Since we were working at Kaneohe Marine Corps Base, we chose to live in the nearby town of Kailua. Downtown Kailua was all brand-new, in a way that almost looked suspicious.
fancy condo complex that takes up several blocks by downtown
I especially noticed a housing complex that reminded me about something that had happened near Texas Tech when we were students. A big housing complex right near the center of the action means that something else had to be torn down first.
In Lubbock, there was a large neighborhood just across the street from campus. It was called North Overton. A local real estate mogul named McDougal was in the process of buying up the entire neighborhood. It was an impoverished community, and he largely purchased from landlords rather than homeowners. At that time (around 2006), one could rent a home in North Overton for $500 a month or sometimes less. McD's new plans included huge apartment complexes targeted at Texas Tech students, and single family homes that would be selling for $250k-$350k in a couple years. McD once referred to this as "affordable."
As architecture students, we had some knowledge of gentrification. While researching, it made us wonder- where did all the old tenants go? What happens when the cheapest rent in town isn't available anymore? Years later (2018), I told this story to Moani, a Hawai'i InterVarsity staff leader. "What did the students do? Was there a protest?" she wondered.
I felt so ashamed to say, "No." No one cared. I did write a paper about it at the time, and most of our friends mocked McD. He built a larger-than-life statue of himself in the courtyard of the new apartment complexes, one arm gesturing out toward the rest of the neighborhood. We'd pose like him and sarcastically say, "All of this... will be bulldozed." Stephen was especially sad about historical homes that were knocked down. Savvy professors noted the cheap construction style of the new apartment, and students who lived there agreed that the walls were pretty thin. I remember a friend paid $1200 for a two-bedroom apartment. At the time, my housemate and I were splitting $550 for a two-bedroom duplex. So there was a stark difference in pricing.
College students, in our time, did not protest. We witnessed protests when we went abroad- French separatists in Quebec, and students angry about tuition hikes in Puebla, Mexico. But not American students.
While I was learning about Hawaii's history from InterVarsity, Stephen was doing his own research. 75% of Kailua had recently been purchased by a single family, the Alexander Baldwin Company.
Museum tour accolades
They had purchased it from another set of families, Castle and Cooke. Both of these were part of the third-generation missionary families who over threw the monarchy of Hawai'i. They took the power away from the native people -- and they still have it!
Alexander Baldwin also owned Matson for many years, which has a monopoly in shipping in and out of Hawaii.
Tour of the original missionary family homes on Maui
Music
Our first year, I joined the Honolulu Wind Ensemble. It's the largest community band I've been part of. We mostly performed at malls!
Ala Moana Mall - Centerstage Concert
Here's a video of that concert.
Sonoe, one of our ISM students and I were in band together. For most concerts, Aloha is proper concert-wear.
with Sonoe
Oahu adventures: we went to a wonderful outdoor concert by Jack Johnson. We've been fans since college, but never would have planned to be on the same island.
Emergency!
2018 was a dramatic year for Hawai'i. On January 13th, at 8 am we received this frightening text.
Seek shelter? We had no idea what we could do. (Mandy wisely researched this later: here's the correct option.) The whole situation felt unreal to us- we weren't even that scared. We made our morning tea and coffee, told each other, "I love you. Thanks for giving me a good life!"
Constant updating of news sites seemed to indicate it was a mistake. And 38 minutes later, we received a follow up alert.
Stephen wasn't at work that Saturday, but some of our co-workers are crew were on the job site. The safety team had to remind everyone to come down safely from the building. Don't jump! They shut the site down. Our superintendent Brian drove home to be with his wife. Susan our QC decided to stay on base instead; several military families were evacuating to underground bunkers. She noticed there were no supplies in the bunkers, but multiple families brought their pets along. She thought the dogs were going to start looking tasty after a couple days!
A family in our neighborhood did know a safe place to evacuate. We chatted with neighbor Greg who was timing everything. He said there's only 15 minutes to get to safety after a missile alert. He always has an emergency bag ready to go! But he was slowed by his older parents who were trying to pack up their cats and kitty litter. They had a key, or a code to get into an old water tank in the neighborhood. It did take them more than 15 minutes, but they got inside. This cut off their cell phone service. They did have a wind up radio that eventually told them it was safe to leave.
Our backdoor neighbors were both Marine pilots. It crossed our minds that they should have been alerted and racing off to the base if it had been a real emergency.
2018 was also the year Kilauea started erupting, and Hurricane Lane hit the coast. These did not have a personal impact on us, but everyone had disaster related conversations.
I volunteered with the lay leadership team, which gave me an educational look into how churches are run. My favorite job was being a reader of scripture or weekly prayers. I also took home and hand-washed communion towels each week- a boring but necessary task.
Fundraising for Chocolate Extravaganza with Caroline and Jessie
Our priest Father Christopher left Hawai'i in 2018, and the congregation hired supply clergy each week during the search for a new part time leader. We enjoyed visits from Canon Frank Chun, who read the gospel message from Da Jesus Book, a pidgin translation of the New Testament. Chun was a consultant on the text, which came out in 2001. The Old Testament will be completed in 2020.
This week’s gospel reading from Da Jesus Book: Mark 10:35-45. “Whoeva like be da leada guy, he gotta be da helpa guy first.”
Palm Sunday service
Jane, Caroline and I with Presiding Bishop Curry at the Renewal 2019 conference
I played horn at church for our final week. I also got to open the service many weeks by playing the pu (conch shell) with three notes. We practiced some other local traditions: singing the dosology in Hawaiian, praying The Queen's Prayer during a certain season, and listing Hawaiian queens and kings with the the saints.
Father Christopher sent us Psalm 46 as a reminder during the challenging year of 2018.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, and though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea; Though its waters rage and foam, and though the mountains tremble at its tumult. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold....
Our favorite times in Waikiki generally involve a trip to the Blue Note Hawaii. We went to a few comedy shows and saw live music by Willie K and Kahulanui, a Big Band / Island fusion group.
Mason, our head carpenter, hosted an amazing BBQ at his house. He's a local who worked for Absher last time they were on the islands, so the team was eager to re-hire him.
Celso & Mason
with Huong and her daughter Lily
Brian and his wife Diane came with us from Washington to Hawai'i. First they lived in Kaneohe by the base, but later moved to a high rise condo in Waikiki! (Normally the traffic is bad, but since Brian came to work by 5 am, he was fine.) They had fun exploring all the best places to eat, and always had great plans.
Lava cafe with Diane
A good bye party; Celso (Safety), Ginger, David (Quality Control), Huong & Nick (Assistant Superintendent), Steve (Quality Control), Brian & Diane (Superintendent), and Brady (Nick's son).
We love watching movies that are about or filmed in where we are living or visiting. Hawaii, of course, is a favorite location for movies. Here's a review about several... favorites? or at least interesting movies about Hawaii. (If you want to see justice related Hawaii movies, check out this post instead.)
50 First Dates
Adam Sandler plays a womanizer who finally falls in love. But his interest, played by Drew Barrymore, had a medical condition that causes her to forget what happened every single day. So, Sandler constantly has to woo her over again.
It's actually a really sweet movie (though mixed with many dumb scenes). Sandler becomes a better person. Barrymore's family has to question how they've kept her in the dark about her condition and not let her move forward with her life. Despite her amnesia, she gets empowered to be better educated about her own life and gets to make her choices about how she wants to live it. At one point, she breaks up with Sandler, and he respects it, instead of trying to trick her again.
Locations are fun in these movies. Sandler plays a zoo vet and works at Sea Life Park on Oahu, about 30 minutes south of our home in Kailua. We visited there once.
Stephen at the penguin show
I liked the birds
Barrymore's character lives north of us. Her family home is on the water, and we can see views of Mokoli'i Island in several scenes. (Their property would be extremely valuable! Probably not the home of fishermen). The Hukilau cafe is allegedly at the Kualoa Ranch, but we did not see it there. The characters share a kiss at Makapu'u Lighthouse, one of my favorite hiking trails. (It's the easiest hike!)
The whole plot would have worked fine in any location: being in Hawaii was just a beautiful backdrop.
Lilo & Stitch
I love this movie. It's a super weird mix about sci fi aliens, real Hawaiian natives, and real struggles.
Lilo is a little girl, maybe only 5 years old, who is being raised by her adult sister, Nani. (Nani might be 18?) Their parents recently died, and they are struggling. Lilo is weird and doesn't fit in with the other kids, even picking fights.
Nani works at a tourist luau, which she calls "fakey" after she gets fired. Her almost-boyfriend David is a fire dancer who has accidentally set himself on fire more than once. (Nani is too overwhelmed with her responsibilities to commit to him, but it seems like he'd like them to partner together.) Nani struggles to find a new job.
Lilo adopt alien monster Stitch, thinking that he's a dog. She emphasizes with his misbehavior because she acts out her bad feelings too.
Given her age, Lilo doesn't understand the severity of their family's situation. Nani is reasonably terrified that the state is going to take her sister away from her.
Native Hawaiian children are taken from their families at disproportionate rates. Like Lilo and Nani, this isn't always about abuse: it's more likely about poverty. Lilo is eventually taken from Nani in the movie. (The sci-fi storyline does play a role in this: aliens blow up their house.) A foster family would get paid to care for Lilo... although that money could have just been given to Nani.
This story gets a happy ending. The CPS worker relents when he meets the aliens, and the alien leader insists the family be put under special protection. The worker and two aliens become part of the family too, helping them out. (Community support and financial support both make the difference for struggling families.)
Lilo and Stitch live in a town based on Hanapepe on the island of Kauai. We visited there.
After living in Hawaii, I noticed more little authentic details in the movie. Lilo has a handmade sign saying, "Kapu" on the door, an equivalent of, 'Keep Out!" We hear truck drivers speaking pidgin, David greets by saying, "Howzit!" and Nani sings Lilo "Aloha Oe" on their last night together. They fly on an alien spacecraft through the beautiful canyon on Kauai- then land next to Volcano Park on Big Island a minute later. The movie ends with Lilo's hula group performing at the Merrie Monarch Festival, and they take family photos that including the Duke Kahanamoku statue on Oahu. I loved all these real life details about life in Hawaii.
Moana
This movie doesn't take place in Hawaii. But, there's a lot of cultural overlap! Moana lives on a fictional island that is based on true history. Locations like Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga and Tahiti inspired the story.
Ancient Polynesian people were excellent Way-finders, sailing all over the Pacific ocean, following the stars and settling different islands. This history was questioned when Westerners arrived in the islands. They suggested "Accidental Drift Theory," meaning that natives in boats happened to crash into islands. I think it's the same attitude when people say that ancients couldn't have built incredible stone architecture... musta been aliens!
More recent travels have been undertaken long distance trips using traditional methods. The Hokule'a began sailing in 1976 to demonstrate the accuracy of the ancient techniques.
Moana tells another surprising part of the story: the ancient peoples quit sailing for many years. We aren't sure why! But then they re-discovered their own lost practices, and began sailing across the ocean again. A beautiful theme from the movie is Moana singing, "I know the way."
South Park: Going Native
I can't talk about South Park without numerous content warnings. Swearing, gory violence, crudeness, rudeness, etc. The South Park writers do an "equal offense" style of comedy and don't care if they are punching up or punching down. However, in this episode, they get it right. S16:E11
Elementary school student Butters leaves home in South Park, Colorado, to travel to his "native" home Hawaii. His (white) parents explain that they used to live in Hawaii, and he needs to return. So, he travels to Kauai . The local white population explains to him how they are the real natives of Hawaii. Despite living in Hawaii only a month out of the year, they complain about tourists and haoles (white people).
Obviously there is exaggeration at play here (I never heard a white person call themself native), but the entitlement and cultural appropriation are all based in truth. (There's a similar scene in Princess Kapiolani where white land-owners explain that they're the real Hawaiians.)
This episode became the source of many inside jokes for us. "Mahalo Rewards Card" for anytime we got a local discount. Chi-chi as a silly drink to order, and, years later, saying Vincent needs to visit Hawaii for his hapa noa.
We watched it with David Roe during our trip to Kauai together. Driving by an old hotel, we said, wait... is that the Kapu (forbidden) hotel? Of course we wanted to take a look. (I'll share more of this some day when I write a Kauai blog post.)
Coco Palms Hotel
The Descendants is a sad movie. I didn't love it. There's two storylines woven together: George Clooney plays a man who is dealing with grief and betrayal. His wife is in a coma after an accident, and she won't recover. Then, his teen daughter tells him that mom was having an affair.
Meanwhile, Clooney's cousins are gathering soon to make a big decision about family land. The family is the descendants of rich land-owners in Hawaii. (A fictional Hawaiian princess married the son of white missionaries.) They still own a huge property of undeveloped on the Island of Kauai. They have decided to sell and divide the profits between the various cousins. They have several offers from competing resorts. Locals, both on Kauai and Clooney's own neighborhood on Oahu, have strong opinions about what the family should do: no new development!
Clooney is the primary decision maker in the family, and he eventually decides against the development. But, his reasons aren't exactly based in care for the people of the islands. He finds out that one of the main real estate agent who is going to profit off the sale is the man his wife was cheating with. Clooney's decision seems to be mostly to penalize him.
This movie is an interesting view of rich families and island hopping. We start on Oahu, then fly to Big Island where the teen daughter attends boarding school. Then, over to Kauai to look at the family property and reminisce about camping trips. Clooney has some honest reflection about his family's disproportionate amount of power. He mentions that even though they have a little native blood, they are still haole.
Magnum PI
Just for fun. Magnum (played by Tom Selleck) lives in the guest house of a mysterious millionaire. He drives the owner's Ferrari everywhere. ("That isn't yours!" people keep saying.) We knew we had to watch the show since strangers called Stephen Magnum on a regular basis.
Mostly, Hawaii is simply a fun backdrop for Magnum's adventures and shenanigans.
The mansion was located in Waimanalo, a local, less touristy town just south of Kailua. We think it was demolished during our time there. (Rumor: Obama knocked it down for a compound?) A lot of Hawaii hasn't changed since the 80's: we loved seeing the same road signs. It was funny to watch a chase scene where the car magically moved from the tunnels in the center of the island to the curvy road on the East side.
A new version of Magnum started filming while we lived there. We got some gossip from locals: Stephen's car guy worked on the old Ferrari, and a leader in the Ferrari Club refused to rent the film his authentic car unless they let him body-double as the driver. Turns out: the 80s Ferrari gets destroyed in the first episode! New Magnum drives a newer car. We found it once while they were filming in downtown Honolulu.
Magnum PI filming on location
The Ferrari was sitting across the street
Again, this was just fun and relevant to our experiences. The actual show is pretty cheesy and often misogynistic. I enjoyed one episode (S1:E5) which had both and Mandy and a Ginger in it: Ginger was only seen in the morgue, and Mandy was the Girl of the Week who ends up being an IRA spy. (I don't think we made it past season 1.)
I come from a family of plant and bird enthusiasts. Several, especially my mom and my uncle, actually know the names! I've been endeavoring to learn more of the names of my local birds, and I got a jump start during my 2018 visit to Arizona.
Arizona
Uncle Larry took me on several walks to enjoy cactus and bird watch. My cousin Leah joined us for this one! (South Mountain Hiking Trails). Thankfully, I was visiting in January, so the weather was warm without being oppressive.
Mockingbird
At the Desert Botanical Garden, we got to enjoy all different kinds of cacti. The birds enjoyed them too.
American Coot
We also had an amazing hike at Boyce Thompson Arboretum. Larry has given a bird-watching tour there!
Black-throated Sparrow
Knowing names gave me an appreciation for over-looked birds, like sparrows.
White-Crowned Sparrow
Larry also works hard on bird-counting. He keeps records with eBird, which is part of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Here's an example of a checklist I've created during a walk:
I've only made a few lists, but Larry records them religiously. It's useful data for the scientists! I like it best for keeping a list of all the birds that I've seen and can identify. Merlin is a great app for helping to identify bird.
Back home in Hawaii...
Kailua Wetland Preserve
Near our church is a wonderful area for bird-watching.
Black-crowned Night Heron
Coot
Seeing the coot everywhere in Hawaii was funny after learning how to identify them first in Arizona.
Big Island
Kiholo State Park, our trip with the Madlers.
Black-crowned night heron
Black-crowned night heron, adolescent
Cattle Egret
Saffron Finch
The finches lived near our campsite!
Kaneohe Marine Base
Where we worked- a former wetlands that was turned into a military base.
Aeo: Black-necked stilt
Kolea: Pacific Golden Plover
It took me forever to identify this Plover! I thought it was some kind of sandpiper. A fun thing on the eBird app is that you may receive an email saying, "Are you SURE you saw a sandpiper on this date at this location? That would be very unusual..." and maybe they can help you figure out what you actually saw, lol.
My Yard
Common Waxbill
Japanese White-Eye
I love bird-watching in our back yard. I got a lot of photos one day when some ripe papaya fell, so many birds came for a snack!
Whiskered Bulbul
Red-vented Bulbul
Common Myna
Zebra Dove
More Oahu
Iwa (Great Frigatebird)
The 'Iwa is a beloved Hawaiian symbol. It's often seen with a split tail. Many have 'iwa incorporated into tattoos and other art. (I have 'iwa earrings)
Iwa (Great Frigatebird)
These 'iwa are disabled. They live in a recovery home at SeaLife Park.
Common Myna
Red crested cardinal
Kahana State Park
I was on a mission to see native birds. Most of my daily birds had come from other part of the world. When the Western world came to Hawaii, they accidentally brought mosquitos for the first time. This devastated the native bird population. Few remain, and those live in high elevation places where mosquitos don't go. The Audubon Society recommended a hike on Oahu to see Native birds. But... between being pregnant and having a bad knee, I didn't make it far enough for this hike! The highlight of the hike was a momma and her three little piggies.
Wild boar!
Maui - Haleakala
Even though we were moving soon, I got one last chance to see native birds. Our company needed a product that was out of stock on the whole island! We researched and found out a shop on Maui had the product we needed. They needed a week to ship... so instead we bought me a one-day ticket for me to island hop. Getting the product only took 30 minutes, so I had the rest of the day for my final bird-watching tour.
Chukar Partidge
Haleakala is a dormant volcano with beautiful views. There's a campsite just past the park entrance that almost guarantees native bird sightings. There was one bird I wanted to see. I sat. I waited. Then, like a tiny red miracle, my favorite bird came to visit me.
I'iwi (Scarlet honeycreeper)
I also saw many Nene (Hawaii's goose and state bird.) We'd met on Big Island before. Oddly, they don't live on Oahu! Larry says I should get a good photo whenever I see an ID tag on a bird. (Next time.)
Nene
angry Nene
I'm so glad I got to learn more about birds! It's a great start for better conservation education, and for connecting with art.
