Pahala-Volcano, Hawaii

Weekly Events

Flow, an exhibit of acrylic paintings by Elena Garcia, daily through April 9 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Free. Park entrance fees may apply. 967-7565 or visit www.volcanoartcenter.org.

Pre-release Screening Party for the Upcoming Cousins Brothers Movie, The Rising Dead, Fri, March 3. Hosted by the Na`alehu Theatre and the Simple - Good Food café. This feature-length film, shot entirely on the Big Island, is the third independent release for the Honoka`a brothers. During this event, a documentary crew will be interviewing the crowd for reactions to the film. The interviews will be used in promotional advertising to be aired on island-wide television. Before the film, there will be free food, local DJs and a discussion with the director and cast members. Please come and show support for these local artists. Event begins at 6:30 p.m.; movie starts at 8:30 p.m. Movie tickets are $5. 929-9133.

After Dark in the Park: `Aha Punana Leo Nurtures Hawai`i's Mother Tongue, Tue, March 7 at 7 p.m. Both English and 'Olelo Hawai'i, the Hawaiian language, are legal and accepted languages in Hawai`i. `Aha Punana Leo (Language Nest Organization) has pioneered the revitalization of Hawaiian language since its birth in Hilo in 1983. Join the staff of 'Aha Punana Leo to learn the history of this influential organization and how it has matured from its early focus on education in the Hawaiian language through its current thrust of working for social change. Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in the Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. $1 Donation helps to support park educational programs. Park entrance fees may apply. 985-6014.

Wild Cave Tour – Pua Po`o Lava Tube, Sat, March 11, noon. Meet at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park Visitor Center Lanai for a difficult 4 mile hike, led by Ranger BG Horvat, through a tropical rainforest into a hidden and unique lava tube. Not appropriate for children under 10. Limited to 12 participants. Reservations required. $20 member fee - $25 non-members. Park entrance fees may apply. Contact Friends of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, 985-7373, ainahou2@aol.com, www.FHVNP.org.

After Dark in the Park: He Inoa no Lili'uokalani laua `o Pauahi: The Story of Lili`uokalani and Pauahi, Tue, March 14 at 7 p.m. Bernice Pauahi Bishop and Queen Lili`uokalani, the last monarch of Hawai`i, are among the most influential figures in Hawaiian history. Bishop Museum's Kalai Ho'ona'auao (Cultural Specialists) Noelani Kapuaakuni Tachera and Chiya Hoapili present the extraordinary lives and remarkable qualities of two of the many dedicated women leaders in Hawaiian history, through archival images and hula. Co-sponsored by Bishop Museum's Living Stories program, Ola Na Mo`olelo. Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in the Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. $1 Donation helps to support park educational programs. Park entrance fees may apply. 985-6014.

St. Patrick’s Day Celebration, Fri, March 17, from 5 p.m., at Kilauea Military Camp's restaurant and Lava Lounge in Volcanoes National Park. Corned Beef and Cabbage and more on the Kilauea Mixed Plate Buffet. Just $11, adults, and $6, children 6 – 11 yrs. old. Followed by St. Patty's Day Party with dancing, free popcorn. Park entrance fees may apply.

Enlightened Revision: A Writing Workshop with Tom Peek, Sat, March 18, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Deepen your writing (any genre) and sharpen your craft by mastering the practices of revision and critique. $55 (financial aid available). 967-8222 or visit www.volcanoartcenter.org.

St. Patrick's Day Tea Dance, Sat, March 18, 4 - 7 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center with a live band. Co-sponsered by Na`alehu Main Street and Ocean View Community Center.

Second 2006 Na Mea Hawai`i Hula Kahiko performance Sat, March 18, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. See hula and chant performed outdoors on the hula platform overlooking Kilauea Crater, featuring Halau Na Pua `O Uluhaimalama of Hilo with kumu hula Emery Aceret. Hawaiian crafts demonstrations at Volcano Art Center Gallery 9:30 a.m.- 2 p.m. Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Free. (Park entrance fees apply.) 967-8222. www.volcanoartcenter.org.

Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park offers hikes at its Kahuku section to celebrate the human history of this area. Sunday, March 19, beginning at 9:30a.m. and ending at 12:30p.m. Repeats of the same hike are scheduled for the mornings of April 9 and May 21. The Kahuku gate (mountain side of Highway 11 near the 70 mile marker in Ka’u) will open at 9 am. Hikes begin at 9:30 and end at noon. Four wheel drive vehicles are not required. Entitled “People and Land of Kahuku,” the guided hike explores ways people have lived on the vast Kahuku lands from the earliest Hawaiian settlements through the Park’s current and future projects. This moderately difficult hike traverses 2 ½ miles of rugged terrain including lava fields, pastures and historic ranch roads. Boots, long pants and raingear are recommended. A treasured home and rich resource in traditional times, a successful ranch, a 1940s radar station and now national park, Kahuku offers a variety of landscapes that tell stories about its past and give promise for the future. For information, call 985-6014.

Free Poetry Reading with Poet Cathy Song, Fri, March 24, 7 p.m. Song has authored several volumes of poetry and teaches at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. Hear the powerful poems of this award-winning local poet. Great Room of Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village (corner of Kalanikoa & Old Volcano Roads). 967-8222 or visit www.volcanoartcenter.org.

Colors of Light I: A Beginning Pastels Workshop with Vicky Penney-Rohner, Sat & Sun, March 25 & 26, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Learn the fundamentals of painting with soft pastels in this 2-day weekend workshop in picturesque Volcano Village. The class covers materials, techniques, light, color theory, experimenting with a variety of pastels and paper, getting imagination and perceptions "out of the box," and completing a pastel painting. $125 includes supplies (financial aid available). 967-8222 or visit www.volcanoartcenter.org.

The Red Hat Society and Kalae Quilters are organizing their second annual fundraiser for the Ka`u Hospital Emergency Room with a bake sale and craft sale. Donations of money, supplies, crafts to be sold and home-baked goods are being accepted. The fundraiser is on March 24 at Punalu`u Black Sand Beach from 8 a.m. to 5 pm. and on March 25 at Na`alehu Farmers Market from 8 a.m. to noon. Interested persons can call Marge Heck at 929-7457.

The Living Thread: A 2-Day Poetry Workshop with local poet Cathy Song, Sat & Sun, March 25 & 26,10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Discover the living thread that holds a series of poems together so that a sequence of poems is not a randomly grouped set of discrete parts but rather part of a larger vision. Designed for poets who have a body of work that needs honing, this workshop focuses on rewriting and rethinking the poems as a whole, writing new material, and in-class feedback. $125 (financial aid available). 967-8222 or visit www.volcanoartcenter.org.

Pu`u Loa Petroglyphs Tour, Sun, March 26, 8 a.m. Park Ranger Kupono McDaniel will lead a 1 ½ mile hike to the largest petroglyph field in Hawai`i, where thousands of ancient symbols have been carved into the lava over countless generations. Reservations required. $20 member fee - $25 non-members. Park entrance fees may apply. Contact Friends of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, 985-7373, ainahou2@aol.com, www.FHVNP.org.

Spring Art Camp for Youth (ages 8-13), Mon - Fri, March 27 - 31,9 a.m.- noon. This week-long day camp over Spring Break, sponsored by Volcano Art Center, presents a variety of visual art projects with versatile artist-instructor Debra Serrao. Surrounded by the unique beauty of Volcano, young artists explore drawing, painting, printing, and mixed-media activities. The camp culminates in an informal art exhibit for families on the last day. $85 includes supplies (financial aid available). 967-8222 or visit www.volcanoartcenter.org.

Lu`au at KMC, Fri, March 31. The Kilauea Mixed Plate Buffet features luau favorites from 5 - 8 p.m. After dinner, enjoy Bingo fun from 8 – 9 p.m. All adult diners will receive 3 free bingo cards. Bingo grand prize is a $50 Kilauea Military Camp gift certificate. $11 for adults and $6 for children. Park entrance fees may apply.

Family Support Services of West Hawaii's Youth Development Program continues its youth enrichment activities during spring break. Seven youth from Ka`u will attend an around the island excursion. The Piko Expedition is an opportunity for youth to connect to the 'aina and history of the island. The excursion includes Flumin Da Ditch, King Kamehameha statue, Kalopa State Park, Laupahoehoe Train Museum, University of Hawai`i Hilo Community College, Volcano National Park, Ka Lae, and Kula Kai Caverns. For information call Henry Makuakane at 929-9611, ext. 15 or Teresa Alderdyce, ext 10.

Community/Self-Improvement/Recreation

The Ka`u Federal Credit Union will have its annual steak fry and meeting on Sat, March 11 at the Na`alehu Clubhouse. Pre-purchased ticket from any Ka`u FCU location is required.

Ocean View Community Association Pancake Breakfast, Sat, March 18, 7:30-11 a.m., Ocean View Community Center. All you can eat pancake fundraiser. $4. Do not have to be a member to participate. 939-7033.

Reach Out and Read Family Reading Night, Thurs, March 23, 5 – 7 p.m. at the Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033.

Waiohinu Coast Cleanup, Sat March 25. Meet 8 a.m. at Waiohinu Park. Call Linda Schubert at 756-1801 with number in group and if shuttle is needed from the park. Bring water, lunch, sunscreen, hat, sturdy footwear. Sponsored by Hawai`i Wildlife Fund.

Big Island Protea Growers meeting will be Sat, March 25. Loren Heck, 939-9454.

Drumming Circle, March 25, Vegetarian pot-luck, 4:30 p.m.; Drumming, 6:30 p.m. All instruments welcomed. PILI 929-8364; Held the last Saturday of every month.

Exercise & Meditation

Senior Yoga begins Wed, Mar 1 at 11:30.a.m., Cooper Center, Volcano. Yes, you can do yoga, no matter your age or flexibility. Enjoy well-being with this gentle yoga style. $10 a class or $42 for 6-week session. Call Debra Serrao, 985-7549.

Gentle Yoga begins Thurs, March 2, 5:30 - 7 p.m., Old Japanese Schoolhouse, Volcano. For those who wish to deepen their yoga practice, or begin, this Ananda yoga style is gentle and meditative, great for strength, flexibility and relaxation. $10 a class or $42 for 6-week session. Call Debra Serrao 985-7545.

J. Krishnamurti March 2 at 6:30 p.m.: “Holistic Observation-Ojai 1982” and March 16, “Is There an Action That Is Not Touched By Thought?”, a dialogue with David Bohm. PILI 929-8364.

Dialogue; March 5, 1-3 p.m. Dialogue calls for a temporary suspension of one’s beliefs in order to listen and understand another side, fostering introspection and the possibility of finding better solutions. PILI, 929-8364.

Beginning Pilates Matwork with dancer/choreographer Celeste Anderson Staton, 8 Mondays, March 27 - May 22, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Build core strength of the central body while lengthening muscle and instilling a sense of well-being for the whole person. $64 (financial aid available). 967-8222 or visit

Pahala Pool is open weekdays, with daily adult lap swim from 11 a.m. to noon; H20 Aerobics M, W, F, 9 a.m. - 10 a.m.; Public Recreation Swim, M, T, Th, F, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. and Wednesdays 1 pm. - 4 pm. Pool is closed Sat, Sun, holidays. Call 928-8144.

Yoga in the tradition of BKS Iyengar; 9 a.m., Sundays; Restorative yoga on Tuesdays 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Thursdays. PILI-Ka`u Yoga Center 929-8364.

Zen Sitting (format) in a casual quiet environment for extended meditation; Wednesdays at 6:30-8 p.m. PILI, 929-8364.

Senior (55+) Beginners Yoga at Na`alehu Community Center. This series costs $10 and is particularly slated for those who wish to remain as active and healthy as possible as we climb the ever steeper stairs to old age. Call Julie at 929-8008 for schedule.

Yoga, Sundays, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 9 a.m. at the Ka`u Yoga Center. Free. 929-8364.

Qigong (chee gong) for Health: Movement, breath and mental tranquility activate the bodies natural healing qualities. Beginners Class each Monday, 5-6:30 p.m., Advanced Class each Tuesday, 5 - 6:30 p.m. Discovery Harbour Community Center. Cost by donation, instructor John W. Adams, 929-8015.

The Ka`u High School Weight Room is open to adults and students on Mon and Wed, 5 - 7 p.m. Hettie Rush will also assist students in the Bigger Faster Stronger program.

Exercise For You: Fitness Class is held every Tues and Thurs at 5 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Total body workout, certified instructor. $5/class. Call O.V.C.A., 939-7033 or Erin Cole, 929-8629.

Weekly Activities

Na`alehu Community Center: Computer, Mon - Thurs, 3 - 7 p.m.; Table Games, Mon - Thurs, 3 - 7 p.m.; Age Group Basketball, Mon - Thurs, 3 p.m., ages 8 - 14; Adult Ceramics, (Bring your own supplies) Mon, thru Mar 20, 5 - 8 p.m., 939-2510.

Pahala Community Center: Girls Day Craft, Grades 2nd to 8th, Wed, March 1, 2 - 3:30 p.m.; Preschool Activity hour, Ages 3 to 5 years accompanied by an adult, Wed, March 8, 9 – 10 a.m. Nona Makuakane, 928-3102

Ohana Conversational Spanish Class, action-based learning in family style for all ages and all levels. Mondays 3:30pm, Discovery Harbour Community Clubhouse. Sponsored by Ka`u School of the Arts.

Peanut Butter Ministry Lunches, Wednesdays, 11:30am-1pm, Na`alehu Community Center. Soup, stew or chili, w/ sandwich, dessert and drink. All are welcome. Donations appreciated, not required.

Kick Ice sign waving, 1st Friday of every month, 3:30-5pm, across from Na`alehu Post Office. Volunteers seek to reduce drug use.

Foster Parent Training Classes, Recruiting potential foster parents, Colleen Matsushita 935-6109.

Ka`u Gonzo Music Society, Wed, 7 p.m., Music Jam session. Public invited to join in. Na`alehu Theater. 929-9133.

Na`alehu Main Street is open for high speed DSL internet , copying, faxing, or burning CDs, Mon-Fri, 1 - 5 p.m. Call or fax 929-8322 or visit www.Naalehu.org.

Pahala Senior Center: Lunch served Mon - Fri, 10:30 a.m. for area residents aged 60+. Julie, 928-3101

Na`alehu Senior Nutrition Center (Hawai`i County Nutrition Program), Lunch served M-F, 10:45 a.m. Ages 60+, greater Na`alehu area. 939-2505.

Ka`u Family Center's Youth Development program has weekly activities including excursions. Call 929-9611 for Henry, ext. 15, or Teresa, ext. 10.

Blood Pressure Testing, monthly in Na`alehu at Ka`u FCU provided by Bay Clinic, 929-7311.

Na`alehu Community Computer Lab, free use & internet access. Na`alehu Community Center. See Richard, Mon-Thurs, 3 p.m.-7 p.m. 939-9392.

Ocean View Community Center computer lab with broadband service is open Mon -Thurs, 8 a.m. -12 p.m. Members $2/hour, non-members, $4/hr. Call 939-7033 for information on computer classes.

Ka`u Farmers Market, Sat, 8am-12pm, front of Na`alehu ACE. Vegetables, Ka`u Coffee, baked goods, plants and more, 929-7236.

Volcano Farmers Market, Sun, 7am-10am, Cooper Center in Volcano Village. Swapmeet and more.