Putting a Little Aloha into Work
Smith's Family Garden Luau By Léo Azambuja I’m not quite sure what was the first Hawaiian word I ever learned. It was either aloha or lu‘au. Or perhaps I learned both at the same time. I just know they...
View ArticleHave You Ever Filled a Christmas Box?
By Léo Azambuja The Historic County Building in Lihu‘e dressed up in lights for the annual Festival of Lights. Contributed photo When I was growing up in Brazil, every year in December, it was common...
View ArticleBecoming Part of the Solution
By Léo Azambuja Left to right, Westside Christian Center Pastor Darryl Kua, Teen Challenge Graduate Willis Kauakahi, and Teen Challenge Coordinator Director Ron Takayama. Drug addiction is one of the...
View ArticleHit Me with Music
By Léo Azambuja Kimberly Hope One good thing about music is, when it hits you, you feel no pain. I wish those were my words, but I didn’t say that. Those were Bob Marley’s words, which he sang to a...
View ArticleSustainability — Looking Out for Ourselves
By Léo Azambuja Some of the exotic tropical fruits grown at Lydgate Farms in Wailua. Before Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, many children — and adults — would find entertainment by reading comic...
View ArticleA Tradition of Giving
By Léo Azambuja Charity Walk 2018. Contributed photo I worked for 15 years in the visitor industry, and there are many things I miss about it. The late-night bar-hopping, the quick cash in my pocket,...
View ArticleThrow Away? Where?
By Léo Azambuja Kaua‘i Community College student Rebekah Magers, right, is seen here helping student Marli Genegabuas during a waste audit she organized on campus in April. Photo by Josh Fukino Have...
View ArticleSimmering for Summer
By Léo Azambuja Our group prior to tackling Kukui Trail’s steep descent to Wiliwili Camp in May. Left to right, Asia Kellerman, David Carr, Ruby Pap, Bella Kellerman, Bright Krinsky and Léo Azambuja....
View ArticleSee You at the Rodeo
By Léo Azambuja A painting of a gaucho drinking traditional South American mate, by Lielzo Azambuja, circa 1977. My father is a true gaucho, born and raised in a cattle farm in Rio Grande do Sul, the...
View ArticleLights, Camera, Aloha
By Léo Azambuja Siena Agudong at Hemingway Cafe. Photo by Léo Azambuja I was 7 years old when King Kong hit the theaters in 1976. Yes, I did fall in love with Jessica Lange, but who didn’t? Then in...
View ArticleThe New End of the Road
By Léo Azambuja Kalalau, right before sunset in late August. Photo by Léo Azambuja Kalalau Trail reopened June 17, after about 14 months of closure due to the record rainfall and flooding on April 14,...
View ArticleThe Youth Has Now Spoken
By Léo Azambuja Sabryn Rudinoff, left, and Kasyah Vercelli were part of the youth speaking out during Climate Strike at KCC Sept. 20. Photo by Léo Azambuja When Swedish 16-year-old Greta Thunberg...
View ArticleGolf Minutes
By Léo Azambuja Left to right, Roger Honjo, Noel Udaundo, Mark Chinen and Teo Serrano during a past KMVH Charity Foundation Golf Tournament. Photo by Léo Azambuja There is so much hate in this world,...
View ArticleMahalo for Your Aloha
By Léo Azambuja Christmas is just around the corner. For many of us, this is a time of lavish dinners, fun parties and exchanging gifts with family and friends. This is a time when we strengthen our...
View ArticleThe Colorful Songwriters of Hawaiʻi
By Léo Azambuja The ‘akeke‘e is only found on Kaua‘i, and there are about 1,000 of them left. Photo by Robby Kohley Long before Polynesians arrived in the Hawaiian Islands more than a 1,000 years ago,...
View ArticleThe Visitor and the Tourist
By Léo Azambuja Aloha at Hanalei Bay As soon as COVID-19 restrictions came into effect in March 2020, the visitor industry came to a screeching halt. It wouldn’t take long for us to witness several...
View ArticleBeyond Vincent
By Léo Azambuja Vincent died more than 130 years ago, in complete poverty. He shot himself in the chest, and took about a day and a half to die. It was the end of the troubled life of an artist who...
View ArticleAloha Soup
By Virginia Beck Aloha at Kealia Beach The rains reminded me of another soggy, rainy season. It was grey and gloomy then, unlike our scattered sun and drenching rains. I decided to make a spicy ginger...
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