Hawai‘i National Park, HI - Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park continues its tradition of sharing Hawaiian culture and After Dark in the Park (ADIP) programs with the public throughout 2017. Two consecutive fee-free weekends celebrate National Park Week in April, and many programs honor the 54th anniversary of the Merrie Monarch Festival.
ADIP and Hawaiian cultural programs are free, but entrance fees apply except for the fee-free weekends and Kahuku events. Programs are co-sponsored by Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association. Mark the calendar for these upcoming events:
Endangered Marine Wildlife: Threats & Mitigation Measures. What do monk seals, green sea turtles, hawksbill sea turtles and false killer whales have in common? They are all endangered marine wildlife found in waters around the island of Hawai‘i. Susannah Welch of the Marine Wildlife Program shares innovative ways to protect species, including the promotion of barbless hooks and their usefulness is sustaining the fisheries of Hawai‘i. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ongoing After Dark in the Park series. Free. When: Tues., April 4 at 7 p.m. Where: Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium
Hei string figure
NPS Photo
Hei Demonstration. Hei are traditional Hawaiian string figures, and are used with oli (chants) to tell stories and connect with the elements around us. No‘el Tagab-Cruz teaches the protocol and meaning behind this intriguing practice. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ‘Ike Hana No‘eau “Experience the Skillful Work” workshops. Free. When: Wed., April 12 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Where: Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai
Visitors enjoy free entry during NP weekends
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National Park Week Fee-Free Weekends. Come celebrate “America’s Best Idea” and explore your national parks for free, two weekends in a row! When: April 15 & 16, and again April 22 & 23 Where: All fee-charging national parks are free, including Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park in Kona, and Haleakalā National Park on Maui.
Visitors on Pu‘u o Lokuana Trail
NPS Photo
Kahuku ‘Ohana Day. Keiki 17 and younger and their families are invited to explore Pu‘u o Lokuana Trail in the park’s Kahuku Unit, and practice their Global Positioning System (GPS) skills. Darlyne Vierra will share Kahuku’s compelling paniolo history as well. Call (808) 985-6019 to register by April 7. Bring lunch, snacks, water, light raingear, a re-usable water bottle, sunscreen, hat, long pants and shoes. Sponsored by the park and the Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association. Enter the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on the mauka (inland) side of Highway 11 near mile marker 70.5, and meet near the parking area. Free. When: Sat., April 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Where: Kahuku Unit
World Heritage Day in the East Rift
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Celebrate World Heritage Day with a Wilderness Hike. Hawai‘i Volcanoes was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 for its outstanding natural values, and to commemorate World Heritage Day this month, join a ranger-guided hike into the Kīlauea Volcano’s East Rift Zone wilderness. This challenging 14-mile, seven-hour, round-trip interpretive trek includes Makaopuhi Crater; the 1965 and 1969 lava flows; a centuries-old archeological site, the hapu‘u pulu (fern) processing area; and Nāpau Crater. For more information, call (808) 985-6017. Hikers must bring four liters of water per person, lunch and snacks, sturdy closed-toe shoes or boots, long pants, sunscreen, hat and raingear. Free. When: Sat., April 15 at 9 a.m. A fee-free weekend! Where: Meet ranger at the Mauna Ulu Parking Lot, off Chain of Craters Road
Ulana Niu (coconut leaf weaving)
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Tuesday’s Special Merrie Monarch Festival Events. Join us as we celebrate and honor the 54th Merrie Monarch Festival, the annual hula competition of Hilo. Practitioners on Tuesday will share lau hala (weaving of the pandanus leaf), lomilomi (traditional Hawaiian massage), hū kukui (Hawaiian spinning top game), and ulana niu (coconut leaf weaving). Falsetto singer Kai Ho‘opi‘i performs. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ‘Ike Hana No‘eau “Experience the Skillful Work” workshops. Free. When: Tues., April 18 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Where: Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai
John Cross
Photo courtesy of the Olson Trust
The Value of Plantation-Era Archives in Today’s World. From the 1850s to the 1990s, big sugar plantations dominated the agricultural landscape of Hawai‘i Island. The Edmund Olson Trust Archive is home to an amazing array of maps, records, and documents from these plantations, and traces an important part of island history. John Cross of the Olson Trust will lead a visual journey through these irreplaceable historic resources and the era that was “Big Sugar.” Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ongoing After Dark in the Park series. Free. When: Tues., April 18 at 7 p.m. Where: Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium
Lei Hulu artist Kilohana Domingo
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Wednesday’s Special Merrie Monarch Festival Events. Join us as we celebrate and honor the 54th Merrie Monarch Festival, the annual hula competition of Hilo. Practitioners on Wednesday will share the arts of lei making (both the wili and hulu styles), pala‘ie (Hawaiian ball and hoop game), and kāpala mea ulu (Hawaiian plant stamping). The Young Brothers will perform local melodies. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ‘Ike Hana No‘eau “Experience the Skillful Work” workshops. Free. When: Wed., April 19 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Where: Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai
Kai Ho‘opi‘i
NPS Photo
Kai Ho‘opi‘i in Concert. Enjoy an evening of Hawaiian music, and the leo nahenahe (sweet voice) of Kai Ho‘opi‘i, an Aloha Festival Hawaiian falsetto contest winner. Kai will share the traditions and music of his ‘ohana from Kahakuloa, Maui. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ongoing Nā Leo Manu “Heavenly Voices” presentations. Free. When: Wed., April 19 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Where: Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium
Keiki ‘ohe kāpala
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Thursday’s Special Merrie Monarch Festival Events. Join us as we celebrate and honor the 54th Merrie Monarch Festival, the annual hula competition of Hilo. Practitioners on Thursday will share the arts of lei making, haku hulu (Hawaiian featherwork), ‘ohe kāpala (bamboo stamping), and kuku kapa (making fabric from bark cloth). Multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano award-winning composer, singer and musician Kenneth Makuakāne will perform. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ‘Ike Hana No‘eau “Experience the Skillful Work” workshops. Free. When: Thurs., April 20 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Where: Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai
Walk with a Doc for Rx Day
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National Park Rx Day. Join the growing movement to prescribe parks and nature for the improvement of our health. Our “prescriptions” include a morning yoga session with Danielle Makaike from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.; various presentations including lomilomi (Hawaiian massage), and kalo (taro) from 10 a.m. to noon; and a “Walk with a Doc” from noon to 1 p.m. with Dr. Craig Kadooka. Other presenters include Hilo Medical Center, HMSA Community Engagement, State of Hawai‘i Department of Health and Hui Mālama Ola Nā ‘Ōiwi. When: Sun., April 23 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Where: Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai
USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory photo of Halema‘uma‘u Kīlauea Volcano’s Summit Eruption: Nine Years and Counting. On March 19, 2008, a new volcanic vent opened in Halema‘uma‘u Crater at Kīlauea volcano’s summit. Nine years later, the eruption continues. The vent has grown to a gaping crater that’s roughly 195 x 255 meters (about 640 x 840 feet) in size. A lava lake within the vent rises and falls, with spattering on the lake surface sometimes visible from the Jaggar Museum observation deck. USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist Matt Patrick presents an update and overview on the summit eruption, including stunning imagery. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ongoing After Dark in the Park series. Free. When: Tues., April 25 at 7 p.m. Where: Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium
Ulana Niu fish
NPS Photo
Weave Ulana Niu (Coconut Fronds). Learn how to weave coconut fronds into useful and beautiful items. The coconut palm is one of the most useful and important plants in the world. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ‘Ike Hana No‘eau “Experience the Skillful Work” workshops. Free. When: Wed., April 26 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Where: Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai
