“You’re Americans Now.” — Let me tell you why this statement is utterly disrespectful and downright arrogant. Yes, my passport reads the “United States of America.” But, what does my naʻau embody? How about the blood I share with my ancestors? I feel their anger. Anguish. Heartbreak. How am I supposed to ignore this generational trauma? My lāhui received no apology, no reparations, no remorse, no reset.

Hawai’i-born & ‘Āina-raised — Aloha! Hello! ¡Hola! My name is Mackenzie. Take a seat and let me fill you in on my life~ I was born and raised in Hawaiʻi. As a child, I loved all things outdoorsy. …

Cha-cha-cha! — I was invited by Squeeze the Avocado to address the prompt below. What are some tv-series or movies that got stuck in your mind thanks to their soundtracks and music scores? Hands down, Korean tv shows and movies have the BEST soundtracks and scores. No joke. My most recent obsession is the entire soundtrack from the Netflix tv show, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha. They're so superior, I’ve…

ʻAohe pilo uku. — ⬇️ ʻŌlelo Noʻeau (Hawaiian Proverb) of the Week ⬇️ “ʻAohe pilo uku.” No reward is a trifle. Even a small gift is appreciated. In no particular order, here are six of my favorite articles published from November 15th, 2021 to November 21st, 2021! 1. Is Shaving Sexist? by Danielle Hestand Insightful story. I hope one day body hair and other common bodily attributes are normalized. If…

And why it’s happening. — 📈 First, why are prices rising? 📈 Coupled with pandemic effects and long-time issues in the agriculture industry, the cost of fresh produce continues to rise. These problems include supply chain distributions and transportation issues. “Across the board, ingredient suppliers see longer lead times because of lack of staffing, ingredient shortages, and the unpredictability of trucking and…

A Christmas gift guide for your tech geeks! — Aloha readers! Today, I’ve complied a list of my top eight favorite tech products from local Hawaiʻi small businesses! Supporting these kanaka is one of the many ways to uplift the native community and encourage indigenous creation. Let's begin! 1. Kalo Dream Desk Mat {$17.45} Kalo Dream - Desk Mat Our exclusive Lei'ohu Designed desk mat is perfect for that extra personal touch at work or in your home office. Made…www.leiohudesigns.com

One and only of its kine (kind). — 🎤 Do you like kpop? jpop? cpop? 🎤 If you do, you’re in for a treat! Hawaiʻi’s one and only boy band called Crossing Rain just debuted this month! Under TIRZAH Entertainment, Crossing Rain, or XR, consists of five members that all live in Hawaiʻi: *listed from left to right* Monarch: lead rapper, vocalist, dancer Asher: lead dancer Haru: dancer, vocalist Jorden: lead vocalist, dancer

How will this donation affect local island communities? — KHON 2 News announced today that Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and second wealthiest person in the world, awarded $2.5 million in donations to Family Life Center, Inc., a Hawaii 501(c)(3) non-profit. Family Life Center’s Mission: “Family Life Center strives to stabilize the lives of people in their time of need…

A quick update on my collection of stories. —