Rick Egged
President of Waikiki Improvement Association
Aloha, welcome to Waikiki!
September is the month we celebrate aloha in Waikiki with our Aloha Festivals events. Now in its 67th year as Hawai’i’s oldest and most highly regarded cultural activities, the 2013 Aloha Festivals shares the history and traditions of Hawai’i and the unique spirit of aloha with both kama’aina (local residents) and malihini (visitors).
This year’s Aloha Festivals theme, “Moana Nui Akea—Celebrate Ocean Voyaging,” honors the brave and inspiring canoe builders, voyagers and navigators who have strived tirelessly to help keep our native culture vibrant.
The “Moana Nui Akea” theme also celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, which was founded in 1973 and has since inspired generations of voyagers who have boldly retraced the paths of Hawai’i’s Pacific Islands ancestors, fostering the revival of the wa’a kaulua (double-hulled sailing canoe) and traditional “wayfinding”—non-instrument navigation by the sun, stars and reading of wave patterns and other natural signs.
The celebration kicks off with the investiture of the 2013 Aloha Festivals Royal Court on Sept. 12, followed by an opening ceremony featuring traditional chant and hula; on Sept. 14, Pearlridge Center will host a keiki ho’olaule’a (children’s block party) with activities, demonstrations and entertainment by keiki musical groups and hula halau (hula troupes); on Saturday Sept. 21 on Kalakaua Avenue it is an evening ho’olaule’a (block party) with live entertainment on multiple stages, food booths and crafts. The celebration culminates with a floral parade along Kalakaua Avenue on Sept. 28.
Hawai’i Five-0 returns with the season four premiere at Sunset on the Beach on Sept. 26 or 27, check the WIA website, www.waikikiimprovement.com, for details.
The October’s premier event from Oct. 10-20th is the Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) presented by Halekulani. This year marks the 100th year of film production in Hawai’i. HIFF is a highly regarded international film event that has won the praise of governments, filmmakers, scholars, educators, programmers and film industry leaders across the globe. HIFF’s programming has two particular mandates: to be a festival of record for emerging films from Asia and the Pacific, and to present the top festival films from around the world, annually screening films from over 45 countries.
One of the festival highlights is a Sunset on the Beach Event here in Waikiki. Check the HIFF website for more information, www.hiff.org.
