PacificBasin President John Alves returned this week from his retreat in Kokee, Kauai, with reports of a sporting event that didn't get much notice in Honolulu.

A couple of hunters came by his cabin and invited him to the 7th Annual Kokee Pig Hunt Tournament. Reports Alves, “;The Kokee meadow was jammed with pickup trucks, 125 hunters, each with three dogs.”; All after the feral pigs who do untold environmental damage.

“;We wanted challenging, so was dog-n-knife only,”; says organizer Terri Goo. Hunters had to get up close and personal with a cornered pig and stab it through the heart.

“;Not only that,”; Alves says. “;They had to dress the pig and carry it on their back.”; That resulted in some bloody T-shirts, which nobody changed. “;They were a badge of honor.”;

This was first year that female hunters were allowed to compete. Twelve women entered; five women weighed in pigs. Alves marveled at Traci Cummings. “;She must have weighed no more than 110 pounds and carried in a 116-pound pig.”;

Cummings took fourth overall, second among women. The overall winner was also a woman, Skyla Grace, who brought down a 126-pound boar, dressed weight.

The hunt culminated in a big family party. Not having participated, Alves held back from the tables of food. Then, he recalls, a woman said, “;Hey, haole boy. You too skinny. Get him one plate, Auntie.”;

Da Kine Whole Foods

When Whole Foods opened in September, I announced a contest.

The organic and natural-food retailer came up with its own version of Spam, using natural pork, getting the lovely pink color from organic beet juice.

Whole Foods couldn't call this slightly healthier product Spam. It offered a $100 gift certificate to any reader who could come up with a name. Exactly 143 of you entered, with such suggestions as Aloham (the most popular), Hamlette, Onoloaf and Ham Five-O.

The winner, announced Wednesday: Da Kine Ham, submitted by two entrants, Paul Lowe and Elyse Ditzel. Rather than split the prize, both get $100.

Back from Backstage

Got back a week ago from New York, where I saw Tony nominee and local girl Loretta Ables Sayre in “;South Pacific”; at Lincoln Center.

Despite having a major hit on its hands - sold-out seats, standing ovations - the cast is remarkably friendly and open. “;Just go down the hall, turn left, left again and yell, 'Loretta!'”; said the woman guarding the entrance to the backstage.

Backstage, the floor was littered with popcorn. “;Twice a week I make everyone hurricane popcorn,”; admitted Loretta. Flying in supplies from Hawaii, she mixes in kaki mochi, furikake, M&Ms and wasabi peas, insisting that wasabi and chocolate go perfect together.

But her real secret ingredient? Lots of extra nori. “;They all ask, 'This is really good, what is it?'”; said Loretta. “;When I tell them 'seaweed,' they choke a little.”;

We repaired across the street to an Irish pub for drinks and pupu - “;They don't call them pupu here,”; Loretta said. On the way, she introduced me to a crowd of cast members.

I told Mike Evariste, one of the play's “;Seabees,”; that I knew Loretta from home. “;Man,”; he said, “;by the time this show finishes, I think everyone from Hawaii is going to come through here.”;

Cool Guys Wanted

GiRL FeST Hawaii kicked off Friday and continues all week. Its central purpose: to end violence against women. “;It's a heavy topic, so we decided to wrap it in the arts,”; says Kathy Xian, who is the festival's “;nonexecutive director”; (presumably because executive director sounds too patriarchal and authoritarian).

There are plenty of entertaining arts - slam poets, comedians, musicians, even women Roller Derby teams. The president-elect's sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, heads a panel on Wednesday.

The festival is now in its fifth year and has spawned a sister festival in Northern California. About 6,000 people show up to the two dozen or so events, about 2,000 of them men.

“;Some guys are still caught up the stereotype that we're exclusively for women,”; says Xian. “;But we do get a lot of them - and the cool ones at that.”;

Show Me the Money

Look for an announcement tomorrow that two Hawaii artists (one a female poet, the other a prominent male Hawaiian musician and kumu hula) have won fellowships from the Los Angeles-based foundation United States Artists.

Unimpressed with artistic awards? These come with a check for $50,000.

Exotic cuisine

What recession? Chef George Mavrothalassitis is back from Tokyo. Some customers, celebrating their 25th anniversary, took over a hotel there for 50 guests and flew in Mavro and crew to cook breakfast, lunch and dinner for two solid weeks.

Mavro boarded the airplane carrying the only ingredient he knew would be hard to find in Japan, a big bag of li hing mui.

He's back cooking at King Street, where you can now order everything on the menu, all at once. Since customers requested it, Mavro has now added a 13-course meal: three appetizers including foie gras, three fish, three meat, cheese and three desserts, $150, or $220 with wine. Small tasting portions are each course, but still, don't expect to stop at Zippy's on the way home.

Thanks for Hawaii

Speaking of food, I was looking through the Thanksgiving takeout offerings from various eateries. Most are haole traditional - turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, with a few local touches like pineapple-cranberry relish.

But you have to love Hawaii. Ho Ho Chinese Cuisine in Kapolei is packaging its 8- to 10-pound turkey with 20 crispy gau gee, gon lo mein noodles and a custard pie.