Written by Raydiance Joy Grace
Not another boring review of what band played after what band and sounded like what band. This is a dynamic review of the state of relationship in Puna! We live in the aftermath of lockdown, shutdown, and technological overload. The result is people who are starved for communication, face-to-face interaction, and personal connection to others.
The interspecies gathering had, in addition to dogs, chickens, and feral pigs, interplanetary beings, (I did see a few aliens splendidly hidden by their tattoos and bizarre costumes) mixing joyously with children of all ages playing with their contemporaries. An intercultural diverse crowd from all walks and economic strata makes up the people of Puna.
Combine all the above with the cacophonous songs of the numerous “street rock bands” playing at full volume and the ascending voices of the meandering crowd of bodies parading up and down the main street, and you have the flavor of “Activate Puna” live in Pahoa Town.
One sane corner amidst all the streams of activity was the “Puna Rising Table” in front of the Mystic Closet’s new location (the old Pahoa Museum). The Mystic Closet has a Tea Lounge and Elixir Bar with a nourishing selection of tasty beverages ranging from various herbal teas, healing elixirs, energizing coffee, Ayurvedic shakes, and fresh juices.
The “Puna Rising Table” was manned by Robert Golden, Co-founder and Executive Director, and Kai Steven Manner, Co-founder, and Webmaster.
Raydiance Joy Grace, roving reporter of Puna Rising
The table was also “womaned” (my female derivation of manned) by Dawn Hurwitz, Managing Editor of “Talk Story” on our website, Jenn Bowers, Marketing Director of Puna Happenings, and Raydiance Joy Grace, roving reporter and author of this article.
Puna Rising is dedicated to the recovery and renewal of Puna by connecting communities through resources such as Puna Happenings, Entrepreneur Hub, Villages.io, and Talk Story. To find out more or if you would like to participate or contribute, please visit www.punarising.com and cruise the site.
Meanwhile back to the “Activate Puna Event,” which was organized by Ashley Kierkiewicz and the Activate Puna 2023 Planning Committee, who raised over $24K to support Pahoa youth, including Mainstreet Pahoa’s Annual Scholarship Awards. The Pahoa Lava Zone Museum was the project sponsor for the event, who will work directly with Puna-based schools and organizations that support the needs of our youth.
Another safe haven away from the milling crowd was the parking lot of Savio Realty where a small hui of different vendors called “A Taste of Puna’ were selling food and various crafts. They also hold this event on second Saturday nights in Pahoa each month. My favorite Vegan vendor, Kristen’s Rawsome Kitchen, was prevailing with her raw Key lime pie. Her neighbor, Marina, with her “Bitching Kitchen” had sourdough pizza topped with Italian goodies. The one I ate was delicious.
Savio’s lanai provided a stage for music provided by “Kascadence” consisting of Pan and Rob. Their two-man Jam Band got me up and dancing in the parking lot. When Pan is not playing lead guitar, he is an excellent masseur at Hiaka’s Massage and Healing Arts located underneath Pahoa Chiropractic.
A good time was had by all who had the chutzpah to attend the 2nd Activate Puna Event in downtown Pahoa. See you there with your adventure “slippahs” the next time around!
Raydiance Joy Grace
Raydiance Joy Grace is a "Human Potentialist" who has studied with some of the greatest minds in this field when she lived in the 1960s & 1970s near "Esalen" in Big Sur, CA., the home of the "Personal Growth Movement" in America. She subsequently had her own TV & Radio show on transformation & consciousness in San Francisco Bay on K.E.S.T. personal growth radio & cable TV shows and an active counseling, lecturing & workshop leader career until she moved to Hawaii in 1997. She currently offers private counseling in Holistic Health & Spiritual Psychology & teaches NVC at Hawaiian Sanctuary.
In Love, Harmony & Beauty
Raydiance Joy Grace
