Events Story - Puna Rising Ohana

EARTH DAY FESTIVAL at HAWAIIAN SANCTUARY

Story and Photos by Raydiance Joy Grace From the inviting sign announcing the Earth Day Festival at Hawaiian Sanctuary, excitement began to build in the community about the festivities planned to celebrate our Earth! Puna is an earth-based community with…

World-Class Music in Our Backyard

By Maria Sherow Some music entertains you for an hour, while some music follows you home and changes how you hear the world. On Saturday, July 18th, 2026, Puna’s own Roy Dahan brings the second kind of music to Kalani’s…

IN LOVING MEMORY: STEVEN ANTHONY HIRAKAMI; 7.10.46-11. 26.25

Story and Photos by Raydiance Joy Grace Additional Photo Credit to Livestream of the Event The Celebration of Life for Steve Hirakami at the HAAS Campus in Pahoa was a heartfelt event attended by over 250 well-wishing friends, associates, students,…

Seeds of Innovation: A Puna Rising Entrepreneur Hub Gathering

By Maria Sherow March 21st, 2026, started with a bright, sunny Puna morning, a welcome sight just a week after a big storm rolled through the state of Hawai‘i. But as the day wore on, and with whispers of another…

Around the Punaverse, March 2026

By Petra Wiesenabuer This last month brought us Kilauea’s episodes 41 & 42 with tephra, ash, Pele’s hair, and higher SO2 levels. For most of us in Puna, this meant making sure our catchment tanks were unhooked from our gutters…

Greggor Illagan, Puna Town Hall in Seaview

Story and Photos by Raydiance Joy Grace SEAVIEW TOWN HALL MEETING AT SPACE Greggor opened with, “I want to encourage you to think about what you want to see Hawaii look like in the next 5 years, and I…

Imu Mea ‘Ai Food Tour

Video By Beth Block Imu Mea ‘Ai is more than just an eco-tourism initiative—it’s a social enterprise owned by the Men of PA’A, a nonprofit committed to holistic healing and reintegration for Native Hawaiian men. All profits from Imu Mea…

Across the Punaverse, February 2026

By Petra Wiesenbauer I hope your New Year has been going well, and you were able to start with renewed energy and purpose. Our community of local artists, practitioners, food lovers and musicians is active and alive. The message I…

Smoke It Up 808 Festival

Video Story By Beth Block SMOKE IT UP The inaugural Smoke It Up Festival transformed Puna’s feral pig challenge into a celebration of local food innovation and community solutions. The festival explored how feral pigs can support food security and…

Puna Rising Ohana; 2025 Wrap-Up

By Dawn Hurwitz, Managing Editor for Talk Story 2025 has been a stellar year for Puna Rising Ohana. Here are our highlights in review. The year started with a bang, a new political climate to navigate, and much to look…

Across the Punaverse January 2026

By Petra Wiesenbauer Editor’s note: We welcome Petra Wiesenbauer as our new editor of “Across the Punaverse.” Many may recognize her from her Facebook page, “Pahoa Community Resources,” where she regularly shares important information about East Hawaii. We are so…

Around the Punaverse: December 2025

By Aero Coomer Aloha folks, and welcome to the year’s last edition of events here in Puna. Is Mercury retrograde over? Yes, well, good, now I can safely publish this article. And sorry for it being a little late. Yes,…

MOKU O KEAWE MALAMA NA KUPUNA

FREE LUNCHEON FOR SENIORS Story and Photos: Raydiance Joy Grace Additional Photos: Brooklyn Everyone at Puna Rising Ohana celebrates and gives appreciation for the ahead-of-her-time, visionary work that Petronila, her co-leaders, and volunteers have been doing to demonstrate the power…

Ambergris and Alchemy: Robin Worley’s Trash-to-Treasure Legacy

Story by Armando T. Dahan Photos by Armando T. Dahan and Laurie Furumoto Puna District has lost a prominent resident artist, teacher, and activist. Robin Worley, also known as Rayona Visqueen, who transformed trash into art and fashion. Robin died…

Across the Punaverse, November 2025

By Aero Coomer {Apologies from Editor, because of travel, this article was posted late} Aloha folks and welcome to another edition of our Punatics Happening space as we float around from star to shooting star . . . and wonder…