2021 Merrie Monarch - Big Island of Hawaii

The 57th  Merrie Monarch Festival

Volcano's own Halau will be presenting this year1

The Merrie Monarch Festival is dedicated to the memory of King David La‘amea Kalākaua, known as the “Merrie Monarch” for his flamboyant and fun-loving ways. Kalākaua was elected king of the Hawaiian Nation in 1874, and reigned until his passing in 1891. He was a patron of the arts, especially music and dance. (Shared from MerrieMonarch.com)

The central purpose of the Festival is perpetuating the traditional culture of the Hawaiian people; Developing and augmenting a living knowledge of Hawaiian arts and crafts through workshops, demonstrations, exhibitions and performances of the highest quality and authenticity; and enriching the future lives of all of Hawaiʻi’s children.

Our local Volcano Halau (school) is associated with the winds (makani) of Mauna Loa, we include the following LINK to see them perform:  Volcano Halau and a few photos of Mauna Loa.

Pu'u O'o at Kilauea Volcano

Penny took thiese photo just two nights ago

Flow activity in 2014 vs 2016

Revised 7/26:  UPDATE!  In the wee hours of the morning around 1:15am, lava has once again returned to the sea...

People who don't live on an active volcanic island cannot entirely comprehend the awareness we live with on a daily basis. It gives new meaning to "life on the edge" because here, the "edge" (ka'e) is always changing quite literally.  Lava flows and destroys, but from it grows new land and new life.

Here in the Puna Disrict, lava continues to flow from the Pu'u O'o vent of Kilauea and has been for 30 years!

All of us "Punatics" on the Big Island of Hawaii were grateful that two years ago the flow stopped within a few yards of our Pahoa Village! The lava has since changed directions and has returned to the previous area of flow, more directly south toward the ocean.

Penny -- up close and personal!

The flow has picked up recently and is now only about 1/2 mile from the ocean. When it hits the water, the spectacular show will only intensify as molten lava hit the cold water.

These photos were taken by our neighbor, Penny Overbeck showing how close you can get. It is traditional to make and leave ho'okupa (offerings/gifts) to Pele, being aware of both the destructive and creative forces at work. (remember you can 'click' on images for a close-up view)

Blue Moon?

July 31, 2015 at Ahalanui - for moonlight swim

A Blue Moon, oddly enough, usually isn't really even blue, although it can be.  Blue Moons happen about every 2.9 years.  There was one in 2009, one for my birthday in 2012, and another just yesterday!!

Usually, however, the "blue moons" are not blue!  They are a glowing pale orange.  There are a couple of reasons that a moon will appear blue; one is related to volcanic activity.

WHAT?  Volcanic activity?!?  Maybe...because we live on Hawaii's Big Island, with active volcanoes, (one of which nearly divided our Pahoa Village in half!) we may get to see a TRULY  TRUE BLUE MOON in 2018 -- when there will be two in the same year!  Forest fires can also produce a refractive condition that can also cause the moon to appear blue.



One of our favorite places to enjoy the full moon is just a few miles away; a short drive down Mango Road, a turn onto the famous and beloved Red Road, to Ahalanui State Park -- a great place for a romantic night swim!  All three of these photos show were taken there -- some have been artfully adapted.  (Of course our other favorite spot for viewing the full moon is from our hot tub on the lanai.  :-)
 
A personal note about my infatuation with the moon follows:  My attraction began years before I discovered that the real name on my real birth certificate was spelled LUNEL!!  Just before I discovered this, however, I had made a series of five consecutive paintings, each symbolically illustrating my own waxing and waning during a difficult period of my life.  Shortly after that, I was invited to participated in my first one-woman exhibit that was entitled "I Sing the Moon." 

(There is a QUOTE that goes here....about the moon that I am looking for....and will insert it when I find it.  LUNEL)

Keahialaka - Leilani Estates

Keahialaka is at Latitude  19.47/Longitude 154.9

When we first bought our house in the Puna District on the Big Island of Hawaii, I remember reading that our subdivision had a historical place name of Keahialaka Ahupua’a.  (Ahupua’a is an old Hawaiian term referring to a traditional socio/economic, geographic and climatic area of land.)

Here is some information from hawaiianhistory.org:   The ancient ahupua`a, the basic self-sustaining unit, extended elements of Hawaiian spirituality into the natural landscape. Amidst a belief system that emphasized the interrelationship of elements and beings, the ahupua`a contained those interrelationships in the activities of daily and seasonal life. Shaped by island geography, each ahupua`a was a wedge-shaped area of land running from the uplands to the sea, following the natural boundaries of the watershed. Each ahupua`a contained the resources the human community needed, from fish and salt, to fertile land for farming taro or sweet potato, to koa and other trees growing in upslope areas. Villagers from the coast traded fish for other foods or for wood to build canoes and houses. Specialized knowledge and resources peculiar to a small area were also shared among ahupua`a.

And here is an interesting story about Pele and how she is associated with the place where we live.  This information was taken from Hawaiian Legends of Volcanoes, William Drake Westervelt 1916

Lunel's Art -- "Green Flash"

"When Pele came to the island Hawaii, she first stopped at a place called Ke-ahi-a-laka in the district of Puna. From this place she began her inland journey toward the mountains. As she passed on her way there grew within her an intense desire to go at once and see Ai-laau, the god to whom Kilauea belonged, and find a resting-place with him as the end of her journey. She came up, but Ai-laau was not in his house. Of a truth he had made himself thoroughly lost. He had vanished because he knew that this one coming toward him was Pele. He had seen her toiling down by the sea at Ke-ahi-a-laka. Trembling dread and heavy fear overpowered him. He ran away and was entirely lost. When she came to that pit she laid out the plan for her abiding home, beginning at once to dig up the foundations. She dug day and night and found that this place fulfilled all her desires. Therefore, she fastened herself tight to Hawaii for all time." 

Ke-ahi-a-laka - Leilani Estates

WHAT'S IN A NAME?


When we first bought our house in Puna on the Big Island, I remember reading about some of the historical place names, including Keahialaka which was the prehistorical cultural place name for Leilani Estates. 



Now that we are done with our major projects, we have returned to learning more about this beautiful new home.  
Reading more legends, I came across this interesting story about Pele and how she is associated with the place where we live.  


This information was taken from Hawaiian Legends of Volcanoes, William Drake Westervelt 1916

"When Pele came to the island Hawaii, she first stopped at a place called Ke-ahi-a-laka in the district of Puna. From this place she began her inland journey toward the mountains. As she passed on her way there grew within her an intense desire to go at once and see Ai-laau, the god to whom Kilauea belonged, and find a resting-place with him as the end of her journey. She came up, but Ai-laau was not in his house. Of a truth he had made himself thoroughly lost. He had vanished because he knew that this one coming toward him was Pele. He had seen her toiling down by the sea at Ke-ahi-a-laka. Trembling dread and heavy fear overpowered him. He ran away and was entirely lost....  She laid out the plan for her abiding home, beginning at once to dig up the foundations. She dug day and night and found that this place fulfilled all her desires. Therefore, she fastened herself tight to Hawaii for all time."

 

Keahialaka (known today as Leilani Estates) is at Latitude 19.47/Longitude 154.91

Approximately 8 square miles south of Pahoa.

"The Long and Winding Road..."

Although we don't drive it often, when there is a Costco/Kona trip involved, it is one of the highlights, despite its bad reputation.  The road is over 50 miles long and crests at about 6500 feet, which is impressive itself.  But even more impressive are the views as you drive between both Mauna Kea (home to over twenty astronomical observatories) and Mauna Loa.  Both active volcanoes stretch into the azure skies at over 13,000 feet.

The Saddle Road is so named because it rests, like a saddle between these two volcanoes.   It was built in a rush by the military in 1940's and was only intended to be a fast military route between both sides of the island.  For many decades it has only been one lane, and even now, it narrows in many places to one-way traffic.  For the past several years, road crews have been converting it to accommodate the heavier traffic demand.  On this trip, it look as though the project would be completed this year.

The variety of landscapes is phenomenal, and includes large cattle ranches, stark high deserts, and mountain sized cinder cones.  There are also rolling green hills and tropical forests and many views that are quite otherworldly.  This road is the only access to Mauna Kea -- an unusual and delicate  ecosystem to flora and fauna and a scared site to the Hawaiian people whose tradition includes the mountains in many legends and songs.  Along the way there is also a huge military training facility complete with tanks and helicopters.

In addition to all these amazing view for the eyes, the road is akin to "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride" at Disneyland....if you remember that far back.  I LOVE driving this road, but the views are so distracting, it's important to keep your eyes on the road -- and pull over to appreciate the views.

The visit itself to the west side was wonderful and included lots of leisurely time with friends and swimming at some of my favorite beaches  -- with dolphins.  It is the best way to make a trip to Costco a wonderful experience.