 |
Almost all of the Present
Hawai'i, Inc. employees live in Ko'olauloa, such as this group at the Polynesian Cultural Center. |
Present Hawai'i Inc. — also known locally as PPF Hawai'i, a growing tour and travel support services company owned by Moa Mahe of Lä'ie and staffed almost exclusively by Polynesian residents of Ko'olauloa, recently transferred its main offices from Waikïkï to a new 2,400 square-foot office in the Hau'ula Kai Center.
"This has been in the works for about a year-and-a-half. Originally, we were supposed to go into the old bakery spot next to Tamura's, but they needed more room, so we moved into the space previously used by PACT, which has also shifted its location," said Mahe.
"Our office in Hau'ula is called the Ko'olau Business Center, and the primary tenant is PPF Hawai'i; however, we're going to call it the KBC because it's also going to be the home of the Kahuku Booster Club," said Mahe, who serves as president of that organization.
"By moving here, we can use our services to benefit not only our employees but also the community. For example, KBC computers, printers, fax and phones will be made available to other organizations and community members, and our business service charges will be very minimal, because we already have the resources available. Now they can be used to help those with business needs instead of driving all the way to Käne'ohe."
"We're also going to start a Ko'olauloa Business Club to network, share resources and provide support to those trying to operate their own businesses. We hope to bring together like-minded business people and young entrepreneurs to give them a chance to get started, somewhat like a business incubator."
 |
Mahe |
Mahe said by the end of the year the Ko'olau Business Center will offer four primary services to the community: a travel agency, mortgage lending, Internet access and business support.
Asked if it's not unusual to operate a tour company from Hau'ula that does a lot of business throughout Hawai'i, Mahe replied, "The Internet makes it possible for us to service the world from Hau'ula. Our online sales are very exciting. We get calls from England, Australia and Singapore. The Internet makes that possible. By the end of this year, we'll have five web sites going — alohatopten.com, fishbowltours.com and hawaiitours.com are the main ones," Mahe said.
"We've already worked with over 100,000 visitors, assisting with their tour and travel services in Hawai'i. We know we can provide services that can compete, because Polynesians are the best in hospitality. We've been doing it all our lives. It's natural," he continued, recognizing that the Polynesian Cultural Center also provided most of his employees with "the best training they could get.
"We have about 50 employees, 90% of who are from Ko'olauloa. We are products of our community and we are proud of where we come from," Mahe said. "We love what we do. We can provide just as good, if not better services, than what is available out there."
Mike Eberle, Director of Marketing, added Present Hawai'i does "very aggressive Internet marketing. We recently jumped from 1.4 millionth to 103,000th place in popularity on the worldwide web. That's a fantastic jump. We also just started an instant commission program for travel agents who book online through us.
"In today's world, it doesn't matter where you are if you give your customers great service. We're aggressive and we're constantly looking for new business opportunities. Moa's favorite word is multitasking," he said.
Mahe, who is a Tongan raised in California, came to Lä'ie in 1983 to attend BYU-Hawai'i and worked at the Polynesian Cultural Center in sales and marketing before opening his first travel business in 1990. In addition to Eberle, his other key staff members include Ken Macatiag, Director of Operations; Calliope Sa'aga, Director of Sales; George Kaka, Director of Online Sales; Kirisome Fualautoalasi, Director of Guide Services; Marvel Perez, administrative assistant; and James Kaka, accounting.
Kiwi Construction headed by Eldon Campbell of Lä'ie built out the new offices, which include about 30 computerized work stations, a conference room with kitchenette facilities, and restrooms; David Hancock of Paumalü Electric in Sunset Beach did all the wiring; Vern Thompson, whose family lives in Lä'ie, did the computer networking; and Tomu Nae'ata installed the new air conditioning system. Lä'ie residents Christian Wilson and Mike Foley, and former resident Scott Nagata, have assisted with website development.
The Ko'olau Business Center is open Monday-Friday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday from 8-5, call 944-0700, or email info@presenthawaii.com [no hyphens].
As part of a beautification effort in association with Lä'ie Days and the BYU-Hawai'i Golden Jubilee celebration (1955-2005), residents worked with Hawai'i Metal Recycling on July 9th to haul away huge bins full of metal and other recyclable materials from the community.
 |
The Smith family from
Gunstock Ranch in Mälaekahana did some serious recycling as part of the Lä'ie Days 2005 beautification project. |
The event was co-sponsored by Lä'ie Community Association, BYU-Hawai'i, Hawai'i Reserves, Inc., the Polynesian Cultural Center and Lä'ie Community Foundation, whose president, Theresa Bigbie, explained this is the second of four major drives to help residents beautify Lä'ie.
"In the first drive we pulled 135 junked cars out of here, and we hope to do another old car clean-up before the end of the year," she said.
"We're also going to do a community clean-up at the beach, Lä'ie Cemetery, Lä'ie Elementary School and along Kamehameha Hwy. on Saturday, Sept. 17th. That one will be more closely associated with the university's jubilee, and will be organized by new student body president Uiti Saiosa. One of their goals is to be more community oriented."
For example, Bigbie noted the BYUH student association provided 10-15 volunteers every two hours on Saturday.
She added the organizations are also using the Saturday, Oct. 22nd BYU-Hawaii Golden Jubilee tree planting ceremony — in which a visiting LDS General Authority will plant a symbolic 'ulu or breadfruit tree — to provide an additional 250 free tree plants to interested community members. They will include 'ulu, kou, puakenikeni, Sämoan coconut and Singapore plumeria.
"Since we started, we've seen improvement in the community and people seem much more aware of the need to beautify their homes and yards. It takes all of us caring together to make the difference," Bigbie said. "It's an awareness thing."
She added the previous recycling drive raised about $9,000, which benefits the Lä'ie Community Association.
Hau'ula Elementary School, which starts its first quarter on Thursday, July 28th, is awaiting details from the district Department of Education office on what changes might occur to help it comply with state "no child left behind" mandates.
"We're one of 24 schools in the state that are restructuring, and we're waiting for our official plan," said school principal Brad Odagiri. "It's going to give us more help in meeting the grade-level goals in reading and math. The specifics will be in the plan."
Meanwhile, Odagiri is hopeful the Hau'ula students did well enough in the standardized Hawai'i State Assessment reading and math tests they took last April and May that the school will demonstrate sufficient "annual yearly progress" (AYP) to meet DOE goals.
"We'll get the results in August," he said, explaining that it takes two years in a row of meeting or surpassing the AYP goals to come off of probation.
"Last school year we did the Benchmark Tracker, a test we administered in January, to see how well we might do on the state exams. That showed we made big improvements in reading, but we just missed the math," said Odagiri.
To help with math, all Kahuku Complex schools will start a new program this school year called Everyday Math. "It's very hands-on for the kids with a lot of manipulative practice," said Odagiri. "It's also very different from the traditional basal program. The teachers have been training and working on it. The outcome looks really good."
He added the school will continue for a third year with the Direct Instruction reading program.
In other Hau'ula Elementary School news, Odagiri reported that K teacher Simaima 'Ulu'ave has retired and Hawaiian Immersion teacher Leinaala Cosma transferred to Käne'ohe. Also, Charmaine Gurr will be the new high-risk counselor, "but we still need to fill some other vacancies."
"We're going to have an open house in August, but we haven't set a date yet," he added. "And we're looking forward to another exciting school year. We'll do the best for our kids."
The History Day project of three Kahuku Intermediate School students — Andrina Ramos, Minnie Whitford and Tajana Santiago — recently took 4th place honors in the nation.
Ramos, who explained she and the other two girls did the project as part of Mrs. Linda Smith's 8th grade social studies class last school year, said they built their display around World War II Holocaust victim "Anne Frank, and how she communicated bravery and hope to all the world.
"We made a diary just like hers [The Diary of Anne Frank], which the judges said really made her voice stand out. We also took surveys from people in our school, Utah and Taiwan."
From June 10-18th the girls participated in the national competition in Washington DC. "While we were there, we went on tours and to different museums. We also saw the White House and the Capitol. It was a great experience, really fun and a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Ramos said.
"Some people think History Day is just a project, but it really paid off in the end for us," she said, adding they're going to try to go to nationals again next year.
Lä'ie Days — a month-long celebration under the direction of the Lä'ie Community Association and co-sponsored by BYU-Hawai'i, the Polynesian Cultural Center and Hawai'i Reserves, Inc. — started with an informal July 3rd devotional-type meeting, that Latter-day Saints call a "fireside," featuring kupuna Joe Ah Quin, Joaquin Chang, Aunty Joy Soh and HRI Chairman of the Board John A. "Jack" Hoag.
 |
Ah Quin |
Ah Quin, following an introduction by his son, Moot Ah Quin, which he described as a "eulogy," told of being born and raised in Lä'ie: "We grew up here in the best of times. Our parents truly struggled. Most of our families were poor, but us kids — we didn't realize that.
"We loved our lifestyle. We basically all lived the same way; that's the way it was: Going to Hamana Beach (Hukilau Beach), playing mud in the lo'i [taro patch], and eating crack seed at Pang's Chinese Päkë Store, and ice cake and manapua," Ah Quin recalled.
He mentioned pulling sugar cane off the train, diving for coins at Beauty Hole and selling coconuts to the soldiers during World War II.
Ah Quin also related a definition of the word Lä'ie that he heard years ago from the late Aunty Bella Lin Kee, who studied Hawaiian with the noted cultural expert Mary Kawena Puku'i:
"As far as our town is concerned, she said, lä means 'the sun' or 'the time of day' or 'the light of day.' 'Ie means 'to start anew, to start over, to begin again, a new beginning.' Hence, Lä'ie means 'the day and place of a new beginning.' This was the mission statement given to our ancient Hawaiians long before mission statements were ever thought of.
"It was also designated by the ancient Hawaiians as a city of refuge, a gathering place," Ah Quin continued. "This is now our home. Let's mälama [take care of] the land and our homes. Let's beautify our places. Let us make a statement to the world that God is our Father, and his Son, Jesus Christ, is in charge."
 |
Chang |
Chang, who grew up in Kahuku, has lived for many years on Lä'ie Point, where he said "cattle used to graze, which were tended by old man Rudolph Meyers."
He also remembers that Wahinepe'e Street "was part of the main highway with a wooden bridge across the river connecting Tashiro Camp to this town" and that taro patches tended "by Kanoe Kekau'oha, my wife's grandma," occupied the site of the Polynesian Cultural Center.
Chang told of the Beauty Hole, "which was also known as "bottomless pool," Plantation Store, where some think Charley Goo was the original operator — he was not, nor was Mr. Kubota...Mr. Chan, who is buried in the plantation cemetery was the first. I know this because his son came to place flowers on the grave one day while I was working there."
In fact it's Chang's work in the 1990s clearing and preserving the graves of many Lä'ie pioneers and kupuna that will become one of his legacies.
"There are very many pioneers of the community buried in the [Temple hill and plantation] cemeteries...and very few people know about it," said Chang, who credited the late Temple President, Arthur Haycock, and real estate developer Herbert Horita, for providing significant support for the project.
"About 11 years ago I was approached by Junior [Ah You] and Ed Kamau'oha and was asked to assist with the project. Did you know we discovered 302 graves? Of these, 49 names were known" — 9 Japanese, 38 Hawaiians "and two haole names."
Chang explained there are 90 graves near the temple and 212 in the plantation cemetery. "The earliest recorded burial was 1881. Many others have no dates or names and could have been buried earlier."
He also told of how he and Warren Soh produced 289 headstones and placed them "where rocks previously marked the graves. This was an experience I'll never forget."
Chang still trims the grass around "each headstone and monument," and added there's still work to do, including placing an appropriate plaque.
 |
Soh |
"I will always consider this a mission, if not for the [LDS] Church, then for the community and its pioneers," said Chang, a retired soldier who went on to become a school teacher and counselor.
Aunty Soh, who grew up in Lä'ie, told of how the families "in the old days used to live in the foothills, where the water was."
She noted that the old wharf pilings that can still be seen from Pounders Beach was where the plantation used to load sugar and the ali'i [ruler] used to come in. By the way, Pu'uahi ['fire hill'] Street in Lä'ie got it's name because there used to be a hill and that's where they would build a fire [to signal] when the ali'i came in and they would all go down to the beach to meet him."
Soh also explained she has a receipt given to her family for "selling a parcel of land to Joseph F. Smith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for $150...for that land that the Temple sits on."
"I want to thank those who have worked on the cemetery behind the Temple," she continued, recalling how many years ago she and her sisters would go with their mother every Memorial Day, "as she hacked her way through the koa bushes to find [her husband's] grave."
Hoag, a former president of First Hawaiian Bank who LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley asked to serve as HRI chairman when the company was formed in 1993, shared more recent historical insights on Lä'ie "that might not generally be known."
 |
Hoag |
Recalling environmental concerns that arose in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Hoag said President Hinckley told him, "We must do the right thing...and clean up Lä'ie. It's amazing to me, with all of President Hinckley's worldwide responsibilities, this was the one area that was weighing most heavily on him."
Hoag said he and HRI President Eric Beaver and Executive Vice President Eric Marler have seen that same level of concern many times since as they report to President Hinckley. He added President Hinckley also asked them to help "protect the spirituality of Lä'ie."
"In the early years we had many problems we had to sort out, and the Church proceeded to spend tens of millions of dollars — much of it not required, but it's the kind of thing the Church is known to do to finish the job, because it was the right thing to do."
Hoag spoke of how many of the former leaseholds in Lä'ie have been converted to private ownership, and how most recently HRI has been able to provide the majority of homeowners in Lä'ie with sewer hook-ups at no cost to them. He also noted that Beaver and his staff are now focusing on planning affordable housing for the community.
"We're grateful to the people of Lä'ie, whom we honor in large measure this day," Hoag said, adding that Church leaders "have placed an exceptionally strong emphasis on preserving, protecting and enhancing Lä'ie, more than anywhere else in the world.
"If we come together, we can have a most wonderful gathering place, and fulfill some of those anticipated dreams of many of your kupuna."
|
By Morgan Wright ~ Kahuku High Correspondent
 |
Wright |
For many high school students summer is a time to sleep in late, lounge around the house, and spend all day at the beach, but for many Red Raiders summer time is not your typical vacation at all. Students are volunteering in the community, attending sports and academic camps, summer school, visiting college campuses, completing internships, and working at various jobs.
Volunteer service doesn't only happen during the school year. KHS students are busy helping make Ko'olauloa a better place to live. For example, senior Jana Kaka said, "This summer I've been helping out around Lä'ie by doing beach clean ups and participating in the statewide recycling program."
Successful sports teams don't develop over night. A number of Kahuku football players have been perfecting their game by attending football camps on the mainland. Sifa Heimuli, one attendee pointed out that "we learned techniques that college coaches use… listened to guest speakers from the NFL, and had workshops on college admissions and recruitment."
In comparison to other players from around the country, Heimuli noted that "the Kahuku players had a different style… they had positive attitudes and were confident."
Kahuku High School's academic champions have also been hard at work. Zach Williams is attending a debate camp at Dixie State College in St. George, Utah. According to Zach, "I hope to learn and acquire knowledge of next year's debate topic (the Fourth Amendment) and also gather evidence from people around the nation about the topic."
At the end of the camp participants put their knowledge to the test in a final tournament. "Kahuku High has a very prestigious debate team and it's given me confidence to go [to camp]," Zach said.
Vanessa Cummings, along with several other Kahuku students, attended SOAR (Summer of Academic Refinement) — one of many college programs which host ethnic minority students. "We were taught how to prepare for the ACT, then we took a practice test and saw how we scored," she said. "We also learned financial aid tips for college, and admissions skills."
Cummings also felt that "being with other college-bound minority students made me aware that KHS has prepared me to compete adequately in college. It's given me an incentive to work harder this year."
Some students traveled out of state to check out college campuses. Junior Alix Roberts visited Harvard University and Dartmouth College to get a feel for the college environment. Harley Thompson, a senior, decided his first choice will be UC Berkeley after also visiting UC Santa Cruz, UC Santa Barbara and Chapman University.
"You can learn a lot about a school by reading their brochures, and what have you, but you can't really get a feel for it unless you tour the campus," Thompson said. He also advises underclassmen to set their goals and visit campuses early in their high school career.
Red Raiders are also involved in hands-on learning experiences through domestic and international internships: Sela Unga is attending the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine at the UCLA Medical Center, which attempts to prepare future physicians by simulating diagnostics, emergency room treatment, and direct patient care. Lilika Fonua is in France learning about European culture, customs, language and history. Fonua is hosted by a French family and attends some classes at a local university.
For those of us still on-island, having a job is part of summer life: Senior Jenna Williams, who works in Käne'ohe, points out that "working at Cold Stone [Creamery] has given me a sense of responsibility that you can't learn in a classroom." But Williams goes on to say, "the skills I learn at Kahuku in my different classes such as Career and Life Planning prepare me for a job."
Although Kahuku Red Raiders are busy, let's face it, there will always be time for beach, food, friends and fun.
 |
Hawai'i players on the
Kingdom Bowl IV team— photos
by Barry Markowitz |
The Tongan Youth of America (TYA) nonprofit organization, with Kahuku High teacher and varsity football head coach Siuaki Livai as its president, staged the fourth annual Kingdom Bowl game that pits football players of Tongan heritage from Hawai'i against a similar team from the mainland on July 8th in Nuku'alofa.
This year the Hawai'i team took top honors, 6-0, with 2005 Kahuku High graduate Spencer Hafoka scoring the winning touchdown.
Kaleo chief photographer Barry Markowitz — on assignment to cover the game for South Pacific Insider Magazine, which is owned by former University of Hawai'i player Tony Tuioti and his brother, Aaron — described the game as "a very exciting match-up," even though the teams played on a rugby field: "It was a little hard to see where the end zones started, and the goal posts are a different width," he said, also noting the stadium only had 12 lights, "but it was a great experience for the boys."
George Tuioti, PR Director for SPImagazine, agreed the game was "very good. The people accepted it well, although rugby is the main sport in Tonga." He added Tonga has a "semipro league with three teams that's been trying to get out of its early stages in trying to bring American football to Tonga.
"The level of play, given the situation, was a standard high school game. The boys were very competitive. There was good sportsmanship, and we had one official who flew down from Hawai'i."
Markowitz explained TYA, which invited SPImagazine to cover this year's game, sponsors the annual "back to the roots" tour to restore pride in the players' Tongan heritage. The tour corresponds with the King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV's birthday celebration, which is a national holiday in Tonga.
"Spencer Hafoka, for example, was in Tonga when he was three years old. This was his first experience to come here as a young adult, but there were always relatives and friends popping out and welcoming him and the other players.
"The whole trip, which culminated with the Kingdom Bowl, is a fusion of young men from different origins but also the oneness of them being Tongans in the American culture," Markowitz observed. "It was interesting to watch the mainland kids, while different than their Hawai'i counterparts, discover their similarities.
"Besides going to various schools and meeting young Tongans, the players also participated in a tour around the main island of Tongatapu, visiting the Ha'amounga trilathon, the ancient burial grounds, Captain Cook's landing, and Liahona High School, among other places. They also met the king at the stadium, and attended a concert with a Tongan band from Sydney (Australia)," Markowitz noted.
"They all enjoyed it," added Tuioti, "and the local people accepted them 100 percent. We had a great time down there."
Tuioti said the TYA organization is "doing an outstanding job. The bottom line is they're trying to get these kids back to their roots, and I would say they are succeeding." He also described Siuaki's involvement as "awesome."
Vai Sikahema, the first Tongan pro football player, is honorary chairman of Tongan Youth of America.
Kaleo lists a limited number of activities and encourages readers to re-verify details. To submit items, call 754-4304, or e-mail: foleym002@ha-waii.rr.com [no hyphens] by the Kaleo deadline before the event.
Proudly sponsored
by Hawai'i
Reserves, Inc. (HRI)
and
co-sponsored by as a community service. |
Composed, edited
and published by
Mike
Foley |
