Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [168]
Shopping
Ipu Hale Gallery (322-9069; Hwy 180; 10am-4pm Tue-Sat) This gallery sells ipu (gourds) decoratively carved with Hawaiian imagery using an ancient method unique to the Hawaiian island of Ni′ihau. Lost after the introduction of Western crockery, the art form was revived by a Big Island scholar just 15 years ago, and is now practiced by Michael Harburg, artist and co-owner of the gallery.
Holualoa Ukulele Gallery (324-4100; Hwy 180; 10:30am-4:30pm Tue-Sat) In the historic Holualoa post office building, Sam Rosen sells his handcrafted ukuleles, and those of other artists, for the serious musician. Sam himself is rarely serious; he’S happy to talk story all day and show you his workshop. Drop by Wednesday nights (6pm to 8:30pm) for a ukelele jam, or if you have two weeks, take a class and build your own.
Studio 7 Gallery (324-1335; 11am-5pm Tue-Sat) Holualoa would not be what it is without Hiroki Morinoue, who led the town’S artistic renaissance in the 1980s. Morinoue became world-renowned for Japanese woodblocks, and his serene gallery showcases his modern, sophisticated works in all media, along with the accomplished pottery of his wife, Setsuko.
Kimura Lauhala Shop (324-0053; cnr Hualalai Rd & Hwy 180; 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, to 4pm Sat) Three generations of Kimuras weave lauhala products here, as they have since the 1930s. Originally, they purchased lauhala products from Hawaiian weavers to sell. When demand increased they took on the production themselves, assisted by local farming wives, who do piecework at home outside of coffee season. Don’t fall prey to cheap imports – the lauhala hats, placemats, baskets and floor mats sold here are the real deal.
Also recommended:
Dovetail (322-4046; www.dovetailgallery.net) Funky and cool Asian and Hawaiian-style art.
Holualoa Gallery (322-8484; www.lovein.com) Matt and Mary Lovein specialize in whimsical, oversized paintings and raku pottery.
Shelly Maudsley White Gallery (322-5220; www.shellymaudsleywhite.com) White paints bright, bold island images in hyper-real colors.
Getting There & Away
From Kailua-Kona, turn mauka (inland) on Hualalai Rd off Hwy 11, and wind 3 miles (including hairpin turns) up to Hwy 180; turn left for most sights. If coming from North Kona, Hina Lani St and Palani St are straighter shots to Hwy 180 than Hualalai Rd, though they are a little indirect. From South Kona, head up Hwy 180 immediately north of Honalo.
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SOUTH KONA COAST
After leaving Kailua-Kona, Hwy 11 climbs steadily, slipping back in time as you gain elevation. In South Kona it’S as if old Hawaii is rooted too deeply to be overrun by modern life. Past and present coexist dreamily on the steep mountainsides, where ominous gray clouds daily threaten the impossibly verdant slopes, while nary a drop of rain falls on the blazing coast.
This is the acclaimed Kona Coffee Belt, consisting of 22 miles patchworked with hundreds of small coffee farms. That there is no cost-efficient way to industrialize the hand-picking and processing of the beans contributes to the time-warp quality of local life. But the reasons are also cultural. At the turn of the 20th century, thousands of Japanese immigrants arrived to labor as independent coffee farmers, and their influence – along with that of Chinese, Filipino and Portuguese workers – remains richly felt in Buddhist temples, fabric stores and restaurant menus.
Meanwhile, traditional Hawaiian lifestyles are jealously