Category: Living Life

  • Kobumaki: Okinawan Lau Lau

    Recipe by Joyce Shimabukuro, written by her grandniece, Cynthia Arnold This kobumaki recipe has been passed down and enjoyed through many generations of my Okinawan family — from my great-grandma Nagamine to my grand-aunty, Joyce Shimabukuro, age 98, and now to her daughter, my Aunty Lisa. But my dad, Cliff Goya, with help from my…

  • Celebrating the Okinawan Culture

    Since more than 1,500 years ago, Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) have welcomed immigrants from every corner of the globe, cultivating and perpetuating a tapestry of diverse cultures. In the fourth article in this ongoing series on the many cultures that comprise Hawai‘i, we focus on how the Okinawan people arrived in the Hawaiian Islands, their…

  • 125th Anniversary of Okinawans in Hawai‘i

    This year, the Hawaii United Okinawa Association (HUOA) proudly celebrates the 125th anniversary of Okinawan immigration to Hawai‘i — a milestone that not only marks our history, but also acknowledges the resilience, achievements and cultural legacy of our ancestors. Since the arrival of the first 26 Okinawan immigrants in 1900, the community has grown into…

  • Bonsai Made Easy for Beginners

    Bonsai (tray planting) is a Japanese art form that originated from the Chinese practice of “penjing” from the 6th century. Eventually it was redeveloped under the Japanese Zen Buddhism representing peace, harmony and strength. TOOLSThe first things to consider as a beginner creating a bonsai are the basic tools: various types and sizes of shears…

  • Mom’s Chi Chi Dango

    Mochi was a rare treat when I was growing up, so I ate my fill of it at family gatherings on New Year’s Day: delicious homemade zenzai, nantu (Okinawan mochi), mochi filled with sweet bean paste and my favorite — soft, pillowy chi chi dango. This is my mother’s version. Ingredients 16 oz. box of…

  • Celebrating the Japanese Culture

    Since more than 1,500 years ago, Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) have welcomed immigrants from every corner of the globe, cultivating and perpetuating a tapestry of diverse cultures. In this third article in our series about the many cultures that comprise Hawai‘i, we will focus on the Japanese — how they arrived here, their culture and…

  • Flying Solo

    You may now find yourself single or maybe you have been single for years. You’ve managed a home, raised children and worked 40-plus hours a week in a demanding, often stressful job. I’ve been single for several years, so cooking for one and maintaining a home were things I had already conquered. Pat yourself on…

  • Beware of Going-Out-of-Business Sales

    Seeing the big signs and online ads that say “Going Out of Business! Everything Must Go!” can be tempting, but these sales aren’t always what they seem. Fake “online sale” websites: Scammers create fake websites advertising clearance sales, pretending to be popular brands. You place an order, get a tracking number but nothing arrives. Others…

  • Gateball Revived

    Having completed 80 orbits around the sun, I was part of a tour to the Blue Zone Village, Ogimi, Okinawa, last spring. Researchers have found that Blue Zone areas share nine lifestyle habits that contribute to extraordinarily long lifespans. But when we asked the village elders about the secret to their well-known longevity, they replied…

  • Talking Story on Moloka‘i

    One of the most treasured traditions in Hawai‘i is “talking story.” This Pidgin phrase can refer to something as simple as chatting about life events and the news of the day, or as complex as passing on generational wisdom and sharing concerns and hopes for the future. The Molokai History Project (MHP) has held several…

  • Hawai‘i’s Dancing Queen

    “You are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only 17,” say the lyrics of ABBA’s signature hit of the ’70s. Claire Groom, a 75-year old student at Aloha Ballroom Company, has rewritten those lyrics by dancing her way to victory at the Holiday Dance Classic, a prestigious national ballroom dance competition held at the Luxor…

  • Local-Style Kalo Chowder

    I “invented” this kalo (taro) chowder during the COVID shutdown, a time when we were trying to support the local farmers who were struggling to move their produce. My daughter knows a farmer who gave us a lot of his kalo. At one point, we had so much, I had to find a creative way…