[ MAUKA MAKAI ]
FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
Keita Kondo played a bamboo musical instrument, at top, at the Hawaii Nature Center.
Bamboo is a plant that symbolizes strength, flexibility and endurance, attributes that have made it a popular subject in art, the making of musical instruments and objects for daily life.
"Bamboo Treasures" opens the eyes
Hawaii Nature Center programs
of isle youngstersBy Nancy Arcayna
narcayna@starbulletin.com"Bamboo Treasures," a program sponsored by the Hawaii Nature Center, gives youngsters the opportunity to explore the many uses and wonders of bamboo.
"Bamboo is the tallest and fastest-growing grass in the world," explained Sonia Soles as she led four children on a treasure hunt through a Makiki bamboo forest last Saturday. "In Japan one type of bamboo can grow up to 4 feet in one day.
"Some people say that (bamboo) is the most useful plant in the world," she said, pointing out its use as kitchenware, mats, furniture, brooms, shoes, flooring, fencing, fishing rods, bowls, purses, bows and arrows, swords, toys, boats, tools, even diesel fuel.
The grass also can be used as a medicine to treat coughs, fevers, asthma and kidney problems. The plant's sprouts, seeds and new leaf tips are all edible. Bamboo also gives off about four times more oxygen than the average plant.
On the downside, its fast growth can be problematic. "It can crowd out other plants in the forest," said Soles. In remote areas of China, giant pandas help alleviate the problem by eating bamboo. In Hawaii, people often carried away by the plant's beauty need to be aware of its growth pattern before allowing it to take root.
FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
Bamboo can be fashioned into many useful items.
AS PART OF the day's activities, the children also had the opportunity to use shakers, a drum and a variety of noise-making instruments shaped from bamboo, which resonated with deep, mournful sounds. The children named their band the Bamboo Rockers.
"We're trying to get people to do more outside activities," said Soles. "Kids really learn by doing things and engaging in hands-on activities."
"The best part is seeing families coming together," Soles said.
Kenji Konda, visiting from Japan, brought his 5-year-old son, Keita. "We looked for children's classes on the Internet, and we found this one," he said. Keita enjoyed playing with the bamboo fishing game and the musical gadgets.
My 6-year-old son, John Paul's, favorite part was simply "exploring the forest." Often, the adults seemed to have more fun than the children, crawling on hands and knees to soak in the complete experience, even though we could have walked down a footpath just around the corner.
Before leaving, the children nibbled on bamboo shoots and made their own rain sticks, water carriers or shakers from bamboo cylinders. The shaker was filled with gravel and seeds, then covered with a coconut husk or fabric and tied down with raffia. "The less you put in, the better the sound," Soles said before drilling a hole into the water carriers and inserting cork plugs.
FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
A tic-tac-toe game was one of the treasures Marissa Takebayashi and her classmates discovered.
Four-year-old Kristen Takebayashi's favorite part of the day was collecting seeds to make the shakers. "It was like 'Jack and the Beanstalk,'" said her father, Darrell. Meanwhile, Kristen's twin sister, Marissa, enjoyed crawling through a tunnel to a smaller bamboo forest alongside the stream.
The Takebayashis are regulars at Nature Center classes, and Darrell said one of the most memorable experiences was the stream exploration, which turned out to be "a real mud bath." His daughters were outfitted in rubber boots for the bamboo outing, just in case.
>> Some of the earliest paper was made from bamboo. Bamboo facts:
>> Bamboo has been used to treat fevers, asthma, coughs and kidney problems.
>> A waxy substance from the nodes is used to make candles.
>> Thomas Edison used bamboo in his invention the light bulb.
>> Twelve species of bamboo can be found in Hawaii.
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Hawaii Nature Center programs:
Programs are held at the Hawaii Nature Center, 2131 Makiki Heights Drive. The fee is $14 for each parent-child team unless otherwise stated. Call 955-0100 for reservations.
"Wonderful World of Wigglers": Discover the world of earthworms and how the wiggly creatures keep soil healthy. Participants need to bring a medium-size glass or clear plastic container to make a take-home wormery. The program runs from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday and is intended for children ages 3 to 6 and their parents.
STAR-BULLETIN / 1999
Youngsters were immersed in the beauty of the outdoors as they explored Hawaii Nature Center in Makiki. The center offers a variety of fun and educational programs for children.
"Keiki Explorers": Families can explore the natural wonders of Makiki as they wade in a stream and relax in the grass as the clouds go by. The program runs from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Feb. 8 and is intended for children ages 3 to 6 and their parents.
"Art in Nature, Nature in Art": Capture inspiration by creating and painting. Children will make a scrapbook of Makiki moments filled with their images and poetry. For ages 5 and up. The program runs from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Feb. 9.
"Predator-Prey": The forest will be searched for both predators and prey. For ages 4 and up, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 15.
"Star Gazing Splendor": Explore Makiki Valley by night with star-gazing, campfire stories and roasted marshmallows, 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 23. For ages 6 to 10.
"Secret of Flowers": Discover the colorful and fragrant treasures and more about their hard-working pollinators. Topics to be discussed include bees' attraction to flowers and how plants produce fruits, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. March 2. For ages 3 and up.
"Something Fishy": Spend a morning on the banks of Makiki Stream and discover a variety of fish and other aquatic creatures that make their home in the heart of Honolulu, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. March 23. For ages 3 and up.
"Backyard Composting": Learn the basics of composting at home, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. March 26. For ages 5 and up.
"Totally Ti": Learn how to make a lei carrier, cordage and ti products to wear, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. March 29. For ages 5 and up.
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