Posted on: Friday, October 1, 2004

Mo'ili'ili celebration in ninth year

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

Muriel (Kamada) Kaminaka was doing some wishful thinking out loud to a friend about having a signature community event for Mo'ili'ili.

E. Rebecca Ryan, Mo'ili'ili Community Center's executive director, was in the Nui Mono Hawai'i store that day in 1995 and overheard Kaminaka. Coincidentally, Ryan was looking for an outreach project for the center.

The two got together and spearheaded the first Discover Mo'ili'ili Festival in 1995. Ryan recalled it was at Kuhio School and featured mostly craft sales.

The ninth annual Discover Mo'ili'ili Festival will be held this year on Oct. 9 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Old Stadium Park.

One new feature will be an invitation to talk story for history's sake. Mo'ili'ili Community Center staff will have a booth at the festival where the public is invited to provide oral history for a book titled "Mo'ili'ili — the Life of a Community." Lila Gardner of Mo'ili'ili Community Center and Laura Ruby of the University of Hawai'iiManoa art department are coordinating the project. They can be reached at 955-1555.

There will be more than 30 craft booths, as well as baked goods and preserves for sale. Cultural groups will entertain with dance and music. There's no admission; free parking is available at Kuhio School with shuttle service.

Kaminaka has served as chairwoman for all nine festivals. She is the daughter of the late Minoru Kamada, who owned a building on the 2600 block of South King Street where The Haunt Books & Coffeeshop is located. He had a store on the first floor and an aloha shirt/mu'umu'u manufacturing business on the second floor.

"People just bypassed Mo'ili'ili (after H-1 Freeway opened). Since this event started, I think we have a lot more visibility," Kaminaka said.

The festival will continue its ghost-storyitelling session. There will be a "scare your socks off" contest, as a tribute to the late Glen Grant, at 6 p.m. at Church of the Crossroads. Admission is $3 for adults and $1 for children under 12. Call 955-1555 for details.

Reach Road Ohira at 535-8181 or rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.