A plug for the Punahou Carnival

12 01 2010

Feeling better now. Your wishes and  prayers for my wellness are most appreciated. A spinal adjustment last Saturday has done wonders. I can stand up straight again, and my energy is flowing more like it should, except for a couple of spots of soreness that we’re still working on. Acupuncture, a little massage, hot showers and Reiki — now that I have back the range of motion to treat myself — all help.

I’m feeling well enough to nurture and pot the avocado plants for the Punahou Carnival this year.

This annual benefit of my alma mater to raise financial aid falls on Feb. 5 and 6 this year. The fund-raiser relies heavily on donations of all sorts to make it highly profitable for student scholarships. People donate supplies, ingredients (like sugar for jams and jellies), merchandise (books, white elephant), time (staffing booths), etc.

Punahou School taps its junior class, parents, and alumni to pitch in. It’s fun for the whole family, and I bet this year there will be many from the community who will want to check out where President Barack Obama went to school.

Besides supplying the young avo trees for the plant booth, I’m putting two of my original oil paintings into the art show: “Kamehameha Highway and Kaaawa Place” and “Looking Down Upon the Path.” (See my “Paintings” page.) I plan to join my class to help the Hawaiian plate dinner on Saturday, and if I can I’ll support the Punahou Alumni Glee Club either by singing Hawaiian music with the group or applauding from the serving line. See how much better I’m feeling? 😉

It’s an amazing two days of fun, booths, rides, shows, and games from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. I think it’s the largest fair on Oahu. The school reports that last year it sold 146,000 malasada donuts, 12,400 ears of organic corn, and 33,000 cups of Portuguese bean soup. Our family spent our carnival script at the plant booth, books, silent auction, Hawaiian plate, a variety of other food booths, produce, art show, alumni store, and … of course … hot malasadas!

If you go: Go early. The main gate for pedestrians is at Punahou and Wilder avenues in Honolulu. If coming in your own vehicle, follow the signs to parking, or try your luck with street parking in the surrounding neighborhood and be prepared to walk to and from the carnival grounds. If you can take the bus or get dropped off, that’s even better. Spend your money freely; it’s for a good cause!

Copyright 2010 Rebekah Luke

Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , , ,
Categories : About me, Fine Art, Friends & Family

Snowed in, part 2

23 12 2009

The down side of international travel for me is the length of time spent on planes and in airports. I understand now the feelings of winter travelers wanting to make it home for the holidays, only to be delayed by snow.

It’s why our house- and pet-sitters come from Massachusetts to Hawaii as early as they can in December every year for about three months.

Dear friends and family, know that DH and I are safe and warm.

After waking at 4 a.m. in Vienna the day after DH’s birthday (Happy Birthday Honey!), 10 hours in the air from Warsaw, clearing U.S. customs in Toronto before boarding U.S. Airways, then finally landing in Philadelphia, we arrived to see the remnants of the blizzard that caused the travel delays in the first place.

We gave a jingle to my sister-in-law Penny, who we called on on our way to Europe two weeks ago, to let her know of our situation, that we would check into a hotel and call her in the morning. We had to make arrangements to get back to Honolulu since we missed our originally booked flights. She texted a message to my iPhone, “Call me if you’re stuck.”

Our choices on Delta/Northwest were these:

No seats in the same fare category until Jan. 1.
Dec. 25: $1,000.00 additional per ticket.
How about first class? I suggested.
For Dec. 24 when our daughter was expecting us for Christmas Eve dinner: $880.00 additional per ticket.
And on Dec. 26: $53.60 per ticket.

So, dear Penny, we’re stuck! We’ll be at your house for Christmas! And to the folks at home on Oahu, we’ll see you with bells on on Sunday!

In honor of our friends and family everywhere, I am posting the photos of Pennsylvania that got lost two weeks ago while I was learning how to post from my iPhone.

I made the images prior to the snowfall of the farm in Chester County owned by DH’s college buddies Dave and Chris.

Chris foxhunts and Dave is an artist – he made the torii gate – and dentist. We enjoy catching up on each other’s travels. They have three Norwich terriers: Zoey, Maddie and Snaffles.

Snaffles holds the Grand Champion title for her breed, and CD (Companion Dog) credential. She is working on CDX (Companion Dog Excellent). We went with Snaffles to her training lesson with the trainer’s two big dogs as role models, and it was hilarious and very cute! Oh, the memory!

Betty and Joe, old friends of DH’s family who enjoy the activities and friends at their spiffy retirement community of five years, decorated the large Christmas tree.

We went to New Jersey to visit DH’s brother Paul and his wife Patty. Patty’s heritage is Italian, and the dinner she prepared included ravioli, a festive presentation of tomato-mozzarella-basil, and other yummy delights.

There’s also the view of the neighborhood from sister Penny’s front door (the first picture with snow).

Enjoy your holiday wherever you are. Peace on Earth and goodwill toward everyone.

With love and gratitude ~ Rebekah


Comments : 4 Comments »
Tags: ,
Categories : Friends & Family, Travel

Let it snow!

2 12 2009

Where does a Hawaiian island girl go on vacation? To places where it is cold and snowy. To places where I can wear clothes! In a few days I’ll be on my way to central Europe to visit the Christmas markets where I know it will be very cold.  I am wishing for snow.

Somewhere along the river cruise route from Germany to Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary there might be some of that falling white fluffy stuff. Maybe in Salzburg, Vienna, Bratislava, or Budapest? I’ve got my snow boots packed! In the meantime, our WordPress host is accommodating by snowing on Rebekah’s Studio. Cool, huh? (pun intended)

Here’s a picture of a picture of my very first snowman the year I declared, as an adult, that I wanted a winter vacation. It was the first time I deliberately traveled to a cold place. My visit to Anchorage, Alaska, coincided with the Fur Rendezvous festival in Anchorage.

Heather and Sean showed me how to build a snowman in Alaska

A couple of seasons before that, it snowed in the mountains on the San Francisco peninsula in California during the coldest winter since such-and-such year. I was working for Sunset magazine at the time. That winter I remember the first snowball thrown at me at Yosemite National Park where the waterfalls were frozen and the scenery was gorgeous-crisp and quiet.

Throughout our 25 years of marriage, DH and I often visited his parents, brother’s and sister’s families in Pennsylvania during the winter holiday, so often that my friends would ask if I ever went anywhere else besides Pennsylvania.

The last December we went to the East Coast, before this one, was to see his parents at their funerals within two weeks of each other. We huddled under the falling snow and placed orchid lei on the ground in the church’s memorial garden where we buried their ashes.

One weekend we took the train from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. We stayed at the Pen Arts building that is the headquarters for the National League of American Pen Women, the members’ clubhouse. The staff went home for the weekend, and the mansion was ours. To trek around in the snow the next morning, though, we first had to get out of the front door. Thank goodness DH remembered how to shovel the steps and to say, “Yes, thank you!” when a man came by to ask if he should salt the sidewalk.

If you have to live in wintry weather all the time, I’m sure it could be more tiresome than romantic. But if you are born and reared in Hawaii as I was, it’s a novelty.

When I was in Osaka, Japan, one February for the opening of the Oceania exhibit at Minpaku (the National Museum of Ethnology) at Senri Park, Professor Shimizu regretted to tell me, when I asked, that it probably would not snow. A few minutes into lunch, he was really surprised to see the white flakes falling outside the dining room window. But I wasn’t.

Here is the link to Minpaku. The photo you see is an exact replica of Hale Kuai Cooperative store with authentic Native Hawaiian made products in Hauula, Oahu, that I co-founded with Ka Lahui Hawaii. How it got there as the Hawaiian part of the permanent Oceania exhibit at the museum is an amazing story, a real memoir that I’ll share with you someday.

I say it’s fitting that WordPress bless this blog with snow. Please enjoy it warmly in front of your computer! I’m planning to send holiday posts while abroad.

Copyright 2009 Rebekah Luke

Comments : 4 Comments »
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Categories : About me, Friends & Family, Hawaiian, Memoir, Travel

Claim your space and find your voice

28 11 2009

Miss Marvelous’s primary daytime caregiver four days a week is Papa, her grandfather (a.k.a. DH at Rebekah’s Studio). On those days Popo (that’s me) is the backup caregiver, chief cook and bottle washer—literally. This is the first time I’ve had a baby at home. It’s a delightful distraction, or attraction, I should say.

One day last week DH scheduled an important errand in Kaneohe. He was kanalua (hesitant) about leaving the little girl in my charge. “Are you sure this is okay?” No problem, we’ll be fine, I said as he watched me change a diaper. He prepared the next feeding for me. He even conscientiously phoned the baby’s mom to alert her of the shift change.

So I got to have some dedicated quality time with Miss Marvelous. She’s seven months old now, and starting to become mobile. She’s not crawling yet, but she wants to. During tummy time (“Back to sleep, tummy to play,” right?) she rolls from her front to her back in all directions and can inch forward on her tummy just a little.

I placed manipulatives—the correct name for these age-appropriate toys, I learned—in front of her, slightly out of her reach, as an incentive. One of them was a soft cuddly hippopotamus named Hillary who she loves and responds to.

For more encouragement, I got the bright idea to give Hillary a voice. A voice that wasn’t Popo’s, but a higher voice.

Miss Marvelous is into very high-pitched shrieking-screeching-whatever this week. Discovering her vocal chords and finding her voice, perhaps? I have a 6-year-old puppy dog, so I know to reward desirable behavior and to ignore less desirable or plain unacceptable behavior. Therefore, I am ignoring this sound.

It was fascinating to me, then, that when Hillary spoke aloud to Miss Marvelous, how MM responded. Her big blue eyes lighted up even more than usual, she smiled at her friend who was speaking to her and became very animated, actually engaging with the four-legged stuffed toy who by this time was demonstrating how to crawl. Popo became invisible and all attention was on Hillary.

I’ve learned that as soon as the baby rubs her eyes, pulls her ear, or starts to fuss, that it’s time to put her down for a nap. Lucky for both of us, when I put her in her crib and switched off the lights, she was out in less than a minute. Conversing with Hillary and all that exercise on my tummy is tiring, Popo!

Mommy phoned, how’s everything? Baby’s fine, she’s sleeping . . .

Later we read the mail-order catalogs together. Great fun. I tried to multi-task and watch Oprah at the same time, but that was difficult. I don’t allow Miss Marvelous to watch TV yet, but boy, TV is a magnet, and as soon as the baby hears it, she’s drawn to the screen. So I switched back to Soundscapes.

Next, still “reading” the catalogs, Miss Marvelous played the didgeridoo without the instrument, spit flying and all, entertaining herself for about what seemed like an hour. With this ability she can blow the Hawaiian pu (conch shell) too.

Miss Marvelous and Hillary: we made this photo and emailed it to Papa and Mom to show them everything was A-OK!

Another voice. Thank you, dear one.

These experiences reinforced what I believe is a need to claim one’s space and find one’s voice in our changing times, or at any time. Put another way, stop procrastinating, do it now, and speak our piece/peace. What are we waiting for?

That is how I created my healing space and my breathing room and Rebekah’s Studio that make me happy.

Recurring mantra:
Claim your space and find your voice
Are you listening?
Copyright 2009 Rebekah Luke

Comments : 2 Comments »
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Categories : About me, Friends & Family, Poem

View of the Koolau Range and the sea

23 11 2009

Another view of the gorgeous mountains of the Koolau Range on Oahu is off my easel and waiting for its protective varnish coat and frame. I’m so thrilled that it’s finished, I want to show it to you.

On Sunday we found some time to relax. Here’s a familiar scene of repose at the beach: DH and Alice Brown by the sea.

Sunday at the Beach

Copyright 2009 Rebekah Luke

Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , , , ,
Categories : About me, Fine Art, Friends & Family, Hawaiian

Makahiki, yule and gift giving

9 11 2009

With the winter holiday season upon us, most families are starting to get into the spirit. The signs include that real or imagined cold snap on Halloween night, slick merchandising catalogs overflowing from our mailboxes, store mark downs everywhere, and the lure of local craft fairs and festive events.

Conversations now include, “What are you doing for (fill in the holiday)?” and newspaper features carry tips on how to remain stress free. We want to remember family and friends and hope no one is left alone. As families extend generationally, geographically, and by marriage, there can be many decisions to make.

DH and I have a couple of philosophic ideas and old-fashioned traditions that give us a sense of peace. They link to our respective roots—Hawaiian Islands for me and Pennsylvania (Delaware County) for him.

One is to acknowledge and be mindful of the Hawaiian Makahiki season, roughly from mid-November through January (exact dates depend on the moon). The planting season is over, work is pau (finished), and warring ceases. It is the time of the god Lono.

The best of the harvest is dedicated to Lono in the form of ho‘okupu (offerings). The people give thanks, relax, socialize, play outdoor games, and generally enjoy themselves. No stress. It’s officially okay to play!

The other is adopted from Winterthur, Delaware, not far from DH’s birthplace. As tourists we visited Winterthur, a museum and the former country estate of Henry Francis du Pont. During his life H. F. du Pont collected whole room interiors of various periods, not to mention whole street fronts, and installed them in his mansion.

The museum decorates the rooms of this big house for Yuletide, and visitors can tour them around the same months of Makahiki in Hawaii. The holiday decor matches the period style of each different room. It’s educational and very festive.

When we visited, our favorite room showed how du Pont’s own family celebrated in the first half of the 20th century. The story was told that Yuletide, the time around the Winter solstice, was a time to visit and entertain friends, to rest and to celebrate a successful harvest. Children were seen but not heard.

Decorations consisted of a small table-top evergreen—adorned simply with cookies, candles and strands of popcorn and cranberries—that was set atop a pie crust table. Gifts were exchanged among immediate family members only and placed in a basket for each person. If the children behaved well, they could have the cookies!

We liked the idea so well that we brought home a furniture piece similar to a pie crust table for ourselves, in a nod to the East Coast style and DH’s regional heritage. Each year we hang on a small tree the wooden ornaments crafted by DH’s parents for their first granddaughter on her first Christmas.

At a lost for that special gift?

FOR YULE or any other special occasion such as a wedding, a big birthday, an anniversary, or a move to a new home, do consider giving a painting. Yes, a painting! An original oil painting is special and unique, so unexpected, so memorable. It is a one-of-a-kind piece of art, it’s durable, and it can provide years of long-lasting enjoyment. Support the Native Hawaiian artist! I can work with you now on a selection and a payment plan, if necessary. I will be traveling and away from the studio for a good part of December, so if you are at all interested, please contact me. Click on PAINTINGS in the menu bar to see the images. I’ll be installing additional pieces in the next few days too. Thank you!

Copyright 2009 Rebekah Luke

References:

In years past I have participated in the Makahiki observance on Kahoolawe island. You may read about Makahiki on the Protect Kahoolawe Ohana website:

http://www.kahoolawe.org/home/?page_id=7

For more about Winterthur and the du Ponts, click on this link:

http://www.winterthur.org/about/about.asp


Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Categories : About me, Fine Art, Friends & Family, Hawaiian

Guardians of tradition

21 10 2009

“Guardians of Tradition” are we, I was reminded last evening. The event: a gathering of Punahou School alumni to hear a lecture by kumu Hattie Eldredge Phillips at Kauihelani, the Hawaiian resources center of the Case Middle School.

Hattie is of the well-known Eldredge family that has touched the students, faculty, staff,  parents, and alumni of Punahou for generations—as student leaders, teachers and coaches.

In front of last night’s audience, she introduced her brother Pal, who teaches first graders, her very good friend and colleague Malia Ane, who teaches grade 3, and Malia’s mother Marilyn Ane, retired kindergarten teacher. The Ane family is equally dedicated to Punahou. Each would take the microphone to share stories and mele (songs) about Punahou traditions and how they came to be, reliving the journey we alumni were all so fortunate to be a part of. None of what she does is done alone, Hattie said. The others on stage with her and ke Akua were her allies.

It was a bittersweet moment when Hattie prefaced that the empty rocking chair draped with lei was to be for her brother David who passed over the day before. Dave Eldredge retired from Punahou after 40 years as an athletic coach and teacher. He established the Hawaiian studies program at Punahou and designed the school’s fabulous Holoku Pageant.

The Holoku Pageant was how I first met Dave—Mr. Eldredge—who was the adviser to the Hawaiian Club when I was a student, and his sister Hattie, who was one class ahead of me and taught all the hula. Part of the philosophy of teaching hula and mele to students was/is that the students will in turn teach the dance and music to others, thereby helping to perpetuate Hawaiian culture. And this has been happening for all the time Mr. Eldredge, and now Hattie, Pal, and Malia have spent at Punahou. Mr. Eldredge would be proud of Hattie’s program that was dedicated to him last night.

Some highlights:

The entire Eldredge family, though grieving, was present at Kauihelani, a thoroughly modern Hawaiian resource center facility that is Hattie’s domain. Seventh graders have a huge and great place to  learn Hawaiian values, history, tradition, activities, and culture. There they can connect with real events happening in the community.

Pal Eldredge, who has researched the history of Punahou School, showed us some interesting, old photos of campus, gave us the correct lyrics for the alma mater “Oahu-a” and played guitar.

Marilyn Ane (Class of ’48) told how she started the “Flaming P” tradition to generate school spirit.

Malia Ane, also known as “Queen of Mele,” led the gang in a group duet of  “Pupu Hinuhinu” and “Maile Lei.” It was Malia who started the tradition of teaching Hawaiian songs to the elementary grades.

Leilehua Phillips, Hattie’s daughter and past queen of the Holoku Pageant, performed a hula. Hattie inherited the directorship of the pageant from Dave few years ago.

We all sang a medley of Punahou fight songs. The women—Hattie, Malia, and Marilyn—were football song- and cheerleaders, no surprise!

And the special request from the audience that brought the house down: that Marilyn Ane  lead the alumni audience in the cheer “Geeve ’em the hash, the hash, the hash” as the video camera rolled. It was hilarious! I know, it’s something you had to be there for, and I’m sure Dave was. “E Aunty, you still got it!”

We are shown the way by those who came and went before us. We have only to listen for their guidance, follow in their footsteps and teach our children. That was Hattie’s message, and it came through loud and clear.

Mahalo!

Copyright 2009 Rebekah Luke

Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: , , , , , ,
Categories : Friends & Family, Hawaiian, Memoir

« Previous Entries Next Entries »