Fire Goddess
How could we dedicate an issue to all things hot about Hawai‘i and not include Pele? The volcano goddess is as renowned for her fiery passions as for the molten lava with which she creates new land.
What Does a Hawaiian Look Like?
Through their portraits, handprints and signatures, Jordan Murph is helping native Hawaiians create an indelible legacy.
Instructions: How to Make a Lei
Celebrate May Day in Hawaii with a fresh flower lei. Here are step by step instructions on how to sew your lei.
Hawaii’s Spirit Guardians
Animal, plant, elemental force, even the substance of dreams-in their different forms, ancestral guides helped to shape the Islands' first culture.
The Weapon Maker’s Art
Wood and cordage, tooth and bone are used to recreate the ancient Hawaiian instruments of war. A modern weapons maker finds connection to a culture.
In Praise of Wāhine
From the very beginning, Hawaiian culture has celebrated women’s power, passion and intellect. We dig into Hawaiian wāhine culture to learn more.
Pohaku
You and I are older than the stones along the Puna shoreline. These stones started just a few years ago as gobs of lava from Pele’s current eruption, gobs that dripped into the sea only to be tumbled and polished then lobbed back onto the shore.
Links of Gold
“As Hawaiians, our mo‘olelo [stories] are so important,” says Maelia. “With heirloom jewelry, the mo‘olelo live on in each piece.”
Wrapped in Tradition
This story straddles centuries to look at authentic Hawaiian clothing prior to Western contact, and how three young Hawaiian entrepreneurs are incorporating ancient meanings, patterns, and knowledge into their contemporary apparel.
Beauty in the Bark
Among Polynesians, the Hawaiians of old excelled in the making of kapa. Their distant daughters have begun to reclaim this once-lost ancient art.
Defining Identity
When your name includes twelve syllables and nearly as many letters as the alphabet, you often have some explaining to do.
Clinging to Survival
In rural East Maui, two communities are taking a stand to conserve a weird wild food — and with it, a part of their culture.
Hawaiian Turmeric
Turmeric is prized around the world for its yellow color, bold flavor, and medicinal properties. When Polynesian voyagers first sailed to Hawai‘i, they brought the pungent herb with them.
Shades of the Past
More than any other Polynesian people, Hawaiians excelled in the use of color, coaxing incredible hues from the natural world around them.
Healing Across Generations
Following the ancient practices of our ancestors has restored a missing piece—healing across generations.
The Fisherman’s Net
From ancient times, Hawaiians have used this handwoven tool to gather an ocean harvest. For one Maui fisherman, it still holds a way of life and a sense of identity.
On the King’s Trail (VIDEOS)
A writer and a photographer explore the remains of the King's Trail on Maui, where dozens of archaeological sites spring up from the side of the trail.
Aligned with the Ancestors
Lomilomi has the potential to "heal a person's path backwards and forwards," says Jeana Naluai, owner of Ho'omana Spa.
The Feather Lei
An ancient art, as delicate as it is beautiful, has outlived the kings who once claimed it as their own.
Island Royalty
Kumu hula and lei maker, Gordean Bailey has spent a lifetime sharing the culture of aloha.
Sustaining Culture in Hāna
Hāna’s families teach acclaimed chefs about living off the land—and remind themselves what it means to be Hawaiian.
Breadfruit
As it turns out, one breadfruit can feed a family, and one variety a people. Packed in coconut-husk fiber and dry leaves, ‘ulu accompanied the Polynesian voyagers in their canoes bound for Hawai‘i.
Taro for Sale and I’m Buying!
Purchase rare varieties of taro while supporting Maui Nui Botanical Gardens.
Into the House of the Sun
A millennium before Haleakala became a national park, Hawaiians traversed its moonscape crater. On the park’s centennial, we reprise that journey.
