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November 13, 2008 Until there's universal health care...
Friday (Nov. 14) 9am-1pm, Salvation Army Facility, 45 W. Kamehameha Ave., Kahului
Please don't get me started on the current state of health care. It's hard to resist. Example: the first time I broke my foot (the right one that time) I wasn't sure if I had any coverage (I had been covered through my step mom's plan, but wanted to make sure there wasn't some random lapse). So there I was, foot swelling to about the size of a duck, calling my step mom to make sure I was still on the plan before going to the hospital. I mean, fuck, that's a lot of debt for a fractured fifth metatarsal. "You are," she said, "but it doesn't matter. Just go to the effing hospital." My emergency room wait lasted roughly eight hours. But my experience was a breeze compared to what many Americans face should they need medical attention. My capillaries get enflamed (a condition for which I'm not covered) when I think of the fact that millions of children – children! – aren't covered. This is why I'm happy to see that Salvation Army is holding a free health fair for the homeless and uninsured. It goes beyond information kiosks here. Attendees can receive free blood pressure checks and glucose monitoring as well as flu vaccines. Dr. Charles Bennett (pictured) will be on hand to answer questions related to health. No charge.
Serious harmony
Friday (Nov. 14), 9pm, Mulligan's on the Blue, Wailea
There's been a lot of buzz around Na Koho lately. Their latest release, Set Me Free, reached number one on the KPOA top 10 October 31 after debuting in the second slot. The track "Ooh, Girl" has been getting some serious airplay. They're playing more off-island gigs, including an upcoming Vegas show. That's got to be an amazing feeling. "All I wanted was to be a music writer," says singer and uke player Mark Puailihau. "I never knew this would happen." It's easy to see why their appeal is so widespread. Na Koho's music blends reggae, Hawaiian, rhythm and blues and a few other elements. Theirs is a tasty, melodic, upbeat sound that incorporates some very impressive harmonies. Puailihau says that they perfected their vocal harmonies while serving as Billy Kekona's backup band. Kekona, he says, taught them how to get "in-depth" with their harmonies – a tough thing to do, especially live. They celebrate the release of their debut CD on the South Side this Friday, and on the North Shore Saturday at Charley's (10pm). Gail Swanson opens Friday's show. $7. Presale tickets are available for $5 at Love Shack.
The activist princess
Saturday (Nov. 15), 7pm, Lahaina United Methodist Church
According to actress/playwright Jennifer Fahrni, the life of Princess Ka'iulani Cleghorn, niece of Queen Lilioukalani, was more than one consisting of tragedy and loss, which is a commonly held conception. The only hapa haole heir to the Hawaiian throne (she was half-Scottish), Ka'iulani got word of the kingdom's overthrowing while studying in England. Upon hearing about it she hightailed it stateside to argue her people's case before the colonial powers, including President Cleveland. Her statements were impassioned and eloquent: "Today, I, a poor weak girl with not one of my people with me and all these 'Hawaiian' statesmen against me, have strength to stand up for the rights of my people." Ka'iulani died in 1899, at age 23; five years after Sanford Dole became president of the "republic." Jennifer Fahrni and Carol Harvie-Yamaguchi will stage portions of their production Ka 'iulani, the Island Rose this weekend as part of the Ka'iulani project. The project aims to celebrate the life and activism of the princess and celebrate the parallels between Hawaiian and Scottish cultures that her story represents. Mana'o Radio cofounder Kathy Collins will read the part of the princess. Saturday's event will raise money to help cover medical expenses for Julie Wood, an MPD crime scene analyst who has been battling a rare form of cancer for two years. A second production takes place Sunday at 3pm at St. JohnChurch in Keokea.
Show Your Love
Wednesday (Nov. 19), 8:30am, County Council Chambers, 200 High St., Wailuku
If it hadn't been for the efforts of a few impassioned individuals, Oneloa/Big Beach would be toast. With golf course jam. Now it's a state park that's as pristine as they come (for being so proximal to humans). But the area is not quite in the clear. This Wednesday the County Council Land Use Committee will discuss possible zoning changes that would allow Makena Resort developer Seibu to develop hundreds of acres just mauka of the park. Seibu's 40-year-old plan involves condos and luxury homes. Opponents argue that the area lacks proper infrastructure and adequate water, is too close to runoff-vulnerable reefs, and that it is rich in cultural and historic sites that ought to be preserved and protected. They question whether conditions the developer is suggesting, "affordable" housing among them, can compensate for all that would be lost. This is one of those opportunities for individuals to come share their mana'o on the proposed development. It takes, like, two minutes to testify.
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