Kaila Hawai'i

“Obsolète” by MC Solaar, just a great old school jam from 1994 off his second album Prose Combat. (I think 16 years can count as old school, especially in terms of the sound.)

I remember somehow getting my hands on Solaar’s album Prose Combat back at the old Tower Records in ‘95. I had no idea what Solaar was rapping about, the only thing I knew was that he trying to be marketed as an LL Cool J en français. Solaar’s style is smooth, but not like LL can if you remember the hooks on “Doin’ It”. Of course, this was before YouTube, when the only way to catch anything from abroad was satellite TV or some tape flown in. It was only last week that I came across the clip for “Obsolète” on YouTube. The first thing I notice is that Solaar is working a head-to-toe outfit that looks like Burberry… of course, before we saw that pattern everywhere, from umbrellas to underwear. That aside, what’s remarkable, it looks like everyone’s actually having a good time, even they were most likely all models hired for the gig.

Tags: 1994, France, French language, MC Solaar, rap

Today’s Hawaiian word of the day is nalu.

Nalu most commonly refers to the waves or surf of the moana, the ocean. It’s also a verb, showing the state of waves… Ke nalu nei ka moana, The ocean is full of waves.

Nalu carries more poetic, less obvious meanings, however.

In keeping with the concept of water and liquid, nalu is the amniotic fluid that surrounds and protects an unborn child.

To nalu is to mediate, ponder, contemplate. For some reason, the water imagery personally works well with this word, such as the tranquility created by the repetitive flow of waves. Or it’s the antithesis of  the idea of waves itself,  water free of waves, so calm and still that we can contemplate what is below… or a mind free of the waves of thought and mental disturbance.

All photography here used under Creative Commons license. Credits listed below:

• http://www.flickr.com/photos/quinnanya/ / CC BY-SA 2.0
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/solsken/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/ameotoko/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

Tags: Hawaiian language, Hawaiian word of the day, meditate, nalu, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi

Today’s Hawaiian word of the day is honua, or world, earth, or land. It may also mean fundamental.

There is a quite beautiful ʻōlelo noʻeau (traditional saying) that refers to this great earth of Kāne, the Hawaiian akua of fresh water and life.

Ka honua nui a Kāne i hōʻinana a ‘ahu kīnohinohi.

{The great Earth animated and adorned by Kāne.}

You can sense this greatness of the honua when you can gaze on a sight like the cliffs of Molokaʻi Nui a Hina above.

The creator of new land, the goddess Pele is also called ka wahine ʻai honua, the earth-eating woman.

For a word that seems to evoke such stability, honua can also mean quite the opposite. Its other meaning is suddenly or abruptly.

• Ua nalowale honua ʻo ia. She suddenly disappeared.

With all the challenges facing this honua nui a Kāne, may we all come together to protect this amazing creation.

Sources:

• Pukui, ʻŌlelo Noʻeau
• Pukui and Elbert, Hawaiian Dictionary.

Image used under Creative Commons license

Tags: Hawaiian language, Hawaiian Mythology, Hawaiian word of the day, ka honua nui a Kāne, Kāne, Pele, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi

Model: Angela Lindvall | Source: Models.com

We hold a special place in our hearts for the clean modernity and grace of Scandinavian design. Right now, we’re especially enamored of the Fusion Collection from Danish house Georg Jensen.

In this photo from the house’s gorgeous spring campaign from last year, American model Angela Lindvall (recently seen in Jimmy Choo’s hot campaign) is wearing the Bangle Fusion 1151 in Yellow, White, and Red 18 carat gold, White Gold Fusion Bangle with Diamonds, and a Fusion ring.

All pieces are available online at Georg Jensen. Or stop by in person at the Georg Jensen store at the Halekūlani Hotel. You may want to stop by at House without a Key for a signature mai tai to ease the wallet burn. Sometimes, good design does cost. But don’t the finer things always do?

Tags: Angela Lindvall, Fusion Collection, Georg Jensen, Halekulani, jewellery, Jimmy Choo, Scandinavian design

Today’s Hawaiian word of the day is one, or sand.

One kind of black sand, specifically that created from ʻaʻā lava (the rocky, slow-moving variety), is called one ʻā. The phrase can also refer to volcanic cinder as well as gunpowder.  Recounting the fiery power of Pele, the famous traditional hula “Puʻu Onioni” speaks of one ʻā in its third verse:

Lauahi Pele i kai o Puna

One ʻā kai o Malama

(Pele destroys by fire towards the sea of Puna /The black cinder seaward of Malama)

Here Kumu Hula Kawaikapuokalani Hewett performs “Puʻu Onioni” standing, maile lei in hand:

One is the base of an especially beautiful Hawaiian expression, one hānau. Literally mean “birth sands”, one hānau means birthplace or homeland, especially referring to Hawaiʻi. When I was living far away from home, the expression would always come to my mind. Hawaiʻi has been and always be my one hānau.

One hānau makes a noteworthy appearance in Rev. Lorenzo Lyons’ famous song “Hawaiʻi Aloha”, which is often sung at the end of many different gatherings and community events. However,  I find very often that, when people sing the song, the mood is usually very somber. But the lyrics are joyful, inspiring us with the love for our one hānau, our lāhui, Hawaiʻi. It’s the one song that usually gets me every time I hear it, much more so than “Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī”. Hereʻs the first verse and chorus

E Hawaiʻi, e kuʻu one hānau ē

Kuʻu home kulāiwi nei

ʻOli au i nā pono lani ou

E Hawaiʻi aloha ē

Hui

E hauʻoli nā ʻōpio o Hawaiʻi nei

ʻOli ē! ʻOli ē!

Mai nā aheahe makani e pā mai nei

Mau ke aloha, no Hawaiʻi…

(Hawaiʻi sands of my birth/ My homeland / I rejoice in the blessings from the heavens / Beloved Hawaiʻi..

CHORUS: Be happy youth of Hawaiʻi / Rejoice, rejoice! / From the breezes that are blowing / Forever is my love for Hawaiʻi)

This clip from the late Israel Kamakawiwoʻole is sure to give you the gist of it.

The above photos are used through the Creative Commons license. Credit below:

First photo information here. Second photo at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacylouwho/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

Tags: Big Island, Hawaiian language, Hawaiian word of the day, Hawaiʻi Aloha, Hawaiʻi Island, hula, Kawaikapuokalani Hewett, one, one hānau, one ʻā, Puna, Puʻu Onioni, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi

By this time, everyone has heard of the major earthquake that struck Haiti in the Caribbean.

There are several easy ways that you can donate an assist relief efforts and ease the massive human suffering that is taking place. Even the smallest amount can help.

1. Text Haiti to 90999 in order to easily donate $10 to the Red Cross relief effort. See info on the American Red Cross blog.
2. Text Yele to 501501 to donate to Yéle  Haiti, a grassroot movement to help Haiti.
3. Apple has set up an easy-to-use donation page on iTunes. Donate $5, $10, $25, $50, $100 or $200.
4. Donate online on the secure Yéle Haiti donate webpage.
5. Donate online to the American Red Cross here.

Please keep the people of Haiti in your thoughts and prayers as they make their way out of this crisis.

Tags: American Red Cross, Disaster Relief, Earthquake Relief, Haiti, Yéle Haiti

Today’s Hawaiian word of the day is waiūpa‘a, or cheese.

Admittedly, waiūpa‘a is not one of the first culinary words to pop in my head when I’m thinking in Hawaiian. The usual words are poke, ‘uala, or ‘awa. But waiūpa‘a became part of my vocabulary by a happy surprise when visiting Whole Foods Kāhala a few months ago. Though Hawaiian is an official language of Hawai‘i, public visual displays remain few, place and street signs asides.

So when I actually was headed into cheese section, my eye was drawn to the signage displayed beneath selections of brie, tallegio, and manchego signs, all of them annoucning “Waiūpa‘a”, complete with obligatory macron and glottal stops. It was the first time I could remember any supermarket signage being in Hawaiian. This may seems small to some, but I took it as an immediately good hō‘ailona, or sign, that our language is well on its way into the 21^st century. Just as any look at the Hawaiian newspaper archives will demonstrate, ka ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i was successfully used to discuss a whole, worldly array of people, places and things.

Tags: Hawaiian language, Hawaiian word ofthe day, Whole Foods, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi

[Image source: model.com]

This season, the campaign for Calvin Klein Collection for me took a different direction from last season. While Francisco Costa’s collection for women delved into the organic, award-winning Italo Zucchelli went right into the future. Some of the jackets out of the spring 2010 and this past fall 2009 collections would have beenquite  perfect for last year’s Star Trek.

But I digress… I’m loving the shimmer and shine of the new campaign by famed photograher Steven Klein. Model David Agbodji is a real standout and a refreshing change in look for the brand if you catch my drift. After all, diversity is something tobe appreciated. Futhermore, he is one of the models that was able to master the slick, futuristic walk for the Calvin Klein Collection spring show while some of his fellow models looked more like stilted androids.

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Tags: Calvin Klein Collection, David Agbodji, Grace Jones, Italo Zucchelli, Spring 2010 Campaigns, Steven Klein

Photographed by David Sims, the new Spring 2010 Calvin Klein Collection for women campaign features Monica Jagaciak, also known as Jac. This is her second, and back-to-back, appearance for Calvin Klein Collection. Jac has already been hailed as the new face of Calvin Klein going into the new decade. [via Fashion Gone Rogue]

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Tags: advertising, Calvin Klein Collection, Chris Isaak, Christy Turlington, David Sims, Eternity, Geroge Nakashima, Helen Christensen, Herb Ritts, Jac, models, Monica Jagaciak, nineties, Spring 2010 Campaigns, Wicked Game

Today’s Hawaiian word of the day is uli, a word with a rich depth of meaning.

Uli can refer to any dark color from the black of dark clouds to the blue of the deep ocean to the verdant green of cliffs. Even the dark color of a bruise, such as a black eye, can be described as uli. The reduplicated word uliuli describes color more directly.

According to the Hawaiian Dictionary, uli is sometimes avoided in poetic compositions as Uli is also the name of a goddess of sorcery. Keeping in line with the metaphysical, uli is also short ʻōuli, or omen.

However, uli is not a negative word in the end. For instance, it forms part of the name Paliuli, or Green Cliff, literally, a mythical land of joy and home of Lāʻieikawai.

In more mundane matters, uli can also refer to the act of steering a canoe or a variety of Hawaiian sweet potato.

Source:

• Pukui and Elbert, Hawaiian Dictionary

Please note photos above are from the links below, under the Creative Commons license.

Tags: Hawaiian culture, Hawaiian language, Hawaiian Mythology, Paliuli, uli, uliuli, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi