Kauai History and Clothing
Hawaiian requirements for shelter and clothing were minimal due to their tropical climate. The first Polynesian canoe voyagers brought wauke plants (paper mulberry) with them to continue producing kapa. Kapa was a fabric made by native Hawaiians from the bast fibres of certain species of trees and shrubs like wauke, mamaki, oloa, `akala, or hau plant fibers. It was a time-consuming, labor-intensive process, but Hawaiian kapa (bark cloth) had many useful functions in everyday life in early Hawaii. As kapa in Hawaii evolved, its quality surpassed that of any other region displaying a wide variety of textures, weights, and designs.
The basic garments were a malo (loincloth) for men, a pa`u (skirt) for women and a kihei (rectangular shawl) for both. All were made of kapa. Hawaiians used a number of unique techniques including producing watermarks with patterned beaters, printing designs with bamboo stamps, achieving the colors green and blue with vegetable dyes, and beating perfumed flora into the cloth to impart a fragrance. At least 68 individual types of kapa were produced, each with a specific name. Kapa was used for many things other than clothing, including bedding or sheet material and as banners or as wrapping material. Kapa, the fine and softly-rendered bark cloth of ancient Hawai‘i, was an integral part of every important phase of one’s life – from birth and marriage and death. Kapa enfolded newborns, united two souls beneath a single marriage kapa, and protected the remains of departed loved ones.
Other garments included ti leaf capes which provided protection against cold or rain. Ali`i wore feather capes, cloaks, helmets and lei as signs of rank and status. Made from the feathers of hundreds or thousands of birds attached to a mesh backing, feather garments used striking geometric patterns, most often in yellow and red. Since only a few feathers were taken from each bird caught, which was then released, gathering the feathers for one cape could take decades or even generations.
Orchid Vanda Care
Vanda (pronounced VAN-dah) orchids are mostly warm and full sun growing plants with colorful flowers, including blue, red, orange, and yellow. Originating in tropical Asia, they are easily grown in warm climates, and the show from one spike can last for eight weeks or more, and vigorous plants, can often bloom twice a year.
Vanda Light
They enjoy full sun in the morning and afternoon, but shading at mid day. Their leaves should be a light green color, and a darker green color indicates too little sun.
Vanda Temperatures
Temperatures for this orchid should be warm and humid for optimum plant growth. The ideal day temperature is 75-85 degrees F., while the ideal night temperature is 65-75 degrees F. Warmer temperatures mean faster growth, which must be balanced with higher humidity, air movement, and increased water and fertilizer.
Vanda Water
These orchids are epiphytes in nature, and are used to drying out between the rains of their natural habitat. Water should be applied copiously when the plants are growing, but the roots must dry quickly.
Vanda Humidity
A high humidity is essential during the growing season, from early spring through late fall. Humidity of 80 percent is ideal. Air movement must be strong.
Vanda Feeding
Fertilize with a balanced fertilizer applied at one-quarter-strength solution at every watering. Use a high-phosphorus fertilizer every third application to promote flowering.
Vanda Potting
Potting should be done in the spring every two to three years, or when the potting medium begins to deteriorate.
Kauai Energy Conservation At Home
Energy conservation begins at home, and there are many things that people on Kauai can do. For the typical household in Hawaii, the top energy users are hot water, refrigeration, air-conditioning, clothes drying, cooking, and electric lighting. Here are steps you can take to use energy more efficiently.
Hot Water
- Install a solar water heating system.
- Turn down the temperature of your electric water heater to the warm setting (120°F).
- Install a low-flow showerhead and take short showers.
- Wash only full loads of clothes, and use cold water whenever possible.
- Fully load your dishwasher before running it.
- Air-dry dishes instead of using the drying cycle.
Refrigeration
- Shorten the amount of time you keep the refrigerator door open.
- Make sure your refrigerator door seals are airtight. (You can test them by closing the door over a dollar bill so it’s half in and half out of the refrigerator. If you can pull the paper or bill out easily, the seal may need replacing.)
- Don’t keep your refrigerator or freezer too cold. Recommended temperatures are 37° to 40°F for the refrigerator and 5°F for the freezer.
- Consider buying a new Energy Star unit.
Air-Conditioning
- Use ceiling fans and natural ventilation instead of air-conditioning. Utilizing Hawaii’s trade winds can save a lot of energy.
- If it’s time to purchase a new air-conditioner, consider buying an Energy Star model and be sure it’s the right size unit for your home.
- Install your air-conditioning unit on the north side of the house if possible or surround it with shrubs and other landscaping that shade it from the sun without blocking the airflow.
Clothes Drying
- Dry laundry naturally in a fresh breeze or the sunshine.
- Don’t over-dry your clothes. Use the moisture sensor if your dryer has one.
- Dry towels and heavier cottons in a separate load from lighter-weight clothes.
- These drying tips alone may save a typical family about $300 per year.
Cut Phantom Loads
- Phantom loads are from devices that use energy even when they are not in use – such as certain cell phone chargers, computer equipment, and devices that have a “standby” mode. Plug home electronics into smart power strips, which will eliminate phantom loads. This can account for as much as 15% of your energy bill.
Lighting
- Switch from incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). CFLs use 75% less energy and last up to 10 times longer. By replacing just one 100-watt light bulb that’s turned on six hours a day, you can save about $50 a year.
- Using CFLs in outdoor fixtures will save a lot of energy.
- Installing solar lighting outside your home is quick and easy and no electricity costs.
Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative
The Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative pledges to obtain 70% of its total energy needs by 2030 – 40% from renewable electricity generation and the remaining 30% from energy efficiency. The big push to go green is natural for Hawaii, since it depends almost entirely on imported oil for its vehicles and power plants. The state imports over 50 million barrels of oil, and Hawaii residents already pay the highest pump prices and electricity rates in the country.
But, Hawaii is hoping to become the nation’s green energy capital. The policies stem from an agreement Hawaii signed with the Department of Energy in 2008. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, in 2007 about 6.5% of Hawaii’s electricity came from renewable sources other than hydroelectric power. Hawaii’s small size and unique geography could prove advantageous in the race for energy independence. With just 1.3 million inhabitants, its energy consumption is small, and the islands have abundant solar, wind, geothermal, and wave resources.
The state this year began requiring that all new homes be built with solar water heaters. Hawaii is working to build a network of recharging stations to jump-start mass use of electric vehicles on the islands. Meanwhile, the state’s public utilities commission is devising a compensation system to encourage homeowners and businesses to go solar by paying them to generate green electricity. The state is looking into building a 30-mile undersea cable to link proposed wind farms on Lanai and Molokai into the electric grids on Oahu and Maui. A local company is working to provide air conditioning in downtown Honolulu buildings using chilly sea water pumped from three miles out in the ocean. And Hawaii’s own Gas Co. is using municipal solid waste and animal fat to make synthetic natural gas to supply energy to its customers.
Although Hawaii’s efforts to green itself won’t make much of a dent in the world’s total carbon emissions, environmentalists hope the state can prove what’s possible. The goal is to transform the nation’s most energy-dependent state into its cleanest and most sustainable by adopting policies and technologies that can serve as a model for the rest of the globe.
Kauai Fund Fest 2010
Kauai Community Radio (KKCR) will be presenting the second annual Fund Fest Sunday, February 28. This event is for the whole family with a full afternoon of music, food, and Keiki area from 12 noon – 7:00 pm at the Kauai Beach Resort.
Entertainment will include:
TreySara (Jazz)
Sashamon (Island Raggae)
Ka Ha O Na ‘Opio (Hawaiian Contemporary)
Keola Worthington, Jonah Cummings & Garret Santos (Hawaiian)
Shilo Pa (Hawaiian Contemporary)
Kapaia Stream (Rock)
Animal Dream (Funk/Rock)
Malama Pono Allstars (Indescribable)
Purple Striped Honu Theater (for keiki)
Soulfire (Fire-Dancing)
Attendance is free, but donations will be accepted at the door, and door prizes will be awarded throughout the afternoon. They will also have T-shirts, hats, and other gear for sale. Food and beverage will be provided at nominal cost through the Kauai Beach Resort. It’s outdoors, so lawn chairs and blankets are welcome, but no collers or outside food or beverage.
Kauai Community Radio is the only full-powered community based non-commercial radio station on the Hawaiian Islands, and can be found at 90.9 fm, 91.9 fm, 92.7 fm on Kauai, 104.7 fm on Oahu, and worldwide at www.kkcr.org. Music heard on KKCR reflects the broad spectrum of the island’s community including Hawaiian, Jazz, Blues, Rock, Reggae, Classical, Folk, Jam bands, New Age, and World artists, as well as locally produced talk programs.
Hawaiian Hula
Hula is the soul of Hawaii expressed in motion and chant. Hawaii’s chants help preserve epic tales, myths, history, and philosophy. Although Hawaiians composed and performed chant and mele (songs) alone, hula was never danced without verbal accompaniment. In ancient times, the chant remained the primary focus with the dance adapted to enhance the chant. Fluid gestures added grace to the dance but did not necessarily mirror the chant’s words in a sort of visual sign language. The deeply metaphoric nature of the Hawaiian language leaves ample room for multiple interpretations. Every movement in hula has a specific meaning, and every expression of the dancer’s hands has great significance. The movements of a dancer’s body might represent certain plants, animals, or people.
The term hula refers to movement and gestures. However, hula cannot be performed without the most important component – mele (poetry). Mele are records of cultural information ranging from sacred mele pule (prayers), and mele inoa (name chants), to topical mele ho’oipoipo (love songs), and mele ‘aina (songs praising the land). Allusion is greatly valued in the poetry, and hula gestures do not tell the entire story but rather interpret key aspects of the mele. While hand and arm gestures interpret the text, named foot motifs are executed continuously. Some motifs are kaholo (stepping side to side), ‘uwehe (stepping in place, then lifting and dropping heels), and ‘ami (circular pelvic shifts and tilts).
Older chant-accompanied dances may be performed in a standing or sitting position. In standing dances, performers are divided into ‘olapa, who execute the dance movements, and ho’opa’a, who chant the text and provide the percussive instrumental accompaniment. The most commonly used instruments are the ‘uli’uli (feather-decorated gourd rattle), pu’ili (split bamboo rattle), ‘ili’ili (waterworn stone pebbles, two in each hand, played in a manner similar to castanets), and kala’au (sticks). Although hula began as a form of worship during religious ceremonies, it gradually evolved into a form of entertainment.
