Asian Americans march and speak out against Trump regime

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu was difiant against Donald Trump.

ANALYSIS

Among the 7 million No Kings demonstrators, Asian Americans made their presence known. They were not the largest group nor the loudest, but they were there, holding signs, reveling in the knowledge that they were not alone in their anger, disatisfaction and disdain for Donald Trump.

Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Island individuals and groups joined the Oct. 18 "No Kings" marches to express their concerns over the Trump administration's policies, focusing on issues like immigration, civil rights, voting rights and rising anti-Asian racism.

Sometimes you see a photo or hear a line of poetry that just stays with you. It’s funny how memories are like that. I recently found a black-and-white picture of my father from when he was a young man, a dashing and handsome man with smoldering eyes, staring defiantly back at the camera. We always think of our parents as old, and we forget that once they were young and had that rebellious spirit. My dad is gone now, but I think of that picture when I see a new generation finding its own voice of defiance.

That's the kind of feeling that comes to mind when I see images from the recent "No Kings" protests that swept across the U.S. this past weekend. A lot of Asian Americans, particularly in places like Boston and Los Angeles, had that same defiant look in their eyes. This wasn't about a single policy. It was about sending a message.

And boy, did Boston get the message across, with an exclamation point, I might add.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, the historic city's first Asian American mayor, was right there on the front lines in her city. Standing with thousands on Boston Common, America's first public park, she reminded everyone that resisting tyranny is about as American as it gets. For 250 years, the city has stood up against injustice, and it wasn't about to back down now.

"Boston has never been good at surrender or silence," as the crowd roared its approval. You have to love that line. It speaks to something deep in the American character—a willingness to speak up, to make a mess when things aren't right.

“In Boston, every day is No Kings Day,” Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said. Confronted by hecklers, she shrugged them off, saying, “This is Boston, where every voice is heard.”

Wu, who has frequently clashed with the Trump administration over its racist immigration policies, told the crowd that Trump and Republicans attacked Boston because they know it symbolizes freedom and revolution.

“We stand here today to tell the Trump administration, when it comes to our freedoms, when it comes to our families, Boston doesn’t back down,” Wu told the partisan crowd. “What terrifies them about our city isn’t just that we kicked out a king and we [can] do it again.”

“It’s not just that our city is not for sale or that we run a government that actually delivers as a home for everyone and the safest major city in the country,” she continued. “It’s not just that we empower our workers and stand with public employees instead of using them as political pawns. What scares them the most about Boston is that we are proof of the America they insist is impossible.

As one of the other Boston speakers said, "It's not nice and neat and squeaky. It's messy, it's disruptive, it's uncomfortable". And that's exactly what democracy looks like sometimes.

In Queens, N.Y., which has a large Asian American population, Rep. Grace Meng told the thousands of marchers, “One of the hardest stories that I keep hearing over and over again are from folks who immigrated to this country, whether they just came a few months ago or whether they came two generations ago, and they have a sad look on their face, exasperated, saying that this is not the country that they came to. This is not what democracy looks like.”

NYC COUNCIL

Asian Americans joined the No Kings rallies in New York City.

“They sacrificed so much, many of them fled hardships in their home countries and then they came here to build a better life for their kids and their neighbors and their families. But this is not what they came for.”

Meng continued: “In just a few months, this President has shown us who he fights for.

"It’s not America, it’s not for the people, it’s for the wealthiest and the well connected, and we’re not going to stand for it.

For many in the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, the issues were personal. In Los Angeles, some of the participants were protesting immigration raids, worried about students being separated from their families. But it goes beyond just immigration. AAPI communities have a history of fighting for their place at the table, a history of facing discrimination and overcoming it.

Beyond Boston, other U.S. cities with strong AAPI participation in the October 2025 "No Kings" protests included Chicago, and Honolulu and, of course, in California home to 7 million Asian Americans, the most of any state.

The San Gabriel Valley east of Los Angeles is home to several enclaves of Asian communities: Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese and Korean. It is represented by Congressmember Judy Chu.

“This is a continuation of what we as a country are doing to resist this authoritarian, fascist regime,” Chu told the crowd, urging participants to see the event as “practice—building our muscles of protest and resistance.”

She called for peaceful but determined civic action, saying, “Power does not give up without a fight. Our anger will motivate us, but it’s community that will keep us together.”

In San Bruno, Calif. hundreds of people gathered at the Tanforan Assembly Memorial, a former horse-racing track, where Japanese American were incarcerated. Speakers included survivors of WWII internment, drawing parallels between the historical inccarceration of Japanese Americans and current immigration policies. Grace Morizawa, a 79-year-old Berkeley resident whose parents met in an internment camp, expressed solidarity with today's immigrants, stating, "you could just hear the passion in their voice when they said they don't want to see that happen again."

SCREEN CAPTURE

Seven thousand people joined the Sacramento march and. rally highlighted by a speech by Rep. Doris Matsui, who was born in one of the camps that incarcerated about 120,000 Japanese Americans during WWII. 

"Today we reminded Donald Trump, loud and clear, that in this country WE HAVE NO KINGS," Matsui told the participants. "We don’t worship power — we build it together: In our neighborhoods. On our streets. In our unions. "That’s who we are, that’s Sacramento, and I’ll always have your back," she said to a volley of applause and cheers.

Protesters in Oakland were marching in the city's streets, chanting, "whose streets? Our Streets." Part of the route led marchers through Chinatown down 13th Street, winding up in a rally in front of City Hall.

Asian Americans also  took part in several large-scale protests in Los Angeles. One of the protests occurred in Historic Filipinotown near downtown L.A. “When I enlisted, I swore a solemn oath to uphold the US constitution, to help protect the nation from enemies without and within. Today, I would never swear allegiance or bend the knee to a wannabe king because there are NO KINGS in America,”  US Army veteran Joe Arciaga said in a press statement.

When an administration starts to sound like it thinks it's above the law, a lot of different people, from different backgrounds, hear the same alarm bells ringing. The "No Kings" protests are a modern-day call to arms, not with weapons but with signs and voices. It's a reminder that we are a nation of laws, not of rulers.

This is a story that will continue to unfold. The protesters, with an estimated 7 million turning out nationwide, weren't just angry; they were energized and organized. They weren't just there for a single day. They were carrying a message that they intend to take back to their communities. And it is a message we all need to remember: Freedom over fascism. 

No Kings. No dictators. No fascists. No way!

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

No folks. Zendaya has not been cast as the new Moana

Disney studios released a picture of an older Moana that will featured in a new animated musical.

Hold your horses. Calm down. Zendaya has not been cast as Pacific Islander princess Moana in the live-action remake. 

A trailer purported to be an "official" trailer for the live-action remake of the original Disney animated movie announcing that Zendaya has been cast in the title role is a fake. Cries of cultural appropriation exploded on the internet when the fake trailer first appeared. Zendaya is not of Pacific Islander descent.

“Moana remains an incredibly popular franchise,” said Disney CEO Bob Iger. “And we can’t wait to give you more of Moana and Maui when Moana 2 comes to theaters in November."

What is true is that Disney is planning to retell the tale of Moana's search for a new island home with real actors. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who viced the demi-god Maui in the animated feature will reprise that role in the life-action version. However, the search for an actress to play Moana is underway.

Unfortunately, Aul'i Cravalho, who provided the original voice of Moana will not return for the live-action remake. 

FYI: Meet the actress playing Moana

Cravalho, who will be 23 years old when filming starts and in the Disney story, Moana is only 16. The actress, who is currently starring in the Broadway version of "Mean Girls," said in an Instagram post that she will keep her ties with the Moana franchise as an executive producer.

“I’m truly honored to pass this baton to the next woman of Pacific Island descent to honor our incredible Pacific peoples, cultures, and communities that help inspire her story, and I look forward to all the beautiful Pacific representation to come. Mahalo," Cravalho shared on Instagram.

Thomas Kail, the Tony Award-winning director of “Hamilton” on Broadway, will direct the movie. "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the music for the original Moana, will do the same for the live-action musical.

Cinema Pro Studio published a concept trailer (See below) of Moana on its YouTube page, showing Zendaya and The Rock in the film.

"Here's our concept trailer for 'Moana Live Action,' an exhilarating cinematic journey that brings Zendaya's Moana and Dwayne Johnson's Maui to life in a captivating new adaptation,” says the description under the concept trailer.

A concept trailer featuring Zendaya alarmed Moana fans.

Cravalho, however, will provide the voice of the animated project, tentatively titled Moana 2, that will feature further adventures of the island princess.

Originally scheduled to start filming this year, the release of the live-action film was pushed back to mid 2025. Nevertheless, the fake trailer went viral an stirred up social media critics.

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ epic animated musical Moana 2 is not a remake but a continuation of Moana's adventures. It takes audiences on an expansive new voyage with Moana, Maui and a brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers.

Moana 2 takes place three years after the end of the original Moana. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.

The voice actors from the original Moana will be back, including:

• Auli’i Cravalho as Moana
• Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson as Maui
• Nicole Scherzinger as Sina
• Temuera Morrison as Chief Tai

Johnson will provided the voice of the demi-god Maui in the original animated movie will repeat the role in the animated sequel and the live-action movie. He feels close to the role because of his own Samoan heritage. “As many of you know ... we found so much inspiration for Maui in the mana and the presence of my late grandfather, the legendary High Chief, Peter Maivia," Johnson shared.

Directed by Dave Derrick Jr. with music by Grammy® winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Grammy nominee Opetaia Foa’i, and three-time Grammy winner Mark Mancina, Moana 2 opens in theaters on Nov. 27, 2024.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.

Biden sends aid to to Typhoon Mawar victims on Guam and Northern Marianas

Flood waters recede after a super typhoon nicks the US Pacific territory of Guam.

Hundreds of personnel from federal agencies and voluntary organizations are in Guam supporting the ongoing response and recovery efforts from Typhoon Mawar that swept through the US territory a week ago.

Since President Biden issued a Major Disaster Declaration for Guam on Sunday, May 28, FEMA has received more than 2,700 registrations for assistance, helping survivors take the first step to jumpstart their recovery.

The typhoon hit the northern part of Guam on a week ago with winds of up to 140 mph, the National Weather Service reported, and generated waves as high as 30 ft.

Trees were uprooted, boats capsized, neighborhoods were flooded and power was cut off for a while.

Miraculously, none of the 170,000 people who live on Guam was killed or badly injured, officials said. Nearly 1,000 people were still in shelters as of Thursday.

Governor Lou Leon Guerrero, declared the “all clear” on Thursday evening. “We have weathered this storm, the worst has gone by,” she said in a video message to the island’s residents, who include about 10,000 US military personnel.

FEMA continues working with local, territorial, federal, nonprofit organizations and private sector partners to get essential services reopened and operational.

Guam residents can register for federal assistance by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov, through the FEMA App, or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362). Residents who use a relay service, such as video relay or captioned telephone service, can give the FEMA operator the number for that service. FEMA is working with local and territorial officials to determine Disaster Recovery Center locations. Once open, survivors can visit these centers to receive one-on-one help with their disaster registration process and emergency assistance. 

Nearly 600 FEMA personnel are supporting response and recovery efforts in Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, with nearly 300 staff in Guam. Additional Disaster Survivors Assistance Teams staff are being deployed to Guam to help survivors register for federal assistance.

After a disaster, people want to help, but it’s important to donate responsibly. When people support voluntary organizations with financial contributions, it helps ensure a steady flow of important services to the people in need. You can find a voluntary organization to support by visiting the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster’s website at NVOAD.org. 

FEMA is coordinating with its network of Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster to provide support and humanitarian aid. Feeding and bottled water operations continue as needed and requested by the territory and the commonwealth officials:

• The Salvation Army began feeding operations on Monday.
• The Red Cross continues assisting with shelter and feeding operations, and are also distributing emergency supplies, including pet food at various distribution centers.
Federal, Territorial, Commonwealth and Voluntary Actions

• Survivors who are covered by insurance should file a claim with their insurance company or agent as soon as they can. Next, they should apply for FEMA disaster assistance. Survivors who are uninsured should apply for FEMA disaster assistance now. Assistance may include funding to repair or replace their homes, temporary housing resources, access to low-interest loans or other programs to help them jumpstart their recovery.
• The Guam Department of Agriculture has teams conducting Preliminary Damage Assessments with farmers. Farmers who suffered crop loss should document their losses and contact 671-300-7972-73 or email agriculture@doagguam.gov for more information.
• The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that low-interest federal disaster loans are now available to Guam businesses and residents who were affected by Typhoon Mawar. To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, survivors must first register at DisasterAssistance.gov.
• The Bank of Guam’s ATMs are back online with web and mobile banking now available. In addition, the bank announced it is automatically deferring payments on personal loans and credit cards for Guam and Rota accounts for three months. Affected customers in Saipan and Tinian may request deferment arrangements at any branch locations or by emailing consumerbanking@bankofguam.com. 
• The National Disaster Distress Helpline remains activated and anyone who has been affected by Typhoon Mawar can call 1-800-985-5990 for immediate counseling and support.
• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers deployed over 135 responders including civilians, soldiers, and contractors to support temporary power, temporary roofing and debris removal missions.
• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is coordinating with Guam EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to clean up hazardous waste and debris.
• The Guam Power Authority continues its restoration efforts, reporting more than 25% of customer demand is restored, with crews working 24-hour shifts. The authority is working to restore substation energization, which will substantially increase power to more residents.
• The Commonwealth Utilities Corporation reports that it has restored power to more than 92% of its customers on Rota, while Saipan and Tinian are fully energized.
• The Guam Waterworks Authority continues restoration efforts, reporting 50% of water systems are online serving nearly 77,000 customers and four of nine wastewater facilities are operational. The waterworks authority also delivered 6,000-gallon tanks to 10 locations. 
• More than 44% of cell towers are now operational in Guam, with 60% of cell sites operational in Rota.
• Shelters remain open in Guam with an overnight population of more than 750.
• All airports in CNMI are operational and Guam International Airport is open for all commercial carriers.
• Tankers with liquefied petroleum gas and jet fuel are offshore, scheduled to be offloaded today to help with increased fuel demand throughout Guam.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services deployed nearly 70 emergency responders including three Health and Medical Task Forces from the National Disaster Medical System that are assisting local hospitals and medical clinics.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter or at his blog Views From the Edge.

2020 Census: Pacific Islanders want to stop being 'invisible'

By Louis Chan,

ASAM NEWS

Some one dozen Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander groups gathered last Saturday in person in Redwood City in California and via Zoom to stress the importance of completing the 2020 Census and the challenges Pacific Islanders face in getting counted.

Census forms began arriving in the mail last week.

“We are speaking about our children, our children now and where they’ll be in 10 years,” said Epi Aumavae, co-founder of Samoan Solutions.

“The census 2020 is one very simple way we can secure resources for our future generations. What do I want resources to look like for my children, our children, Pacific Islander children,” Aumavae said.

The census helps the federal government determine how communities and non-profits are funded. It also determines the mapping of congressional districts, which can make the difference between a diverse congress and one that is predominantly White.

“We talk about empowering others. To me that’s census,” said Manufou Liaiga-Anoa’i, a community activist and member of the Jefferson Elementary School District Board of Trustees in Daly City, Calif. “Classrooms have to be funded. That’s census. The reality is we are an invisible community.”

It wasn’t until 2000 when Pacific Islanders were listed on a census form. Up to then, Pacific Islanders could only check the “other” box to describe their ethnicity.

In 2018, the Census Bureau estimated they were 1.4 million Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders in the United States. That was up from 1.2 million in 2010, according to Alisi Tulua, a consultant with One East Palo Alto.

Tulua said states with the largest population of NHPIs are Hawaii (373,000), California (317,000), Washington (88,000), Texas (56,000), and Utah (45,000). In 2018, NHPIs in Utah replaced those in Florida as the fifth largest NHPI population in the country.

Ethnic Media Services and Island Block Radio organized Saturday’s panel. Sandy Close, founder of Ethnic Media Services, emphasized the importance of disaggregation and to recognize the challenges faced by the Pacific Islander communities separate from Asian Americans. She described the 2020 Census as “high stakes” for Pacific Islanders.

Taunu’u Ve’e Noga of Regional Pacific Islander Task Force pointed out that Pacific Islanders have the lowest rate of usage of mental health services, the second highest infant mortality rate behind African Americans and a higher rate of diabetes and heart disease.

“County agencies need to consider the Pacific Islander community in their operations to improve the health outcomes in our communities,” Ve’e Noga said. “We continue to advocate for more regional needs. Assign a disaggregated data plan for Pacific Islanders.”
But for this to happen, the Census Bureau needs an accurate count of Pacific Islanders. There are many obstacles that need to be overcome.

Sonya Logman of the California Complete Count Committee emphasized information gathered for the Census can’t be used by law enforcement or immigration enforcement. There is no fee for filling out the census and no one will ever ask you for personal financial information.

“A lot of our families, maybe two to three families living in unit, may not be on lease for a unit,” said Tavae Samuelu of Empowering Pacific Islander Communities. “They are really fearful of being identified. Their immigration status might not be where they want it to be. They might be deported. We have families living in these units that don’t want to share their information.”

Everyone’s information will remain private. Your landlord will not be able to access your information. You will not be asked about your citizenship.

No questions are asked by sexual orientation, but you can list your partner as a same sex partner, if you like. For some from the LGBTQ community, that may be difficult.

“Our biggest challenge in our LGBT community in Pacific Islander circles is they have a fear as identifying as LGBTQ because of conservative culture and religious belief,” said Talavou Aumavae, Complete Count Committee for San Mateo County.

Finau Tove of the Mana Learning Program at the College of San Mateo described NHPIs as superconnected to church and family.

“Our leaders are our pastors and ancestors,” Tove said.

The 2020 Census is the first census that will be conducted primarily online. You will also have the option of mailing in your census or filling out the census over the phone. For those who don’t respond, a census worker may knock on your door and assist you in few simple questions. The Census should not take more than a few minutes to complete.

Here are the questions that will be asked.

Pacific Island teens petition UN to act quickly to combat climate change

CHILDREN VS. CLIMATE CRISIS

From left: Litokne Kabua,  David Ackley III, Carlos Manuel and Ranton Anjain

Four Pacific Island teenagers joined Swedish 16-year old  activist Greta Thunberg and 12 other youth who have filed a complaint on the climate crisis to the United Nations.

Their  unprecedented petition, to the U.N Committee on the Rights of the Child (C.R.C) is attempting to hold Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany and Turkey accountable for their climate crisis inaction.

It is the first time children have filed a formal complaint under the U.N.C.R.C. The petitioners are between ages eight and 18. The youngest is Ellen-Anne from Sweden.

Carlos Manuel from Palau, and Marshallese Litokne Kabua, David Ackley II and Ranton Anjain have joined children from ten other countries in this landmark case. Their two nations are among the countries already being impacted by climate change. Strong Pacific typhoons have caused some islands to be abandoned by its residents. Rising sea levels caused by melting polar caps are causing island beaches to disappear.

The other children named in the petition are Chiara Sacchi (Argentina); Catarina Lorenzo (Brazil); Iris Duquesne (France); Raina Ivanova (Germany); Ridhima Pandey (India); Deborah Adegbile (Nigeria); Ayakha Melithafa (South Africa); Greta Thunberg and Ellen-Anne (Sweden); Raslen Jbeili (Tunisia); and Carl Smith and Alexandria Villaseñor (USA).

The petition was part of a week-long series of global actions by young people to exert pressure on the world leaders to act against climate change, which the vast majority of the world's scientists have concluded is hastened and exacerbated by manmade pollutants. The week was launched with worldwide demonstrations attracting 4-million protesters in 150 countries.

CHILDREN VS. CLIMATE CHANGE

Carlos Manuel of Palau introduces himself at a press conference at the United Nations.

“I want bigger countries to know that our small island nations are the most vulnerable countries to be affected by climate change," said Manuel, who immigrated to Palau from the Philippines.

“Our homes are slowly being swallowed up by the ocean – the places where memories were made, where trust and respect are gained, the places where we used to have fun and enjoy, those places are slowly disappearing,” said the 17-year old.

Dramatically increasing temperatures in the Marshall Islands have brought frequent dengue fever outbreaks, and the government has declared a state of emergency twice in the last two years. 

Marshall Islander Kabua is 16, and his home ijust two minutes away from the ocean is under threat from sea level rise. 

“[Climate change] is the first thing you see when you go outside. It is happening a lot more, a lot more … you cannot ignore it," said the teenager.

“We are on the front lines of the climate crisis and I am here to stop that.”

The five countries named in the 101 page petition -- Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, and Turkey -- are accused of violating the children’s right to life, health, and the rights of indigenous children’s right to culture. 

They allege each of the accused countries is knowingly causing and perpetuating the climate crisis, and that they have known about it for decades. Every country except the United States has ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Of those countries, 45 agreed to an additional protocol that allows children to petition the UN directly about treaty violations.

“Despite their decades-long knowledge, each respondent has breached its human rights duties by causing and perpetuating the climate crisis and undermining international cooperation,” the petition states.

The complaint goes to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. The group is made up of 18 independent child rights experts. The Committee will determine if the complaint is admissible and, if so, will gather responses from the countries named in the complaint. The Committee will then make recommendations to those nations.

While the recommendations are not legally binding, these nations have committed to follow the recommendations. The obligations spelled out under the Convention on the Rights of the Child are binding.

Thunberg addressed the UN General Assembly last Monday (Sept. 23) in an emotional speech blasting the adults representing the UN's member countries.

"You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. And yet I'm one of the lucky ones. People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction, and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!" said Thurberg.

"You are failing us. But the young people are starting to understand your betrayal. The eyes of all future generations are upon you. And if you choose to fail us, I say: We will never forgive you," she said.

“We are here as victims of the pollution that has been carelessly dumped into our lands, air and sea for generations, and as children whose rights are being violated. Today, we are fighting back.” said 14-year old Alexandria Villaseñor,  co-founder of U.S Youth Climate Strike and founder of Earth Uprising.

In just five years, 16-year-old Ackley III has seen his home town Uliga in Majuro change dramatically. He said he and his family talk about climate change all the time, and he worries about being forced to move away.

“I feel lost. I like to keep my mind off [it] because it scares me, but it still pops up a couple of times a day.”

Dramatically increasing temperatures in the Marshall Islands have brought frequent dengue fever outbreaks, and the government has declared a state of emergency twice in the last two years.

As a kid who grew up swimming and fishing in the ocean, 17-year-old Mr. Anjain said he is worried for the next generation of Marshallese, and what experiences they will have.

“I don’t want to be underwater,” said 17-year-old Anjain.

“I want future generations to experience what I experience, I want them to experience living on Ebeye. It still saddens me – I want them to experience the same things I did.”

Another round of protests is planned for Friday (Sept. 27).

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Merrie Monarch Fest: Hula dancers preserving Hawaiian culture

SCREEN CAPTURE / YOUTUBE

Taizha Keakealani Hughes-Kaluhiokalan was named Miss Aloha Hula for 2019.

The best hula dancers and hula troupes were named in the Merrie Monarch Festival, an annual competition keeping Native Hawaiian culture alive. 

The dances and chants performed by the competitors are not your parents' hula tourists flock to at the hotel luau's on Waikiki, Kaanapali or Poipu beaches. 

The dance competition was held in late April in Hilo, Hawaii this year and crowned the title of Miss Aloha Hula to Taizha Keakealani Hughes-Kaluhiokalan from the Kalihi-based hula halau (hula school) Halau Hiiakainamakalehua based in Oahu, which has produced three of the last four winners. 

“The energy, the feeling of even walking into the stadium, I could immediately feel just, I could feel my kupuna,” Hughes-Kaluhiokalani said. “I knew they were surrounding me, I knew they were coming out of me. It was a magical, magical feeling.”

Hughes-Kaluhiokalani, 23, danced two styles of hula for the judges, kahiko (traditional) and auna (modern), and was given high marks for her proficiency in olelo Hawaii (Hawaiian language), eventually winning the Hawaiian language award as well. 

The Merrie Monarch festival is the biggest of several hula competitions that help preserve the traditional Hawaiian culture and language, which is seeing a revival in recent years after being banned for decades by Christian missionaries.

Even if you don't understand the language, onlookers can see and feel the enthusiasm and pride of the energetic young dancers as they beautiful dance traditional and modern hula.

Winners were also announced in the group dances for men and women.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Our sincere apologies for the delay in covering this annual dance competition. Views From the Edge was  distracted this year because of political Trump and immigration news, but better late than never, right?

TGIF Feature: Wow!!! Listen to this Māori rendition of 'Bohemian Rhapsody'

Listen to Queen's iconic hit "Bohemian Rhapsody" as you've never heard it before.
This version is sung in Maori by Hātea Kapa Haka and they're ... just amazing.

The group performed their cover at New Zealand's national kapa haka festival, Te Matatini, a cultural even celebrating the indigenous culture of the Maori people of New Zealand.

The group, who collaborated with internet sensation William Wairua, created the music video as a way to pay tribute to the band's lead singer, Freddie Mercury, and to celebrate the release of the Queen biopic, also titled 'Bohemian Rhapsody'

Hātea Kapa Haka head tutor Pauline Hopa said: "I have always loved the song, Bohemian Rhapsody. But never in my life did I think that we would be part of something this big."

The music arrangement was conducted by David Tāpene, while the lyrics were translated by his daughter Te Amohaere Morehu, Otene Hopa and Raniera Harrison.

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A father's pride: Jason Momoa performs a haka at 'Aquaman' premiere

SCREEN CAPTURE / YOUTUBE

Actor Jason Momoa, left, was joined by his children, right, in performing a haka at the premiere of Aquaman.

FOR ALL you fans of Maori haka's, this one's for you.

Jason Momoa, star of the Aquaman movie, performed a haka, a traditional Maori war chant, at the red carpet premiere yesterday (Dec. 12) in what's got to be a Hollywood first.

The Hawaii-born actor was joined by members of his cast in the Haka, but the most notable participants were his son, Nakoa-Wolf, 9, and daughter, Lola, 11. 

His two children that he had with his wife actress Lisa Bonet, were not bashful as they took their places among a squad of grown men from the movie's crew and cast and began chanting in unison and performing right alongside their father, reports USA Today."

The movie, directed by James Wan, has its general release Dec. 21.

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Samoan firefighters are back in California

FILE / 2017

The American Samoa firefighters are called to help California put out its wildfires.

AMONG THE 13,000 firefighters trying to extinguish California's wildfires, are 17 American Samoan firefighters from the National Park of American Samoa, which is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean.

It is getting to be an annual trip for the Samoans. Ten of the crew of 17 are veterans of previous firefighting efforts in California. 

Last year, an inspiring video of the Samoan firefighters singing as they emerge from the forest went viral.

The U.S. Forest Service commented on its Facebook page that the crew worked hard on the Helena/Fork and Buck fires and received an award from the incident commander for their hard work. California firefighters have seen the crew in action and praised their hard work, passion and camaraderie.

Singing for Samoan fire crews is more than just a way to pass the time. According to 'The Samoan Way,' Samoans grow up singing in church and in school. Around 98% of the population is Christian so singing is a huge part of the culture. There's a sense of unity and pride when singing Samoan hymns. 

The words of the song, posted here, were translated by James Stevenson to read:

Fa’afetai i le atua lena tatou tupu ai ina ua na alofa fua ia te tatou uma Tali: ia pepese ia pepese aleluia faafetai ia pepese ia pepese aleluia faafetai Faafetai i lona alo lena afio mai luga le ua fai ma faapaolo mai le puapuaga Tali: ia pepese ia pepese aleluia faafetai ia pepese ia pepese aleluia faafetai Faafetai i le agaga le fesoasoani mai e manuia talosaga atoa uma mea e fai Tali: ia pepese ia pepese aleluia faafetai ia pepese ia pepese aleluia faafetai

In English, the song loosely translates to: Thanks to God. We grow when He has compassion for all of us. Answer: sing hello songs thank you to sing hello thanks thank you Thanks to his son who comes from above who is a savior from the trouble… Answers : sing alleluia songs thank you to sing songs aleluia thanks Thank you very much for help to succeed in all the answers to all the [problems/trouble]… Answers: answer singing alleluia thank you sing songs thank you thank you

In case you haven't seen it, here's the video from last year:

With more than 300,000 acres burned, the Mendocino Complex Fire is the largest in California’s history. Drought-like conditions due to climate change, dry winds and temperatures in the triple digits have hampered firefighting efforts.

Almost 700,000 acres total have been burned in California so far this year; in which 2,300 National Guardsmen as well as scores of non-violent inmates have joined in to put out the fires. Thousands of homes have been destroyed, and thousands have sought shelter in emergency shelters.
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Scientists warn of possible huge, once-in-a century eruption of Kilauea volcano

USGS

A lava lake forms in one of Kiluaea craters.

SCIENTISTS are warning of the possibility that the volcanic activity generated by Kilauea Volcano could result in a violent eruption spewing huge boulders towards neighboring communities.

More residents of nearby communities began preparing for evacuation to join neighbors from Leilani Estates who have already fled from their neighborhood that is in the path of lava flows.

Scientists of the United States Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory think conditions could be right for a major explosion within a few days. The last time that happened was in 1924, it blasting rock and ash more than five miles into the air.

Tina Neal, who's in charge of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, told reporters that the the city of Hilo - 25 miles northeast of Kilauea - could be exposed to volcanic air pollution and a coating of ash should the explosive eruptions begin and prevailing wind directions shift.

The scientists, however, said they were uncertain exactly when the new eruption would occur, how long it would last or how violent it would be.

"Steam-driven explosions at volcanoes typically provide very little warning," said uthe HVO scientist.

It said the "projectiles" emerging from the crater could range from pebbles to rocks weighing several tons.

The steady lowering of the lava lake in "Overlook crater" within Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano has raised the potential for explosive eruptions in the coming weeks, reports the USGS website.

The USGS also warns that if the lava column drops to the level of groundwater beneath Kīlauea Caldera, the influx of water into the conduit could cause steam-driven explosions. 

All 1900 residents of Leilani Estates and Laipuna Garden areas, around 25 miles east of the crater, have been evacuated. Lava flows have already destroyed almost 40 structures in that community.

The fumes of steam and sulfur dioxide and ash spewing forth from the lava flows and the crater may cause irritation but shouldn't cause any long-term health problems.

The symptoms of an exposure to toxic gas is similar to an asthma attack, said Hazel Tagalicud, a nurse in Hilo. 

“They both cause respiratory problems, kind of similar symptoms, your chest tightening, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, coughing almost the same as an asthma attack.”

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Evacuees fleeing Kilauea gather at a makeshift shelter.

No one lives in the immediate area near the volcano's crater. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is being closed Friday (May 10) and tourists are being told not to come to the area. 

On Monday night, a community meeting was held at Pahoa High School where officials gave updates to hundreds of residents, but also issued more warnings and telling residents to be ready to evacuate.

“There’s still plenty magma under the ground, seismicity is still up. We got more cracking on 130 that’s why Highway 130 is shut down,” said Talmadge Magno. “So we’re not done with this yet.”

One of the areas that would be directly affected if Highway 130 shuts down are the Puna and Pahoa areas, where 1300 Filipinos live, according to reports from Balitang America.

Taglicud and her family live in Pahao, just a few miles from the eruption. And  Wednesday, after Lanipuna gardens residents were asked to evacuate, they began making preparations for evacuating. 

“Just packing all the important and valuables that we have. Just in case we have to evacuate. We carried all the boxes to the car,” said Taglicud.

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Baseball player, Hawaiians come to the assistance of Kilauea evacuees

SCREEN CAPTURE / CBS

Lava flowed across a Hawaiian street and set a car aflame.

ST. LOUIS CARDINAL's 2nd baseman Kolten Wong is pitching in to help the victims of the Hawaiian volcano Kilauea lava flows.

Wong, a native of Hilo, Hawaii, near the now evacuated community said in a video that he felt a strong kuleana, or responsibility, to help his people by launching a GoFundMe page with the goal of raising $200,000.

“The one thing I know, man is that I love my people and I’m going to do everything for them,” said Wong in the video. “So I ask you guys humbly, I’m creating this GoFundMe page, it’s going to be in my bio, to go check it out … It’s going to be used in the right way…I’m going to make sure every single dollar you do give is going toward these people to help them rebuild what they have, to get their lives started up again and to help the Big Island rebuild.”

The Kilauea volcano has been spewing lava into communities on Hawaii's Big Island since Thursday, forcing more than 1,700 people, including many retirees, to flee from their mountainside homes.

SCREEN CAPTURE

Kolten Wong plays second base for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Accompanying Kilauea's recent activity, have been a series of earthquakes registering as high as the 6.9 that was recorded on Friday evening and have continued into Monday morning. Since these events, there have been continuous warnings pertaining to the ongoing dangers of lava, subsequent earthquakes as well as the sulfur dioxide gas that has been released into the air. 

"With the ongoing and present dangers, I have been in contact with numerous groups on the Big Island and will be donating all proceeds from this campaign to various local non-profits that are on the ground level impacting those affected," said Wong. 

"It’s at a time like this that we must kōkua (help) and come together as an extended ‘ohana (family) to help those in need." 

Out of the fire, a new community organization was born called Puuhonua o Puna, made up an army of volunteers providing assistance and feeding the evacuees.

On Monday (May 8) morning, trucks full of donations where bringing items to the center in Pahoa. People were bringing beds and cots, clothing, food, water, according to Hawaii News Now.

"Puna strong. Puna always comes together and all the islands. This is the Aloha State. There is so much aloha here," volunteer Tiana Dunn told Hawaii News Now.

For more information or to help, click here.

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