Announcements

Tulua and Teehani Aivao enjoy their last Read Aloud at Kualapu`u Elementary.

Read Aloud program holds last session of 2008.

By Brandon Roberts

“My kids begged me to bring them,” said Lenora Aivao. “They really look forward to this.” Aivao and her keiki Tulua (8), Teehani (7), and Taoso (18 months) attended four of the six Read Aloud programs held at Kualapu`u Elementary School. “This program has really helped - our family loves to read, and now we read a lot.”

This past Wednesday was the last of the Read Aloud series to be held at Kualapu`u and Maunaloa this year. The program will return next January to the Kilohana and Kaunakakai Elementary Schools. This was also the last session with co-founder and presenter Jed Gaines. Next year, local educator Matt Helm will head up the program.

County will be left responsible with servicing west end users.

By Todd Yamashita and Brandon Roberts

Molokai Ranch will let funding for West Molokai water operations run dry within four to six months, leaving Maui County responsible for operating the abandoned water system, said the new Director for Hawaii State Office of Planning Abbey Mayer during a community meeting last week.

Most of West End’s drinking water comes from the Ranch’s well 17in Kualapu`u, passing through the Molokai Irrigation System (MIS) in Ho`olehua, and on to a treatment plant in Maunaloa. According to Mayer, Molokai Ranch uses several regulated and unregulated subsidiary companies to manage this and all other Ranch water systems.

`Opio travel to Mainland to share Molokai mo`olelo.

By Dispatch Staff

Seven 'O Hina I ka Malama students from Molokai High School traveled to Palm Springs, California to participate as ‘tellers' of their own Hawaiian stories at the 14th annual California Indian Storytellers Association (CISA) Festival. Halelu Sibayan, a junior at MHS, along with classmates, was able to share Molokai mo`olelo at the festival.

On May 5 students visited their Native American peers at the last "Indian Boarding School" of California, Sherman Indian High School, founded in 1901. Sherman students shared various Indian traditions of music/chant, dance, and drumming from throughout the United States.

In the Dispatch’s series with `O Hina i ka Malama, the Hawaiian language immersion program at Molokai High, I posed a new question and found that wisdom knows no age. This week’s question is: “If you could bring back a traditional Hawaiian practice to everyday life on Moloka'i what would it be?”

Kawaiola Kalipi, 16

Makemake au e a'o i ke kahea 'ana. Ua lohe au i na mo'olelo mai ko'u mau kupuna e pili ana I ko lakou lawai'a 'ana me ko lakou kupuna.

Ho'olei lakou ka 'upena I ke kai 'emi a ho'omaka e kahea i na i'a mai ke kai hohonu. Ma hope iho, piha ka 'upena I na i'a! He hana kapu a kuikawa keia a makemake au e ho'ola hou I keia hana.

Haliu Kealoha, a second grader at Kilohana, wins a prize at the bean bag toss last Saturday at the Bazaar that will go to fund programs for her throughout the next year.

What’s so bazaar about a fundraiser?

By Brandon Roberts

Hard to have Kilohana without the `ohana who gathered across school grounds to support the school by enjoying a day of food and fun. The East End was alive and full of aloha for the annual fundraiser.

Not all knowledge is learned in one house. What does that mean? Well, for me, that means that my house is different from someone else’s house, and that’s okay.

I always like to reflect on my hula life, since I am a hula person. As a haumana (student) I was given certain basic foundations and I have been fortunate to have learned hula from several kumu from different halau. Each halau, or house as I’d like to call them, have different styles.

Neither of these kumu hula have a style more correct than the other, just different, distinct, and personal to their respective hula genealogy. It’s fascinating to know that one halau can kaholo (a side step) differently from another. I’ve come to a point where I can look at a dancer’s feet and know what halau, what island, or which kumu their hula originates.

May 12-17 TWIC registration all day in front of Kuha`o Business Center.

May 14, Members Only. Chamber of Commerce Membership Meeting 11:30 am at Hotel Molokai.

May 14, OHA meeting open to public at Kulana `Oiwi Halau at 6 pm

Currently the Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Transportation Workers Identification Credentials (TWIC) registration in front of the Kuha`o Business Center on Kamoi St. (across from the Molokai Drive in). Along with a Lockheed-Martin representative, they will be registering individuals and businesses all week, May 12-17. You can call the Chamber at 553-4482 to schedule an appointment, or try for a walk-up. Must have proper identification and payment at time of registration. This is only for registration, the card will be activated at a date to be determined. The TWIC program will be instituted no later than April 15, 2009.

Lei Day gives first time honors to deserving seniors.

By Brandon Roberts

Spring is a time of rebirth, of newness, and the perfect atmosphere for Kupuna Lei Day which was filled with youthful spirit. This year’s Queen Dorothy Nihoa and King Kenneth Nip reigned over the first kupuna May Day festival held at Home Pumehana retirement center.

Queen Nihoa will be 94 in August. She has seen every Lei Day celebration since the event first began in 1928, however this year was her first to be crowned as queen.

Aunty Nihoa is originally from Mana`e and now lives in Ho`olehua. She has worked in the terraced taro patches and the pineapple fields, and has farming in her veins. At the age of 90 she retired as a Senior Companion, where she would drive and assist many seniors much younger than herself. The Queen continues to volunteer and remains active in the community.

Molokai reopens debate on the legality of thrill craft.

What are currently coined thrill-craft, jet skis on Molokai are used for gathering rights, access to remote areas, recreation, and safety while surfing said jet ski owners at a town meeting last Thursday.

As the pro-legalization group spoke, a theme emerged; jet skis are being used and will continue to be, regardless of their illegality on Molokai. Supporters say the law needs to change to regulate use instead of keeping the craft illegal. However, opponents argue a lack of enforcement and the potential for thrill-craft based businesses could outweigh any benefits of legalizing the craft.

The 1992 state law refers to any vessel under 13 feet with the ability to carry up to three people as a “thrill-craft” said Nicolas Giaconi, district manager of the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreations (DOBOR), adding that jet skis are illegal around Molokai and Lanai because these islands are not mentioned in the law.