THE KAHALA 2012 VOL.7, NO.1 June-December 2012, VOL.7, NO.1 OAHKA_120600_cover_final.indd 1 4/6/12 9:53:31 AM ©2011 Cartier ©2011 Ala Moana Center (808) 955-5533 - Royal Hawaiian Center (808) 922-7555 www.cartier.us Haute Joaillerie Collection Advertiser: Cartier Ad: Sortilege Rings Spread PUJA1139 Publication: The Kahala Magazine Issue: June 2012 Bleed: 18.25" x 12.25" Trim: 18" x 12" Live Area: 17.5" x 11.5" Giga Job#: 64339 PREPARED BY: Clara Huang EXT 100 Giga Communications, Inc. 42 W. 39th Street, 6th Floor, New Yo rk, NY 10018 Tel (212) 226-6080 Fax (212) 989-5588 [email protected] ©2011 Cartier ©2011 Ala Moana Center (808) 955-5533 - Royal Hawaiian Center (808) 922-7555 www.cartier.us Haute Joaillerie Collection Advertiser: Cartier Ad: Sortilege Rings Spread PUJA1139 Publication: The Kahala Magazine Issue: June 2012 Bleed: 18.25" x 12.25" Trim: 18" x 12" Live Area: 17.5" x 11.5" Giga Job#: 64339 PREPARED BY: Clara Huang EXT 100 Giga Communications, Inc. 42 W. 39th Street, 6th Floor, New Yo rk, NY 10018 Tel (212) 226-6080 Fax (212) 989-5588 [email protected] CONTENTS Volume 7, Number 1 Features 30 The Star Strummers Synonymous with Hawai‘i’s most beloved musical instrument, the ‘ukulele, Jake Shimabukuro has dazzled audiences all over the world, including Queen Elizabeth. He has also mentored another star, his younger brother, Bruce. Welcome to the lightning-bright world of the Brothers Shimabukuro. Story by Jocelyn Fujii Photos by Dana Edmunds 36 The Liquid Prism ON THE COVER Photographer Dana Hawai‘i’s two most abundant elements, light and water, Edmunds captures the powerful synergy attain alchemical magic when seen through the lens of of elements in photographer Dana Edmunds. In capturing the synergy this photo of The of waves, waterfalls, lagoons and light, he offers a visual Kahala’s waterfall. vocabulary of beauty in its ephemeral, ethereal splendor. Story by Jocelyn Fujii Photos by Dana Edmunds 42 Sacred Connections to a Distant Past The Northwest Hawaiian Islands are not just our northern Pacific neighbors. They’re a part of the Hawaiian archi- pelago, the largest single area in the country dedicated to conservation. With their artifacts and wildlife, they are Hawai‘i’s cultural past and hope for the future. Story by Thelma Chang 2 OAHKA_120600_TOC.indd 2 4/6/12 9:56:41 AM CONTENTS Volume 7, Number 1 66 Editor’s Note Depar tments PROFILES: 13 The Firecracker at the Front Desk She leaves her mark on every moment of the guest experience and enjoys the challenge and teamwork of special requests. Meet Leah Chui, director of the front office. Story by Paula Rath Photos by Olivier Koning 17 INDULGENCES: Through the Eyes of the Keiki The Kahala is not just a playground for adults. Dolphins, turtles, the ocean and thoughtful keiki activities bring back multiple generations time and again. Story by Simplicio Paragas Photos by Dana Edmunds 23 IMPRESSIONS: The Wild Pleasure of It All Princess Ka‘iulani, niece of the ex-queen Lili‘uokalani and heiress to the throne of Hawai‘i, rides a Waikïkï wave in a canoe in 1898. This excerpt, from John R. K. Clark’s book, “Hawaiian Surfing: Traditions from the Past,” offers a glimpse into a riveting moment in Hawaiian history. 27 EXPLORATIONS: Planting the Past and Seeding the Future As the extinction capital of the world, Hawai‘i depends on environmental heroes to protect and preserve what’s left. Thanks to the efforts of our horticultural saviors, there’s hope. Story by Christine Thomas 52 TRANSLATIONS: By Chihiro Kitagawa and Mutsumi Matsunobu 64 Memory Book 4 OAHKA_120600_TOC.indd 4 4/6/12 9:55:41 AM Editor’s Note While many things in Hawai‘i are visible, there is much about these islands that isn’t. We can see and appreciate the ocean, the landscape, the radiant islanders with their smiles of aloha. But Hawai‘i has fascinating aspects that are fairly invisible, and which are under scrutiny by those who decode our past to discover the keys to our future. In this issue of The Kahala, the curtain parts on some of these mysterious and hidden, yet hugely significant elements of island life. The Northwest We’re thankful for the scientists, environmentalists and devoted cultural practitio- ners who work behind the scenes to preserve the Hawai‘i we know and don’t, as well as Hawaiian the Hawai‘i we hope will endure and thrive in the years ahead. On page 27, Christine Islands make Thomas acknowledges the quiet heroism of the researchers at Waimea Valley and Lyon Arboretum, who are identifying, preserving, propagating and reestablishing Hawai‘i’s up the largest endangered native plants and ecosystems. While the scientists work out of public view, their findings have an impact on Hawai‘i’s natural world, and we are thankful for their vigilance and dedication. Similarly, not many people realize the extent of the Hawaiian archipelago, which extends from south of the island of Hawai‘i, where an infant island is forming on the ocean floor, to Kure Atoll in the north, a distance of more than 1,500 miles. As Thelma Chang’s article reveals on page 42, the remote islands and atolls of the North- west Hawaiian Islands make up the largest single area dedicated to conservation in the United States. Little known to the rest of the world, they are a crucible of our cultural and environmental future. We also present, on page 23, an excerpt from John R. K. Clark’s new book, “Hawaiian Surfing: Traditions from the Past.” Clark, the foremost authority on Hawai‘i beaches and watersports, painstakingly researched Hawaiian-language texts from the 1800s to bring single area us this peerless chronicle. Riding the music wave on page 30, the Brothers Shimabukuro dedicated to share their passion for the ‘ukulele—soaring in popularity, an underdog no more. And because water is an ongoing theme at The Kahala, photographer Dana conservation Edmunds brings his luminous lens into sharp focus on page 36. From ocean to in the U.S. waterfalls to lagoons and ponds, we see in his essay the way art and nature intersect to bring us things of beauty. Children share their stories, too, in an article by Simplicio Paragas. On page 17, the keiki of The Kahala describe their perfect world, and on page 13, we see how Leah Chui, the front office director, cheerfully takes on the challenge of pleasing children and adults unflappably. Seen and unseen, visible or not, micro to macro, we present the many wondrous layers of this environment. We welcome you to these worlds, and we hope you enjoy the adventure. Jocelyn Fujii ©GREG MCFALL/NOAA 6 OAHKA_120600_editors.indd 6 4/6/12 9:57:40 AM OAHKA_111200_LeathersoulFP.indd 7 10/7/11 10:47:56 PM h INDICH collection Fine Oriental Carpets & Hawaiian Rugs® Purveyors of Fine Rugs to The Kahala Resort EDITORIAL Chief Creative Officer Haines Wilkerson Design Director Jane Frey Photography Director Susan Strayer Regional Editorial Director Rosie Leonetti Editor-at-Large Jocelyn Fujii Copy Editor Lucy Kim Contributing Writers Thelma Chang John R. K. Clark Simplicio Paragas Paula Rath Christine Thomas Contributing Photographers Ann Cecil Dana Edmunds Alyssa Fedele Olivier Koning Wayne Levin Greg McFall Add a Touch of Aloha! Japanese Translation OAHU LOCATIONS: Chihiro Kitagawa Gentry Pacific Design Center Mutsumi Matsunobu 560 N. Nimitz Hwy. #101 Honolulu, Hawaii 96817 (Between KMart & City Mill) 808.524.7769 The Kahala (Vol.7, No. 1) is published by Where Hawaii, 1833 Kalakaua Ave, Ward Avenue Store Ste. 810, Honolulu, HI, 96815. www.mvpislands.com Copyright© 2012 by Morris Visitor Publications. All rights reserved. This pub- 550 Ward Avenue lication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, in Honolulu, Hawaii 96814 whole or in part, without the express prior written permission of the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility to any party for the content of any (Corner of Ward & Waimanu) advertisement in this publication, including any errors and omissions therein. By placing an order for an advertisement, the advertiser agrees to indemnify 808.596.7333 the publisher against any claims relating to the advertisement. 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Kevan Retouching Jerry Hartman MANUFACTURING & TECHNOLOGY Director of Manufacturing Donald Horton Technical Operations Manager Tony Thorne-Booth MORRIS Communications Chairman & CEO William S. Morris III President William S. Morris IV OAHKA_120600_Masthead.indd 10 4/6/12 9:58:30 AM Profiles The Firecracker Ad at theFront Desk Helping guests feel at home STORY BY PAULA RATH P HOTOS BY OLIVIER KONING he front desk is the heartbeat of the requests. In all, she manages 57 employees. T hotel,” said Leah Chui, with obvious Among Chui’s many responsibilities is mak- pride. She should know. She began her career ing sure that every guest is treated like a VIP.