Heritage Hub Summer 2026 Issue | | Discover Stories Connecting Past, Present, and Future at Honokaʻa Heritage Center | | |
Aloha kākou,
Summer at the Honokaʻa Heritage Center has been filled with the sounds of learning, laughter, and discovery. From local students to visitors from across Hawaiʻi and the rest of the world, we've welcomed hundreds of people eager to explore Hāmākua's rich history and diverse cultures. Inspiring the next generation remains at the heart of everything we do. By helping our own keiki understand their heritage, we ensure these stories and traditions continue for years to come.
This fall, we look forward to welcoming home classmates from across Hāmākua, along with an exciting lineup of events featuring Hawaiʻi Poet Laureate Lee Tonouchi, Puerto Rican Heritage Night, our Japanese Cultural Event, and Filipino Heritage Night. Stay tuned for dates - we hope you'll join us!
Me ke aloha pumehana,
Nicole Garcia
Executive Director
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Portuguese Heritage Night
| | The Honokaʻa Heritage Center celebrated Portuguese Heritage Night on June 25th with an evening of music, food, history, and fun. Guests enjoyed live music by Dennis Padilla, Portuguese soup, fresh Portuguese bread, and other treats, along with a Portuguese-themed photo booth and a televised World Cup football match between Portugal and Uzbekistan featuring Cristiano Ronaldo. | |
Billy Dias demonstrated traditional leatherworking, while visitors explored a new window exhibit created by Ashlynn Dias Victorino and Melissa Matute using artifacts on loan from Gail (Dias) Elizares. A free raffle featured Portuguese-themed prizes donated by Jolette Rapozo, Marie Souza Ho, and the Heritage Center.
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Mahalo to the Ama OluKai Foundation for helping support our 2026 series of special cultural celebrations.
Photo credit: Sarah Anderson
| | Field Trips & Group Visits to the Heritage Center | |
Summer has been a busy season at the Honokaʻa Heritage Center, with field trips and special group visits filling our calendar.
We welcomed Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy's summer students for weekend visits, where they enjoyed our exhibit scavenger hunt and Curator's Challenge game. Some even discovered that Honokaʻa's historic sites double as Pokémon GO PokéStops, adding an unexpected layer of exploration to their visit.
We also hosted incoming 7th and 9th graders from Honokaʻa Middle and High School, who had the advantage of recognizing familiar faces and family members featured throughout the exhibits.
Returning once again were the Waikoloa Seniors, one of our favorite frequently visiting groups. We also enjoyed surprise visits from students at Wilkes University and the Putney Student Travel group from Vermont, whose scout was so impressed during an earlier visit that he added the Heritage Center to this year's itinerary.
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Photo credit: Nicole Garcia | |
Reading & Talk Story with Lee Tonouchi
SHORT BIO: Lee A. Tonouchi, Okinawan Yonsei, stay known as “Da Pidgin Guerrilla” for his activism in campaigning for Pidgin a.k.a. Hawai‘i Creole for be accepted as one legitimate language. Tonouchi stay da recipient of da 2023 American Association for Applied Linguistics Distinguished Public Service Award for his work in raising public awareness of important language-related issues and promoting linguistic social justice. His Pidgin poetry collection Significant Moments in da Life of Oriental Faddah and Son: One Hawai‘i Okinawan Journal won da Association for Asian American Studies Book Award. His Pidgin children’s picture book Okinawan Princess: Da Legend of Hajichi Tattoos won one Skipping Stones Honor Award. His latest book stay Chiburu: Anthology of Hawai‘i Okinawan Literature. He stay serving as the Hawaiʻi Poet Laureate from 2026–2029.
FROM LEE:
“B-U. Das my vision. I stay looking forward to serving da community as Hawai‘i's Poet Laureate. For da past chree decades it's been my mission to show Local people that dey should be proud of their Pidgin. Through da technique of talk story, I believe everybody can find their poetic voice. I see my role as being able for empower people, for give 'em da tools dey need for be writers demselves so dey can represent their own communities and life experiences. Da goal is for have one greater diversity of voices as part of Hawai‘i’s Local literature. No sked for B-U.”
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Echoes of History
Did you know that the translation of Paniolo Kepanī means Japanese cowboys?
After Japanese workers had completed their three-year plantation contracts, many opted to stay in Hawaiʻi. Some opened retail businesses, started small farms, or worked in ranching. Many Japanese immigrants became noted paniolo and ranchers and their legacy continues today.
Jiro Yamaguchi, a well known Japanese paniolo, was an avid horseman and top roper. He spent many years on the Cowboy Gang and eventually became foreman of the Waiemi Section for Parker Ranch.
With three successive generations of Parker Ranch foremen, the Yamaguchi ʻOhana qualifies as a historic dynasty.
Photo credit: Jiro Yamaguchi Family Collection
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The '60s Classmates Come Home Event
Mark your calendars for The '60s Classmates Come Home, a fun-filled evening celebrating the people and memories of Honokaʻa and Hāmākua. Everyone who grew up in the area during the 1940s, 1950s, or 1960s is invited - even if you didn't graduate from Honokaʻa School.
Enjoy an evening of talk story, games, entertainment, and reconnecting with old friends while supporting the Honokaʻa Heritage Center and discovering more about the work we do to preserve our community's history. The event is being planned by representatives from each of Honokaʻa School's graduating classes of the 1960s, who are creating a memorable night for the entire Hāmākua community.
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The Charola is a cherished Madeiran Portuguese tradition celebrating the bounty of the land. At the Honokaʻa Heritage Center, we proudly display a charola handcrafted by one of our volunteers to showcase the artistry behind the annual tradition at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church.
While ours uses plastic fruit, the butcher's twine is woven the same way as the real charola, which is made with fresh fruit and eggs and can weigh more than 400 pounds. We're grateful for volunteers who help keep this tradition alive for future generations!
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We were saddened to learn of the recent passing of our friend Lois Keb. Lois and her husband, Bill, spent nearly nine years caring for the Ti House in Waipiʻo Valley, welcoming visitors and becoming part of the valley's close-knit community.
Years later, she sat down to write the remarkable story of those years, sharing not only the history of the Ti House but also the people, friendships, adventures, and everyday life that made Waipiʻo so special. Her memories preserve a unique piece of Hawaiʻi's history through the eyes of someone who lived it.
Recently, Lois's niece stopped by the Honokaʻa Heritage Center and generously donated several historic maps from Lois's personal collection. We are grateful to preserve them and to remember Lois as a good friend of the Heritage Center.
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Look Who Stopped By!
We were excited to welcome back our longtime heritage partner, Romel Dela Cruz, and his son, Jason, during their visit to Honokaʻa in June.
A retired administrator of Honokaʻa Hospital, Romel served on our Board of Directors for many years and has remained a cherished member of our heritage ʻohana.
After moving to Georgia last year to be closer to his family, Romel found this trip a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with familiar faces and treasured memories. During his visit, Romel spent time catching up with our staff and volunteers, sharing stories of Honokaʻa's past, reminiscing about the old days, and asking about former classmates and lifelong island friends.
While he admitted that he misses living in Hilo, he spoke warmly about the joy of being close to his children and grandchildren in Georgia. Jason made sure his father had an opportunity to reconnect, taking him across the island to visit longtime friends and keeping their schedule full from morning to evening.
They also attended the Holy Ghost Feast and Bazaar at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Honokaʻa, making the weekend even more special. It was truly a pleasure to spend time with Romel and Jason, and we are grateful they included us in their visit home. We look forward to welcoming Romel back again soon and creating many more memories together!
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45-3490 Māmane St., Suite C, Honokaʻa, HI 96727
(808) 437-1947
The North Hawaiʻi Heritage Foundation (EIN 85-3860052) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, donations to which are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
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