Pacifika: New York Hawaiian Film Festival 2004 opened with two awesome surfing films: "On the Waves at Waikiki" that featured vintage surfing footage from the 1930's & "The Ride" that takes a modern day surfer back in a time warp with the "Duke" Kahanmoku in the early 1900's.

I was impressed with both films because it allowed for new thoughts and my interpretation of the spiritual thinking regarding the old school style of surfing and one that was transformed into the hotdog style of today. I too, am guilty of trying to do too much on a nice wave rather than "surfing from the heart & soul" as the "Duke" character made mention on the flick. As Joel Tudor mentioned, he too had to work on slowing things down and not doing too much that propelled him to the top as one of the best in the world!

The entertainment during the opening night Gala was fantastic and the view from the location included a superb panoramic skyline view of Lower Manhattan. The closing night party at NYU s Tisch Common Lounge was awesome since the "Pupu's" were fit for a King! It was nice to see so, so many smiling faces and to me the Greatest Benchmark of the "Aloha Spirit"!

The Hawaii Cultural Foundation's Annual Picnic is one to attend and I hope that you consider participation. Place your bashful feelings aside and join in on some clean fun! Tell em I sent you!

Pacifika: New York Hawaiian Film Festival 2004 set the stage for an Awesome Summer of 2004 and one you won't forget! Thanks for reading this note. We hope to become a distributor of the great new Surfing Film: "The Ride" by fellow Hawaiian Nathan Kurosawa whom studied in nearby New York University in NYC!

A hui hou kakou!

Moke