On Sept. 7, legendary Maui waterman, swimmer and coach Keo Nakama died at the age of 91. As two of the “original ditch boys from Camp 5,” Nakama and schoolboy friend and fellow swimming legend Halo Hirose learned to compete in Maui irrigation ditches under future Olympic swim coach Soichi Sakamoto. In college, Nakama swam for national championship teams at Ohio State University. He went on to capture the world record for the 100-meter freestyle and won five Pan Am Games gold medals. At age 41, Nakama was the first person to swim the Molokai Channel. He was inducted into
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Archives for Waikiki Natatorium
Oli and blowing on the Pu mark 84th birthday of the Natatorium
Here’s a slideshow of a commemoration Aug. 24 marking the 84th anniversary of the ceremonial opening of one of the state’s cultural and historic icons, the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium. It was the Nat’s 84th birthday! Kahu Manu Mook offered the blowing of the Pu and Kahu Bradford Kaiwi Lum performed the Oli for those gathered at the Ewa end of Kaimana Beach, next to the Natatorium. The Natatorium is the state’s official memorial to more than 10,000 from Hawai’i who volunteered to serve in World War I and to 101 of them who died in the war. It was
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The Natatorium story: California version
Hey, does this sound familiar? A great natatorium opens in the 1920s. It’s a wonderful community resource; people from all across town come together there and enjoy swimming together. But there are years of deferred maintenance and neglect; eventually, it’s closed as unsafe. Same story; happy ending For once, we’re not talking about the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium. This is the story of the Municipal Natatorium in Richmond, Calif., better known there as The Plunge. In Richmond, as this article on the New York Times websiteattests, there was a happy ending! Citizens groups rallied to support the local natatorium. The
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Cable TV air dates for Natatorium Memorial Day observance
If you missed the Friends of the Natatorium’s 23rd annual Memorial Day observance, here’s your chance to see it. If you were there and want to record a speech or performance you found particularly memorable, here’s how. The observance was taped for cable TV and will air this week on ‘Ōlelo Community Media . It was a truly inspiring commemoration of the servicemen and women, especially those from Hawai’i, who have died for our country. Here’s when and where to see it: Natatorium Memorial Day Service Broadcast Schedule Tuesday, June 28: 1 p.m. on OAHU 52 Thursday, June 30: 12
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Performance art at the Natatorium: “Speaking in Silence” this Saturday
The Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium is one of 10 culturally important Honolulu locations chosen as venues for “Speaking in Silence,” a work of performance art highlighting Hawaiian history and the diversity here of concepts of enlightenment and consciousness. The work – conceived by artist Ernesto Pujol – takes place this Saturday, June 18; the portion at the Natatorium is scheduled to run from sunrise to sunset. Pujol is a visiting artist at the Contemporary Museum, where a survey of his work called “Walking Ground” is on display until Oct. 2. He refers to himself as a “site-specific public performance artist
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Photos from the Natatorium's Memorial Day observance
Here are photos from Sunday’s wonderful, inspirational Memorial Day Observance, held for the 23rd year at the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium. Mahalo to everyone who attended; to our eloquent speakers Ron Oba and Lt. Gen. Duane Thiessen; to our dedicated Marine color guard, rifle squad and bugler; to our Navy chaplain; to our singers, Rodney Cazimero and the Prince Kuhio Civic Club Chorale; to our dancers, Kumu Hula Olana Ai and Hula Halau Olana; to our Pledge of Allegiance leaders from the kindergarten class at Waikiki Elementary; and to all the many volunteers who made possible a most meaningful Sunday
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If you couldn't make it: TV highlights of the Natatorium Memorial Day observance
Mahalo to everyone who came out to remember our nation’s honored war dead Sunday at the 23rd annual Memorial Day Observance at the Natatorium. If you were unable to make it, you missed a wonderful tribute to the men and women on whose sacrifices a nation is built. Here are some highlights of television coverage of the ceremony: In KITV’s story, Lt. Gen. Duane D. Thiessen, commander of U.S. Marines in the Pacific, is quoted calling the Natatorium “a visible reminder of the price paid over the course of history to ensure that we, and our sons and our daughters,
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Natatorium story in Honolulu Civil Beat: What does it mean?
Is this a step back? Or might it actually be a step forward? Honolulu Civil Beat is out with this story quoting Mayor Peter Carlisle. He says the city is moving ahead with the environmental impact statement that would be required to execute former mayor Mufi Hannemann’s plan to demolish the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium. Sounds dire. But read closely. Mayor Carlisle does not say he thinks demolition is a done deal. He does not say that it’s his preferred alternative. What the mayor does say is that “once the draft EIS is completed, I would like to review it
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Plan to be there: The Natatorium’s Memorial Day Observance, May 29
More reasons to look forward to the 23rd annual Memorial Day Observance at the Natatorium on Sunday, May 29, at 10 a.m.: –We will hear from World War II veteran Ronald M. Oba. Ron, now 88, was a member of F Company of the famous 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the all-Japanese-American U.S. Army unit that fought in Italy, southern France and Germany and became the most decorated regiment in the history of the U.S. military. The retired hospital administrator is a former president of the 442nd Veterans Club and former editor of the 442nd Go for Broke Bulletin, named after
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Navy, Army vets elected Friends of the Natatorium directors
Two military veterans and civic leaders this week joined the board of directors of the Friends of the Natatorium, taking on leadership roles in the fight to restore, renew and reopen the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium. The board elected Yvonne Geesey to fill the seat left empty by the recent death of longtime Natatorium supporter and veterans’ activist Fred Ballard. Maurice D. “Mo” Radke was chosen to fill the vacancy that is opening with the retirement of longtime board member and former President Lin Pang. (More later on Lin’s years of service to the Friends.) Geesey, who also replaces Ballard
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