Hawaii’s
Back yard
Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi
Venue taps into
true spirit of isles"Mai Ka Puuwai." From the heart.
The name captures the essence of the new cultural program at the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, during which kamaaina share their knowledge about Hawaiian history, values, traditions and way of life with passion and zeal.
Held in the 120-seat amphitheater of the luxurious Maui resort one Friday evening each month, "Mai Ka Puuwai" is a moving, memorable experience.
"We are calling these evenings 'Mai Ka Puuwai' because we are inviting speakers who will tell their personal family stories and testimonials in an intimate setting," says Clifford Naeole, the Ritz-Carlton's Hawaiian cultural adviser. "This is also an invitation for those visiting to open their hearts to listen and learn. There is so much of the true Hawaii for them to experience.
"They want to learn; the key is to get them involved. By doing that, their vacation is definitely enhanced."
He recalls sitting one day with the Ritz-Carlton's general manager, Javier Cano, to brainstorm ideas for new activities and events that would not only provide a meaningful experience for visitors, but also create opportunities for the Hawaiian culture to flourish.
"We agreed our role is to provide the 'un-packaged' Hawaii to our guests," says Naeole, who serves as the program's moderator. "This includes educating them about the cultural do's and don'ts; allowing them to experience Hawaii in an authentic, unrehearsed venue; and connecting the host (kamaaina) to the hosted (visitors). We want the interaction of host and guest to be one of understanding and appreciation for each other."
Admission to "Mai Ka Puuwai" is free, and Naeole says, "The more the merrier!"
"The floor is open to anyone who wishes to participate, including visitors. We never know what will take place during the discussions. There are times of laughter, reflection and tears."
MICHAEL GILBERT / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-BULLETIN
Clifford Naeole is dedicated to safeguarding Hawaiian culture and values and in addition to his civic pursuits, oversees the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua's cultural activities.
PART OF THE EVENING is reserved for Hawaiian kupuna (elders) and cultural practitioners to share stories generally heard only by friends and family. "'Mai Ka Puuwai' takes their moolelo (stories) to another level," Naeole says.
"At times we will bring up hard questions that demand hard answers. For instance, one of our sessions addressed the topic 'For Sale: Hawaiian Land and Sacred Sites.'
"That raised many questions from guests who were very interested in purchasing land in Hawaii but were unsure about the laws and protocol regarding sacred sites and burials on the property for sale. There was great interaction between kamaaina and guests; it was nonconfrontational, constructive sharing."
One Maui landowner stood up and talked about discovering some sacred sites on his recently purchased property near Honolua Bay.
To protect these sites, he decided to build a home more modest than he had originally planned, in a corner of the parcel.
"By doing this, he relinquished the major portion of his land holdings to preserve Hawaii's past," Naeole says. "I have walked through this property at the request of the landowner, and his love for this aina is very genuine."
IN ADDITION TO overseeing all of the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua's, cultural programs and activities, Naeole also serves as the president of the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association, which works to place culture at the heart of the local visitor industry. He's also a member of the Maui-Lanai Island Burial Council, which safeguards iwi kupuna (Hawaiian ancestral remains) that are uncovered, ensuring they are handled with respect and have a proper final resting place.
Born and raised on Maui, Naeole describes himself as "50 percent Hawaiian by quantum but 100 percent Hawaiian by heart." He counts his grandparents among his most influential teachers, saying: "My maternal side has no Hawaiian blood, only Portuguese and Filipino. What is odd, however, is that my Portuguese grandma contributed a lot to my Hawaiian upbringing. She was raised in the village of Kahakuloa in Hawaiian ways."
Naeole's grandfathers introduced him to the wondrous gifts of nature. From them he learned by doing: how to grow taro; the best times and places to fish; which plants could be used in concoctions to alleviate ailments like rash, sore throat and indigestion.
He harbors vivid memories of hiking into the lush mountains of Waihee with his Hawaiian grandfather to gather ti leaves to sell to markets and to wrap laulau and kulolo (taro and coconut cream pudding).
"Granddaddy used to carry huge burlap bags filled with leaves on his back and shoulders, all the while telling me not to make too much noise," he recalls. "Noise showed disrespect to all of the forest's entities; it disrupted its energies. Beauty was to be observed in silence, for often it is in silence that we learn the most lessons."
At the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, Naeole cherishes the opportunity he's been given "to share the Hawaiian culture, undiluted and not reinvented, with everyone who comes to the hotel." He estimates the audience for "Mai Ka Puuwai" is about 70 percent visitor and 30 percent kamaaina, "which goes to show how interested and eager our visitors are to have a true Hawaiian experience."
"Mai Ka Puuwai's" spontaneous grass-roots foundation differentiates it from many of Hawaii's other so-called "cultural" experiences.
"There is an appreciation by the 'hosts' to be able to share their experiences, lessons, emotions and vision, and there is a great appreciation by the 'hosted' to know that these stories are true," says Naeole. "The topics allow kamaaina to open up and be proud of their heritage. The visitor, in turn, will learn more in one night about these islands than they would learn by returning year after year and experiencing only the Hawaii offered in brochures."
Mai Ka Puuwai
Place: Amphitheatre, The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, One Ritz-Carlton Drive, Kapalua ResortTime: 7:30 to 9 p.m. the last Friday monthly (subject to change)
Call: 808-669-6200 (ask for the concierge desk, guest activities desk or Clifford Naeole)
Admission: Free
E-mail: clifford.naeole@ritzcarlton.com
Web site: www.ritzcarlton.com
The schedule
May be subject to changeNov. 28: "Makahiki, The Games People Played"
Dec. 26: "Plantation Days, Camp Kids"
Jan. 30: "Hawaiian Petroglyphs"
Feb. 27: "Night Marchers"
March 26: "Cultural Dos, Cultural Don'ts"
April 8 to 11: "Celebration of the Arts," an annual tribute to the islands' people, arts, culture and history
May 28: "Na Pule Kahiko, Ancient Hawaiian Prayers"
June 25: "The Missionary, Good and Bad"
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based free-lance writer and Society of American Travel Writers award winner.
