ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Month

Although February is a time to celebrate ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, for many in Hawaiʻi, it is not just a celebration; it is a way of life. Whether you were born and raised in Hawaiʻi or are new to the ʻāina (land), having a foundational understanding of the Hawaiian language creates a stronger connection to the place, its people, and the culture. 

We honor and recognize ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi and support its revitalization by creating programs like our RISE! Keiki Vibrancy Series to share cultural foundations with our youth living far away from Hawaiʻi. Building and retaining this pilina (connections) is essential because these actions perpetuate our culture. 

Although ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi was banned in the late 1800s, it is refreshing to hear ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi regularly used throughout Hawaiʻi. In addition, the creation of Hawaiian language immersion schools has boosted the ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi reach over the years as many graduates from these fantastic programs are actively teaching ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi in communities all over the world.

Letʻs encourage our ʻohana (family) and our hoaloha (friends) to learn ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi; it is never too late to start; take small steps and fall forward. For more information about how to start or continue your journey, check out the links below:

• UH Kapiʻolani Community College Library & Learning Resources
• FREE Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Events Online

Lastly, we are sharing weekly ʻōlelo noʻeau via social media this month. If you have a favorite, please share. 

'Aha 'Ohana Gear

E Ala E Hawaiian Cultural Center ʻAha ʻOhana gear (shirts, sweaters, long sleeves in varied colors and sizes) will be made available for purchase this month. 

Join our ʻOhana Membership for $25, and an ʻAha ʻOhana SHIRT is included.

Chinese New Year in Hawai`i

Most of us celebrate the new year on January 1, but Chinese people follow the lunar calendar, which lands on a  different day each year. In 2022, it’s February 1. And locals in Hawai`i take this celebration very seriously in hopes of bringing in as much “good luck” as possible! 

So, as we say goodbye to the Ox, we ring in 2022, the Year of the Tiger, which symbolizes resilience and strength – even in times of struggle. 

In Hawai`i, festivities run for two weeks following the designated day and is marked with the “Lantern Festival,”  where streets are lit with candles and lanterns to guide ancestral spirits home. Learn more about Chinese New Year.

"`Onolicious!"

Hawaiian Oxtail Soup

This bright and flavorful Hawaiian-style oxtail soup represents a true taste of “local” Hawaiian cuisine. 

NOTE: An ingredient that may not be readily accessible is dried orange peel, which can be bought pretty easily in Hawai`i and in most Asian markets. However, if you can’t find it here’s a tip: Use a vegetable peeler to strip off a long strip of peel  (just the zest) from an orange. Set it on a shelf in your kitchen for a week to dry out. It works great! However, if you don’t think ahead to dry the peel, just use a  couple of teaspoons of orange zest instead. 

Ingredients 

• 2 pounds oxtails
• 1 strip dried orange peel (zest, not the pith), see recipe note
• 2 whole star anise
• 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
• Salt, at least 1 tablespoon, plus more to taste
• ½ cup shelled and skinned raw peanuts (can substitute with roasted, unsalted peanuts)
• 1/8 teaspoon chili pepper flakes (or more to taste)
• 2 cups loosely-packed, coarsely-chopped fresh mustard greens

Directions

1. Parboil the oxtails, trim of excess fat: Fill half a large (5-quart) pot and bring to a boil. Add the oxtails and parboil for 30 minutes. Drain the pot and rinse the oxtails in water. Trim the oxtails of any excess fat. 
2. Simmer the oxtails for 1 hour: Return the oxtails to the pot. Cover with water by one inch. Add the orange peel, star anise, ginger, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and let simmer for 1 hour. 
3. Add the peanuts and simmer longer: Add the peanuts and simmer for 2 to 3 more hours, until the oxtail meat is tender and falls off the bone. 
4. Skim the fat: At this point, you can either skim the fat off the soup and proceed to the next step, or let the soup cool, and chill it overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, the fat will have solidified and will be easy to pull up from the top of the soup. The flavors will also be absorbed by the oxtails if you let the soup sit overnight. 
5. Add the chili flakes and mustard greens: Bring the soup to a simmer again. Add the chili pepper flakes and mustard greens. Cook for five more minutes, or until the mustard greens are tender.
6. Garnish to serve: Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, green onions, and freshly grated or julienned ginger. Serve with steamed white rice and a side of soy sauce for dipping. 
7. If you want, you can strip the meat off the bones before serving. We prefer the meat served bone-in, in  which case, you will want to provide a bowl for the bones

EHCC Activities

Apr thru Dec: RISE! Keiki Vibrancy Series - Cultural Foundations March Orientation | April Start. We offer age-appropriate cultural activities in a safe and supportive environment. Your child can look forward to completing season focused S.T.E.M. and arts/crafts projects, build ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language), mele (songs), dances (hula) repertoire, and playing (mea pāʻani) games with staff and peers. Online registration is available now.

Coming Soon: ʻAHA ʻŌPIO (AIR) Our youth are progressive, flexible, curious, independent, adventurous, and intellectual. Air feeds our brain and is not fixed and solid but flexible and constantly moving. Air is the balance between fire and water and enables the mind to liberate the bonds of earth. Spread the word about our FREE RISE! ʻŌpio Vibrancy Series - Adulting 101 happening this Spring. This weekend-long event will cover various topics like Money and Credit Management, Investing, Taxes, Career Planning, Job Search/Resume/Interview, etc.

Coming Soon: ʻAHA MAKUA (LAND) Respectable, hardworking, detail-oriented, stable, reliable, cautious, punctual, practical. In esoteric wisdom, land relates to the body. If you do not look after yourself and are unfit or unhealthy, it becomes more challenging to support energies generated by the other elements. Land represents grounding, the foundation for life, and family roots. Share our RISE! Makua Vibrancy -  Healthy Body, Mind, and Spirit Fair with all. Subject matter experts from Hawaiʻi and the DMV area are excited to share some of the following with all of you: Lomilomi (massage), Laʻau Lapaʻau (Healing with Whole Foods), Hula (Dance), Self Defense, Meditation, Cooking Demonstration, etc.

Coming Soon: ʻAHA KŪPUNA (WATER) Our elders can be described as self-aware, adaptive, modest, devoted, reflective, authentic, integrating, and cooperative. Water is fluid and adaptable and dictates one's ability to manage various situations. In contrast, fire and air relate to thoughts and emotions, the element of water tests oneʻs ability to be fluid and adaptable when faced with adversity. Join us as we honor the journey of our elders/ancestors at our inaugural RISE! Kūpuna Vibrancy Series - Celebrating our Hulu Kūpuna (Precious Elders) Holokū Ball Fundraiser in October.

Community Connections

Feb 4-25 (Fri and Sat): Celebrate Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawai'i with Kakou Collective every Friday and Saturday throughout the month of Pepeluali (February) at 6:30PM HST (11:30PM EST) for lettering classes. Attend Live IG Workshops here.

Feb 22 (Tues): Join the Pa'i Foundation for a virtual celebration for our tūtūs on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 at 2:22pm HST (7:22PM EST)! PAʻI Foundation will be hosting a Facebook Live event featuring Tuana (Kuana) Torres Kahele, reading his book ʻTūtū Makes a Lei,ʻ Robert Tuluwehi Cazimero, singing ʻHo’okahi Sunday Afternoon, There Goes my 22 (Tūtū) Ēʻ and hula by Tupuna Vicky Holt Takamine. The Facebook Live will start at 2:22pm HST (7:22PM EST) and will be open to anyone whoʻd like to join! Join here.

Mar 4-5: The Ka Waiwai No Nā Kūpuna, Treasure of Our Ancestors 2022 Summit & Workshops registration is now open and our HCBP Summit & Workshops website is live! Please visit our website to register and find more information related to the summit & workshops and the presentations that will be offered. Registration is open from January 28th - March 2nd, 2022. Interested participants will need to register here.

Interested in sharing something in our Newsletter? How about a special event or announcement?

Please send an email to: Marilyn@ealaehcc.org