meet the Legends: Spear Fisherman Justin Lee

Friday, Feb. 28, 6 to 9 p.m.

At this month’s speaker series event, get to know this world champion spear fisherman and conservationist from Hawai‘i Island. Listen to a panel discussion, watch a short film featuring Justin Lee, take home a signed copy of Modern Huntsman, browse the OluKai pop-up shop and enjoy live music by Nyjah Music & Zyah Rhythm while sipping a cocktail.

RSVP

Free admission, The Ritz-Carlton O‘ahu, Turtle Bay, Sunset Pavilion, 57-091 Kamehameha Hwy., Kahuku, turtlebayresort.com, @ritzcarltonoahuturtlebay

Photo: Courtesy of In4mation and Waiākea

The latest In4mation collab is with Waiākea Hawaiian Volcanic Beverages. Besides amping up your fits, a portion of the proceeds of this capsule collection of classic streetwear, which features the logos of both companies, will go toward the planting of native trees. “Drawing from Waiākea’s ethos of giving back to nature, this great collection is now coming to life,” says Jun Jo, director of marketing at In4mation. The nonprofit Waiākea Kōkua Initiative will plant the trees with volunteers at a Hawai‘i Island bird sanctuary.

The limited-release Honua drop features a black hoodie ($75), white men’s tee ($40) and black women’s tee ($42) emblazoned with the Waiākea x In4mation logo on the front and an abstract Hawaiian ginger graphic on the back. Our favorite piece has to be the snapback ($45) with In4mation’s signature “hi” script embroidered over the Waiākea logo—the peekaboo ginger graphic on the underside of the bill is a stylish touch.

The name of this capsule stems from a piece of advice given to Jason Walter, director of Partnerships and Publicity at Waiākea, years ago. “John ‘Prime’ Hina once shared with me, ‘We have to feed the land before we can feed ourselves.’ In reflecting on the meaning of that, if we don’t mālama honua (take care of the earth), there will be nothing left for the future.”

SEE ALSO: Our 5 Favorite Hawai‘i Shops for Eco-Friendly and Zero-Waste Products

This tale of two brands is just beginning—Honua is chapter one of their “Collabs with Purpose” series that supports community programs. The next chapter is expected to drop this fall.

Shop the Honua capsule online at in4mation.co and waiakea.com and in person at the In4mation store at the Shops at Dole Cannery at 650 Iwilei Road, Suite 190.

@waiakea, @in4mation_

Image: via Midjourney

Last November, local nonprofit Hawai‘i Marine Animal Response opened O‘ahu’s first full-time emergency care and rehabilitation center for sea turtles, with six water-holding tanks and dedicated spaces for medical treatment and surgeries. Created in collaboration with Hawai‘i Pacific University, the HMAR Care Center is situated at the school’s Makapu‘u Point campus.

SEE ALSO: Hawai‘i’s Endangered and Threatened Species

O‘ahu is the primary home in the Islands for native honu, or green sea turtles, and honu‘ea, aka hawksbill sea turtles, both on the federal endangered species list and threatened by disease, boat strikes, hookings and fishing gear entanglement.

h-mar.org, @hawaiimarineanimalresponse

Photo: Dayanidhi Das/Epic Swim Maui

Fifteen world-class open water swimmers from six continents, including three from Hawai‘i, embarked on an extraordinary 160-mile swim around Maui in July. Epic Swim Maui is the brainchild of Maui waterman and video editor Robby Seeger, whose overall vision is to raise awareness about ocean health and promote ocean safety. Photographer Dayanidhi Das took part in the ​endeavor​, capturing stunning images of the participants, ranging in age from 26 to 66, during their 13 days of swimming. Local swimmers included Boca Hawai‘i triathlon coach Stefan Reinke, triathlete Ryan Leong and John Kaleimakali‘i Clark, surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku’s great grand nephew.

SEE ALSO: Swimming with Sharks

It’s clear from a conversation with founder Robby Seeger that this summer’s Epic Swim Maui wasn’t pursued for fun, recognition or money. The former champion windsurfer, a native of Germany who has lived on the island for some 37 years, passionately conveyed a higher purpose—to advocate for ocean health by bringing together some of the planet’s best open water swimmers for an ultra-challenging swim. He also wanted to draw attention to Native Hawaiian culture and the Islands’ Indigenous past.

“I believe the culture of Hawai‘i, rooted in aloha, can help heal the world,” he says. “This is a very powerful place.”  

As an official United Nations project, the swim held in July took two years to plan and execute, receiving support from Maui County, the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority and other groups and individuals. During the event, legendary Hawai‘i waterman and Hōkūle‘a voyager Archie Kalepa led a team on boats and Jet Skis to keep the swimmers safe. “There’s been so much community support,” Seeger says, adding that his overall vision is to create an ongoing event, and that the 2024 event serves as the “proof of concept.” 

Photo: Dayanidhi Das/Epic Swim Maui

Videographers were on hand for the 13 days of swimming, and 20 days overall, and Seeger plans to turn their footage into a documentary. “We have 60 terabytes of footage, and we’ll be in production probably for the next four to six months,” he says. “The plan is to have a cut for [film] festivals next year. We want to reach as many people around the world as possible to partake in the conversation on ocean health.” 

epicswimmaui.com, @epicswimmaui