Meditation

21 11 2012

For the Hawaiian Makahiki and the American Thanksgiving season, Rebekah’s Studio offers a meditation from 2008.

“In This Place”

Here, in this place, I am thankful for
The feeling of peace
The sea the ocean the waves
The green mountains — that there are mountains
The peach and lavender sky — only here
The sunrises and the starlit skies
The Hawaiian people and how we love each other
The genuineness and the caring
How we all appreciate
That we can grow our food and touch the ʻāina
That we have fresh water and clean air
That we hold on to our values and cherish our relationships
That our keiki have a place to play
That it is easy to see our Source.
Just look around!
 
~ Rebekah Oe-Len Kehaulani Luke

Reprinted from ‘Umeke Writings: An Anthology, edited by Rebekah Luke and Meleanna Meyer, published by Na Kamalei—K.E.E.P., 2008  (ISBN: 978-1-935111-00-9).


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Thank you for all my relations

24 11 2011

Thanksgiving Day 2011.

I am an only child, and actually an orphan, as my friend reminded me when my parents died (ha!), yet I have a family. More than one!

I made this photo of my immediate family, sans pets, this past October.

I consider my immediate family, now, as me, my darling husband (DH), his daughter who is now married and has her own family including Miss Marvelous; and we can’t forget Alice Brown and Ula. Socially our family name is Krape, though daughter didn’t hesitate to change hers to Hylton. As I write this, all of us are expecting the birth of Miss Marvelous’s new sister, any day, any minute!

My first immediate family. Me, my momma, my daddy. Here we are, I as a toddler.

Fo-Tsin, Arthur, and Rebekah Luke

Some of the Sinclairs: Cherie & David, Ivalee, Ruth & Terry, Sarah, Karl & Julie, & Kathy in front of the White House when Mom got the Jefferson Award for public service in 2008

My hanai family the Sinclairs. Around the time I finished high school and when my parents divorced, when I was not quite mature enough nor emotionally equipped to be on my own, a wonderful kamaaina family with father, mother, and six children accepted me into their home to live. The eldest daughter Margaret was my best friend at Punahou.

Sunday family dinners at The Sinclairs’ are legendary. I was given the honor of delivering Doc Sinclair’s eulogy. Mom Ivalee is in her mid-80s, still works (!), and today she is having Thanksgiving dinner at her house as always, with David, Ruth, Karl, Brian, me and our families or partial families present. I’m baking and bringing the rolls. By the way, Doc Sinclair did deliver Barack Obama.

My Chong cousins. These are my relatives on my mother Fo-Tsin’s side. She was the youngest of 15 children who all were born and grew up in North Kohala. Most of my cousins are still on Oahu. Some are overseas in North America, one is in Asia, and another is in Australia. We’re having a family reunion next year, with a revisit to our ancestral homeland getting top billing. It’s really fun to plan this event, and I hope many of my cousins will turn out for it. The mailing labels number 85 families, but I should have more! I love helping to plan our reunions, though this might be the last one for which I’m the point person.

Isn't this a funny image? Mark Lum, my first cousin once removed, made this photo of the Third Generation Chongs photographing the Fourth Generation at a family gathering this summer. I'm in the red pants, vertically challenged as usual.

My Luke cousins. Ah, my dad Arthur’s side, the Hawaiian-Chinese side. This is a good-sized family as well; Dad was one of 13. By their nature the Lukes did not/do not stay in touch like the Chongs. They moved all over, often divorced and remarried. Some were loners. After my father died in 2003, I made it a point to visit my Aunty Julia in Stockton, California, who was Dad’s eldest sister and last-living sibling living with her daughter Loris Ann.

The occasion brought my girl cousins together. It was great to see Laureen, Lorene, and Loris Ann in California, and Bee in Colorado, share stories and meet their spouses and children. One time before that, to add to the research of my genealogy, I phoned them to re-introduce myself as Uncle Arthur’s daughter and quizzed them about how many more relatives I had. For Christmas I sent them the family tree as a gift. I am so glad I met them again as an adult, in person.

Rebekah (from left), Laureen, and Loris Ann with Aunty Julia in Stockton, 2004

My good, good friends. Although we’re not related by blood, these friends have seen me at my best and at my worst. We might not see or talk to each other regularly—years can go by, but when we do meet again, it is as if we were never apart, and we just pick up where we left off. We’re at ease together. If I am ever in need, I know I can call on them and they won’t let me down. They’re “family.”

I feel blessed to have these relationships and so many more. I am thankful, for you, too, dear reader! We are One. Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! I love you.

P.S. Oh, I haven’t forgotten my in-laws: DH’s brother-sister-aunts-cousins. That’s another clan.

Copyright 2011 Rebekah Luke

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New chapter for the old Chong house

12 11 2011

In the last chapter, Rebekah, DH, cousin Nathan, and cousin Ann left North Kohala without seeing Grandfather Chong’s house. It was no longer on the former Bond Estate land in Ainakea! A neighbor said the house was hauled away on a truck. Where, oh, where was it now?

Back on Oahu in June 2011 I searched the internet for the folks who lived in the house once, when it was the Kohala Family Homeschooling Learning Center run by Kether — names I didn’t recall until I saw them on the web. Kether confirmed the house and the one next to it were hauled away on a truck. In fact, she would give me the name and number of the man who took them. Thomas A. Quinlan.

Mr. Quinlan rescues historical buildings, finds other land for them, and restores them. It’s his passion.

Map of Kohala district, Hawaii

North Kohala highlighted on a map of Hawaii island.

He said one of the houses was in Waimea (about 40 minutes drive away) with a veterinarian, and the other was behind Kita Store, the little green one right on the highway on the way out of Hawi going toward Kona ( about 5 minutes away). A new family was ready to move in.

While on the telephone I’d written in my notes where “our” house was and where the “bachelors'” house was. My grandmother cooked for the bachelors next door during her time at Ainakea.

After we hung up, I looked at my notes, but I didn’t trust them. My slight dyslexia sometimes causes me to reverse elements of pairs if the information comes in too fast. Which house was where? Shucks. It’s a long time before our August 2012 reunion that we’re planning for Kohala (hence the house search); I’ll verify the site later, I thought.

Meanwhile, after seeing the photos on my blog, Mr. Quinlan posted a comment:

“Your family house is still alive and well in Kohala. I moved it to a friend’s place so that it could be cared for and restored. That is exactly what is happening. It is looking beautiful.”

Enter cousin Jim, our family genealogist, here on vacation from the University of Melbourne (Australia) to update our family history. “Let’s go to Kohala,” he suggested. “I’m not sure my teaching schedule will allow me to come to Hawaii next August.”

Immediately DH said, “Rebekah, I think you should go. You still have something to do there.”

Kohala rainbow seen from the guest cottage

Jim’s aunt, who is my first cousin Elly, arranged for us to stay overnight in a private guest cottage at Kahua Ranch up in the mountains. It would be all right, as she would be there too. I emailed Tom Quinlan to ask about the houses again. As Jim and I left for Kohala, no reply.

Last Tuesday afternoon we drove down to Hawi looking for Kita Store. There were several painted green on that main street, and none named Kita. The realty office that helped me on the last trip was open, so in we marched to ask.

Afternoon sun casts our shadows across the Kita Store storefront, with abandoned produce bins. Through the window we saw shelves and fixtures as in a dry goods store.

We learned that Kita Store was closed, in cobwebs, and a little farther down the highway pass the theater. The kind woman in the office provided us with a detailed description, and pinpointed the property for us on a map.

The house we found in Hawi didn’t look right to me. Nope. I don’t think so. I think this was the bachelor’s house, I said to Jim. No one was home. It began to rain, and we quickly took the opportunity to take some snapshots of the exterior. In the morning we would call the vet in Waimea.

We then went to Ainakea so Jim could see that, indeed, no house was there anymore.

Cousin Jim at Ainakea, former site of his Great Grandfather Chong's house

On the drive up the mountain back to the Ranch, I remembered my friend Phil was now working at a ranch in Kohala, but I wasn’t sure which ranch or if there was more than one ranch. At supper around the kitchen table in the main house I asked the owner Monty Richards if Phil worked there. Yep, he’s here, he works in the shop.

Phillip Oveland is a professional motocross racer, the nephew of my good friend Andrea who lives across the stream from my studio. We’ve played poker together, but I don’t see him much since he moved to Hawaii island. I could pay him a visit in the morning.

Late that evening I saw the email reply from Tom Quinlan. He was in Ireland restoring an old castle and would be back in Kohala next week. The house behind Kita Store needed to be moved again, he wrote, and he was looking for a suitable spot. Did I know of a place? His inference (by me) was that it was our ancestral family home. I still wasn’t convinced and again reviewed comparison photos. One clue was the roof. It was white while the roof of the one we were really searching for was red.

After breakfast I phoned the vet’s office, and he was out of town until . . . next week! His staff knew of the house I asked about, and yes, I should wait until the doctor came back. I left my name and number. Guess I could ask for him to send a picture. Later.

Me and Phil

There was not much to do now except see Phil. He bounced down the stairs. “Rebekah!” So welcoming. He introduced Jim and me to Jean, his trainer. When we told our story, Jean said, “I know exactly where that house is.”

Jean told us where to go. We did. And, without a doubt, we found Grandfather Chong’s house sitting comfortably against a beautiful backdrop of the misty hills of Waimea, still under restoration and looking beautiful and well cared for.

Our family's old house from Ainakea has new life in Waimea. We're thrilled!

Current view of the side of the house that used to face Akoni Pule Highway

Copyright 2011 Rebekah Luke

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Something old, something new

14 10 2011

New addition to my collection — hand-carved wooden sculpture, approx. 3.75″W x 3.5″H x 3.5″D

This small, dark wooden sculpture of a seated man bent over with his hands covering his face caught my eye at a silent auction earlier this month. I picked up the piece — smooth, curved, with interesting hand-carved detail all around, about the size of a large softball. The man appeared to be created from a single piece of pretty-grained hardwood.

He felt comforting to hold in my hands. Really interesting. I showed it to a friend looking over my shoulder who mentioned it was a Buddha. But I’d not seen a Buddha like this before. He wore a loin cloth, and his legs were crossed, but not in a lotus position. I couldn’t see his eyes. In any case, I thought he would complement my Kwan Yin statue.

I dared to place my bid. Nothing to lose unless I won. DH muttered, “Too low.” At the end of the day, nothing. “Oh well,” I thought. A full week later, the Daughters of Hawaii who had presented “A Day at Queen Emma Summer Palace” and ran the auction phoned. I’d won!

When I asked, the museum had no information about the item to give me, and I was still unfamiliar with this figure. My friends at dinner — I’d rushed to claim the prize on my way to meet Susan and Becky in Waikīkī — had not seen him either as I pulled out my treasure from the bottom of my handbag, but they agreed he felt good to hold.

Later that evening I Googled “man bent over with hands in face statue”. It turns out he is “The Weeping Buddha” who “takes away the grief and troubles of the world. In return, he bestows peace and provides strength to all those who rub his back.” Did you know about The Weeping Buddha? http://www.buddhagroove.net/television/ My cousin Paul who’s a frequent visitor to Japan said smaller versions are very popular as netsuke.

I’ll be rubbing my Weeping Buddha’s back every day. 😉

P.S. As I get ready to publish this post, I notice as of this moment there have been 20,035 visits to Rebekah’s Studio. Thanks, everybody, for stopping by! ~ RL

Copyright 2011 Rebekah Luke

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Feel better by looking toward the stars

9 08 2011

You'll likely be pleasantly surprised at the food from this hut at the end of Heeia Pier.


Sometimes life makes me grouchy. Other times it feels like the stars are aligned. Today my lucky stars aligned.

My frequent route from the studio takes me to Kaneohe for water exercise at Pohai Nani’s heated pool.

Last month I was sidelined with a physical pain that I can only be sure is a characteristic of aging, as neither my physician, naturopath, physical therapist nor radiologist can pinpoint anything else.

Just because something shows up in a test doesn’t mean it’s the cause of pain, they concurred.

My trainer Malia (I call her my trainer, but her correct title is exercise specialist) at Pohai Nani said, “It could be anything.” She suggested a visit to the doctor. A couple days later, my cousin in his 80s assured me, after I mentioned my problem, “You know, this is just the beginning.”

This “problem” made me grouchy. All I felt like doing was … well, I didn’t feel like doing much of anything.

With the various therapies and time, including Reiki on myself, I’m improving, feeling finer. Hallelujah! Still, though, as the saying goes, there are some good days and some bad days.

This morning Malia said she was outfitting her bicycle and planned to add some cycling to her exercise routine. She was also in a competition to lose some weight. On an impulse I said I’d join her.

Bicycling on the tandem is something I can do with DH. We used to do that a lot when he raced, even taking our bicycle on neighbor-island and continental trips. We were our thinnest then.

Malia’s goal is to shed 30 pounds. Mine is to reduce by 20. That’s a total of 50 pounds between us, all by Thanksgiving Day.

I reloaded the free Lose It! ap to my iPhone to show I was serious. All I do is program my goal, enter what I eat and my daily activity, and it automatically calculates the remaining calories I may have. I think I have a good chance of meeting my goal because I’ve already started to change my diet after reading the book Anticancer. Please see my previous post.

After the pool and some errands, I swung by Heeia Pier for lunch and scored a good parking place, step one. The place has become popular with the breakfast/lunch crowd, and sometimes I have to park on the far side of the boat ramp. Looking at the menu board and considering food choices and my lack of cash — pay day for me is tomorrow, and I robbed my parking meter fund of quarters today — I picked “stir-fried veggies” for $3 and an honest cup of coffee for 50 cents.

Chef Mark Noguchi, formerly of the restaurant Town in Honolulu, is a hard worker. He prepares food fresh and from scratch, so usually there’s a wait. Darn it, I wasn’t quick enough to put in my order ahead of five firefighters (firefighters — that in itself is complimentary of the good grinds at Heeia Pier), and when it became my turn, the word was “no more.”

Gooch — that’s his nickname — must have seen my face fall. Or I must have looked hungry. He said the vegetables didn’t look good enough to serve, so he’d just pulled the item from the menu. “What kind of vegetables do you want?” he asked. “Anything. If they’re fresh,” I said.

Returning from the reefer he said he’d make me some. Before the firefighters got their plates, Gooch brought me a light and tasty medley of eggplant, turnip, onion all from JAWS (Just Add Water, a CSA community-supported agriculture group) in Waimanalo, and watercress from his relative’s farm.

Watercress stir fried with eggplant, turnip, and onion

Half way into it he brought out—on the house—another dish on a real ceramic plate, not a disposable plate: a slice of pan-fried pa‘i‘ai (hand-pounded taro from Daniel Anthony and Anuenue Punua of Mana Ai), topped with a fresh salad of chilled local tomato and cucumber, very very lightly dressed in a barely sweet sesame vinaigrette,  and sprinkled with a little pepper and sea salt.

Taro tomato cucumber salad

Can you believe it?!  Now that’s classy. Not just the food, but the customer service too!

Committed to serving organic and/or locally grown food as much as possible, Chef Noguchi sometimes goes into the field to harvest the ingredients personally.

If you go to Heeia Pier and he’s not busy, ask if there is anything else not on the regular menu that’s being served up that day. You never know!

I think if you caught a fish out there from the pier, he might cook it for you too (if you cleaned it first ;-)), just like it used to be local style.

So healthy. So delicious. So unprocessed. Thank you for bringing beautiful food to the windward side. Thanks to the local farmers (we can patronize the farm bureau-sponsored farmers markets). And thanks to all who support local farmers by buying organic or locally grown fruits, vegetables and meats.

The stars align, but I suspect intention helps.

Copyright 2011 Rebekah Luke

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Categories : Food, Reiki Healing

Gathering kukui nuts and re-landscaping for a play space

18 09 2010

Aged kukui nuts prior to cleaning and polishing into Hawaiian jewelry

The studio and its surrounding garden of fruit trees and raised vegetable beds is not my choice for a toddler to play in, so I’ve cleared out the heliconia under the avocado tree to plant a soft thick green ground cover of clover with Miss Marvelous in mind. She likes to explore and play in the outdoors.

Those following the progress of Miss Marvelous may see what she looks like at 16 months this September. I snapped this image in the car on a shopping trip. She loves shopping!

The heliconia patch was there since purchasing our place. It has survived with not much care for more than 26 years. When the patch was full and thriving, gathering the fallen avocados in August was like hunting for Easter eggs in a forest.

Off and on since trimming the plants to the ground I’ve dug up roots, runners, sprouts, as well as rusty iron pieces from the old VW bug, now in its last disintegration phase.

Just by running my fingers through the coarse soil, I found lots of old, old kukui nuts, whole ones and halves of different colors—black, brown, white, multi—from the neighbor-in-the-back’s tree on the other side of the panax hedge. They were easy to find, a meditative search akin to shell seeking.  In all our years here I never gathered many.

Today I thought I’d rescue the nuts for my friend Kamakea who turns them into jewelry, and I saved them for her.

The kukui fruit with its outer skin covering or husk still intact. On the tree they are a gray-green color.

Next I looked for kukui nuts that were freshly fallen for another friend, Cathy, who makes inamona, a roasted nutmeat relish mashed with paakai (salt) and used in Hawaiian cuisine.

It is a long process to prepare inamona, about as long as it takes to make kukui nut jewelry. Cathy said, as long as the outer covering is still intact, it’s good for inamona. Kukui nuts are seasonal, and they are starting to fall now.

Sure enough, in and among the fallen dried leaves in the corner of the lot were these round fruit. So I scooped those up too. When I have a few more, I’ll deliver them to Cathy.

The kukui tree (Aleurites moluccana) is amazing. It has many uses. It is a canoe plant originally brought to the Hawaiian Islands by Polynesians who arrived here by canoe. You can spot the tree in the mountains by looking for light, mint-green-colored leaves.

In Hawaiian culture the kukui is one of the kinolau (forms taken by a supernatural) of the Hawaiian pig god Kamapuaa; the shape of the leaf resembles the head and ears of a puaa (pig). Freshly plucked leaves with stems on are arranged together by knotting the stems make beautiful lei (wreaths). In laau lapaau (Hawaiian medicine), the mashed kernel, as in inamona, is a laxative and prescribed for relieving constipation.

It is often called the candlenut tree. Kukui means light. Hawaiians skewered the oily kernels and burned them for light. The oil is the preferred oil for polishing wooden utensils for food, such as umeke (bowls) and platters. You can now find the oil on the commercial market as a cooking oil and in cosmetics.

The kukui tree also provides wonderful shade. Mahalo e ke Akua! Combined with the canopy of the avocado tree and a ground carpet of hardy clover, I envision a delightful play space for Miss Marvelous. She’ll just have to duck during the month when the fruit fall.

Copyright 2010 Rebekah Luke

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Mango from heaven

1 07 2010

Oh joy! I found a gift in the healing space and turned it into a refreshing summer treat. A similar thing happened last season, about the time I launched this blog. I was thinking to myself, “I’m hungry,” when I glanced in the garden and saw one luscious fruit on the ground. Its name is Hayden (or Haden). Mahalo e ke Akua!

Fresh mango

a la mode

Recipe: Run a knife around the waist of the fruit (NOT through the stem end), twist apart into halves, twist pit to remove (over the sink, eat pulp around seed before discarding), fill cavity with vanilla ice cream. Enjoy immediately. Mmmm, good.

Copyright 2010 Rebekah Luke

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