Sunday, November 7, 2010
Teddy Bear World - general information
The attraction is more varied than the name belies — perhaps the result of cultural translation — as the self-proclaimed “Teddy Bear Museum” presents itself as the first Teddy Bear World franchise to open outside of Korea.
Occupying the former Planet Hollywood space, the museum is broken down into sections:
The 8 Wonders of America has 11 dioramas of animatronic bears depicting the unlikely lineup of New York, Mt. Rushmore, the Rocky Mountains, NASA, San Francisco, Hollywood, Sports and Washington, D.C.
Dinosaur Park features relatively realistic moving dinosaurs interacting with quirky bears.
Save the Planet mixes facts about endangered bear species on digital posters and adorable scenes of the at-risk bears cavorting.
The Teddy Bear Museum section begins with the tale of the teddy bear’s namesake, Theodore Roosevelt, and continues to include tales of bears significant to historical events, such as the teddy created for the families of those lost on the Titanic. There is also a display of antique bears, ranging from a 1905 mohair bear to more recent ones, such as Teddy Ruxpin, the Care Bears and Yogi Bear. The museum area also features famous paintings with 3-D bear faces popping out from the canvases. (The “Mona Lisa” is decidedly more kid-friendly than the rendition of Edvard Munich’s “The Scream.”)
The self-guided tour ends with an undersea scene that leads to some oversized bears — Obama bear, sumo bear and surfer bear — poised for photo ops. This leads to the Elvis theater, where film clips of Elvis in Hawaii are combined with dancing and lip-synching bears and flashing lights, for a seven-minute show.
It works in South Korea - will it work in Waikiki? A new stuffed-animal themed museum called Teddy Bear World Hawaii threw open its doors this month for a grand opening. JS&F, a toy manufacturer, resort and theme park operator based in Korea, is behind this entertainment and retail operation at the two-story space formerly occupied by Planet Hollywood Restaurant in the Bank of Hawaii Waikiki Center.
The 18,000-square-foot space leads visitors through a series of exhibits, all featuring teddy bears arranged in historic scenes, eras, costumes, and themes. Most of the bears are animatronic, and at least one attraction is interactive- the Barack Obama bear has a chair where people can sit and pose with the President.
The store commissioned artist Beverly White to craft several life-sized bears: a sumo bear, the aforementioned Obama bear, and a surfer bear. She says it would normally take a month to complete one bear, whose frame is secured by PVC piping and then given shape by putting stuffing around it.
Teddy Bear World Hawaii, the first U.S venture for South Korea-based JS&F, is on schedule to hold its grand opening on Nov. 6. The two-story, 17,000 square-foot teddy bear-themed attraction is located at the former Waikiki Planet Hollywood location on Kalakaua Avenue.
JS&F also owns and operates The Teddy Bear Theme Park and Museum on South Korea’s Jeju Island, which attracts 700,000 visitors per year.
Occupying the former Planet Hollywood space, the museum is broken down into sections:
The 8 Wonders of America has 11 dioramas of animatronic bears depicting the unlikely lineup of New York, Mt. Rushmore, the Rocky Mountains, NASA, San Francisco, Hollywood, Sports and Washington, D.C.
Dinosaur Park features relatively realistic moving dinosaurs interacting with quirky bears.
Save the Planet mixes facts about endangered bear species on digital posters and adorable scenes of the at-risk bears cavorting.
The Teddy Bear Museum section begins with the tale of the teddy bear’s namesake, Theodore Roosevelt, and continues to include tales of bears significant to historical events, such as the teddy created for the families of those lost on the Titanic. There is also a display of antique bears, ranging from a 1905 mohair bear to more recent ones, such as Teddy Ruxpin, the Care Bears and Yogi Bear. The museum area also features famous paintings with 3-D bear faces popping out from the canvases. (The “Mona Lisa” is decidedly more kid-friendly than the rendition of Edvard Munich’s “The Scream.”)
The self-guided tour ends with an undersea scene that leads to some oversized bears — Obama bear, sumo bear and surfer bear — poised for photo ops. This leads to the Elvis theater, where film clips of Elvis in Hawaii are combined with dancing and lip-synching bears and flashing lights, for a seven-minute show.
It works in South Korea - will it work in Waikiki? A new stuffed-animal themed museum called Teddy Bear World Hawaii threw open its doors this month for a grand opening. JS&F, a toy manufacturer, resort and theme park operator based in Korea, is behind this entertainment and retail operation at the two-story space formerly occupied by Planet Hollywood Restaurant in the Bank of Hawaii Waikiki Center.
The 18,000-square-foot space leads visitors through a series of exhibits, all featuring teddy bears arranged in historic scenes, eras, costumes, and themes. Most of the bears are animatronic, and at least one attraction is interactive- the Barack Obama bear has a chair where people can sit and pose with the President.
The store commissioned artist Beverly White to craft several life-sized bears: a sumo bear, the aforementioned Obama bear, and a surfer bear. She says it would normally take a month to complete one bear, whose frame is secured by PVC piping and then given shape by putting stuffing around it.
Teddy Bear World Hawaii, the first U.S venture for South Korea-based JS&F, is on schedule to hold its grand opening on Nov. 6. The two-story, 17,000 square-foot teddy bear-themed attraction is located at the former Waikiki Planet Hollywood location on Kalakaua Avenue.
JS&F also owns and operates The Teddy Bear Theme Park and Museum on South Korea’s Jeju Island, which attracts 700,000 visitors per year.
6 November 2010 - Last day
We went to breakfast at Eggs and Things which was very yummy.
On the way back Tracey Rhiannon and Renee became the first official visitors to Teddy Bear World, which is a teddy bear museum (it only opened today) and it was really good to see. Sue headed to Walmart and Alamoora Shopping Centre.
Spent the afternoon at the Beach. Again enjoying the swimming and tube riding.
Had tea at the revolving restaurant before doing last minute shopping.
Also packed our bags for the last time and got ready to head home.
On the way back Tracey Rhiannon and Renee became the first official visitors to Teddy Bear World, which is a teddy bear museum (it only opened today) and it was really good to see. Sue headed to Walmart and Alamoora Shopping Centre.
Spent the afternoon at the Beach. Again enjoying the swimming and tube riding.
Had tea at the revolving restaurant before doing last minute shopping.
Also packed our bags for the last time and got ready to head home.
Kuhio Beach - general information
Waikīkī Beach is noted for its views of the Diamond Head tuff cone, its usually warm and cloud-free climate and its surf break.
The Waikīkī skyline is now dotted with an abundance of both high-rises and resort hotels. The beach is actually fairly short, with half of it marked off for surfers. For some distance into the ocean the water is quite shallow, although there are numerous rocks on the bottom. As with most ocean beaches the waves can have some force, particularly on windy days. The surf at Waikīkī is known for its long rolling break, making it ideal for long boarding, tandem surfing and beginners.
Kuhio Beach Park is located at 2365 Kalakaua Avenue at Honolulu, Hawaii. The zip code is 96815. This place is truly a blessing as far as natural beauty is concerned. It can be the best place for the tourists to sip some sun rays. Kuhio Beach Park is a part of Waikiki Beach, located between the Sheraton Moana Surfrider Hotel and the Kapahulu Groin, which was built in 1951 as part of the Waikiki Beach Improvement Project. It is an extension of a storm drain that runs under Kapahulu Avenue. The project also included building a low wall on the Diamond Head side of the groin and importing sand to create the beaches on both sides.
Kuhio lies on the eastern part of Waikiki. Duke Kahanamoku, a former athlete finds this pace as an amazing one and was spotted often some time back. The hula mounds are worth looking out for
With an offshore retaining wall, this is a calmer section of beach that's great for families and beginner surfers. Along Kalakaua Avenue are four stones known as the Ancient Pohaku (Wizard Stones) which are believed to hold spiritual healing powers. There is also a statue of legendary surfer Duke Kahanamoku located here, often adorned with leis and a popular photo spot
To the west of the beach park are two of Waikiki’s famous surf sites, Queen’s and Canoes. Three popular landmarks are located in Kuhio Beach Park: the Prince Kuhio Statue, the Duke Kahanamoku Statue and the Stones of Kapaemahu. The Prince Kuhio Statue was created by sculptor Sean Browne and was dedicated in 2002. The Duke Kahanamoku Statue was created by sculptor Jan-Michelle Sawyer and dedicated on 1990, the hundredth anniversary of Duke’s birth. He is considered the “Father of Modern Surfing,” a great Hawaiian watermen, Olympic swimmer, surfer and canoeist. The Stones of Kapaemahu represent four legendary men: Kapaemahu, Kahaloa, Kapuni and Kinohi, who came to Hawaii from a faraway land. In Hawaii they were famous for their great wisdom and healing powers.
Prior to 1951, the east end of the park was fronted by a shallow reef and was called "Stonewall" for the vertical seawall that supported Kalakaua Avenue. The Waikiki Beach Improvement Project, completed in July 1951, changed the area dramatically when James W. Glover, Ltd., constructed a large pedestrian groin into the ocean. Officially known as the Kapahulu Groin, the pier is an extension of a storm drain that runs under Kapahulu Avenue. The project also included constructing the low retaining wall on the Diamond Head side of the groin and importing sand to create the beaches on both sides.
Kuhio Beach Park was named for Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana’ole, the youngest son of Kekaulike Kinoiki II and High Chief David Kahalepouli Pi’ikoi. Born on March 26, 1871, at Hoai, Kualu, in the Koloa district on Kaua’i, his mother died soon after his birth. He and his two older brothers were adopted by Kapiolani, his mother’s sister. Kapi’olani and her husband Kalakaua had no children, so when Kalakaua became king in 1874, he gave each of the boys the title of prince.
In 1893, a revolution deposed Queen Lili’uokalani, Kalakaua’s sister and successor. In 1895, Prince Kuhio and other Royalists joined Robert Wilcox in an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the Republic of Hawai’i and restore the queen to her throne. Prince Kuhio served one year in jail as a political prisoner. He was released on October 8, 1896, the same day as Queen Lili’uokalani and other Royalists who had also been arrested.
In 1902, Prince Kuhio was elected Hawai’i’s second delegate to Congress and served until his death in 1922. He is best remembered for his efforts to help the Hawaiian people, and in 1921 he was successful in establishing the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, a measure that opened public lands in Hawai’i for homesteading by native Hawaiians.
Kuhio Beach Park was the site of Prince Kuhio’s home, Pualeilani, or "flower from the wreath of heaven," where he lived with his wife Princess Elizabeth Kahanu. On July 22, 1918, he removed the high board fence around his home and opened this section of beach to the public. When he died of heart disease at Pualeilani on January 7, 1922, the property was given to the city. It was officially dedicated as Kuhio Beach Park in 1940.
Waikiki’s two famous surf sites, Queen’s and Canoes, are off the west end of the park. Queen’s was named for Queen Lili’uokalani, who had a beach home and a pier inshore of the site, and Canoes was named for the outrigger canoes that are still used to surf its waves today. Waikiki’s beach boys also teach visitors how to surf at Canoes, one of the best beginner’s spots in Hawai’i.
Kuhio Beach Park is the site of three well-known landmarks, the Stones of Kapaemahu, the Duke Kahanamoku Statute, and the Prince Kuhio Statue. The stones represent four legendary men, Kapaemahu, Kahaloa, Kapuni, and Kinohi, who came to Hawai’i from a distant land. They were famous throughout the islands for their powers of healing and for their great wisdom. The Duke Kahanamoku statue, created by sculptor Jan-Michelle Sawyer, was dedicated on August 24, 1990, the 100th anniversary of the Duke’s birth. One of the greatest sports heroes in Hawai’i, Kahanamoku is recognized internationally as the father of modern surfing. The statue of Prince Kuhio, created by sculptor Sean Browne, was dedicated on January 12, 2002.
The Waikīkī skyline is now dotted with an abundance of both high-rises and resort hotels. The beach is actually fairly short, with half of it marked off for surfers. For some distance into the ocean the water is quite shallow, although there are numerous rocks on the bottom. As with most ocean beaches the waves can have some force, particularly on windy days. The surf at Waikīkī is known for its long rolling break, making it ideal for long boarding, tandem surfing and beginners.
Kuhio Beach Park is located at 2365 Kalakaua Avenue at Honolulu, Hawaii. The zip code is 96815. This place is truly a blessing as far as natural beauty is concerned. It can be the best place for the tourists to sip some sun rays. Kuhio Beach Park is a part of Waikiki Beach, located between the Sheraton Moana Surfrider Hotel and the Kapahulu Groin, which was built in 1951 as part of the Waikiki Beach Improvement Project. It is an extension of a storm drain that runs under Kapahulu Avenue. The project also included building a low wall on the Diamond Head side of the groin and importing sand to create the beaches on both sides.
Kuhio lies on the eastern part of Waikiki. Duke Kahanamoku, a former athlete finds this pace as an amazing one and was spotted often some time back. The hula mounds are worth looking out for
With an offshore retaining wall, this is a calmer section of beach that's great for families and beginner surfers. Along Kalakaua Avenue are four stones known as the Ancient Pohaku (Wizard Stones) which are believed to hold spiritual healing powers. There is also a statue of legendary surfer Duke Kahanamoku located here, often adorned with leis and a popular photo spot
To the west of the beach park are two of Waikiki’s famous surf sites, Queen’s and Canoes. Three popular landmarks are located in Kuhio Beach Park: the Prince Kuhio Statue, the Duke Kahanamoku Statue and the Stones of Kapaemahu. The Prince Kuhio Statue was created by sculptor Sean Browne and was dedicated in 2002. The Duke Kahanamoku Statue was created by sculptor Jan-Michelle Sawyer and dedicated on 1990, the hundredth anniversary of Duke’s birth. He is considered the “Father of Modern Surfing,” a great Hawaiian watermen, Olympic swimmer, surfer and canoeist. The Stones of Kapaemahu represent four legendary men: Kapaemahu, Kahaloa, Kapuni and Kinohi, who came to Hawaii from a faraway land. In Hawaii they were famous for their great wisdom and healing powers.
Prior to 1951, the east end of the park was fronted by a shallow reef and was called "Stonewall" for the vertical seawall that supported Kalakaua Avenue. The Waikiki Beach Improvement Project, completed in July 1951, changed the area dramatically when James W. Glover, Ltd., constructed a large pedestrian groin into the ocean. Officially known as the Kapahulu Groin, the pier is an extension of a storm drain that runs under Kapahulu Avenue. The project also included constructing the low retaining wall on the Diamond Head side of the groin and importing sand to create the beaches on both sides.
Kuhio Beach Park was named for Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana’ole, the youngest son of Kekaulike Kinoiki II and High Chief David Kahalepouli Pi’ikoi. Born on March 26, 1871, at Hoai, Kualu, in the Koloa district on Kaua’i, his mother died soon after his birth. He and his two older brothers were adopted by Kapiolani, his mother’s sister. Kapi’olani and her husband Kalakaua had no children, so when Kalakaua became king in 1874, he gave each of the boys the title of prince.
In 1893, a revolution deposed Queen Lili’uokalani, Kalakaua’s sister and successor. In 1895, Prince Kuhio and other Royalists joined Robert Wilcox in an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the Republic of Hawai’i and restore the queen to her throne. Prince Kuhio served one year in jail as a political prisoner. He was released on October 8, 1896, the same day as Queen Lili’uokalani and other Royalists who had also been arrested.
In 1902, Prince Kuhio was elected Hawai’i’s second delegate to Congress and served until his death in 1922. He is best remembered for his efforts to help the Hawaiian people, and in 1921 he was successful in establishing the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, a measure that opened public lands in Hawai’i for homesteading by native Hawaiians.
Kuhio Beach Park was the site of Prince Kuhio’s home, Pualeilani, or "flower from the wreath of heaven," where he lived with his wife Princess Elizabeth Kahanu. On July 22, 1918, he removed the high board fence around his home and opened this section of beach to the public. When he died of heart disease at Pualeilani on January 7, 1922, the property was given to the city. It was officially dedicated as Kuhio Beach Park in 1940.
Waikiki’s two famous surf sites, Queen’s and Canoes, are off the west end of the park. Queen’s was named for Queen Lili’uokalani, who had a beach home and a pier inshore of the site, and Canoes was named for the outrigger canoes that are still used to surf its waves today. Waikiki’s beach boys also teach visitors how to surf at Canoes, one of the best beginner’s spots in Hawai’i.
Kuhio Beach Park is the site of three well-known landmarks, the Stones of Kapaemahu, the Duke Kahanamoku Statute, and the Prince Kuhio Statue. The stones represent four legendary men, Kapaemahu, Kahaloa, Kapuni, and Kinohi, who came to Hawai’i from a distant land. They were famous throughout the islands for their powers of healing and for their great wisdom. The Duke Kahanamoku statue, created by sculptor Jan-Michelle Sawyer, was dedicated on August 24, 1990, the 100th anniversary of the Duke’s birth. One of the greatest sports heroes in Hawai’i, Kahanamoku is recognized internationally as the father of modern surfing. The statue of Prince Kuhio, created by sculptor Sean Browne, was dedicated on January 12, 2002.
4 November 2010 - Sea Life
Today Sue, Rhiannon and Renee went on a dolphin encounter at Sea Life Park. They got to pat and play with Miki-oi (the dolphin).
In the evening we went on a Island Cruise for dinner and saw another Polynesian show. We did some dancing and enjoyed our time.
From the dinner we went to see Society of Seven, which was a live variety show. It was enjoyable. After this we headed home.
5 November 2010 - Day at the Beach
We spent the day at the beach today. 
Sue hired a stand up paddle board and we all had a go of standing and paddling and falling off. We all got sunburnt.
We ended the day with dinner at the Cheesecake Factory, the Tracey Rhiannon and Renee got their hair styled.
Sea Life Park - general information
Sea Life Park Hawaii is a marnine mammal park near Makapu'u Point, north of Hanauma Bay on the Island of Oahu in Hawaii United States. The park first opened in 1964, and includes exhibits that let visitors interact with the animals by swimming with dolphines, sea lions, and rays, taking a sea safari in the aquarium, and feeding the sea turtles. The park also includes a bird sanctuary and aquarium. The Hawaiian Reef Aquarium is a 300,000-US-gallon (1,100 m3) tank that is home to more than 2000 reef animals, including sharks, stingrays, turtles, and schools of tropical fish.
The Bird Sanctuary is home to many wild marine birds, most of which came to the sanctuary sick or injured. Visitors can see how these birds are cared for and rehabilitated.
The Hawaiian Monk Seal Habitat lets visitors see these native animals, and interact with the trainers before and after the shows.
Sea Life Park Hawaii is active in several conservation areas, including the release of adolescent green sea turtles that were hatched and raised at the park, hundreds of which are released into the wild each year.
The Hawaiian Ocean Theater is the venue for the main shows, which includes dolphins, penguins, and sea lions. The shows include information about the newest training techniques and about the park's conservation efforts.
The Penguin Habitat is home to the park's Penguins, which are part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Planfor the Humboldt Penguin.
The Bird Sanctuary is home to many wild marine birds, most of which came to the sanctuary sick or injured. Visitors can see how these birds are cared for and rehabilitated.
The Hawaiian Monk Seal Habitat lets visitors see these native animals, and interact with the trainers before and after the shows.
Sea Life Park Hawaii is active in several conservation areas, including the release of adolescent green sea turtles that were hatched and raised at the park, hundreds of which are released into the wild each year.
Friday, November 5, 2010
3 November 2010 - general information
LUAU
A luau (in Hawaiian, lū‘au) is a Hawaiian feast. It may feature food, such as poi, kalua pig, poke, lomi salmon, opihi, haupia, and beer; and entertainment, such as Hawaiian music and hula. Among people from Hawaii, the concepts of "luau" and "party" are often blended, resulting in graduation luaus, wedding luaus, and birthday luaus.
According to Pukui & Elbert (1986:214), the name "luau" goes back "at least to 1856, when so used by the Pacific Commercial Advertiser." Earlier, such a feast was called a pā‘ina or 'aha‘aina. The newer name comes from that of a food always served at a luau: young taro tops baked with coconut milk and chicken or octopus.
Luau-themed or Hawaiian-themed parties can be differentiated from authentic luaus by a lack of traditional food and techniques as described above. These parties range dramatically in their range of dedication to Hawaiian traditions. For example, some extravagant affairs go so far as to ship food from the islands, while others settle for artificial leis, maitais, and a poolside atmosphere. None of these are considered Luaus by purists.
Primarily in the Hawaiian islands, there are numerous commercial luau productions, which generally consist of dinner and Hawaiian or Polynesian dancing. Some of these productions are held at hotels, usually outdoors (weather permitting), and some are held at private locations without any connection to a specific hotel. These luaus are geared for tourists and have a variety of souvenirs, crafts, and photos for purchase.
REEFS
An artificial reef is a human-made underwater structure, typically built for the purpose of promoting marine life in areas of generally featureless bottom. Artificial reefs may also serve to improve hydrodynamics for surfing or to control beach erosion.
Artificial reefs can be built in a number of different methods. Many reefs are built by deploying existing materials in order to create a reef. This can be done by sinking oil rigs (through the Rigs-to-Reefs program), scuttling ships, or by deploying rubble or construction debris. Other artificial reefs are purpose built (e.g. the reef balls) from PVC and/or concrete. Historic or modern shipwrecks become unintended artificial reefs when preserved on the sea floor. Regardless of construction method, artificial reefs are generally designed to provide hard surfaces to which algae and invertebrates such as barnacles, corals, and oysters attach; the accumulation of attached marine life in turn provides intricate structure and food for assemblages of fish.
Creating an artificial reef by sinking the Carthaginian will have very little, if any, negative impact on the surrounding ocean environment. Atlantis Adventures has retained BEI Environmental Services of Honolulu to oversee this project and is taking every safety precaution to ensure that the marine life will not be harmed.
The sunken vessel will be secured on a sandy bottom away from more prominent reef colonies. This will begin the natural process of creating an artificial reef that will be very beneficial to the marine life environment, highlighted by the following:
• Increasing the biomass of marine life in the area.
• Providing a future source of marine life to help relieve the pressure off natural reefs from overuse by divers.
• Providing the juvenile species of fish a place to grow. • Becoming a replenishment area for fish to congregate.
• Creating a solid substrate for coral to take hold and grow.
• Developing a new dive attraction for scuba divers and submarine tours.
• Creating an educational opportunity for schools, such as Maui Community
• College’s marine option program, to study the biomass increase.
A detailed Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) regarding the artificial reef was prepared and distributed to approximately 30 federal, state, and county agencies and community-based organizations. Based on this report, theHawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources gave its approval. A copy of the EIS is available upon request.
Once the Lahaina Restoration Foundation decided to dispose of the Carthaginian, the nonprofit organization contacted Atlantis Adventures to see if there was interest in acquiring the vessel for use as an artificial reef.
The 97-foot, steel-hulled vessel has no historical value of any significance. Originally, it was a freight carrier in Germany before being converted in 1973 into a replica of a whaling supply vessel for display in Lahaina Harbor.
A cost estimate and feasibility study done on behalf of the Lahaina Restoration Foundation concluded it would not be cost effective to restore the vessel. In addition, the study noted there was a strong possibility the vessel would not survive being towed from Lahaina to Honolulu for restoration.
It will be approximately a half-mile offshore of the Lahaina coastline between Puamana Park and Launiapoko Park at a depth of 95 feet.
Atlantis’s reasons for creating an artificial reef are basically threefold:
It will enhance the development of fish and coral in the area. Artificial reefs have a proven track record of increasing the biomass of marine life in any given area. In 1989, Atlantis successfully launched its first artificial reef project off Waikiki; an area that was once a sparsely populated undersea habitat today thrives with an abundance of marine life due to the artificial reef.
Establishing an artificial reef – and a new place for marine life to flourish – will provide divers with alternative sites to popular dive locations. This will help relieve man’s impact on the natural reefs in the surrounding area.
While Atlantis’s business is to provide an undersea experience found nowhere else in Hawaii, we strongly support the conservation message we impart to our visitors: To respect and protect our environment. The artificial reef off Lahaina will fundamentally improve marine life in the area. By protecting and promoting the development of coral reefs, we are improving the quality of our natural resources.
The vessel will be anchored in 95 feet of water, which makes it a standard dive for most scuba operations. Scuba divers are advised to follow the safety precautions they would typically observe with any dive. Free divers should also watch for rigging wires being put in place to secure the masts.
There will be no impact on swimmers or surfers. The vessel will be located far enough from shore to not affect the surf break on large swell days.
The environmental damage caused to West Maui’s marine life – from construction runoff to snorkeling – has been an ongoing concern to the community. By using the vessel to create an artificial reef, Atlantis is developing a “new” undersea habitat that will produce an increase in fish, coral and other marine life. In effect, this proactive measure by Atlantis is improving marine conservation for the area. Over time, the vessel will slowly deteriorate and evolve into a natural reef setting as the coral grows and sustains itself.
Like all other forms of marine life, sharks are part of the ocean environment and their attraction to reefs and other locations is driven by availability of food sources. It’s difficult to speculate how many sharks – if any – and what types will be drawn to the artificial reef. Atlantis created an artificial reef off Waikiki that is now the habitat for a wide variety of indigenous marine life. A few reef sharks are often seen – namely white tip and sandbar sharks – which are considered non-aggressive species. They are sometimes visible during the day and can usually be seen sleeping under the reef.
The Submarine Tour takes place in the Atlantis 48-passenger submarine and has been featured on National Geographic specials. Each guest will receive an Atlantis Souvenir Dive Log.
Climb aboard one of our Atlantis 48-passenger submarines. Being in a submarine and descending to 100 feet underwater is an adventure in itself. You will also get to see real marine life up close. The Atlantis Waikiki dive site is home to many Hawaiian fishes, coral, and turtles. Known for its quality and safety, Atlantis is an eye-opening experience that takes you beyond the classroom as you learn about coral, reef life and submersibles while visiting our sunken shipwrecks, airplane and other artificial reefs. Atlantis has a spacious air-conditioned interior, large view ports and comfortable seating. If you haven't been to the bottom of the ocean before, this tour is a "must do!"
HULA
Hula (pronounced /ˈhuːlə/) is a dance form accompanied by chant or song. It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Polynesians who originally settled there. The chant or song is called a mele. The hula dramatizes or comments on the mele.
There are many styles of hula. They are commonly divided into two broad categories: Ancient hula, as performed before Western encounters with Hawaiʻi, is called kahiko. It is accompanied by chant and traditional instruments. Hula as it evolved under Western influence, in the 19th and 20th centuries, is called ʻauana. It is accompanied by song and Western-influenced musical instruments such as the guitar, the ʻukulele, and the double bass.
Terminology for two main additional categories is beginning to enter the hula lexicon: "Monarchy" includes many hula which were composed and choreographed during the 19th century. During that time the influx of Western culture created significant changes in the formal Hawaiian arts, including hula. "Ai Kahiko", meaning "in the ancient style" are those hula written in the 20th and 21st centuries that follow the stylistic protocols of the ancient hula kahiko.
Hula is taught in schools called hālau. The teacher of hula is the kumu hula, where kumu means source of knowledge. Hula dancing is a complex art form, and there are many hand motions used to signify aspects of nature, such as the basic Hula and Coconut Tree motions, or the basic leg steps, such as the Kaholo, Ka'o, and Ami.
There are other related dances (tamure, hura, aparima, otea, haka, poi, Fa'ataupati, Tau'olunga, and Lakalaka) that come from other Polynesian islands such as Tahiti, The Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga and Aotearoa (New Zealand); however, the hula is unique to the Hawaiian Islands.
Hula Kahiko
Hula kahiko performance at the pa hula in Hawaii Volcanoes National ParkHula kahiko, often defined as those hula composed prior to 1893 which do not include modern instrumentation (such as guitar, `ukulele, etc.), encompassed an enormous variety of styles and moods, from the solemn and sacred to the frivolous. Many hula were created to praise the chiefs and performed in their honor, or for their entertainment. Types of hula kahiko include ʻālaʻapapa, haʻa, ʻolapa, and many others.
Some hula was considered a religious performance. As was true of ceremonies at the heiau, the platform temple, even a minor error was considered to invalidate the performance. It might even be a presage of bad luck or have dire consequences. Dancers who were learning to do such hula necessarily made many mistakes. Hence they were ritually secluded and put under the protection of the goddess Laka during the learning period. Ceremonies marked the successful learning of the hula and the emergence from seclusion.
Hula kahiko is performed today by dancing to the historical chants. Many hula kahiko are characterized by traditional costuming, by an austere look, and a reverence for their spiritual roots.
ChantsHawaiian history was oral history. It was codified in genealogies and chants, which were memorized strictly as passed down. In the absence of a written language, this was the only available method of ensuring accuracy. Chants told the stories of creation, mythology, royalty, and other significant events and people.
Instruments and implements
Hula dance researcher Joann Kealiinohomoku with hula implements Puʻili and ʻuliʻuliIpu—single gourd drum
Ipu heke—double gourd drum
Pahu—sharkskin covered drum; considered sacred
Pūniu—small knee drum made of a coconut shell with fish skin (kala) cover
ʻIliʻili—water-worn lava stone used as castanets
ʻUlīʻulī—feathered gourd rattles
Pūʻili—split bamboo sticks
Kālaʻau—rhythm sticks
The dog's-tooth anklets sometimes worn by male dancers could also be considered instruments, as they underlined the sounds of stamping feet.
CostumesTraditional female dancers wore the everyday pāʻū, or wrapped skirt, but were topless. Today this form of dress has been altered. As a sign of lavish display, the pāʻū might be much longer than the usual length of tapa, or barkcloth, which was just long enough to go around the waist. Visitors report seeing dancers swathed in many yards of tapa, enough to increase their circumference substantially. Dancers might also wear decorations such as necklaces, bracelets, and anklets, as well as many lei (in the form of headpieces, necklaces, bracelets, and anklets).
Traditional male dancers wore the everyday malo, or loincloth. Again, they might wear bulky malo made of many yards of tapa. They also wore necklaces, bracelets, anklets, and lei.
The materials for the lei worn in performance were gathered in the forest, after prayers to Laka and the forest gods had been chanted.
The lei and tapa worn for sacred hula were considered imbued with the sacredness of the dance, and were not to be worn after the performance. Lei were typically left on the small altar to Laka found in every hālau, as offerings.
PerformancesHula performed for spontaneous daily amusement or family feasts were attended with no particular ceremony. However, hula performed as entertainment for chiefs were anxious affairs. High chiefs typically traveled from one place to another within their domains. Each locality had to house, feed, and amuse the chief and his or her entourage. Hula performances were a form of fealty, and often of flattery to the chief. There were hula celebrating his lineage, his name, and even his genitals (hula maʻi). Sacred hula, celebrating Hawaiian gods, were also danced. All these performances must be completed without error (which would be both unlucky and disrespectful).
Visiting chiefs from other domains would also be honored with hula performances. This courtesy was often extended to important Western visitors. They left many written records of 18th and 19th century hula performances.
Hula ʻauana
Dancer (Hula ʻauana), Merrie Monarch FestivalModern hula arose from adaptation of traditional hula ideas (dance and mele) to Western influences. The primary influences were Christian morality and melodic harmony. Hula ʻauana still tells or comments on a story, but the stories may include events since the 1800s. The costumes of the women dancers are less revealing and the music is heavily Western-influenced.
SongsThe mele of hula ʻauana are generally sung as if they were popular music. A lead voice sings in a major scale, with occasional harmony parts.
The subject of the songs is as broad as the range of human experience. People write mele hula ʻauana to comment on significant people, places or events or simply to express an emotion or idea.
Costumes play a role in illustrating the hula instructor's interpretation of the mele. While there is some freedom of choice, most hālau follow the accepted costuming traditions. Women generally wear skirts or dresses of some sort. Men may wear long or short pants, skirts, or a malo (a cloth wrapped under and around the crotch). For slow, graceful dances, the dancers will wear formal clothing such as a muʻumuʻu for women and a sash for men. A fast, lively, "rascal" song will be performed by dancers in more revealing or festive attire. The hula kahiko is always performed with bare feet, but the hula ʻauana can be performed with bare feet or shoes.
Hula is performed at luau (Hawaiian parties) and celebrations. Hula lessons are common for girls from ages 6–12 and, just like another kind of dance they have recitals and perform at luau.
There are various legends surrounding the origins of hula. According to one Hawaiian legend Laka, goddess of the hula, gave birth to the dance on the island of Molokaʻi, at a sacred place in Kaʻana. After Laka died, her remains were hidden beneath the hill Puʻu Nana.
Another story tells of Hiʻiaka, who danced to appease her fiery sister, the volcano goddess Pele. This story locates the source of the hula on Hawaiʻi, in the Puna district at the Hāʻena shoreline. The ancient hula Ke Haʻa Ala Puna describes this event.
Another story is when Pele, the goddess of fire was trying to find a home for herself running away from her sister Namakaokaha'i (the goddess of the oceans) when she finally found an island where she couldn't be touched by the waves. There at chain of craters on the island of Hawai'i she danced the first dance of hula signifying that she finally won.
One story is that Pele asked Laka to amuse her because Pele was bored. So right away Laka got up and began to move gracefully, acting out silently events they both knew. Pele enjoyed this and was fascinated thus Hula was born.
During the 19th century Dancer with pūʻili (Hula ʻauana), Merrie Monarch FestivalAmerican Protestant missionaries, who arrived in 1820, denounced the hula as a heathen dance. The newly Christianized aliʻi (royalty and nobility) were urged to ban the hula—which they did. However, many of them continued to privately patronize the hula.
The Hawaiian performing arts had a resurgence during the reign of King David Kalākaua (1874–1891), who encouraged the traditional arts. With the Princess Ruth Keelikolani who devoted herself to the old ways, as the patron of the ancients chants (mele, hula), she stressed the importance to revive the diminishing culture of their ancestors with in the damaging influence of foreigners, and modernism that was forever changing Hawaii.
Practitioners merged Hawaiian poetry, chanted vocal performance, dance movements and costumes to create the new form, the hula kuʻi (kuʻi means "to combine old and new"). The pahu appears not to have been used in hula kuʻi, evidently because its sacredness was respected by practitioners; the ipu gourd (Lagenaria sicenaria) was the indigenous instrument most closely associated with hula kuʻi.
Ritual and prayer surrounded all aspects of hula training and practice, even as late as the early 20th century. Teachers and students were dedicated to the goddess of the hula, Laka.
"Honolulu Entertainers" sideshow at a circus in Salt Lake City, 1920Hula changed drastically in the early 20th century as it was featured in tourist spectacles, such as the Kodak Hula Show, and in Hollywood films. However, a more traditional hula was maintained in small circles by older practitioners. There has been a renewed interest in hula, both traditional and modern, since the 1970s and the Hawaiian Renaissance.
A luau (in Hawaiian, lū‘au) is a Hawaiian feast. It may feature food, such as poi, kalua pig, poke, lomi salmon, opihi, haupia, and beer; and entertainment, such as Hawaiian music and hula. Among people from Hawaii, the concepts of "luau" and "party" are often blended, resulting in graduation luaus, wedding luaus, and birthday luaus.
According to Pukui & Elbert (1986:214), the name "luau" goes back "at least to 1856, when so used by the Pacific Commercial Advertiser." Earlier, such a feast was called a pā‘ina or 'aha‘aina. The newer name comes from that of a food always served at a luau: young taro tops baked with coconut milk and chicken or octopus.
Luau-themed or Hawaiian-themed parties can be differentiated from authentic luaus by a lack of traditional food and techniques as described above. These parties range dramatically in their range of dedication to Hawaiian traditions. For example, some extravagant affairs go so far as to ship food from the islands, while others settle for artificial leis, maitais, and a poolside atmosphere. None of these are considered Luaus by purists.
Primarily in the Hawaiian islands, there are numerous commercial luau productions, which generally consist of dinner and Hawaiian or Polynesian dancing. Some of these productions are held at hotels, usually outdoors (weather permitting), and some are held at private locations without any connection to a specific hotel. These luaus are geared for tourists and have a variety of souvenirs, crafts, and photos for purchase.
REEFS
An artificial reef is a human-made underwater structure, typically built for the purpose of promoting marine life in areas of generally featureless bottom. Artificial reefs may also serve to improve hydrodynamics for surfing or to control beach erosion.
Artificial reefs can be built in a number of different methods. Many reefs are built by deploying existing materials in order to create a reef. This can be done by sinking oil rigs (through the Rigs-to-Reefs program), scuttling ships, or by deploying rubble or construction debris. Other artificial reefs are purpose built (e.g. the reef balls) from PVC and/or concrete. Historic or modern shipwrecks become unintended artificial reefs when preserved on the sea floor. Regardless of construction method, artificial reefs are generally designed to provide hard surfaces to which algae and invertebrates such as barnacles, corals, and oysters attach; the accumulation of attached marine life in turn provides intricate structure and food for assemblages of fish.
Creating an artificial reef by sinking the Carthaginian will have very little, if any, negative impact on the surrounding ocean environment. Atlantis Adventures has retained BEI Environmental Services of Honolulu to oversee this project and is taking every safety precaution to ensure that the marine life will not be harmed.
The sunken vessel will be secured on a sandy bottom away from more prominent reef colonies. This will begin the natural process of creating an artificial reef that will be very beneficial to the marine life environment, highlighted by the following:
• Increasing the biomass of marine life in the area.
• Providing a future source of marine life to help relieve the pressure off natural reefs from overuse by divers.
• Providing the juvenile species of fish a place to grow. • Becoming a replenishment area for fish to congregate.
• Creating a solid substrate for coral to take hold and grow.
• Developing a new dive attraction for scuba divers and submarine tours.
• Creating an educational opportunity for schools, such as Maui Community
• College’s marine option program, to study the biomass increase.
A detailed Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) regarding the artificial reef was prepared and distributed to approximately 30 federal, state, and county agencies and community-based organizations. Based on this report, theHawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources gave its approval. A copy of the EIS is available upon request.
Once the Lahaina Restoration Foundation decided to dispose of the Carthaginian, the nonprofit organization contacted Atlantis Adventures to see if there was interest in acquiring the vessel for use as an artificial reef.
The 97-foot, steel-hulled vessel has no historical value of any significance. Originally, it was a freight carrier in Germany before being converted in 1973 into a replica of a whaling supply vessel for display in Lahaina Harbor.
A cost estimate and feasibility study done on behalf of the Lahaina Restoration Foundation concluded it would not be cost effective to restore the vessel. In addition, the study noted there was a strong possibility the vessel would not survive being towed from Lahaina to Honolulu for restoration.
It will be approximately a half-mile offshore of the Lahaina coastline between Puamana Park and Launiapoko Park at a depth of 95 feet.
Atlantis’s reasons for creating an artificial reef are basically threefold:
It will enhance the development of fish and coral in the area. Artificial reefs have a proven track record of increasing the biomass of marine life in any given area. In 1989, Atlantis successfully launched its first artificial reef project off Waikiki; an area that was once a sparsely populated undersea habitat today thrives with an abundance of marine life due to the artificial reef.
Establishing an artificial reef – and a new place for marine life to flourish – will provide divers with alternative sites to popular dive locations. This will help relieve man’s impact on the natural reefs in the surrounding area.
While Atlantis’s business is to provide an undersea experience found nowhere else in Hawaii, we strongly support the conservation message we impart to our visitors: To respect and protect our environment. The artificial reef off Lahaina will fundamentally improve marine life in the area. By protecting and promoting the development of coral reefs, we are improving the quality of our natural resources.
The vessel will be anchored in 95 feet of water, which makes it a standard dive for most scuba operations. Scuba divers are advised to follow the safety precautions they would typically observe with any dive. Free divers should also watch for rigging wires being put in place to secure the masts.
There will be no impact on swimmers or surfers. The vessel will be located far enough from shore to not affect the surf break on large swell days.
The environmental damage caused to West Maui’s marine life – from construction runoff to snorkeling – has been an ongoing concern to the community. By using the vessel to create an artificial reef, Atlantis is developing a “new” undersea habitat that will produce an increase in fish, coral and other marine life. In effect, this proactive measure by Atlantis is improving marine conservation for the area. Over time, the vessel will slowly deteriorate and evolve into a natural reef setting as the coral grows and sustains itself.
Like all other forms of marine life, sharks are part of the ocean environment and their attraction to reefs and other locations is driven by availability of food sources. It’s difficult to speculate how many sharks – if any – and what types will be drawn to the artificial reef. Atlantis created an artificial reef off Waikiki that is now the habitat for a wide variety of indigenous marine life. A few reef sharks are often seen – namely white tip and sandbar sharks – which are considered non-aggressive species. They are sometimes visible during the day and can usually be seen sleeping under the reef.
The Submarine Tour takes place in the Atlantis 48-passenger submarine and has been featured on National Geographic specials. Each guest will receive an Atlantis Souvenir Dive Log.
Climb aboard one of our Atlantis 48-passenger submarines. Being in a submarine and descending to 100 feet underwater is an adventure in itself. You will also get to see real marine life up close. The Atlantis Waikiki dive site is home to many Hawaiian fishes, coral, and turtles. Known for its quality and safety, Atlantis is an eye-opening experience that takes you beyond the classroom as you learn about coral, reef life and submersibles while visiting our sunken shipwrecks, airplane and other artificial reefs. Atlantis has a spacious air-conditioned interior, large view ports and comfortable seating. If you haven't been to the bottom of the ocean before, this tour is a "must do!"
HULA
Hula (pronounced /ˈhuːlə/) is a dance form accompanied by chant or song. It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Polynesians who originally settled there. The chant or song is called a mele. The hula dramatizes or comments on the mele.
There are many styles of hula. They are commonly divided into two broad categories: Ancient hula, as performed before Western encounters with Hawaiʻi, is called kahiko. It is accompanied by chant and traditional instruments. Hula as it evolved under Western influence, in the 19th and 20th centuries, is called ʻauana. It is accompanied by song and Western-influenced musical instruments such as the guitar, the ʻukulele, and the double bass.
Terminology for two main additional categories is beginning to enter the hula lexicon: "Monarchy" includes many hula which were composed and choreographed during the 19th century. During that time the influx of Western culture created significant changes in the formal Hawaiian arts, including hula. "Ai Kahiko", meaning "in the ancient style" are those hula written in the 20th and 21st centuries that follow the stylistic protocols of the ancient hula kahiko.
Hula is taught in schools called hālau. The teacher of hula is the kumu hula, where kumu means source of knowledge. Hula dancing is a complex art form, and there are many hand motions used to signify aspects of nature, such as the basic Hula and Coconut Tree motions, or the basic leg steps, such as the Kaholo, Ka'o, and Ami.
There are other related dances (tamure, hura, aparima, otea, haka, poi, Fa'ataupati, Tau'olunga, and Lakalaka) that come from other Polynesian islands such as Tahiti, The Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga and Aotearoa (New Zealand); however, the hula is unique to the Hawaiian Islands.
Hula Kahiko
Hula kahiko performance at the pa hula in Hawaii Volcanoes National ParkHula kahiko, often defined as those hula composed prior to 1893 which do not include modern instrumentation (such as guitar, `ukulele, etc.), encompassed an enormous variety of styles and moods, from the solemn and sacred to the frivolous. Many hula were created to praise the chiefs and performed in their honor, or for their entertainment. Types of hula kahiko include ʻālaʻapapa, haʻa, ʻolapa, and many others.
Some hula was considered a religious performance. As was true of ceremonies at the heiau, the platform temple, even a minor error was considered to invalidate the performance. It might even be a presage of bad luck or have dire consequences. Dancers who were learning to do such hula necessarily made many mistakes. Hence they were ritually secluded and put under the protection of the goddess Laka during the learning period. Ceremonies marked the successful learning of the hula and the emergence from seclusion.
Hula kahiko is performed today by dancing to the historical chants. Many hula kahiko are characterized by traditional costuming, by an austere look, and a reverence for their spiritual roots.
ChantsHawaiian history was oral history. It was codified in genealogies and chants, which were memorized strictly as passed down. In the absence of a written language, this was the only available method of ensuring accuracy. Chants told the stories of creation, mythology, royalty, and other significant events and people.
Instruments and implements
Hula dance researcher Joann Kealiinohomoku with hula implements Puʻili and ʻuliʻuliIpu—single gourd drum
Ipu heke—double gourd drum
Pahu—sharkskin covered drum; considered sacred
Pūniu—small knee drum made of a coconut shell with fish skin (kala) cover
ʻIliʻili—water-worn lava stone used as castanets
ʻUlīʻulī—feathered gourd rattles
Pūʻili—split bamboo sticks
Kālaʻau—rhythm sticks
The dog's-tooth anklets sometimes worn by male dancers could also be considered instruments, as they underlined the sounds of stamping feet.
CostumesTraditional female dancers wore the everyday pāʻū, or wrapped skirt, but were topless. Today this form of dress has been altered. As a sign of lavish display, the pāʻū might be much longer than the usual length of tapa, or barkcloth, which was just long enough to go around the waist. Visitors report seeing dancers swathed in many yards of tapa, enough to increase their circumference substantially. Dancers might also wear decorations such as necklaces, bracelets, and anklets, as well as many lei (in the form of headpieces, necklaces, bracelets, and anklets).
Traditional male dancers wore the everyday malo, or loincloth. Again, they might wear bulky malo made of many yards of tapa. They also wore necklaces, bracelets, anklets, and lei.
The materials for the lei worn in performance were gathered in the forest, after prayers to Laka and the forest gods had been chanted.
The lei and tapa worn for sacred hula were considered imbued with the sacredness of the dance, and were not to be worn after the performance. Lei were typically left on the small altar to Laka found in every hālau, as offerings.
PerformancesHula performed for spontaneous daily amusement or family feasts were attended with no particular ceremony. However, hula performed as entertainment for chiefs were anxious affairs. High chiefs typically traveled from one place to another within their domains. Each locality had to house, feed, and amuse the chief and his or her entourage. Hula performances were a form of fealty, and often of flattery to the chief. There were hula celebrating his lineage, his name, and even his genitals (hula maʻi). Sacred hula, celebrating Hawaiian gods, were also danced. All these performances must be completed without error (which would be both unlucky and disrespectful).
Visiting chiefs from other domains would also be honored with hula performances. This courtesy was often extended to important Western visitors. They left many written records of 18th and 19th century hula performances.
Hula ʻauana
Dancer (Hula ʻauana), Merrie Monarch FestivalModern hula arose from adaptation of traditional hula ideas (dance and mele) to Western influences. The primary influences were Christian morality and melodic harmony. Hula ʻauana still tells or comments on a story, but the stories may include events since the 1800s. The costumes of the women dancers are less revealing and the music is heavily Western-influenced.
SongsThe mele of hula ʻauana are generally sung as if they were popular music. A lead voice sings in a major scale, with occasional harmony parts.
The subject of the songs is as broad as the range of human experience. People write mele hula ʻauana to comment on significant people, places or events or simply to express an emotion or idea.
Costumes play a role in illustrating the hula instructor's interpretation of the mele. While there is some freedom of choice, most hālau follow the accepted costuming traditions. Women generally wear skirts or dresses of some sort. Men may wear long or short pants, skirts, or a malo (a cloth wrapped under and around the crotch). For slow, graceful dances, the dancers will wear formal clothing such as a muʻumuʻu for women and a sash for men. A fast, lively, "rascal" song will be performed by dancers in more revealing or festive attire. The hula kahiko is always performed with bare feet, but the hula ʻauana can be performed with bare feet or shoes.
Hula is performed at luau (Hawaiian parties) and celebrations. Hula lessons are common for girls from ages 6–12 and, just like another kind of dance they have recitals and perform at luau.
There are various legends surrounding the origins of hula. According to one Hawaiian legend Laka, goddess of the hula, gave birth to the dance on the island of Molokaʻi, at a sacred place in Kaʻana. After Laka died, her remains were hidden beneath the hill Puʻu Nana.
Another story tells of Hiʻiaka, who danced to appease her fiery sister, the volcano goddess Pele. This story locates the source of the hula on Hawaiʻi, in the Puna district at the Hāʻena shoreline. The ancient hula Ke Haʻa Ala Puna describes this event.
Another story is when Pele, the goddess of fire was trying to find a home for herself running away from her sister Namakaokaha'i (the goddess of the oceans) when she finally found an island where she couldn't be touched by the waves. There at chain of craters on the island of Hawai'i she danced the first dance of hula signifying that she finally won.
One story is that Pele asked Laka to amuse her because Pele was bored. So right away Laka got up and began to move gracefully, acting out silently events they both knew. Pele enjoyed this and was fascinated thus Hula was born.
During the 19th century Dancer with pūʻili (Hula ʻauana), Merrie Monarch FestivalAmerican Protestant missionaries, who arrived in 1820, denounced the hula as a heathen dance. The newly Christianized aliʻi (royalty and nobility) were urged to ban the hula—which they did. However, many of them continued to privately patronize the hula.
The Hawaiian performing arts had a resurgence during the reign of King David Kalākaua (1874–1891), who encouraged the traditional arts. With the Princess Ruth Keelikolani who devoted herself to the old ways, as the patron of the ancients chants (mele, hula), she stressed the importance to revive the diminishing culture of their ancestors with in the damaging influence of foreigners, and modernism that was forever changing Hawaii.
Practitioners merged Hawaiian poetry, chanted vocal performance, dance movements and costumes to create the new form, the hula kuʻi (kuʻi means "to combine old and new"). The pahu appears not to have been used in hula kuʻi, evidently because its sacredness was respected by practitioners; the ipu gourd (Lagenaria sicenaria) was the indigenous instrument most closely associated with hula kuʻi.
Ritual and prayer surrounded all aspects of hula training and practice, even as late as the early 20th century. Teachers and students were dedicated to the goddess of the hula, Laka.
"Honolulu Entertainers" sideshow at a circus in Salt Lake City, 1920Hula changed drastically in the early 20th century as it was featured in tourist spectacles, such as the Kodak Hula Show, and in Hollywood films. However, a more traditional hula was maintained in small circles by older practitioners. There has been a renewed interest in hula, both traditional and modern, since the 1970s and the Hawaiian Renaissance.
3 November 2010
We attended a breakfast to find out infomation about tours around the island. 
Tracey, Rhiannon and Renee went on a submarine to the artficial wreeks around the bay we saw some turtles, a stingyray and a shark (which was very rare to see). Sue went shopping instead.
In the evening we went to a luau and learnt to hula dance. We saw Polynesion show which was extremely entertaining. We arrived back at out hotel at around 10:30pm.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Honolulu - general information
Honolulu is the capital of and the most populous census-designated place (CDP) in the U.S. state of Hawaii. Although Honolulu refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and the county are consolidated, known as the City and County of Honolulu, and the city and county is designated as the entire island. The City and County of Honolulu is the only incorporated city in Hawaii, as all other local government entities are administered at the county level. It is the 57th-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Honolulu is also the most populous state capital relative to state population. In the Hawaiian language, Honolulu means "sheltered bay" or "place of shelter".
Evidence of the first settlement of Honolulu by the original Polynesian migrants to the archipelago comes from oral histories and artifacts. These indicate that there was a settlement where Honolulu now stands in the 12th century. However, after Kamehameha I conquered Oʻahu in the Battle of Nuʻuanu at Nuʻuanu Pali, he moved his royal court from the Island of Hawaiʻi to Waikīkī in 1804. His court later relocated, in 1809, to what is now downtown Honolulu. In 1795, Captain William Brown of Great Britain was the first foreigner to sail into what is now Honolulu Harbor. More foreign ships would follow, making the port of Honolulu a focal point for merchant ships traveling between North America and Asia.
In 1845, Kamehameha III moved the permanent capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom from Lahaina on Maui to Honolulu. He and the kings that followed him transformed Honolulu into a modern capital, erecting buildings such as St. Andrew's Cathedral, ʻIolani Palace, and Aliʻiōlani Hale. At the same time, Honolulu became the center of commerce in the Islands, with descendants of American missionaries establishing major businesses in downtown Honolulu. Despite the turbulent history of the late 19th century and early 20th century, which saw the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893, Hawaiʻi's subsequent annexation by the United States in 1898, followed by a large fire in 1900, and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Honolulu would remain the capital, largest city, and main airport and seaport of the Hawaiian Islands.
An economic and tourism boom following statehood brought rapid economic growth to Honolulu and Hawaiʻi. Modern air travel would bring thousands and, as of 2007, 7.6 million visitors annually to the Islands.[2] Of these, about 62.3% in 2007 entered the state at Honolulu International Airport. Today, Honolulu is a modern city with numerous high-rise buildings, and Waikīkī is the center of the tourism industry in Hawaiʻi, with thousands of hotel rooms. The UK consulting firm Mercer, in a 2009 assessment "conducted to help governments and major companies place employees on international assignments", ranked Honolulu 29th worldwide in quality of living; the survey factored in political stability, personal freedom, sanitation, crime, housing, the natural environment, recreation, banking facilities, availability of consumer goods, education, and public services including transportation.
2 November 2010 - trip to honolulu
Got up at 6:15am so that we could catch out plane to Honolulu. the trip was uneventful.
Arrived our hotel then went for a walk then ended up at the beach for a while. Went out for tea and returned to the hotel.
1 November 2010 - More Disneyland
Went to the post office to post more boxes home, then back to the parks for few hours. Around 3:00pm we went back to the Hotel for a swim. Sue and Rhiannon went back to do a last ride on tower of terror. 
Today was our final visit to Disneyland booooo!!
Newport Beach - general information
Newport Beach, incorporated in 1906, is a city in Orange County California, 10 miles (16 km) south of downtown Santa Ana. As of February 2010 Portfolio.com ranked Newport Beach, California the richest U.S. city. The city's median family income and property values consistently place high in national rankings making Newport Beach one of the wealthiest communities in California, and in United States overall.
In 1871 a steamer named "The Vaquero" made its first trip to a marshy lagoon for trading. Ranch owners in the Lower Bay decided from then on that the area should be called "Newport."
In 1905 city development increased when Padcific Electric Railway established a southern terminus in Newport connecting the beach with downtown Los Angeles. In 1906 with a population of 206 citizens, the scattered settlements were incorporated as the City of Newport Beach.
Settlements filled in on the Peninsula, West Newport, Balboa Island and Lido Isle. In 1923 Corona De Mar was annexed and in 2002 Newport Coast East Santa Ana and San Joaquin Hills, were annexed. In 2008, after a long battle with the City of Costa Mesa, Newport Beach annexed West Santa Ana Heights.
Newport Beach extends in elevation from sea level to the 1161 ft (354 m.) summit of Signal Peak in the San Joaquin Hills but the official elevation is 25 feet (8 m) above sea level.
The city is bordered to the west by Huntington Beach at the Santa Ana River, on the north side by Costa Mesa, John Wayne Airport and Irvine, and on the east side by Crystal Cove State.
The Upper Newport Bay was carved out by the prehistoric flow of the Santa Ana River. It feeds the delta that is the Back Bay, and eventually joins Lower Newport Bay, commonly referred to as Newport Harbor. The Lower Bay includes Balboa Island, Little Balboa Island, Collins Islan, Bay Island, Harbor Island, Lido Isle and Linda Isle.
In 1871 a steamer named "The Vaquero" made its first trip to a marshy lagoon for trading. Ranch owners in the Lower Bay decided from then on that the area should be called "Newport."
In 1905 city development increased when Padcific Electric Railway established a southern terminus in Newport connecting the beach with downtown Los Angeles. In 1906 with a population of 206 citizens, the scattered settlements were incorporated as the City of Newport Beach.
Settlements filled in on the Peninsula, West Newport, Balboa Island and Lido Isle. In 1923 Corona De Mar was annexed and in 2002 Newport Coast East Santa Ana and San Joaquin Hills, were annexed. In 2008, after a long battle with the City of Costa Mesa, Newport Beach annexed West Santa Ana Heights.
Newport Beach extends in elevation from sea level to the 1161 ft (354 m.) summit of Signal Peak in the San Joaquin Hills but the official elevation is 25 feet (8 m) above sea level.
The city is bordered to the west by Huntington Beach at the Santa Ana River, on the north side by Costa Mesa, John Wayne Airport and Irvine, and on the east side by Crystal Cove State.
The Upper Newport Bay was carved out by the prehistoric flow of the Santa Ana River. It feeds the delta that is the Back Bay, and eventually joins Lower Newport Bay, commonly referred to as Newport Harbor. The Lower Bay includes Balboa Island, Little Balboa Island, Collins Islan, Bay Island, Harbor Island, Lido Isle and Linda Isle.
31 October 2010 - day at the beach
We got up at 6:00am this morming to do our magic morning which we didn't do yesterday, after that we decided to catch the bus to Newport Beach and spent the day down there. We went on a tour round the harbour we went to look to some of the shops and the kids played on the beach. We caught the bus home and took a long detour but got home safely. When we got home the kids changed in to their costumes to go trick or treating. saw Karelyn and her family today as well, it was nice to catch up. We went with them to downtown disney and then headed home. 
30 October 2010 - Disney Parks
We were going to get up early to do our Magic Morning (which is part of our ticket that let us into Disneyland 1 hour before everyone else), but it was raining so we went back to sleep.
Eventually got up and headed to the parks for the day of fun. We stayed till late and saw fantasmic and fireworks before heading home.
Eventually got up and headed to the parks for the day of fun. We stayed till late and saw fantasmic and fireworks before heading home.
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