| Planning for Hawai'i Pacific Islands Kava Festival | |
| yee | At the suggestion of Lyon Arboretum, in celebration of their 85th anniversary, a Hawai'i Kava Tasting event is being considered for 2003. One example of an idea that was offered for the event: "Perhaps some island rivalries could be promoted with different cultures presenting their products in their ways and the Hawaiian community serving as the host culture and having the final word....." This means that other Pacific Island nations (PIN) could be included in the event. However, one concern would be to have PIN representatives and their samples readied in time. Another would be the possible large numbers of samples. There are over 14 Hawaiian kava, 'awa, varieties, and perhaps this would be like having a Miss World before the Miss Hawai'i contest.[:)] On the other hand, I think it fair to have anybody who wants to have their product represented be given an opportunity to do so. "How to handle this?" is one question that can bounced around here. Any others? In addition, I'm thinking that all proceeds, if any, would be donated to Lyon Arboretum, esp., in support of their Hawaiian ethnobotanical collection including 'awa. The event would be totally voluntary. We welcome your suggestions, comments, or questions. |
| yee | Just a few ideas... Perhaps it could be modelled as a Kava Festival (for an international or Pacific-wide participation), or 'Awa Festival (for a Hawai'i only participation). The Taro Festival was once held yearly at Windward Community College, once a year in Hana, Maui, and sometimes in Honoka'a, Hawai'i. At the WCC, for example, the Taro Festival had participants from New Zealand, Samoa, Cook Islands, Tonga, and Hawai'i engaged in dance, music, food booths, etc. There were also a lot of vendors who could sell anything as long as there a taro themed item in their product line. There was also a conference on the taro crop regarding its cultivation, recipes for preparation, exhibition of the different varieties, etc., and there was a poi eating contest at the end that was fun to watch. [:)] The program seemed very clever for providing an experience for everybody in learning, eating, shopping, and made a unified sense with the taro theme. So perhaps there be more dimensions with such a festival, besides strictly a kava tasting or a kava drinking contest. [:p] Here's a link to the Taro Festival of WWC: http://www.wcc.hawaii.edu/commsvcs/taro/events.htm Mahalo, Jonathan |
| yee | Tentatively, the "Hawai'i Kava Tasting Event," has evolved into becoming the Hawai'i Pacific Islands Kava Festival. Planning is on-going and suggestions and your voluntary participation are welcome. As an indication, the Festival appears to be following along the lines of the many previous taro festivals, with educational conferences, displays, & talks, entertainment, arts & crafts, and contests, with the central theme being kava. You may wish to provide your contact information, how you'd like to participate, etc. by replying to the topic (folder above): Your interest in participating & contact info, link: http://jonathanyee.com/nativeplantsforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=28 Mahalo, Jonathan |
| yee | posted via e-mail, Tane Datta, Fri, 7 Mar 2003 10:30:58 -1000 Subject: Re: Awa Festival Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2003 10:30:58 -1000 Status: Normal From: Tane Datta <adaptations@igc.org> Received: from lamx02.mgw.rr.com ([66.75.160.13]) by hnlfe1.hawaii.rr.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC(5.5.1877.757.75); Fri, 7 Mar 2003 10:31:58 -1000 Received: from mf-prod2.namesecure.com (mf-prod2.namesecure.com [64.62.166.111]) by lamx02.mgw.rr.com (8.12.5/8.12.5) with SMTP id h27KVtsR012859 for <yee@hawaii.rr.com>; Fri, 7 Mar 2003 15:31:55 -0500 (EST) Received: (qmail 12359 invoked by uid 89); 7 Mar 2003 20:30:58 -0000 Delivered-To: hawaiiankava.com-yee@hawaiiankava.com Received: (qmail 12357 invoked from network); 7 Mar 2003 20:30:58 -0000 Received: from mclean.mail.mindspring.net (207.69.200.57) by mf-prod2.namesecure.com with SMTP; 7 Mar 2003 20:30:58 -0000 Received: from dialup-67.30.171.206.dial1.honolulu1.level3.net ([67.30.171.206] helo=localhost) by mclean.mail.mindspring.net with esmtp (Exim 3.33 #1) id 18rOVO-0004gV-00; Fri, 07 Mar 2003 15:31:46 -0500 Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2003 10:30:58 -1000 Subject: Re: Awa Festival Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed Mime-Version: 1.0 (Apple Message framework v481) Cc: "'Jerry Konanui'" <jerryk48@hialoha.net> To: <yee@hawaiiankava.com> From: Tane Datta <adaptations@igc.org> In-Reply-To: <000f01c2e2c7$7c264f90$0200a8c0@02LT0FV1WC88> Message-Id: <B4838DC4-50DB-11D7-8887-0003938A7830@igc.org> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.481) X-Virus-Scanned: Symantec AntiVirus Scan Engine Return-Path: adaptations@igc.org Aloha, I look forward to seeing the awa festival develop. here are what i think the priorities should be: 1. Encourage local kava drinking along with cultural development This would mean an emphasis on ceremony, quality food, music and a chance to meet and discuss with elders in a wide variety of fields 2. Provide information on the health concerns being developed in Europe The best approach would be to provide every participant with a copy of the "Journal of the American Herbalist Guild" Vol 3 Number 2 Fall/Winter 2002. We should also have a condensed form of the articles in that issue that could be distributed as a press release. Also, a speaker such as Dennis McKenna , who could present this viewpoint and answer questions would be good. 3. Presentation of available local products, possibly through booths would let us see what is available on the islands The twin focuses of the event should be to encourage local consumption and dispel reports of the kava harmfulness with the case by case facts presented in the magazine. It may be hard for outer island folks to attend due to the cost of air fares and availability of flights. That may be one factor in deciding the date. For fundraising I think the following sources should be explored a. Some sponsorship from companies dealing in kava b. State and county funds from Ag and tourism c. Fed funds through our representatives offices d. A relatively low admission cost say $5 to $10 with some benefit such as a free cup of kava e. Items such as T-shirts and hats made specifically for the event f. Some informational material for sale such as books pamphlets etc. g. Membership applications for the Kava Association h. The event organizers should have the only available drink booths but allow sales of food by other people i. Low cost booth sales- $50 to $75 Hope some of these ideas help. Mahalo Tane On Tuesday, March 4, 2003, at 05:29 PM, Jonathan Yee wrote: > Aloha Tane & Jerry, > > I've been meaning to get back with both of you especially since you may > have some ideas that could make the kava festival more of an enriching > meaningful experience for the participants. Tentatively the name of the > festival is "Hawai'i Pacific Islands Kava Festival". It will be held on > the grounds of the Lyon Arboretum, Manoa Valley, in Honolulu. > > We're still working the details such as the date & time, the budget, and > coordination. So we aren't quite ready for commitments. However, one > model we're looking at is the taro festival held in years past by the > Windward Community College. There will be educational, cultural, and > entertainment aspects. Cultures representing the South Pacific and > Hawai'i will be present with Hawaiian protocol to be observed. > > We will have a meeting on Monday 10 March. Two priorities will be > discussed: the budget, and setting the event's date & time. Perhaps if > you could provide your ideas and suggestions before then, I will bring > it up with the committee. Right now the approach is conservative out of > deference to the committee. However I feel once the priorities are > decided, things will move along very quickly. > > Very grateful to you and Jerry for your generous offer of assistance. > Please let me know what would be convenient ways of contacting you. I'd > be happy to correspond by e-mail or phone (I have free inter-island and > could call you). > > mahalo, > jy > > Hawaiian Kava Center > PO Box 26344 > Honolulu HI 96825 > (808) 256-5605 > http://hawaiiankava.com > yee@hawaiiankava.com |