RIP Uncle Ben

Benjamin Kauhi Hauanio… one of the last true Hawaiian Fishermen is in a better place now.

I just got back from the services at Dodo Mortuary.

He recently was featured in the documentary “Kau La`au & Ma`ama`a: Traditional Hawaiian Ulua Fishing.”

…The film is a half-hour documentary about the traditional ulua fishing practiced by Hawaiians from Kalapana village on the Big Island of Hawai‘i….

Uncle Ben and Ohana casting an Ulua Pole

Lucky Country Inc. Recalls All Natural Black Licorice Products – Hawaii Included in Recall

Lucky Country Inc. of Lincolnton, NC is recalling all of its natural black licorice products from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, and Washington State due to elevated levels of lead.

More here

Today’s KO

Why I’ll be enrolling my child into martial arts soon:

OHA Seeking Taro Farmers for Task Force

Just noticed OHA is seeking Taro Farmers for a Task Force:

I just emailed my Father-In-Law who is in New Zealand for a film festival.  Many people know him as the “Taro Man” here on the Big Island.

Applicants must fulfill the following qualifications:
1)    be a farmer actively growing kalo;
2)    have at least three years of kalo farming experience;
3)    be growing kalo on the island they seek to represent;
4)    and be capable of participating in task force activities, including traveling to other islands to attend meetings.

Uncles Guitar Stolen: Have You Seen It?

My Uncles Guitar was stolen :(

Please see the video here

Ledward Kaapana says it’s like losing a close friend or even a family member.

“Me and the guitar we got a lot of love,” said the slack key legend, as he talked about an Ibanez acoustic guitar that was stolen this past Monday from his white Toyota Matrix.

Kaapana was celebrating his birthday with family and friends at Like Like Drive Inn on Keeaumoku Street on August 25. When he went back to his car he noticed the instrument was gone.

“The passenger door, the front door was kind of open,” said Kaapana. “Looked like someone went into the car.”

Kaapana says each one of his twenty or so guitars has a special voice. He figures the stolen Ibanez was the third or fourth guitar he ever owned and had been part of his collection since 1978.

“Crispy sound,” says Kaapana of the priceless instrument. “I just like the crispy sound. It sounds a little more bass.”

Ever since the guitar was stolen, Hawaii’s tight knit entertainment community has been trying to get it back. Music and guitar stores and even pawn shops have been contacted. The story has also made it onto local radio stations.

“Everyday I’ve been having all these phone calls,” Kapana said of the help. “We checking here we checking there. I just like to thank all of them guys.”

Kaapana hopes to get his Ibanez back no questions asked.

“I told the guys at the Like Like Drive Inn that (the person) could bring the guitar, just drop it off and you know disappear and it’s all good.”

Anyone with information about the stolen instrument can contact Judy Barrett by e-mail at JudyBarrett.com or call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.

John Akonipule Responds to Smear Question… My Dog Has Been Killed… and Other Paranoia

The Anonymous Mr. “Mr. Akonipule” responded to my question in an email.

I’ve forwarded the entire content of the email to a few people.

I’ll post a snippet here… most of the other stuff in the email was just copied and pasted from his site.

If anyone wants a copy of the entire email…. please email me.

————-

….I have nothing to hide Mr. Tucker, other than my name and my safety.   I’ve shared my real name with local reporters at the tribune herald and west hawaii today.  Maybe that information was shared, and someone with access to government information or police information typed my name into a computer, I dont know.  The fact is that I have been threatened.  I receive at least 5 emails a day saying I wont live to see the next, or that someone is watching me, or that my brakes might not work the next time I’m driving.  In the last week I have found 4 threatening notes on my front door from individuals who claim they are going to kill my girlfriend and I… and to “sleep with one eye open”.  My dog has been killed.  The police say nothing can be done about the threats except calling them when we hear something. They say they have people patrolling the area…. but what safety assurances do I have?  We’ve been staying in various hotels and with friends for the past two weeks in fear that something will happen.  From day one we only wanted the truth.  The truth for Josh and Latika, and most of all the people of Hawaii.   Josh will be back here very soon to clear these things up.  Why do you think it is a smear? All we have done is publish facts that were hidden, and you call it a smear? How do you know I am not supporting Pilago, Inouye or Moore? Regarding Higa, I listened to him at the forums, and I think he has some substance, but not sure I can support some of his ideas. You are right, I DO NOT and WILL NOT SUPPORT KENOI….

——————-

Well to start off with their akonipule, you registered your site under false pretense… with a fake name and a childrens school as the address.

If it smells like a smear, looks like a smear, and talks like a smear by being anonymous…. then my take is that it is a smear.