Kaila Hawai'i

Brazil has long inhabited its own corner, specially reserved in my imagination, right between powdery, pristine beaches and the perfect 4 am party.  The country’s relaxed sensuality and sophistication has always seemed so mystically familiar, though it’s a place that I’ve never managed to get to… despite years of listening to bossa nova and Brazilian electronica, downing caipirinhas on two continents, and simple daydreaming.

My web wanderings this week led me to Brazil twice. The first time was through one of those great “36 Hours In…” articles from the New York Times, circa 2007. The story was all about São Paulo. Two stunning photos (seen above) caught me by surprise. The first is on top of a totally groovy Paulista hotel, photographed against the city skyline; the other is simply the Brazilian manifestation of my dream coffee house.

The second web adventure, thanks to Made in Brazil blog, led us to photographer’s new book from Taschen, MaRIO DE JANEIRO Testino. Unhibited and sensual. While I don’t share the photographer’s penchant for youth, some of those capture the Carioca vibe. The book is available directly from Taschen ($39.95), and you can (web)browse the book before. (Akahele… FYI, this one is not for the kids, but of course, not all artistic things should be G-Rated.)

Of course, it may seem odd to some to be dreaming of Brazil while living in Hawai’i. But personally speaking, there seems to be a sense of freedom, liberation, and sensuality in Brazil that has been all too often stifled on our own shores, whether it be aesthetically, morally,  or socially. And let me add, I know my ancestors centuries ago were not ashamed of the beauty of the human body and the joy of human relationships… prior to the arrival of a certain group of puritans in the 19th century. After all, sometimes, you need to travel elsewhere—even just mentally, just through a few photos–to see what you are missing or have forgotten to embrace at home. So dreaming of Brazil has reminded me to go outside and enjoy the sun and the Moaʻe, the gracious tradewinds that have returned after a steamy week of vog, and shed some of those stuffy inhibitions that periodically manage to close in and block out the light.

Tags: Brazil, Mario Testino, pa`i ki`i-photography, Rio de Janiero, São Paulo

Makahiki is just around the corner! On November 17, 2009, the traditional Hawaiian new year begins with the rise of Makali‘i, or the Pleiades, in our skies. With it comes Ho‘oilo, the wet, rainy season, when the deity Lono returns again to dwell in Hawai‘i for four months. This season, we’re taking Makahiki as a time to return to nature, reflect and express our gratitude for what we have received , and gather with friends and family in order to give Makahiki the just place it deserves in our lives.

As Makahiki approaches, keep track of the Hawaiian lunar calendar with the new Ke Ala O Ka Mahina 2010 Moon Calendar published by Kamehameha Publishing and Hui Maoli Ola. (Guess where we got the exact date for Makahiki?) We’re especially fond of the online calendar application, where you can see the current pō (literally “night”), or traditional lunar day, and sense how our ancestors perceived the flow of time.

Tags: Hawaiian lunar calendar, Makahiki/Hawaiian New Year, Makali'i/Pleiades

Kaila Hawaiʻi would like to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of Princess Victoria Kawēkiu Lunalilo Kalaninuiahilapalapa Kaʻiulani, who was born on October 16, 1875. The heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi, Kaʻiulani led a life that struck a balance between things Hawaiian and Western. Kaʻiulani spoke Hawaiian, English, French and German. She was skilled enough on the violin to play Chopin. At the same time, she was found of the ocean, excelling in traditional pastimes like surfing and ocean swimming. While she could have stayed on in Europe where she had been studying, she decided to return to Hawaiʻi to be with her people following the news of the annexation of the kingdom in 1893. On her way home to Hawaiʻi, she traveled through the United States to make a plee for the kingdom. Unfortunately, Kaʻiulani’s life was not to be a long one. She passed away in the early morning of March 6, 1899 at the age of 23. Nevertheless, her life remains to be an inspiration despite the passing of time.

ʻO ka lā 16 o ʻOkakopa ma ka makahiki 1875 ka lā hānau o ke Kamāliʻi Wahine Victoria Kawēkiu i Lunalilo Kalaninuihilapalapa. No laila, ma hope o ka lā hoʻomanaʻo o kona lā hānau, ke hū mai nei ko mākou aloha nui no kēia aliʻi wahine kaulana o Hawaiʻi nei. ʻOiai nui kona ʻike o nā mea haole, ʻoi aku ka nui o kona aloha no ka lāhui Hawaiʻi. Hala akula ʻo ke Aliʻi Wahine ma ke kakahiaka nui ma ka lā 6 o Malaki ma ka makahiki 1899. E hoʻomanaʻo a hoʻohanohano kākou a pau iā Kaʻiulani!