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Hawaii Dave Donnelly |
Music from the great
polo field in the skyDON'T tell Mokuleia polo boss Mike Dailey there's no such thing as "chicken skin" or "goose bumps" as they're known in the Midwest. He and wife Becca went to Lanai Sunday for the wedding of Lexi Mackenzie, and while there hiked up to the old cemetery to pay respects to the late Al Lopaka, who was buried there after dying from injuries suffered in a polo accident at Mokuleia. Dailey was pals with Lopaka on many levels, both as polo player and as entertainer, which is one way the jovial Lopaka made his living. The Daileys wandered through the old Lanai graveyard, filled with graves festooned with flowers, beer bottles, a canoe paddle, photos and notes. As they looked for Lopaka, Mike heard a faint chatter, and as there was no one else visible in the cemetery, came upon a gravesite filled with flowers and then he heard the song, "Take It Easy, Island Style," one of Al's favorites. It was coming from a transistor radio someone had placed in a plastic bag on the site, to keep its occupant safe on his next journey, and it just happened to be playing one of Lopaka's favorite songs. The Daileys looked at each other, then broke out into grins, knowing it was just the kind of thing Al would have done if it were someone else. They left, Mike reports, "knowing Al was having a good laugh and enjoying our visit as well." ...
HE now lives in Bellevue, Nebraska, but Lee Laquihon still calls himself "Aiea Boy." And he's a good one for spotting typos, too. After reading the column online, Aiea Boy asks, "Did the mother of the year, as stated in your column (13 May) get candles or candies to eat?" They were candies and thanks for caring ...
Hawaii in Manhattan
THIS weekend it'll be Hawaii in New York. Janu Cassidy, Michelle Akina and Corina Sayles are behind the "First Annual" Pacifika-New York Hawaiian Film Festival. The cultural heritage of Hawaii and the Pacific Islands will be exhibited in 12 films and live performance presentations. Two artists who'll be there for the fest are Robert Cazimero and Patrick Makuakane ...REMEMBER the flute and guitar duo of White Eisenstein? The Hoku Award winners broke up when Brad White moved to Holland where he's been studying and teaching the European pan flute. He's returning to Hawaii June 1 and hopes to introduce the instrument to Hawaii where it's virtually unknown. White has an Internet site (pan-flute.com) which the BBC World has picked up on and new features among the best picks on the Internet ...
Financially savvy teens
GETTING underway yesterday was a six-day gathering of teen girls called Camp Start Up, sponsored by the YWCA of Oahu. It's a financial literacy camp for girls ages 14 to 19 and it's being held at the Kaneohe Bay retreat center, Camp Kokokahi. The camp, aside from traditional camping actives such as swimming, kayaking and arts and crafts activities, is designed to teach young women how to provide for themselves financially by planning for the future. There goes those expensive new shoes! ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968. The Week That Was runs Sundays and recalls items from Dave's 30 years of columns. Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com