Starting today, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs' radio show, Na 'Oiwi 'Olino, begins a three-day run from Hilo in celebration of the 45th Annual Merrie Monarch Festival.

Na 'Oiwi 'Olino, People Seeking Wisdom, will be broadcasting live from the Naniloa Volcanoes Resort today through Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. on KKNE AM940 with hosts Kimo Kaho'ano and Brickwood Galuteria. The show is also streamed live on the Web at www.am940hawaii.com.

Brickwood and Kimo will talk story with several of Hawai'i Island's favorite sons and daughters. The lineup for the milestone-marking program includes the following:

Hawai'i County Mayor Harry Kim, also a native son of Kea'au and a longtime county director of civil defense, will be asked about Hawai'i Island issues and the latest on Kilauea Volcano.

Johnny Lum Ho, the innovative kumu of Halau Hula 'O Ka Ua Kani Lehua, will be asked to re-cap some of his crowd-pleasing moments at Merrie Monarch. He is scheduled to perform during Wednesday's exhibition.

Award winning falsetto singer Darren Benitez is expected to talk about his music and his many years as a perennial Merrie Monarch performer with kumu hula Johnny Lum Ho.

Ku Kahakalau, the founder and director of Kanu O Ka 'Aina New Century Public Charter School, will be asked about her work with the culturally-based Charter School located on Hawai'i Island.

OHA Trustee Robert Lindsey will provide an update on issues of interest to Hawai'i Island beneficiaries.

In addition to scheduled guests, festival-goers are invited to stop by the Naniloa broadcast table and share their man'ao with Kimo and Brickwood.

OHA launched the morning drive radio program with Brickwood and Kimo on April 9, 2007, as a means of highlighting events and issues in the Native Hawaiian community. As Brickwood and Kimo get ready to celebrate their one-year anniversary as hosts, listen for a forthcoming announcement about expanded broadcasts of Na 'Oiwi 'Olino.