January 2014 No
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
WWW.THEPARADISEPOST.COM THE PARADISE POST JANUARY • 1 THE PARADISE VOL. VI JANUARY 2014 NO. 65 “Waimea Cherry Blossoms”, oil painting by Rani Denise Ulrich 2 • JANUARY THE PARADISE POST WWW.THEPARADISEPOST.COM Waimea Cherry Blossom EVENTS that Waimea hosts. The cel- ebration of the first cherry Heritage Festival blossoms dates back to 7th century Japan. Cherry trees are not native to Hawaii, but seem to love living here in Waimea. Most of Waimea’s trees have been cultivated for or- namental use and do not pro- duce fruit. Cherry Blossoms and leaves are edible and used for food products. Blossoms are pickled in salt for ume vinegar, which are used for cooking. In Japan they also make a drink sakurayu for weddings.The leaves contain coumarin, which is toxic, so do not eat in large doses. In 1953, Waimea’s first aturday, Feb. 1 is the Next stop is Church trees were planted in honor of 21st Annual Waimea Row Park. Parking is avail- Fred Makino. Then Mr. Oka- Cherry Blossom able across the road where da, a fine nurseryman, graft- Contact us for Residential Property Management. Heritage Festival be- bus service is offered to sev- ed the trees and had more Stween 9am-3pm. The plant- eral stops. The historic cherry than what he knew what to ings of cherry trees originated trees are located here with do with. In 1972 he donated in 1912 as a gift of friendship Bonsai demonstrations, ori- them to the Lions Club. To to the People of the United gami, Asian collectibles and this day we have the Lions States from the People of Ja- food booths. Club to thank, who faithfully pan. In Japan, the flowering Further west on Lind- fertilize and bring buckets of cherry tree, or “Sakura,” is an say Rd is the Waimea Town water daily to maintain the exalted flowering plant. The Market located at Parker town’s beautiful trees. beauty of the cherry blossom School. More great local fare The blossoms also sym- is a potent symbol equated and entertainment, includ- bolize clouds due to their with the evanescence of hu- ing special performances by nature of blooming en masse, man life and epitomizes the Ryuyukoku Matsuri Daiko besides being an enduring transformation of Japanese Kohola-Waimea, a must see. metaphor for the ephem- culture throughout the ages. Hours are 8am-3pm. eral nature of life. Also, the The first or last stop is Back on the corner of blooms are associated with the Ginger Farm 64-645 Ma- Mamalahoa Hwy and Lind- Buddhistic influence, which malahoa Hwy by mile marker say Rd is Waimea’s Historic embodies the concept of 55, (above photo). The Ginger Corner Park. Waimea’s Arts mono no aware, which means Farm will be hosting a Japa- Council in the Firehouse an empathy toward things, a nese Home Tour, cherry tea Gallery will exhibit Cherry Japanese term for the aware- tasting and a Keiki Cherry Blossom Art and you can pur- ness of impermanence or Blossom scroll craft. New chase this year’s commemora- transience reality of life. this year is the completed tive Heritage Festival poster. Be sure to pick up Janu- bridge and trails for a stroll The Old County Courthouse ary 30th West Hawaii Today through the three acre farm, will have local artist demos. paper, which will have the where you can view several A quilt show is at Kahilu insert of North Hawaii News cherry trees . Hall and tea ceremonies at and the official program with The festival continues Kahilu Theatre. the times of events and a map. enroute to Waimea from the Behind Parker Ranch There is also a free shuttle to Hilo side next to the Home- Center is the main entertain- some of the sites. stead Farmers Market for ment stage, crafts & food Come bring the family Waimea’s beautiful greens booths. Experience moching and join the ancient Japanese and things. Note the hours pounding and tasting. More tradition of Hanamim or are 7am to noon. food and crafts are located picnicking under the cherry Sake tasting is offered be- inside the Center. blossoms for a viewing party. tween noon-3:00 at Kamuela The Cherry Blossom Enjoy Waimea’s best cultural Liquors. festival is the largest event event of the year! WWW.THEPARADISEPOST.COM THE PARADISE POST JANUARY • 3 CONNECTING CULTURES 01.14 For a long time since the ENLIGHTENING • EDUCATING • ENTERTAINING Editor & Publisher David Bennett Nurturing Our Taro Patches discovery of the genetic code Design & Production Hilo Bay Printing BY Jimmy Toyama Research Norman Spaulding the general public has been Advertising Sales Ron Johnson programmed to think that ROVING REPORTERS Our Taro Patches Jimmy Toyama the DNA controls the attri- Hawaiian Values Rosa Say New Passages Emerging Magical Hawaii Serge King butes passed down through Imagination Dolly Mae a family’s lineage—including Plantation Days John Cross At The Intersection Of Potpourri Richurd Somers dysfunctional traits such as Oriental Medicine Alvita Soleil Mo’ Money Keith Marrack cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabe- Inspiration Norma Menzies Science And Religion tes, depression, etc.. People What’s Going On Up There? Carol Barbeau Hawaiian Host Culture Paul Neves thought they were victims of Health Anita Cawley, Marcel Hernandez ew Years is a important. As a society, we man life. Connecting Cultures Angie Libadisos genetic determinism and felt Epicurean / Inns & Spas Liz Sanders special and aus- have come to value what we It’s becoming ever more powerless to take responsibil- The Golden People Keahi Felix picious time can count. Or, thought of in apparent that humanity is in ity for their health and, peo- All rights reserved, copyrighted 2013 no articles can be reprinted without permission. The for people. It’s another way, it’s not uncom- crisis, both on the individual ple resultantly resigned them- Paradise Post is not responsible for the images a time when we celebrate mon to hear people say “if and pan human levels. As Pe- selves to their genetic fate. and statements of advertisers and authors. N Submissions due the 5th of the month. our passage from one year it can’t be measured, it’s not ter Russell writes in his piece The project to map the through the New Year Eve’s real.” It’s as if we are saying “when we look for the un- human genome was based on For annual subscriptions, midnight portal to another that if you cannot measure it, derlying causes we find, time the assumption that life’s pro- send name & year. it does not exist. These are, and again, the human fac- address with $30 to: grams (determined destiny) THE PARADISE POST While we have, like New for the most part, thinking tor—human decisions based were encoded in the genes P.O. Box 1816 Years, clear demarcations in that does not do justice to sci- on human desires, needs, and and by discovering the gene Honokaa, HI 96727 the passage of time, there is ence and represent extremes priorities, often driven by hu- codes, preventing and cur- 775.0033 another kind of passage that in thinking that science is the man fear, greed, and self cen- ing human illnesses would [email protected] has no clear demarcations of only way of knowing. teredness. It is clear that the be possible. At the same time HAWAII’S time, occurrences or develop- This extreme way of crisis is, at its root, a crisis of this genome mapping project DIVERSE ment. thinking pervades society human consciousness.” Yet was being carried out, scien- UNIVERSE It’s the passing of one and in recent times have the juggernaut, that science tist working in a brand new CONNECTS thinking-viewing paradigm been identified and labeled is, continues on without giv- branch of biology called “epi- to another. It’s simply the as “scientism;”a useful tag to ing space to the immeasur- genetics” were finding break- CULTURES flow of occurrences and de- distinguish real science from able spheres. Luckily, though throughs in cell research that Native Hawaiian velopments; at first, seem- insubstantial ways of think- the domination and path of upstage the idea that “genes Caucasian ingly disparate unconnected ing that passes itself off as sci- science seems unbreakable are destiny” by showing that Polynesian points, then flowing into ence in everyday life. and difficult to veer off into the cells, influenced by the en- Indonesian some kind of discernible pat- The problem here is that new directions, there are a vironment through the mind, Micronesian tern, mass, and new connec- the power of science as mani- few courageous souls braving signals the cell’s nucleus that Melanesian tion to dominant paradigms fested in our thinking, exac- the frontiers where science control gene activity. of thinking. erbated through the effects and the spirit intersect. The Accordingly, genes do Native American This New Year, I am en- of scientism has diminished works of these souls at the not trigger themselves but Okinawan tering, it seems, new passages spirit, the immeasurable ele- intersection are producing respond to the directions of Fijian to changed states of thinking ment, in everyday life. Since scientifically achieved results cells that receive, in turn, en- Indian stimulated by a book called spirit, according to the yard- that reinforce the value of vironmental signals via the Guamian “Measuring the Immeasur- stick of science, cannot be mind and spirituality. brain. African able: The Scientific Case for measured, it does not exist. It’s important to note that This new biology in es- Tongan Spirituality.” Thus, in the course of the the objective of these frontier sence emphasizes the reality This book, published by last 350 years, as the split be- folks is not to prove the “exis- that we actively control our Samoan Sounds True of Colorado, is tween the measurable materi- tence of God” but to provide genes throughout our lives.