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Eddie Sherman has been writing about Hawaii people and her visitors since 1956. He currently is the Three Dot columnist for MidWeek Magazine on O'ahu. MidWeek is published weekly.
Hawaiian Heaven
Things I never knew till now about the Hawaiian Robinson family of Niihau and Kauai (as chronicled in Forbes Magazine by Ann Marsh): When the well to do Scottish Robinson clan came to Hawaii in l883 King Kamehameha 1V offered them Waikiki and what is now Pearl Harbor. They turned him down... Instead, for $l0,000 in gold, they bought Niihau. Later they picked up a sixth of Kauai... Today, Robinson descendants own that land still--some l00,000 acres--worth half a billion dollars... Niihau has changed little since its early days. The island has an estimated 8,000 wild boar, l2,000 wild sheep and 1,600 cattle--plus l50 natives who make up the last pure Hawaiian community... But, times are changing for the Robinsons. They are land rich--cash poor. And the tax man is knocking at their door. So--they're thinking of small Kauai resort development-- but, as un-hotel and un-common as possible for environmentally sound tourism...
Notes To You
Kevin Kostner's Waterworld is this hot in Japan. The film's playing in three Tokyo theaters... Biz-exec Bob Cole asks: Is former Star-Bulletin managing editor Bill Ewing still alive in Mississippi? Bob thinks about him often--because Ewing once interviewed Cole at the Dallas Morning News and hired him as sports editor for the SB--a long, long time ago... Sudden thot: With O.J.'s trial over maybe the silly joke parade will stop too... Some in the travel biz are wondering: How they'll cater the first 20,000 Convention Center meeting with b'fasts, lunches and dinner. Where will the staff come from? And, when the meetings are pau where will the staff go?... Disclicks: Once apon a time, much of Honolulu's entertainment was at social functions--in peoples homes. Backyard stuff. A new (first) CD titled Martin Pahinui (who began jamming at age l2 with his dad Gabby) reminds me of those days. The music is pure Hawaiian--from the heart. Simple and sweet. Jon de Mello produced... Medical News: Interesting to note that visiting granddotters from Calif. this summer used the crook of the elbow when coughing or sneezing--instead of the "old fashioned" way--the palm of the hand. (Learned from their school teacher). When told about this behavior, three local doctors thought it was "revolutionary"--and an excellent way to keep germs from spreading. And what the medics are gonna spread is the word. Remember-- next time you cough or sneeze--do it in the crook of your elbow--not the hand. Okay? Okay...
Asia Views Sovereignty
The documentary is called Wonderful Journey On Earth. Video'd in Hawaii by Japan's NHK B'casting. The focus--sovereighty. Naturally, it includes a pretty good visual commercial for Hawaii--showing many of our colorful scenics. Then the nitty gritty stuff--homeless in various parks, hookers in Waikiki and Haunani Trask shouting over and over (with right fist raised) "We are not Americans," and adding, "We will never be Americans"... Bumpy Kanahele saying "The Hawaiian people don't like the Japanese"...Bumpy predicted that July 7, l998 the Nation of Hawaii will declare independence... This documentary thus far has only been shown (to millions) in Japan. Too bad it hasn't been viewed in Hawaii...
Side Glimpses
Sign of the times: A local theatrical agent asked a restauraurant (filming a TV commercial) if the actors would work--for food only. Believe it or not, the actors agreed. Guess the thespians will kau kau for a long, long time--to make up for salaries... The first employee hired at the Polynesian Cultural Center back in Aug. of `63 (as ass't mgr.) was David Hannemann. If anybody deserves the title Mr. Aloha, it's the always affable David who leaves PCC as senior veep. His new position--the first Polynesian to be president of Hawaii's Mormon Temple. Congrats to this very warm and gracious man. No better choice... Mini movie review: MidWeek's Leslie Malfas and her l2-yr old dotter (put her name in) shed buckets of tears when they screened the film, Powder. "We wern't the only ones crying" said Leslie. And adds, "this movie, a tear jerker from start to finish, explores issues of humanity that parents should consider seeing with their children"... Never too old to learn: After a distinguished career, Kent Keith (former prez of Chaminade) is a student again-- enrolled at USC, going for his doctorate in education. One day the phone in his dorm rang--Keith answered. It was his roommate's dad calling from Florida who said, "You sound kind of old to be going to college." Keith answered. "Yes, I suppose so. I'm 47." Pause. "Why," said Mr. Florida, "that's older than I am"...If you missed it--see Get Shorty (John Travola, Gene Hackman, Danny DiVitto). A rib-tickler. Loaded with excellent characters. Bette Midler is a surprise in an unbilled cameo. She seemed to be having a ball...