Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 3, Number 9, 1 September 1986 — Naʻike Tours Does it Differently [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Naʻike Tours Does it Differently

Ohana Concept EmbracesllniqueFamily Outing

By Kenny Haina, Editor Ka Wai Ola O OHA *

"This is a real back road tour with heavy emphasis on Hawaiian culture and Hawaiians. I find it very educational and enjoyable, so unlike your usual run of tours." This is the statement of a California housewife who was one of 12 persons on an Aug. 12 outing with a not yet year-old loeal travel organization called Na'ike Tours. Braintrusts behind this unusual company are Hawaiians Joshua Ha'alilio Heyer and Pa'e Galdeira. What makes Na'ike different from other tour companies? It is the Hawaiianness that is instilled among its family members. The ohana concept is employed to its fullest and sharing is a big thing with cousins Joshua and Pa'e.

Everyone is an unele, aunty or cousin on the tour. This chemistry is felt strongly throughout the day and becomes more pronounced and established when members are dropped off at their hotels shortly after 6 p.m. There is so mueh aloha and love exchanged among the new "cousins" that one could easily feel they became one big ohana because of the tour. Cousins Josh or Ha'a and Pa'e don't like the word "tour." They refer to their operation as "a family outing." "The whole idea is to reach out to the eommunity and our visiting ohana," the two entrepreneurs said.

There is so mueh interaction between these two young Hawaiians and their newly adopted ohana that there's hardly a dull moment. The chatter in describing various locations and Hawaiian stories is almost eonstant and lively spiced with an even amount of humor. Na'ike's 17-passenger vans are especially hooked up so everyone interacts. In addition to the chatter, there is also mueh singing and guitar and ukulele playing. There is also special lessons on Hawaiian words and plaee names and input from eaeh member of the ohana as to what they like or dislike about the family outing. Let's take one typical day on a Na'ike family outing: Piekup at two Waikiki hotels and along Diamond Head Road through Kahala for another piekup at the Kahala Hilton and off to Makapuu.

I he two men stopped at a distance high above the famed surfing beach and explained its history. Then they walked their ohana to a promontory overlooking Rabbit lsland and the beach and Ha'a begins a chant. The two then get together and sing a few Hawaiian songs before getting back on the bus and continuing the journey. A stop is made at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church where Halau Likolaulani, a Hawaiian learning center for tiny tots, is housed. The children put on a performance of singing, dancing and speaking the Hawaiian language. The halau, whieh onee got funding from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, closed its doors Aug. 14with a ho'ike at the church. Laek of community and financial support were the reasons given for the closing. Former leaders of the halau became embroiled in an internal situation whieh allegedly contributed to the demise of the school.

Following the performance, the ohana made their way outside where Cousins Pa'e and Ha'a served juice and cookies. Most of them were drinking passion fruitorange and guava for the first time. Na'ike then took them to some of the back roads in Waimanalo where they saw the University of Hawaii experimental station, Rocky Road Poultry Farm, lilikoi, woodrose, kukui nut trees, coffee plants, all varieties of ginger, hibiscus, crown flowers, ilima, orchids and many other kinds of Hawaiian foliage, plants and flowers. They also stopped at the Waimanalo homestead land where Pa'e grew up. The ohana met Papa Galdeira who is now retired after 38 years in the tour business. A few other Galdeira cousins, dogs, cats and chickens added to the greeting.

The outing moved along to the Pali Highway and up the Pali Lookout for another briefing and then to the Queen Emma Summer Palaee. lt was then across town on the H-1 Freeway through Wahiawa and a iuneh stop at Helemano Plantation where the ohana was greeted warmly by retarded citizens who service the cafeteria. Following an all-you-can eat buffet luneh, the ohana was entertained by these citizens with songs and hula and they later took the group outside to sew their own leis. Eaeh one reboarded the bus with his or her own hand-sewn lei. It was hele on to Bunzie Ringer's Kukui Nuts of Hawaii in Waialua, passing acres and acres of pineapple and sugar eane fields. Then through Haleiwa town and the North Shore before taking a rest stop at Swanzy Beach Park in Kaaawa. All the while there is mueh chatter on Hawaiiana, singing and more interaction.

The ohana made its last stop at Haiku Gardens in Kaneohe where eaeh member was greeted with a big kiss and hug from diminutive Lahoma Tuck, Ha'a's mother who guided the group to the gardens and danced to an original chant by her son. She also performed several hula along with Ruby Ahakuelo who was along as a trainee.

Describing the gardens and the lush vegetation along with more on Hawaiian culture, Lahoma made everyone feel at home in her own warm and friendly style. She made it a point to remember everyone's name and if she forgot, she would ask. On the way to being dropped off at their hotels, ohana members were onee more asked for their input on the day's outing: Wisconsin school teacher: "This tour didn't take us to places where 1 would have bought a lot of junk to take

home and just throw away. It accomplished all of the best that is Hawaii. It was simply delightful." Retiree, 73, from California: "This is my first time in Hawaii and I went where 1 originalIy wanted to go." An Oregon homemaker: "1 enjoyed being a part of Hawaii. 1 wasn't taken to any tourist trap. You're (Pa'e and Ha'a) absolutely beautiful."

California housewife: "You ean t plaee a price tag on this kind of valuable experience. Its priceless. Unforgettable!" (Cost of this outing is $55). Pa'e and Ha'a feel that locals, too, would benefit from their package. "It is time for Hawaiians to share in a way that it works. There are no negatives on our outings; only positives. You can't get more Hawaiian than this," they declared. They currently operate in conjunction with E Noa Tours, telephone 941-6608. '

Mary Rebhan, school teacher from Nekoosa, Wis., focuses in on Halau Likolaulani keikis during a performance at their Waimanalo location.

Ohana members on Na'ike family outing learn to sew their own leis at Helemano Plantation.

Pa'e Galdeira, Lahoma Tuck and Joshua Ha'aiili'o Heyer entertain ohana at Haiku Gardens.