Questions for Kimo:

Sailing Aboard the Historic Hokule'a, Hawai'i's 'Bright Star'... 

In celebration of my 100th post I thought I would share one of my latest adventures this past Tuesday, aboard Hawaii's most famous vessel, the HOKULE'A. Polynesian navigators, using only celestial navigation and environmental observations managed to navigate and colonize the great breadth of the pacific ocean a millenium before Westerners discovered longitude and could accurately travel the world's oceans. In the long process of proving these skills to those Westerners who doubted such know how existed, the Hokule'a was lovingly created.

 

 

 

Incredulous to the idea that Polynesians were superior sailors and navigators, many Westerners believed that Polynesian expansion throughout the Pacific was dumb luck and that Polynesian pin point navigation was just happenstance.  But the Hokule'a and her devoted crew has proven through 9 separate voyages that ancient Polynesian mariners not only knew how to navigate accurately but were able to do so over immense distances, with relatively small vessals like the 65' Hokule'a.

 

 

Believed to have arrived from the Marquesas Islands in the South Pacific about 250-450 A.D.,The original inhabitants of Hawaii were superior navigators on an expansive quest.  Additional migrations probably came from Tahiti around 900 AD. It is the belief that the Tahitians had the skills to make the journey in both directions that spurned the creation of the Hokule'a and it's subsequent journey's around the Pacific.

The crew uses the rudder as a paddle to move us away from our mooring. 

 

 

 

 

 

Sounding of the Pu puhi, heralds our departure from port. 

The Hokule'a is planning to circumnavigate the globe and is currently looking for 200 volunteers to help make the voyage.

 

 

 

This past week we filmed a segment for a National Geographic program featuring just how accurate Polynesians were at Navigation. In one of the Hokule'a's expeditions her navigators were able to sail successfully to Rapa Nui from Hawaii using only celestial navigation and environmental observation. Rapa Nui sits 1500 miles from the nearest inhabited island and the feat is equivalent to finding a needle in a hay stack. 

 

 

Here the film crew shoots some close ups for a National Geographic program. In the previous picture you can see Diamond Head in the distance.

Hokule'a is the Hawaiian term used to describe the star Arcturus. Which is the brightest star in the Hawaiian heavens. The literal translation means 'Bright Star'.

         

Aloha kakou, a hui hou,

Kimo!

 

JDS Consulting- Staging Hawaii nei! Providing Real Estate Merchandising services including: Home Staging, Interior Decor, Turn Key, Landscaping, Remodeling, & Open House Hosting. Visit our Blog: Questions for Kimo: Decor Design & More- www.RealEstateDesignOnLine.com  tel.+1.808.344.1264  Kimo Stowell Copyright ©2009

 

Questions for Kimo: Our family is re-locating to Hawaii and we are wondering where's the best place to learn about Hawaiian culture?

In my opinion the best and most family orientated place to learn about Hawaiian culture is the Bishop Museum, located at 1525 Bernice Street, Honolulu, Hawai'i 96817  Phone: 808.847.3511. The Museum is located in Palama just off the Like Like and H1 Highways. It's a little bit out of the way for tourists and new comers but it's well worth the trip for visitors and locals alike.   

"The Bishop Museum is the largest museum in the state and the premier natural and cultural history institution in the Pacific, recognized throughout the world for its cultural collections, research projects, consulting services and public educational programs. It also has one of the largest natural history specimen collections in the world. Serving and representing the interests of Native Hawaiians is a primary purpose of the Museum."-Bishop Museum

 The Museums purpose:

Founded in 1889 by Charles Reed Bishop, as a posthumous honorarium to his wife, Princess Bernice Pauahi, the Bishop Museum was designed to house the large and comprehensive collection of royal heirlooms and Hawaiian artifacts of the late Princess, the last royal descendant of the Kamehameha line. The collection has since expanded to include millions of Hawaiian and Pan-Pacific cultural artifacts, art work, historical documents, and photographs.

 

 

 

Here are some photos of my last visit to the Museum. It should be noted that the spectacular Hawaiian Hall, with it's stunning Koa paneling and galleries is currently being refurbished but there is plenty to see, none the less.

Greeting visitors on their arrival to the museum is the life size lava rock reproduction of the Rapa Nui (Easter Island) Moai.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Jhamandas Watumull Planetarium offers a fascinating look at the importance of celestial observation to Polynesian cultures. Celestial navigation and the lunar calender was of great importance to Hawaiian cultural life in the past. Today the Mauna Kea observatory complex on the Big Island is at the forefront of Astronomical Science in the world. The Planataruim offers showings daily. If your interested in seeing the planetarium check the times for showings in advance and plan your visit to the museum around it, otherwise you may miss out. For more information- 

 

Richard T. Mamiya Science Adventure Center  is designed specifically as an interactive learning center for children, including exhibits focused on volcanology, marine, and other related sciences. This is a very fun interactive area and you don't need to be a kid to enjoy it. Dominating the exhibit is a volcano that you can enter inside of and make 'erupt'. 

 

 

 

 

Hawaiian Exhibits:

You will find an amazing variety of Hawaiian artifacts from ancient times to present day such as this contemporary art piece by local artist Maika'i Tubbs-

 

 

Temple Tiki of Ku, god of war-              Collection of Makau -              Man in Ahu Ula and Mahiole-

                  

Pan-Polynesian Exhibits:

These costumes were designed to frighten the women folk as an amusement in New Caladonia

Canoe paddles, Solomon Islands-                Tongan Mace-                    Maori skirt and feathered bag-

 

Museum Information:

Hours and admission costs

Open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except on Christmas (Dec 25). There is ample free parking on our campus.

Admissions Rates

Free Admission to Bishop Museum Members

General - Adult $ 15.95
General - Senior, 65 & over $ 12.95
General - child (ages 4-12) $ 12.95
General - child (age 3 & under) Free

The following rates are available for kama'āina and military visitors to Bishop Museum:

$8.95 - General Admissison
$7.95 - Child (4-12) and Senior (65+)

 You will need to show an ID to secure these rates.

Guests visiting the Bishop Museum who are not local residents or military, but are accompanied by someone who is can get a special rate of adults $12.95, youth $9.95, and children 3 and under are free. Otherwise, regular retail admission rates will apply.

JDS Consulting- Staging Hawaii nei! Providing Real Estate Merchandising services including: Home Staging, Interior Decor, Turn Key, Landscaping, Remodeling, & Open House Hosting. Visit our Blog: Questions for Kimo: Decor Design & More- www.RealEstateDesignOnLine.com  tel.+1.808.344.1264  Kimo Stowell Copyright ©2009

 

 

 

Don't let the To Do list do You in. Most sellers would opt to wait for a buyer with an offer before initiating an inspection. However, as is sometimes the case, an unknown issue can arise as the result of the inspection that might encourage the would be buyers to contractually back out; even when the terms are 'as is'.

There are a number of unseen issues that might scare off potential buyers that an inspection might reveal: roofing, electrical, mold, plumbing, and foundation issues are some of the biggest unseen nightmares that can tank a deal. The old adage ' an once of prevention is worth a pound of cure' certainly applies here.

 

Spend the money to get an inspection before putting the house on the market, especially if it's an older home. You don't want to lose a deal because of something you could have fixed in advance. I needn't remind anyone that losing a buyer in this market can be extremely costly on many levels.

 

 

 

 

With the unknown issues set aside, as the home owner, one is usually acutely aware of the dead electrical outlets in the bedroom or the poorly patched water damaged hole in the family room ceiling or the missing paving stones in the back lanai. What you might not be aware of is how quickly a buyer can go from positive to perturbed when faced with a list of work required of them should they decide to buy. Buyers have lots to choose from these days and have little tolerance for lengthy To Do lists.

 

Address what you know needs work first, hire those who can do the job if you can't, and pay attention to the details. It's where the sale is.  

 

JDS Consulting- Staging Hawaii nei! Providing Real Estate Merchandising services including: Home Staging, Interior Decor, Turn Key, Landscaping, Remodeling, & Open House Hosting. Visit our Blog: Questions for Kimo: Decor Design & More- www.RealEstateDesignOnLine.com  tel.+1.808.344.1264  Kimo Stowell Copyright ©2009