On Tuesday, May 15, we’re starting a new book club at Queen Emma Summer Palace! Our first book will be:

Bird of Another Heaven

by James Houston

A fictional account about King Kalākaua, the mysterious circumstances surrounding his death . . .  “from the acclaimed author of Snow Mountain Passage comes this richly evocative novel that follows a half-Indian, half-Hawaiian woman and her complex relationship with the last king of Hawai‘i.

When talk show host Sheridan Brody finds the journals of his great grandmother Nani Keala (aka Nancy Callahan), he uncovers a mythic, unknown tale. Nani, a shy girl from a remote Indian village, met the Hawaiian king, David Kalākaua, on his grand progress by train across the United States in 1881, eventually returning with him to Honolulu. There, as his young ally and protégée, ever more assured and charming, she played an integral role in his attempt to revive the monarchy and spirit of his people and, eventually, witnessed the mysterious circumstances surrounding his downfall. Deeply engaging through its vivid portrayal of California and Hawai’i at the end of the nineteenth century, Bird of Another Heaven is a masterful portrait of an era long past.”
(Random House synopsis, http://www.randomhouse.com/book/83319/bird-of-another-heaven-by-james-d-houston#synopsis)

Book is available to download to your Nook and Kindle.  You can also purchase copies online.

Here’s a couple of reviews of the book:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/03/25/RVG5SOL91F1.DTL

http://www.bookotron.com/agony/reviews/2007/houston-bird_heaven.htm

Hope you can join us!
Aloha

RSVP at (808) 595-6291. Cost is $35/person and payment reserves your seat.

Aloha!

Looking forward to starting up the 2012 Prince Albert Café on the Terrace, weather permitting, lunches will be served outdoors until the end of October (in the event of rain or bad weather, we will serve lunches in Emmalani Hale).  I’m encouraging more of you to join us on Thursday of every week starting April 5, 2012 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  Besides sandwiches, we will be serving hot soup and salads.

Neighbor island members:  When you’re in Honolulu, stop by for lunch!  We’d enjoy “talking story” with you.

We can book reservations for bigger parties like class reunions, groups, group meetings, and birthdays.

Kanani and Julie are looking for volunteers to help serve.  Expect a kōkua call shortly!

Coming up THIS weekend is the annual Day at Hulihe‘e! If you haven’t been a part of this before, go check it out!

On Saturday, March 24, there will be all kinds of food, crafts, and other entertainment available to the public. The event is from 9am to 4pm with a special blessing beginning at 8:30am.

There are prize drawings, with tickets available for $5/ea or $20/5 tix.

Also, be sure to pick up the brand new cookbook, Just Like Tutu Made…With Love for $9 + tax!

So come join us, bring the family and take a tour of the beautiful Palace and grounds as we celebrate Prince Jonah Kuhio and help support the Daughters of Hawai‘i and their efforts to maintain Hulihe‘e Palace and Queen Emma Summer Palace in Honolulu.

Oh, and admisison is FREE!!

We just finished our successful 2012 Annual Meeting at O‘ahu Country Club, just across from Queen Emma Summer Palace. Mahalo to all of our Daughters who came. We certainly enjoyed ourselves and truly hope you all did as well.

If you were in attendance at our Annual Meeting, you received an insert in your program for two very exciting events coming up this March!

First, we will have Native Hawaiian Plant specialist, Kapaliku Schirman, speak about sustainability and the cultural connection to native plants.

Then, we will have the opportunity to take a huaka‘i to Ha‘ikū on the windward side to see these plants and propagate native species.

The cost of lunch for the huaka‘i is $15.00, but the presentation and everything else is FREE! Due to the lunch orders, we will require an RSVP for Saturday, March 24.

Please check back for more updated details, but in the mean time, feel free to call our office with questions or to RSVP for lunch with the huaka‘i. And see the picture below for more details.

Additionally, you may visit Hui Ku Maoli Ola’s website about native Hawaiian plants if you are interested:
http://www.hawaiiannativeplants.com/

Mahalo!

Coming up on January 2^nd, 2012, the Daughters of Hawai‘i will host a very special event. Over the past few months, one of our own Daughters, Gerry Miyamoto, has been working with Shad Kāne and others to restore some of our kāhili at Hānaiakamalama.

This simple project turned into a greater cause of restoring a lost, ancient Hawaiian practice. Kāhili Hānaiakamalama will be presented at noon on Monday, January 2, 2012. This project has been made possible by a generous grant from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Palace tours will be free that day with refreshments served around the ceremonial presentation of the kāhili. We will also be graced with the presence of the Queen Emma Summer Palace ‘Ukulele Club. We welcome you to join us. See the full press release below.

Resurrection of a Traditional Hawaiian Cultural Practice

What began as a relatively straightforward project – cleaning and refurbishing some 30 kāhili residing at Queen Emma Summer Palace – turned into a much broader and more interesting endeavor. Until recently, the practice of feather gathering has been forgotten, so Shad Kāne, with the assistance of former Daughters of Hawai‘i regent, Gerry Miyamoto, decided to recreate the ancient practice, using Hawaiian protocol, in the 21st century. Along with a kahuna, two kiamanu, a project director, videographer, much planning and preparation, and a grant from OHA, the group— Nā Kiamanu O Hānaiakamalama or The Feather Gatherers of Hānaiakamalama–went to Midway to collect feathers for kāhili.

The final outcome of this endeavor is twofold: each is equally important. Resurrecting the past practice of feather gathering – an all but lost Hawaiian tradition – and bringing it into the future is one aspect.

A new kāhili, named Kāhili Hānaiakamalama, was created, and will be presented to Hānaiakamalama on Monday, January 2nd, 2002, the 176th birthday of Hawaii’s beloved Queen Emma.

“The new kāhili is a symbol, a visual form of the project to give the community a better understanding of this ancient part of the Hawaiian culture,” Miyamoto remarks.

The new kāhili, “surrounded,” Kāne says, “by the many kāhili representing the embodiment of her ancestors, will be consecrated on the grounds of the palace and given a place to stay.

“When the sun will be at its highest point in the sky,” Kāne continues, “at the earthly home of Queen Emma, it is the ancient pageantry associated with the presentation of a kāhili to the highest of chiefs and chiefesses. “This is how it was once done.”

“We are grateful to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs for recognizing the importance of this project and for the funding it has provided,” Miyamoto says. “They will be able to add to their collection of Hawaiian cultural data the work that will be completed by Nā Kiamanu O Hānaiakamalama.

“We also thank the Daughters of Hawai‘i for their support and the continuation of their mission via this educational venture.”

The public is invited to join the Daughters of Hawai‘i in celebrating Queen Emma’s birthday and the presentation of kāhili by Nā Kiamanu O Hānaiakamalama. Admission to the Palace is free on that day. Refreshments will be served; and the Queen Emma Summer Palace ‘Ukulele Club will perform. This is an event for the entire ‘ohana. The presentation of the kāhili is set to begin at noon.

More from Kiamanu Shad Kāne:

January 2, 2012, will not only be the celebration of the birthday of Queen Emma but the celebration of the restoration of a lost traditional practice and the protocols associated with that practice. It will be a historic day with the restoration of the cultural practice of the Kiamanu and those who have made it possible.

Much of our cultural past has been lost for various reasons. With the renaissance of our Hawaiian culture and especially Hawaiian language much of the traditions and practices have been restored. Hawaiian language is taught in many different venues. There are several hula festivals throughout the year, some of which encourage competition. Lomilomi and la‘au lapa‘au is taught and practiced by many. However, very little is known of the traditional practice, kapu and protocols of the Kiamanu: the bird feather gatherer, the great and first facilitator of relationships between the common people, the maka‘āinana, and the chiefs. Kapu associated with the highest of chiefs were set aside in his presence. We live by the lessons he taught, yet very little is known of this man of the forest. He lived amongst the birds and knew them well. He lived alone surrounded by kapu, protocol and prayers he asserted. He knew the birds by names and the places that they would return to every day.

The presentation and dedication of Kāhili Hānaiakamalama on January 2nd at Queen Emma Summer Palace is about is about the Daughters of Hawai‘i, the curators of the Queen Emma Summer Palace and their efforts to restore the traditional cultural practice of the Kiamanu. It is also about this mysterious man of the forest, the Kiamanu. Hānaiakamalama is a name given to the land upon which the palace resides by John Young II [who purchased it less than two years after it was completed. Young renamed the estate . . . after his family home of Hānaiakamalama on the island of Hawai‘i. More properly, the name is Hinahānaiakamalama, referring to the goddess Hina who, legend tells us, escaped from her abusive husband by climbing up a rainbow, and was eventually given sanctuary on the moon. Thus, ancient Hawaiians believed the face of Hina could be seen in the shadows of the moon. Na Lani Kaumaka]

Perhaps it is as important to understand that it is not just an effort to restore the traditions, customs and practices associated with the Kiamanu. It is the ancient pageantry associated with the presentation of a kāhili to the highest of chiefs and chiefesses such as that of Queen Emma. This is how it was once done. Hānaiakamalama surrounded by the many kāhili representing the embodiment of her ancestors. January 2, 2012, at Queen Emma Summer Palace when the sun will be at its highest point in the sky, Kāhili Hānaiakamalama, the earthly home of Queen Emma, surrounded by her ancestors and descendants of today will be consecrated on the grounds of the palace and given a place to stay; for it is she who resides in Kāhili Hānaiakamalama.

Please join us on December 4^th for our Annual Christmas Tea gathering! It’s such a joyous occasion to come together and enjoy good tea, food, great company and Christmas cheer! Attendance cost is $20 if you RSVP by Thursday, December 1^st. But $25 at the door. So call our office to RSVP today!

See the flyer below for more details.

Join the Daughters of Hawai‘i for our 6^th Annual Book Day! The event will be held right here at Hānaiakamalama on Saturday November 5, 2011. Get your holiday shopping done early and enjoy a 20% discount on all books including new titles. Local authors will be discussing & autographing their latest editions. Some–but not all–authors who will be in attendance include:  Ellie Crowe, Jan & Judy Dill, Jennifer Fixman, illustrator Tammy Yee, Richard Tillitson, Patrick Stack, Jason Kimura – author of Queen’s Medical Center, Mary Haunani Cesar, Josepth Kennedy, Alice Inoue, Dr. Ishmael Stagner and Benton Sen, author of Men of Hula.

Admission and parking  is FREE!

Light refreshments will be served, and we will be entertained by the Queen Emma Summer Palace ‘Ukulele Club!

FREE admission to the Palace from 2 – 4 p.m.

For more information, please call our office at (808) 595-6291

Please see the flyer below for event details.

Richard Tillotson is a former Peace Corps volunteer and advertising writer who lives in Honolulu. A playwright and screenwriter, his work has been performed in New York and Honolulu. Acts of God While on Vacation is his first novel.

Alice Inoue is a Life Guide who uses feng shui, astrology, and spirituality to help others gain a new perspective on their lives. She is the author of A Loving Guide to These Shifting Times and two Indie Excellence Award winners, Be Happy! It’s Your Choice and Feng Shui Your Life!, and has three instructional DVDs on popular Feng Shui topics.

Lynne Wikoff started writing as a preschooler—scrawling her name in brown crayon on a freshly painted wall. She’s been at it ever since, first as a newspaper columnist writing on parenting issues, then in corporate communications and public relations, all the while wishing she had time to write for children. In 1999, she decided she’d never have enough time and she got started anyway. This is her third book.

Tammy Yee grew up in Honolulu where she explored tide pools, swam in streams, and wrote and illustrated spooky stories her teachers politely read. Since then she has written and/or illustrated more than 24 children’s books, including the 2003 Ka Palapala Po‘okela Award-winning Lullaby Moon. She lives in Windward O‘ahu with her family, three rabbits, two birds, a bulldog, and pet cane spider.

Jennifer Fixman is a teacher on Oahu and began writing songs for the children in her classroom after attending a professional development seminar in which the speaker explained that children learn more, retain more, and love learning through songs.  When other teachers expressed interest, she began producing songs professionally. She has written and produced over 200 songs for grades pre-K through 5.  In addition to being a full-time educator, Jennifer Fixman is the founder and president of edutunes.com.

Gail and Garrett Omoto live in Honolulu with their two daughters, Jessi and Kaci. Gail was raised on the island of Moloka‘i. She has an MAdegree in early childhood education and is the director of research, evaluation and development of the Tutu and Me Traveling Preschool Program. Garrett was raised on O‘ahu and attended the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, where he graduated with a BA degree in art. Garrett worked at several animation studios in California before returning to Hawai‘i and is currently an art teacher at Hawai‘i Baptist Academy.

Judy Dill is a mathematics educator and highly regarded teacher of statistics in Hawaii’s schools.
Jan Dill is the founder and president of Partners in Development Foundation, a not-for-profit organization committed to working with the children and families of Hawai‘i. Jan and Judy have five grown children and thirteen mo‘opuna (grandchildren).

Patrick Stack is a certified mediator and while not originally from Hawaii, he has studied and researched Hawaiian culture and history extensively for his work. He currently resides on the island of Kauai.

Jason Y. Kimura is the Senior Publications Specialist at The Queen’s Medical Center. Born in Queen’s in 1961, he has worked as a writer, graphic artist, and photographer, most recently chronicling the events at the medical center for its weekly publication. His abiding interest in uncovering Queen’s evolution and place in the history of Hawai‘i led to his writing this book about the hospital’s founding and first one-hundred-fifty years.

Lowell Angell, born and raised in Honolulu, became fascinated with Hawaiian theatres as a teenager and had his first summer job with Consolidated Amusement Company. He has been actively involved with theatres for more than 45 years as an avid historianand preservationist. He is the immediate past president and current secretary of the Theatre Historical Society of America, a national non-profit organization; a co-founder and past president of the Hawai‘i Theatre Center, a group that saved and restored Honolulu‘s 1922 Hawai‘i Theatre; a former board member of Hilo‘s Friends of the Palace Theater; and a director of Honolulu‘s Friends of the Queen Theater. He lives in Honolulu and is with the University of Hawai‘i. 

Joseph Kennedy is an archaeologist and writer who has been living on the North Shore for the past 30 years. His articles on Hawaii and the South Pacific have appeared in a number of national and scientific publications, and he is the author of two critically acclaimed books.

Victoria Kneubuhl is a playwright, tv scriptwriter and producer, short-story writer and novelist of Murder Casts a Shadow and Murder Leaves Its Mark.  Kneubuhl has been recognized with many awards for her work, including the 1994 Hawaii Award for Literature, the highest honor the state awards a writer. Also in that year she was invited to the Pacific Writers Forum, and received the Hawaii Heritage Center Keeper of the Past Award. She was named one of the Extraordinary Women of Hawaii in 2001 by the Foundation for Hawaii Women’s History and the Native Hawaiian Library of Alu Like, Inc. In 2006 Kneubuhl was presented with the Elliot Cades Award for Literature. Kneubuhl holds a B. A. in Hawaiian Cultural Studies, Art and Psychology from Antioch University, and is an alumni of the UH Mānoa, holding a Masters degree in Drama and Theatre from this university. (Excerpt taken from Tradewinds, the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa newsletter, April 2008 issue: http://www.english.hawaii.edu/tradewinds/1_3/kneubuhl.html)

We are pleased to announce that Hulihe‘e Palace will be hosting the 2^nd annual Christmas at Hulihe‘e Palace on Saturday December 3^rd, 2011. This event is a charitable joint fundraiser for both the Daughters of Hawai‘i as well as Habitat for Humanity. The evening will include dinner, a silent auction and live entertainment by Ho‘okena. Tickets are on sale now for $100 and may be purchased by calling (808) 756-8928. The proceeds will help Habitat for Humanity continue to build simple, affordable homes for families as well as assist in the maintenance and preservation of Hulihe‘e Palace.

Please click here for more information or call the office at Hulihe‘e Palace for more information at (808) 329-9555.