“Passion
and Beauty” by author and photographer Heather Titus is an unusual coffee
table book filled with photographs of Windward and East Oahu. With 125 photos of
moments captured over 20 years, Titus focuses on ocean scenes, the Koolau
Mountains, sunrises, moon rises and outdoor sports kayaking, fishing and
boating.
The
visual delights of the images are woven with romance, culture and community
life. The romance is expressed through poetry of the Hawaii language, proverbs
and the voice of individuals sharing their relationship with the Aina.
Author,
publisher and photographer Heather Titus first came to Oahu in 1982 as a student
to attend college studying the arts. Over time she took an interest in the
Hawaiian culture, attending workshops with Na Pay Olohe founded by Kahuna
Abraham Kawaii.
This
new release of “Passion and Beauty”
from publishers Hawaiian Lotus is a fine gift or personal possession that
reflects life in this part of Oahu over those two decades of change while trying
to remain a constant. It is available at most books stores on Oahu.
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Bess
Press is at it again with a hilarious new book to commentate the 25th
anniversary of the phenomena called Pidgin to da Max: “Pidgin to da Max 25th
Anniversary Edition.” They have combined “Pidgin to da Max” and “Pidgin
to da Max Hana Hou” into one book. It will be available Dec. 1 at Native
Books/Na Mea Hawaii “at da ‘ewa end of da Ward Warehouse.”
Other
Bess Press’ Pidgin products include “Pidgin to da Max” word magnets,
“Hawaii to da Max: A Visitor’s Guide,” and “Pupus to da Max,” an
illustrated guide to the “oh, so ono grinds” of Hawaii, all available now.
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If
your Hawaiian language tastes are more traditional, take a look at “Learn
Hawaiian at Home,” by Kahikahealani Wight, also via Bess Press. The
introduction to Hawaiian takes an oral/aural approach to language learning. The
one book course includes an illustrated 168-page textbook, with vocabulary,
useful phrases, homework, self-tests, dialogs, answer key and glossaries.