Successful Meetings - March 2008 - (Page 48D)

LIVING CULTURE The Big Island’s thriving traditions and unspoiled natural beauty provide built-in themes and activities for groups. After a long journey, a group gathers together, ready for a typical opening night ceremony of speeches, food, and maybe some music. However, what they get is anything but ordinary. Following a few words from a company VIP, a Kapuna—or Hawaiian elder— enters the room and begins the Ho’olauna sand ceremony. This effective ceremony combines anecdotes, pageantry, chanting, and Hawaiian culture to help attendees come together through revisiting the past, focusing on the present, and illuminating the future. Sand is used as a symbolic catalyst to hold individual thoughts, experiences, and feelings, and is then combined to create a shared memory that will inspire deeper connections within the group and to the Hawaiian culture. Aloha and welcome to Hawaii's Big Island. The Ho’olauna ceremony is “simple and impactful, which is very representative of Hawaiian culture,” says Kimo Jenkins, one of the founders of Island Partners, the destination management company that created the ceremony. “You don’t have to jazz up our culture because is it so strong and effective as is.” Jenkins, who also serves as a cultural guide for the company, works with groups to create programs that both serve a company or organization’s goals and help them to connect with the Big Island’s thriving traditions and mana, the natural spirit that lies in everything. “The magic of Hawaii is abundant here,” says George Applegate, executive director of the Big Island Visitors Bureau. “As the newest of Hawaii’s islands and the last major island to embrace tourism, the Big Island still has a lot of freshness and unspoiled beauty.” Taking advantage of these unique cultural and natural aspects, which are permeated by the spirit of aloha—the breath of life and the true essence of Hawaii—greatly enhances a group’s experience on the Big Island. “Repeat groups come back here looking for that meaningful and authentic experience,” says Applegate. THE PAST IS ALIVE With its active volcanoes and ever-changing earth, the Big still maintains the strong connection to the Hawaiian gods and goddesses. When the lava flows, residents pay their respects to the volcano, appreciating all that the lava creates. Originally formed as a kingdom, the Big Island also has a rich history of monarchs that has left a lasting impression on culture and society. King Kamehameha, the father by Lori Morris 2 MEET.BIGISLAND.ORG http://MEET.BIGISLAND.ORG

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Successful Meetings - March 2008

Successful Meetings - March 2008 Contents Editor's Note Suppliers On the Record Research Associations Planner's Spotlight Management Matters Mouth for Sale Meetings Law Pre-Event Pre-Event Tools of the Trade On Site Quick Tip Critical Conditions A Family Affair Conference Centers We Love CSM of the Year Places & Spaces Luxury Las Vegas New York CIty Houston New Orleans Quebec Bahamas Oahu & Big Island Florida Keys Gurus

Successful Meetings - March 2008

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