FestPAC 2024

8 07 2024

Aloha, studio fans!

The events of FestPAC in Hawaii, the 11-day festival of Pacific Arts and Culture, are past, but its impact will be long lasting. Occurring last month in June, Kanaka Maoli in Hawaiʻi hosted the most diverse cultural gathering on the face of the planet, representing 27 Pacific Islands nations. 

The theme was “Hōʻoulu Lāhui —Regenerating Oceania” (or, “Increase and Preserve the Nation”). Another such event will not occur in Hawaiʻi for another 50 years.

I donʻt want you to think I had my head in the sand, hence this late post. My ʻohana and friends wanted to participate, but how to choose where to go? We watched the arrivals of the waʻa kaulua (double-hulled canoes) to O’ahu on television.

The next day we went down to nearby Hōkūleʻa Beach at Kualoa Regional Park where there were craft booths and music playing, as well as the canoes!



We ran into friends Kura & David Tovey there.

We went to Honolulu to the “Festival Village” at the Hawaii Convention Center. 

There I bought a souvenir flower for my hair from the Marshall Islands village. It’s woven from coconut leaf fiber. I ran into my Hawaiian language teacher Bill Keoua Nelsen, who is also a lauhala weaver. He was hosting a booth displaying woven lauhala crafts.

Bill Keoua Nelsen

My takeaway is that the Hawaiian Islands are at the top of the Pacific triangle, and that we would do well to look South of us for additional perspective to ideas West and East.

I just read that the Cook Islanders delegation arrived home at Rarotonga within the past 24 hours.

Be well.

~Rebekah


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Categories : About me, Hawaiian, Travel

June already?

15 05 2024

The middle of May is not too early to plan your arts social calendar.

We have these lined up to attend and enjoy: 

The Windward Choral Society’s concert “Birds, Beasts & Bugs,” 4 to 5:30 p.m., June 2, 2024, at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 148 Makawao Street, Kailua, Oʻahu.

“Collage and Clay” art show, June 5-28, 2024, The ARTS at Marks Garage gallery, 1159 Nuuanu Ave. at Pauahi street. Regular gallery hours are 12 to 5 pm daily.

Opening reception, 5 to 8 pm, June 7, 2024. Closing reception, 5 to 8 pm, June 28, 2024.

Hand-dyed tissue-paper collage, 22” x 28”, by Rebekah Luke

I have six hand-dyed tissue-paper collages in this group exhibit.

Maybe I’ll see you?! Be well.

~Rebekah

 


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Categories : About me, Fine Art, Music, Travel

Road trip from Kaʻaʻawa to Kāneʻohe

2 04 2024

Living in Windward Oʻahu, the closest “civilization” is  the town of Kāneʻohe. We go there for medical services, mall shopping, pet care, restaurants, car servicing—you get the idea.

Along Kamehameha highway, the main drag, I notice the various landmarks between here and there. Come along for the ride.

Approaching the ironwood trees

Kaʻaʻawa Valley

Hawaiian flag

Kualoa Ranch

Shell ginger

Monkeypod tree

Toward Kāneʻohe

The big tree near Kaʻiulani’s house

Doctors’ offices at Windward Mall

Charging station for the electric car

My ZipMin soup from Zippy’s restaurant. One size only!

Condiments at Zippy’s

Good meeting place

CVS

Be well.

~Rebekah 


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Categories : About me, Food, Travel

Art & music for December 2023

15 11 2023

Greetings, studio fans ~

A couple of community offerings where my “work” is represented are on the calendar for next month on Oʻahu:

One is an art show at ARTS at Marks Garage, corner of Nuuanu avenue and Pauahi street, for most of December. I can meet you at the First Friday evening reception there, too.

The other is the Windward Choral Society’s “Home for the Holidays” winter concert at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Kailua, 148 Makawao St., Kailua. I’m singing! More details in the accompanying images:


Holiday blessings, and be well!

~Rebekah


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Categories : Fine Art, Music, Travel

Support for the Windward Artists Guild

29 09 2023


My fine-art colleagues and I are pleased to invite you to Windward Artists Guild’s October exhibit at the Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden in Kāneʻohe. The entrance to the park is at the end of Luluku Road between Pali Highway and Likelike Highway. All the information is on the flyer above. If you would like to visit me in person and learn how I make my hand-dyed tissue-paper collages, I will be at the gallery on the mornings of October 11, 12, and 27.  Better yet, come to our reception from 12:30 to 3:30 pm on Sunday, October 8, where you can meet many more artists!

Be well. Art is healing.

~ Rebekah


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Categories : About me, Fine Art, Friends & Family, Travel

Riding the rail

3 08 2023

My friend Louise asked me if I had ridden the rail yet, and, if not, would I like to go with her sometime. She was talking about the Skyline, the name for the long-awaited Honolulu mass transit. She had the week off from teaching, so I said how about Thursday, meaning today. It was an adventure for us who live on the other side of Oʻahu. At first we couldn’t find the terminus at Hālawa near the Aloha Stadium, but a kind gentleman on a speaker at the entrance to the stadium (not where we wanted to go) pointed us in the right direction.

Louise drove to the correct parking lot (not the “Kiss and Ride” 10-minute spots for drivers just dropping somebody off). Never mind, there wasn’t anybody in the parking lot so we had our pick of free space on the asphalt. The train was, shall I say, “Empty.” But because there were no other passengers, we had unobstructed views from the Waianae Mountains to the Ewa plain and beyond. The view was from a higher viewpoint than the view from a car on the highway.

We rode from one terminus to the other and back again—a round trip. We could have gotten off at Pearlridge shopping center or in Waipahu, a town we hardly ever get to, but we just wanted to experience the ride.

The fare? You have to buy a Holo card which is a card on which you load money to pay for your fare, and it’s good for TheBus as well. Cash or credit, either way, and then like the trains and other subway systems in the country, just tap your card at the turnstile and you go. I hope the Skyline sees more riders. It does stop at Leeward Community College and near Pearlridge shopping center.

Here is my photo album:

Be well.

~Rebekah


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Categories : Travel

Waikīkī

16 07 2023


Many local residents avoid Waikīkī, a haven for tourists, some of who think that IS Hawaiʻi. I live in Windward O’ahu, a good 45 minutes of driving time away, and except for visiting friends, attending my Hawaiian language class, the occasional gig, or dinner at favorite restaurants, I am content to hang around here.

I made the exception yesterday to attend the Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival where my cousin-in-law Geri Valdriz was performing.

I arrived early, so I took a stroll through the Royal Hawaiian Hotel grounds nearby. I walked through the lobby and straight to the beach and was reminded why Waikīkī Beach was said to be a place for kings. The shore and the view of Leahi, or Diamond Head, are probably the same, but oh, so many people! After Geri played music, we were advised to skedaddle home to avoid the Waikīkī Moonlight Festival Block Party for which the main thoroughfare of Kalākaua avenue was closed. Here are my daytime images:

Royal Hawaiian Hotel

 

Coconut grove at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel

Old map in the Royal Hawaiian Hotel lobby

“There’s Diamond Head!” said one, said many.



 Powder room at the Royal Hawaiian 
Pink hibiscus matches the “Pink Palace”

 Cute matcha green tea flavored cream puff

Surfing off Kūhiō Beach

Steel guitarist Geri Valdriz and friends

Be well, and remember to apply the proper sunscreen before going outdoors.

~Rebekah 


Many local residents avoid Waikīkī, a haven for tourists, some of who think that IS Hawaiʻi. I live in Windward O’ahu, a good 45 minutes of driving time away, and except for visiting friends, attending my Hawaiian language class, the occasional gig, or dinner at favorite restaurants, I am content to hang around here.

I made the exception yesterday to attend the Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival where my cousin-in-law Geri Valdriz was performing.

I arrived early, so I took a stroll through the Royal Hawaiian Hotel grounds nearby. I walked through the lobby and straight to the beach and was reminded why Waikīkī Beach was said to be a place for kings. The shore and the view of Leahi, or Diamond Head, are probably the same, but oh, so many people! After Geri played music, we were advised to skedaddle home to avoid the Waikīkī Moonlight Festival Block Party for which the main thoroughfare of Kalākaua avenue was closed. Here are my daytime images:

Royal Hawaiian Hotel

 

Coconut grove at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel

Old map in the Royal Hawaiian Hotel lobby

“There’s Diamond Head!” said one, said many.



 Powder room at the Royal Hawaiian 
Pink hibiscus matches the “Pink Palace”

 Cute matcha green tea flavored cream puff

Surfing off Kūhiō Beach

Steel guitarist Geri Valdriz and friends

Be well, and remember to apply the proper sunscreen before going outdoors.

~Rebekah 


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Categories : About me, Friends & Family, Hawaiian, Music, Travel

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