Puakea Foundation of Hawaii, Inc » Press

Uncle Bobby Featured in Hana Hou!

Roxanne — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 06:46:27 +0000

Uncle Bobby Puakea, photo by Dana Edmunds

Everyone in Hawaii knows the magazine, Hana Hou, which is published by Hawaiian Airlines. It is much more than an in-flight magazine though as it features and celebrates the many special people, places, and things to do here in Hawaii.

The current issue has a feature on Uncle Bobby in the “Native Intelligence” section. We hope you have a chance to read it – either online or while flying on Hawaiian Air! Mahalo to Hawaiian for sharing Uncle Bobby with your readers.

Follow Hawaiian Air on Twitter @HawaiianAir.

Follow the writer, Adrienne LaFrance, on Twitter: @AdrienneLaF.

Please visit photographer Dana Edmunds’ website.

Valuable Tools Stolen from Uncle Bobby

Roxanne — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 20:41:29 +0000

A week ago someone(s) broke into the container at Heʻeia Park where Uncle Bobby stores the tools he uses to repair Hawaiian canoes and give workshops to both keiki and adults in the arts of woodworking and Polynesian canoe culture. We are very grateful to the Star Advertiser who featured this story on the home page of their online edition!

The support is rolling in and we wanted to let all of you know how grateful we are to each and everyone of you! We will be updating this page as more news comes in. Please take a moment to join our email list (at right) so we can include you in our ocean and canoe-loving ʻohana! We have a “Make Your Own Paddle” workshop coming soon in March, 2011 too.

Alana Burrows, Volunteer Board Member will be on the Mike Buck Show today at 6:07 pm; KHVH Radio 830 AM.

Listen to the Mike Buck radio interview with Puakea Foundation Board Member Alana Burrows here; sorry the introduction was not recorded! (13:40)

UPDATE: Uncle Bobby was on KHNL! Here is a direct link to the video with Uncle Bobby.

Read the full details of the Star Advertiser article by Dan Nakaso.

How to Make a Donation
* You can donate safe and secure online via PayPal; please see our Donate page for full information about how your donation is fully tax-deductible.

Here are some of the contributors who have pledged their kokua, both cash and tools:
American Savings Bank
Bill Hojnacki, Hawaii
Kent Kroeger, Seattle WA
Dan Diffenderfer
Charlie Loiselle
Reivan Zeleznik, Stamford, CT: pledged $1000 if we can raise $2000 in matching funds
John Foti, Kailua, HI
Ann Dewey, Kailua, HI
Malia Kamisugi, Honolulu, HI
Chris Keahi, Johnston, IA
Lanakila Alexander, Holly Springs, NC
Lanikai Canoe Club, Kailua, HI
Shepherd Brown, Belmont, CA
Paul Chung, Redondo Beach, CA
David Shoemaker, San Diego, CA
Matt Kaeo Caires, West Hills, CA
Emily Hawkins, Kailua, HI
Lynda Murakami, Honolulu, HI
Sharon Ziegler, Papaikou, HI
Mr. Kaneshiro, Hawaii
Mr. Sanchez, Hawaii
Mr. Roger Lau, Hawaii
Jane Lipp, Kailua, HI

Polynesian Hot-Rod – Uncle Bobby in the News

Roxanne — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 07:46:14 +0000

This past November, the “Hawaii Island News”:http://www.hawaiiislandjournal.com/2007/1110a.html featured a cover story on Uncle Bobby, Uncle John Kekua, and Gary Puniwai. This article is about the canoe-building activities of the three men and their contributions to preserving Polynesian culture.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

A koa tree takes the better part of a century to grow to the height required by a canoe maker. A tree’s life doesn’t end once it is cut down, though. “A canoe is a living thing,” Kekua said. “A tree is a living thing. You make it into a canoe, it’s still living.”

There’s a lot more to what Kekua, Puakea and Puniwai are doing than simply building the vessels. Trees are given new life as gorgeous canoes. The sport of canoe racing gets a boost. And in teaching the craft to the next generation, another one of the world’s great traditions is being preserved. As Puakea notes, “It’s part of our heritage, and part of our culture. We love what we do. Bottom line.”