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Find family tree roots

Learn how to tend to your family tree in "Genealogy Workshop: Finding Your Roots," presented by the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii and the Hawaii Hiroshima Heritage Study Group, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 7 at the center.

Monday is the registration deadline.

Attendees will participate in a four-segment workshop that covers various subjects including the essential tools needed to start genealogy research; introducing genealogy computer software; translating family documents written in Japanese; and preserving genealogy history via heirloom albums.

The JCCH workshop will be led by Bernice Hirai, coordinator of the genealogy workshop since 1986.

The cost is $40 for JCCH members and $50 for nonmembers. For more information, call 945-7633, ext. 33, or e-mail info@jcch.com.

Connect with writers

The Pacific Writers' Connection will present "Language of the Land 2005," a program for readers and writers celebrating literature about nature, the environment, culture and place.

The highlights are:

» Launch: 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Honolulu Academy of Arts, Doris Duke Theater. Distinguished writers from Hawaii, the Pacific and the mainland will participate, including guest speakers Ku'ualoha Ho'omanawanui, writer and editor for the Hawaiian journal 'Oiwi; Larissa Behrendt, professor of law and indigenous studies in Sydney; Mark Treddinnick, a nature and creative-writing teacher from Sydney; Kim Stafford, director of the Northwest Writing Institution and the William Stafford Center at Lewis and Clark College in Oregon; and Debbie Magpie Earling, a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of Montana. The program also features keynote speaker Eric Enos, program director of Ka'ala Farms, and readings, music and performance by Manu Boyd.
» Conversations with writers: 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. Call for locations.
» Public reading: 6 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at Kamakakuokalani, Center for Hawaiian Studies, UH-Manoa. Free.
» Youth Outreach: 9 a.m. to noon Thursday. Register at www.pacificwriters.org.

The cost of the launch and conversations with writers is $25 for adults and $10 for students. For more information, call 230-1651.

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East-West Center garden wins award

The East-West Center Friendship Circle and Garden received the Award of Excellence in the professional gardens category in the third annual Betty Crocker Awards, sponsored by Scenic Hawaii.

Landscape architects Umemoto Cassandro Design Corp., together with Leland Miyano, designed the informal gathering place, which also received the American Society of Landscape Architects Award in 2003.

'Unthirsty' plant sale

The 17th annual Halawa Xeriscape Garden Open House and Unthirsty Plant sale will take place 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the garden, 99-1268 Iwaena St. More than 10 nurseries will be selling native and other water-conserving plants.

No parking will be allowed inside the garden. Free van shuttles will operate from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. along Iwaena Street.

Call 748-5041 for more information.

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