The famous ethnic and cultural diversity of Hawaii is something we love to point out to anyone who will listen. I’ve known this for thirty years now, because it’s been that long since I moved to the islands from Seattle (on January 8, 1980), taking one of those crazy leaps of faith, trusting that this was where I belonged.

Aside from the natural beauty of Hawaii, the beauty and diversity of its people are what we grow to appreciate more deeply over the years. This is one amazing mix plate.

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More voices on the page, or on the computer screen of this blog, continue to echo into the first hours of a new year. Here are some more of the voices that brightened “A Little Romance” in 2009.

Ghislaine Chock, whose poems “The Phone” and “The Office” appear in the new Bamboo Ridge collection … I asked Ghislaine to comment on the creation of these two poems and the inspiration for them:

The creation of these poems came naturally. I learned from Eric that even if you are not a poet one can express feelings, moments, emotions, etc. through poetry. I am more than fortunate to live with a poet. Poets are able to make you understand and see the world through their keen eyes with exquisite sensitivity. That is their function.

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Bill Teter, ed. From the powerful opening words of the Kumulipo to the propulsive rhymes of contemporary slam poetry, Hāpai nā Leo celebrates a diverse range of voices that explore, carry, and regenerate Hawaiian culture. Editor Bill Teter created Hāpai nā Leo as a literary companion to Malcolm [...]
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The new Bamboo Ridge collection, Issue #94, launches this Monday evening (November 23) at the UH Campus Center Ballroom. The event is free and open to the public, with a reception at 7 p.m. and reading at 7:30 p.m.

Featured readers: Ann Inoshita, Brenda Kwon, Michael Little, Wing Tek Lum, Alexei Melnick, Tyler Miranda, Janine Oshiro, K. L. Quilantang, Jr., Joseph Stanton, Delaina Thomas, and Kahikahealani Wight.

I want to spotlight two poems from the book, written by Ghislaine Chock. I asked Ghislaine to comment on the creation of these two poems and the inspiration for them.

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Join us in celebrating the release of the latest regular issue of Bamboo Ridge, Journal of Hawai‘i Literature and Arts (no. 94), the book launch and reading: Monday, November 23, 2009 7:00 p.m. – reception and book signing; 7:30 p.m. – reading* University of Hawai‘i Campus Center Ballroom FR [...]
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Gecko is only a few inches tall, but that’s still big enough to be a bully when there are smaller creatures around the house—like Mosquito and her insect friends. But Mosquito is tired of being chased and harassed by the greedy lizard.

In Gecko and Mosquito, Mosquito is the unlikely hero who saves the day and frees the household bugs from Gecko’s tyranny with a clever plan. Gecko may be bigger, but he’s definitely not smarter.

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Featuring poetry and prose by some of Hawai'i's finest authors, including work by Margo Berdeshevsky, Nancy Caraway,  J. Freen, Jacinta S. Galea'i, Norma W. Gorst, Ermile Harg [...]
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Author and educator Frances H. Kakugawa will hold book signings and presentations in Hilo, Lihue and Honolulu during the month of October. Kakugawa, who grew up in Kapoho on the Big Island of Hawai‘i, will be the keynote speaker at the Hawai‘i County Office of Aging Caregiver Conference, and will lead workshops for the Alzheimer Association Aloha Chapter’s Kaua‘i and Honolulu offices. All events are open to the public.

Kakugawa is an advocate of the power of writing to help families and caregivers cope with the burdens of long-term illness. She has been featured on KHON2 newscasts with Kirk Matthews and in The Honolulu Advertiser for her work with children and adults, using journaling and creative writing to come to a better understanding of Alzheimer’s patients and deal with the stresses of having a family member afflicted with the disease.

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The mele contained in this book are fundamental to hula Pele and reflect a vast and dynamic Hawai'i worldview. These mele have been preserved for centuries via oral traditions, the sacred hula of Hawai'i, and, more recently, in twentieth-century written texts. Lele Kawa offers original translations [...]
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This anthology includes work by established writers, emerging writers, and student writers on the experiences of growing up in the islands. Appropriate for secondary to adult audiences, the volume includes commentary by the authors and work by prize-winning student artists. Ranging from a first-gra [...]
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