Repairing Pāpale Pākē, a simple papier-mâché fix

Part of growing up local is learning to, as my Nana used to say, “use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.”

As a result, I find that I derive a lot of inner satisfaction and peace from refurbishing and restoring old things, making them useful again.

After some 30 years of heavy use, my mother-in-law’s old nón lá and my old dǒulì were so beat up they were getting unusable. The outer weavings were cracked and broken, letting the inner weavings warp and lose stability. I probably could throw them away and buy new, but I love the memories attached to these. So. . . papier-mâché to the rescue!

I saturated them in marine-grade wood glue, then applied torn paper bags which had been soaked in the same. After they were thoroughly dried, I used a waterproof spray varnish on them. Now to just add new tie scarves, and they are ready for another 30 years of use!

My dǒulì after papier-mâché and varnishing.

My Mother-in-law’s nón lá after refurbishing.

Me in my dǒulì pre-repairs. Note the bamboo edge un-edging! We are at my Dad’s hale. My husband is down in the crater weed-wacking.

Celebrating Hawaiʻi Foods and Lifestyles since 1983

Kau kau (pronounced “cow cow”) means “food,” or “meal” in Hawaiian pidgin. It is also used to mean “to eat,” as in “let’s go kau kau” – “let’s go eat.”

The Kau Kau Kitchen cooking column started in 1983 in the Hawaiʻi Tribune Herald. Then-editor Sherm Frederick was looking for a new cooking column. I suggested my mother. Sherm was excited, and said he’d love to have a local person write the column. I eplained that my mother actually lives in California. Ok, that would not do. So I asked if he minded if I wrote the column, myself. He invited me to submit some columns, and thus my writing career began.

The first column was on the Kona Coffee Festival. I’ve still got a copy of it somewhere. As soon as I find it, I’ll post it.

After writing it for a year or so, I self-syndicated and it began appearing in the Maui Sun newspaper, a small magazine in Las Vegas, and a few other publications catering to HawaiÊ»i expats. It also grew into a radio show on KHLO, and a short-lived TV show on Hilo’s old Channel 2. Diamond Papaya did a Kau Kau Kitchen special on Papayas, and the brand was featured in some local cooking events created to promote local agriculture and food products. Some cookbooks and kitchen products also spun off the original column.

I was fortunate to be invited to lots of great foodie events I never would have otherwise seen, and I got to meet many wonderful folks in the industry. But juggling all of that was a lot of work. I ended up putting Kau Kau Kitchen on “autopilot” for a few years and returned to school, seeking a degree in journalism.

After a number of career twists and turns, with Kau Kau Kitchen cruising along, primarily existing as books and occasional event or media appearances, the Internet was born. Kau Kau Kitchen went on-line.

I’d already been producing Kaʻahele Hawaiʻi (by now the world’s oldest Hawaiian culture and arts website), for a few years. Konabob Stoffer of KonaWeb had helped me to set it up. So putting Kau Kau Kitchen online seemed quite doable. It was much more cost effective than paper publishing, and I could reach far more people.

Now, after 40 years of covering Hawaiʻi’s mixed-plate food and culture, I am looking forward to what the future will bring!

A hui hou!
~Leilehua