| RANDY JAY BRAUN'S BLOG
Sept 13th, 2007...
Many of you will receive my e-newsletter for the first time this week, as we have finally gotten caught up on typing our mailing list.
Welcome!
My Photo of the Month Newsletter has been a wonderful success, and keeps people informed as I add new photos to this website.
Last week occurred another great hula event, in Long Beach California. E Hula Mau
has been running for about 15 consecutive years, and seems to keep growing, and getting better. In the photo are two hula-greats! Babe Valero, and Frank Kawaikapuokalani Hewitt.
I love that hula conbtinues to be so strong around the world. It seems, also that the hula is becoming more traditional and authentic. The World Conference on Hula held on Maui recently, strives to educate hula teachers worldwide with traditional practices.
I am really excited that the Humpback Whales will journey to Maui in another month, or two. I'll have to hose the dust off of my kayak and throw it up on the roof racks.
Aloha from the middle of the Pacifiic, where dreams come true!
Sept 4th,, 2007...
Labor day has come and gone.
There has been a six-month-long flurry of back-to-back events that have left me pooped out. This week I was mostly in Wailea photographing the Maui Writer's Conference, as I have done for 5 previous years. The keynote speakers always leave me motivated to write and be creative.
I am wanting to write more seriously in this blog about "artitst/photography" things. Due to the nature of my website, i have to use some HTML code interspersed within my writing, and that is a real creative turn-off. So, I have decided to start using a new blog software called Wordpress. It seems to be the latest and greatest software. However, my current web host does not support Wordpress, and so i will have to hire a second internet hosting service just for the blog. Rachael still has a huge blog following, and so I will make sure she learns the new software as well.
Rachael is going in for wrist surgery on Thursday. Poor woman will be in some pain for a few days.... be good to her.
And.... (drumroll please....).... Punahele is pregnant! She is already about six weeks along and just starting to show. Due to a touch of morning sickness, our gallery hours have been somewhat selective lately.
I might actually have to work in my own gallery during the coming weeks -- which is my worst nightmare come true. It is horrifying for most artists to watch people view their work. Well, anyway, September may be an awkward month for our gallery.
On a personal note, I have to brag.... I have done 3 things recently that have made me feel young again:
1) Ride a Unicycle in a parade
2) Compete in a swim meet (5 events!)
3) Race in a one-mile rough-water ocean swim
I am quite proud of my attempt to preserve what is left of my youth. There were other desperate old men swimming, as well. I'm not the only crazy geeezer.
Oh, I am going to sign up for another intermediate Photoshop class. The first time I took it, the info flew right over my head.
Aug 28nd, 2007...
Monday, Monday...... Not such a bad day to live on Maui....
Yesterday I inadvertantly photographed the grueling "Cycle to the Sun" event. Thirty six miles from the ocean to 10,020 feet. From Pa'ia to the summit of Haleakala. These guys and gales are wicked bikers! I have total admiration for them. I caught this group flying past my gallery in Makawao town....
Aug 22nd, 2007...
I'm taking a Blogging class at the local junior college...... so .... uhhhh, I thought I'd blog, because I know the professor is going to ask.
The professor is sort of like this mad scientist who spends massive amounts of time posting on random social networking sites just to see what happens. I like him. I can tell his mind is going a million miles an hour.
My mind is going a million miles an hour too. it has been for several months. I'm running as fast as I can, but I'm not sure where I am going. The faster I go, the behinder I get! The more I am starting to delve into the nether-world of cyber-digits, the more that I realize that I am starting a new chapter in my book of life. The more I learn, the more I don't know. It is scary in a nervous sense.
Comprende?
My professor tells me that the timing to learn this stuff is now because the world is just turning the corner from Web1.0 to Web2.0 -- whatever that means. He says that just a couple of years ago there were plenty of web masters, and experts out there, but now we are entering a new phase of internet where we are all mostly beginners again. Whew.
I had forgotten that I went to the Grand Tetons last month -- until I just scrolled down in my blog. Hey, i took some really good photos! Geeze! I suppose I ought to print a few. I would love to spend a week in the same campground in the middle of winter; my tiny tent burried in fresh powdery snow -- so quite....
I am feeling the urge to rebuild my website from the ground up. I told my web-dude this news today at the pool and his heart skipped a beat. This site was quite a trail-blazer 12 years ago when we first went on-line. I'll freshen it up soon.
Personal News -- This weekend I will swim in my first swim meet since I was 10 years old! I have actually entered all 5 events (yes, Butterfly!) I kind of want my kids to see me do something like this before I can't.
Aloha from the most beautiful place on Earth.
Aug 6th...
When it Rains, it Pours!
I hope I will be able to come up for air soon....
July 25th... from the campground...
I am a kid in a candy store.
I am finally starting to find a grasp on the overwhelming and enormous world of digital imaging.
For the first time, I am spending more time working on a photograph in my "computer room" than in the field -- this is neither good, nor bad; just different. And challenging.
Last night I wrapped up a simple community college class which introduced me to the basics of HTML. Now I sort of know what my web-designer-dude does all day long. Now I know why he looks all bug-eyed, and delirious when we meet at the pool to swim laps.
I don't actually want to build web pages, but I do want to know what makes a website work the way it does. I think this is valuable information for any small business person.
I will buy a new Macintosh in a few days. The screen will be 23"! Thank gawd for that. My 17" and 13" screens, which I currently use, are grossly out-dated. Of most importance to me is that I set up my filing system correctly, in an organized fashion, so that I may find any photo instantly. You know, key words, catagories, blah, blah...
My next community college class is going to be about blogging, oddly enough.
My new friend, Owen Murray, from Arizona has reminded me of a very basic rule in photography -- "f-8, and BE THERE!"
I spent a week, as a professional, shooting the usual handful of selected scenes in Grand Teton National Park. My results were really nice, if you don't mind my bragging... But Owen, a serious amature, kicked my butt. Owen kicked the butt of every other photographer in the park that week! Owen was there, with his camera on a tripod in Antalope Flats; an old barn in front of him, with the jagged Teton peaks rising in the background; rain starting to fall as a late-afternoon thunderstorm approached; with his shutter open! Then, BOOM! A bolt of lightning exploded into the mountain!
Shutter closed.
Award-winning, once-in-a-lifetime image.
f-8, and BE THERE!
July 13th... from the campground...
One more night in the tent.
I have absolutely loved waking up at 4:30 each morning to make my camp-coffee and then go shoot. I have to admit, my body aches. And my eyes are killing me from the long hours, of shooting, and editing. Last night I fell asleep with my computer, and head-lamp on in my tent. It was raining gently, but sounded like a herd of buffalo.
This morning I photographed a herd of buffalo. Yesterday it was Moose and swans. I keep missing the bears. Every body else in this entire Teton National Park has taken bear photos with their little digital pocket cameras. My camp neighbors told me that a mother and cub walked within feet of my tent yesterday morning after I had left. Shoot. I might try tying a piece of raw meat to my camera bag, or something.
I've seen lots of bear poop though.
Whatever.
Teton National Park is filled with Photographers and wannabe-pros. I met a man on a river bank, Owen, and helped him a bit with his photography. He said he dreamed of quitting his office job to create photographs for a living. I hope he eventually will. I told him that he should.
Then yesterday I ran into 2 Moose bulls up in a stream way up in the mountains. Another lone-hiker happened along. He was Japanese, and didn't speak English. I shot until my battery died (son-of-a-........., that has never happened to me before!). The Japanese man had a Canon camera like mine. His lens was a 200mm. I popped my 400mm lens off and handed it to him -- you should have seen his smile! He shot several frames and then he handed me his battery so I could shoot several more frames. Awesome!
I met a fellow pro shooter named Henry Holdsworth. He happened to be in his own gallery in Jackson. His photos are stunning. I was super envious that he has made 15 photo books to date. He has a once-in-a-lifetime photo of an owl flying directly at him.
My camp neighbors -- 2 men, and young men (20's) caught 62 trout in 3 days. They kept 4 to eat. The boys were intrigued that I photograph hula dancers, and get paid for it.
I leave for the 16 hour drive through the desert tomorrow. I'm not sure I am ready to leave yet. I feel like there are so many more scenics to shoot still. I have only scratched the surface most of the good photos here would be in the winter, or spring.
I'll be back.
July 9th... from the campground...
Okay, I found an internet connection at Grand Teton Natl. Park!
There was a photographer's orgy going on at the "Barn". I FINALLY got my obligatory photo of the "Teton Barn" at sunrise! Yipee!
I was the last of about a dozen photographers to arrive -- which was quite embarrassing for me, as I stumbled out of my car at 5:45am with a cup of camp-java in my hand. Everybody else was already wrapping up their shots, and moving on to the next obligatory shot -- the "Buffalo Herd in fron of Grand Teton" shot.
Rachael told me that the 4th of July parade in Makawao was fabulous, as usual. I'm sad to have missed it. Oh well.
I got lucky and was the first "campsite-poacher" at the Jenny Lake Campsite right in the middle of the park. It is first come, first serve, and one may stay for 7 nights, which I intend to do. I got there at sunrise a couple days ago and saw a dude packing his tend, so I threw my gear down as he got into his car. Several other poachers were just minutes behind me, and the whole campground was filled by 8am.
Canned Beef Stew again tonight.
I love camping, My teeny one-person compact tent even seems large, as I have gotten used to the "coffen-effect".
Adios, from Wyoming!
July 1st... almost
Nearly forgot to mention that I made a quick camping trip to the tippy-top of Pu'u 'Ola'i several days ago. It was really cool, and illegal too. There were several deer, a curious Pueo, and a semi-rare 'Io Hawk. From up there I could spot sea turtles below. It was a peaceful (hot, dusty) place. I shot a photo of Molokini at sunset.
FYI, any web orders that I receive after Tuesday will likely be delayed a few days since I'll be traveling.....
June 30th, Saturday Night
Mahalo! Mahalo! Mahalo! to all of you who helped us break our single-month sales record this June!
One item which sold was a very large hand-carved stone. It has been in our gallery for over six years and we never really wanted to see it go. The stone face resembled that of it's master carver, Fred Kanoho, a lanky and handsome Hawai'ian man who sat day-after-day rubbing stone-against-stone until a sculpture revealed itself. This stone affectionately became the guardian of our gallery, greeting each visitor from his Kiawe wood chair.
Fred Kanoho died about a decade ago. His mana lives through the many stone carvings he left behind on Maui. He was the most Hawai'ian man one could ever wish to know. It warms my heart to know that our gallery-guardian has chosen a new home with a family who will realize Fred's gift.
Fred's widow, Netta, walks past our gallery nearly every day, glancing through the door with a tranquil smile. A few days ago she had a very strong man carry another one of Fred's carvings into our gallery. I think "he" will get used to us, and his new job guarding our gallery......
June 29th, Friday....
I eat broccoli for breakfast. Is that so strange? I guess I really have my quirks. Every Morning, steamed broccoli.
Last year it was a spinach salad every morning.
At least I am ingesting my servings of vegetables early in the day. My downfall is pita chips, from Costco. Every afternoon, pita chips until I feel like a manatee...
...nice blog, huh?
June 27th, Wednesday....
What month is it anyway? Sometimes life flies by in such a blur that there is hardly time to smell the puakenikeni.
Last week, at the Maui Film Festival in Wailea, I received perhaps the greatest compliment I have ever been given. Auntie Nona Beamer (pictured with her son -- Grammy Award Winner -- Keola Beamer) told me that she admires my photography of the hula for it's accuracy and tastefullness. Let it be known that Auntie Nona Kapuailohiamanonokalani Desha Beamer was partially responsible for saving the ancient dance from extinction decades ago.
I was actually surprised that she was familiar with my work! I felt really humbled when she smiled; looked me in the eye; and said "Good job, i am a fan of your photography". My jaw dropped, and my head swelled. Thank YOU Auntie!
Changing the subject... I am curious.... about those "long-lasting", "2-year" halogen light bulbs.... I don't think I've ever had one last 6 months! Our gallery has 50 of these lights, and at $8 per bulb, I wish that the manufacturer would just be honest and call them what they are -- "4-month bulbs". -- a pet-peeve.
FYI, the gallery Packing & Shipping department is going to be closed from Independence Day until July 17th. The "Packing & Shipping Staff" is going on a journey across the mainland West in search of cranial expansion, and mental tranquility.
Thus, any orders from the website might take an extra day, or two to get to the post office. Mahalo!
Oh, BTW, the photo I shot of the Maui Film Festival..... Costco camera. A Canon Rebel XTi. Not too shabby, huh? (Thirty second exposure at ASA 1600, f7.1ish... ....details, details.)
June 25th, Monday, Monday....
I am ready to sell a few film cameras, if anybody out there is interested in my antiques.
Actually, these are great cameras. I have two Mamiya RB67's with studio prism-view-finders and great portrait lenses. I have several boxes of equipment, actually. I tend to hang on to stuff that has been so important to me, but I need a cleansing.
Serious. If you are interested in good film cameras, email me. You'll get a great deal. I am contemplating the sale of my Fujifilm617 Panoramic camera as well (as seen in my portrait above)..... not too sure about this yet.... It is BIG, and I am moving towards smaller equipment that will fit easily into my backpack. Email me! Let's come up with a bargain price! I even have a couple of bricks of fresh 120 Velvia100 in my freezer.
June 21th
I have crossed over to the Dark Side.
Film is dead.
I have begun to see and think in digital terms. I now dream digital dreams!
In my mind, I am constantly adjusting cerebral "slider bars" to correct my RAW image of life!!! And this is before I even open Photoshop...
The possibilities of digital imaging are seemingly endless, limited only by line-speed, and digital storage space. Sadly, and begrudgingly, I am seeing my film-world slip away. Hmmm. Perhaps it is not soooo sad. There is so much anticipation now as I pull out my little camera and collect a new batch of pixels.
Photography had indeed changed.
June 10th
Give me a break, Paris Hilton....
June 4th, Monday, Monday...
The other day, as I was photographing Kaipo on the beach, a piece of advice from another photographer (Stephan, who got it from Dewitt) came to mind. Stephen said, "If you're not getting the shot you want, then look behind you". I really liked that.
Well, as things were progressing, I was getting the shots I wanted from Kaipo, but I looked behind myself anyway. I saw a few coconut trees -- sort of a standard thing here in the tropics. I spun around and started shooting a few shots for the helluvit. The golden sunset light looked really cool against the trunk. There were dark clouds in the background (just about 18% grey for all you old-time film shooters...). I just viewed them on my computer this morning and loved them. I am still playing around with them, trying to create a piece of graphic art that would look cool as a stretched canvas. Here is what just popped out of my photoshop, starting with the original:
Okay.... on with my day.
Oh! By the way, Big Mahalos go out to Kip, Soichiro, and Christina for believing in me, and supporting my artwork!
June 2nd, Saturday night
I photographed Dea Kaipo Blas, of Winchester California, yesterday. She was quite easy to make nice images of -- relaxed face, graceful dance, a good Kumu (Mapuana DeSilva). I first took pictures of her six years ago. In a couple of months, she will Uniki, or "graduate" to the next higher level of Hula.
My gallery just had it's biggest sales day ever! Rachael and Punahele have been doing a bang-up job as "tag-team" managers. It seems as though more than half of our sales come from repeat clients now.
Digital imaging is a growing part of my life as a photographer. I have come to the realization that I have to study computers and imaging software as much as I used to study the characteristics of light and film. I am pretty excited about new possibilities in digital imaging. Photographs that would have been considered "impossible" to capture 10 years ago are now routine. My prediction is that we (image-makers) will push colors, style, graphics, and believability farther and farther until there is a "re-coil" effect and the viewers start demanding simpler, cleaner, black & white, old looking photographs again. The pendulum will always swing back the opposite direction, as it does with everything else in life.
Strange.... I make a blender full of fruit smoothie pretty much every day. I have learned early-on not to take the lid off of the blender when turning it on the the high setting. So..... why did I just do it again?!?!
...unbelievable.
May 31st, Thursday
Today is graduation day for Maui's seniors. I photographed so many of these kids when they were toddlers. It's pretty cool to see them grow.
I have another website just so that I can share my "snapshots" and portrait proofs via the internet. Take a peek! www.randyjaybraun.smugmug.com. It is the nicest photo-sharing site I have seen. You won't need a password to use it. Now I can just post a person's proofs on this page and allow them to order directly from the site. Try it.
May 30th, Full Moon
New theory:
If a person has more digital space available, he will fill it.
I have always been the last person in the room to "upgrade" my electronic/digital/high-tech equipment. I finally bought my first 2-gig camera card recently at Costco. I had been using 256k, 512k, and my lucky 1-gigs. Now I own a 2-gig and I fill it nearly every day. My friend Ron Dalquist has a pocket full of 4 and 8 gig cards. In a way, I am jealous, but in a way, I'm not. I would only shoot more "back-up shots" and then have to edit for yet more hours per day.
I have a completely full computer now. Both hard drives are filled and I get warning "love notes" from my Mac. My external back-up hard drive is full as well. I am going to buy more external back-ups, but I know I will just fill them with digital data. What will eventually become of it all?
I could fill an entire hart drive with Jacaranda trees at this point.
I am having a creative spurt. I am Oooozing creativity this past month. I have about 5 book ideas that I want to complete over the next couple of years. I think that some of it has to do with my nifty new little camera that I picked up at Costso. I LOVE it. It is the Canon Rebel XTi. It is small and light and the battery seems to go on forever. I bought it to bring with me in my kayak, as my "cheap" camera, in case it fell to the bottom of the pacific (or, worse, ended up in a Tiger's belly). I never intended for my Rebel to become my primary shooting camera. It makes photography so easy! I can even read the big digital screen on the back without my glasses.
I never thought I'd want more than a 4 megapixel camera; more than a 256k card, more than 60 gigabites on a computer..... boy was I wrong.
May 22nd, 2007
I was peacefully enjoying my Sunday afternoon at the "Jacaranda pasture" when 20 Hogs decided to stop for a picnic. What was I gonna do? Tell them they had to move their bikes? I took the wonderful opportunity to create a cool portrait.
If you have had the chance to see about 100 of these bikers go on a Sunday ride on Maui, you already know what a cool sight it can be. And the sound!
May 21th, 2007
"My Jacaranda-tree-photo is gonna kick your Jacaranda-Tree-Photo's butt!"
That was the underlying feeling up on Upper Kula Highway yesterday. There were as many as 5 photographers at once shooting the same tree. We were elbow-to-elbow vying for the perfect alignment of the tree, with it's background.
...understandably so, as the trees just keep exploding into a passionate violet hue day after day.
The color this year in Kula is unbelievable!
I have been putting together a new series of web pages this week. They are not finished, but you are invited to go see them at this location.
May 13th, 2007
UpCountry Maui had exploded with Jacaranda Blossoms this season! It is a sight to see. Kula highway is awesome from the Five-Trees intersection to Grandma's Coffee House. It is a must-do Sunday-Drive this month! Or, better yet, get out the old red bike and just ride!
May 9th, 2007
Hau'oli la Hanau to Eric, my younger brother in Bend, Oregon.
The Dalai Lama..... I think, in retrospect, that I have formed my opinion of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. I have been thinking about him because I have had so many people ask me "what did you think?"
While I was listening with only one ear -- because I had to concentrate on my photography -- I did hear a pattern of very simple, straight-forward messages. The messages were generally the same words of wisdom given to us by our own mothers;
Be nice.
Love your fellow man.
We all basically want the same thing, regardless of religion.
Respect and protect one another's cultural differences.
Don't feel anger or hatred toward any living thing.
We all are born, then we all die.
Laugh out loud.
Kum Bah Yah.
Remember, I was only listening to parts and pieces of his teachings, and eves-dropping whenever I could.
What struck me as inspiring, however, was how other people acted in his presence. I noticed a marked visible change in other people when His Holiness entered the room. People were nervously giddy. People were painfully listening to every syllable uttered by the Dalai Lama. People were digging deep into his sentences trying to search for any clue as to what the real meaning of life is.
That's it! It seemed to me that everybody there was in search of the meaning of life! Because of the aura surrounding this "ordinary monk" (as he referred to himself), we all felt as though he knew something about the real meaning of life that we didn't know! I have to admit, that this man definitely had an aura (energy? vibration?). His aura would enter the room before him -- an hour before, at least. I felt it as though it was a physical entity. Then, his aura would linger long after he left. I know I am sounding kind of Hippi-ish here.
The meaning of life? I must have been concentrating too hard on my camera settings to hear his secret words. I was in my "Photographer's Zone".
I enjoyed photographing His Holiness. I was nervous to the point that I put on my old, moldy, leather shoes for the first time in about a dozen years. I wish I knew more about his amazing history before working with him. I sort of catagorized him unfairly in my mind before he arrived on Maui. Now I will catagorize him as an "ordinary monk", which he would take as the highest compliment.
I would like to meet his re-incarnat self, the 15th Dalai Lama sometime in the future. I think his smile would make it obvious.
May 6th, 2007
Cinco de Mayo, 2007
I made it in for a couple of fish tacos today. Mark Elman, the creator of Maui Tacos is a fantastic person. I see him everywhere donating his time, helping people, working hard. If you ever get a chance to eat at one of the many Maui Taco's, enjoy the salsa bar. Great Grinds!
I decided to head out the the Grand Wailea Resort and Spa for an hour of creative photography. It is a different world. What the tourists see is a lavish world of waterfalls and mai-tais. I can see why those folks rarely leave the resort property. Why would they? Life is good down there. For the rest of us... well, we really don't mind if most of the tourists prefer to hang out at the resorts, because we have our own hidden paradise in the real tropical rain forest. Personally, I now prefer my compact one-man tent over a $500/night hotel room. Real tranquility can be found when one takes off a heavy backpack and plops down in the middle of the wilderness. Henry David Thoreau was right.
May 4rd, 2007
Hola, como estan? Hoy es Cinco de Mayo Eve! Tomorrow I'll make my obligatory journey to Mecca (Maui Tacos) for a holiday snack.
I washed my hands of my blog problems and just erased a full year of entries, happily. It had been turning into a web-based nightmare. So one swipe of my Delete button certainly cleaned things up a bit. My latest New-Year's resolution is to blog about 5 days per week. Yeah, right.
So Maui is getting back to normal after His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama has departed. Everybody was overly-compassionate last week. The Hippies were out in force. Love was in the air. Everybody was at one with nature....
...and then he left, as quickly as he arrived. Pau.
I had the urge to stop on the side of the road and take a picture of Kealia Pond in Kahului.... why? Dunno. I have driven past there for 19 years without taking a picture.
My other new New-Year's resolution is to carry my camera in my car at all times. Even non-professionals do that! I should be able to handle it.
May 3rd, 2007
Okay, now I'm getting somewhere with this broken blog ordeal.
Seems as though the website is running smoothly again. I hope you all received my email newsletter/photo-of-the-month. If not, email me your email address and Rachael will add you to our list.
 Check out this panoramic snapshot of our new gallery. Believe it or not this is a series of 10 photos stitched together digitally. Cool stuff.
Lei Day, May 1st, 2007
Presenting.... His Holiness! Here a few snapshots I captured of the Dalai Lama last week.
I was able to spend about 6 hours in close quarters with the Dalai Lama during a two day period. There is a full blog in my brain about to spew itself out. I'll write about it soon. He is a very kind man. Very simply, very intelligent, very giving of himself. I must say that I have learned a lot about the plight of the Tibetin People this week. It is a story that continues to unfold.
April 22nd, 2007
I just ironed a pair of long pants.
I doubt I will ever iron another pair of long pants again. I thought my ironing board was stored away permanently. I don't even wear long pants. I haven't covered my knees for about a decade. I have one pair of blue jeans, which I wear if I have to go to the mainland, and one pair of long hiking pants, which I use rarely. The hiking pants are what I just ironed. Why on Earth???
On Tuesday and Wednesday I will be photographing His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama, the exiled political and spiritual leader of Tibet.
I am in charge of the photography, over a two day period, of his visit on Maui. I am quite honored and humbled, honestly -- and nervous. His Holiness has each moment choreographed. There is secret service, road closures, presidential-type motorcades, background checks, and unfamiliar protocol. I am allowed one assistant, and so I went directly to the top of the photography food-chain. and nabbed Ray Mains to be my co-photographer. Ray has a ton of experience in high-pressure photography situations. I know if I died today, Ray would cover the job for me single-handedly.
We first have to set up two temporary, and identical portrait studios in a lobby area -- eash studio ready to photograph 40-50 people in a formal group photo with His Holiness. We will have about one minute for each group portrait. Then we fly out the door and try to jump in front of the motorcade and beat it to the stadium before they secure the back entrance. At that point we have access to photograph the whole speaking event.
The following day, we will photograph a closed-door meeting between the Dalai Lama and a group of a dozen Hawai'ian Elders. The discussion will be based on forgivness and healing in the face of a nation's overthrow. To witness this great and historic meeting will be a gift to cherish and learn from. I will be all ears. After the meeting, we rush off to the stadium for a second day of "teachings".
I will post a couple of photos in a week.
I spent last week in Hilo for the so called "Olympics of Hula". I find that nickname degrading, but, for the ill-informed hula fan, it conveys the magnitude and high degree of accomplishment of the participants. The Merrie Monarch Hula Festival celebrated it's 44th straight year. I, again, was witness to the highest levels of the sacred dance and protocol of ancient Hawai'i. From stage-side, the beat of the Pahu drums pounds it's way deep into your soul, leaving a permanent impression. The electricity in the air is so thick inside that stadium that I could never accurately describe it to an "outsider". Those who have been there will know exactly what I am talking about. Few photographers will ever experience the complete emotional and physical exaustion which follows an event like this. I can only imagine what the dancer on stage does experience.
My hanai Halau Hula, Na Lei Kaumaka o Uka, tied for first place in Kahiko!!!! I was stunned. The girls performed at a level higher than most of them could have ever imagined. The back row, composed of 13 and 14 year-old dancers, rose to the level of champions. I had a lump in my throat as I heard the audience of 5000 scream with approval.
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