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Waipi'o Valley at morning, where the first Hawaiians landed.
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I Ka Ho`omaka`ana(In the beginning)
When I started a company called Kaua`i Art Topics (K.A.T.Designs)in 1985, I created T-shirts that depicted the scenery of Kaua`i. For example, The Spouting Horn in Poipu, The Fern Grotto in Wailua, and The Waimea Canyon in Koke`e. At that time, I was printing with Steve Hirano at Kaua`i Screen Prints in Lihu`e. He taught me the ins and outs on producing and selling my t-shirts on the island. I went on to sell and produce on O`ahu. There I met Scott Poire of Kai Ola Designs and Rick Settlemire of Fun Designs. Together they helped me develop Warrior Designs Hawai`i. Along with many of my dearest kupuna (Elders) I was able to focus on my Hawaiian culture and create a product that would educate and promote my culture to the world.
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In 1987, Warrior Designs Hawai`i was in full production and distributed throughout the Hawaiian islands. In 1989 Kai Ola Designs shut down and left me scrambling for another producer and by the time I reorganized my company I had lost all my accounts and I still had all my stock to sell. I went to the Aloha Stadium to sell out my stock and start something new, get a full time job, or go back to school. But the reaction that I got from all my customers was so positive that I continued to sell my T-shirts at the flea market for six fun and interesting years. I've met many, many, people from all over the world, friends, family, and new friends, that were very interested in the Hawaiian culture and greatly supported me during that time. The flea market proved to be a great success and it allowed me to test new designs and distribute on a smaller scale. My printing was being done by Bert Nu`uanu at Be Mime Printing, owners Jeff & Linda Cuppett. While I was doing business on O`ahu I was living on Kaua`i at the same time. I would sleep in my van when I stayed over the weekend to work at the stadium. I got my youngest sister to work with me and I taught her how to run the operation that I had setup at the stadium. I was ready to distribute again on a larger scale and I could work from home on Kaua`i while she ran the flea market.
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One of my favorite places to go and focus on Hawaiian culture and create new designs.
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A seclude beach on the south side of Kaua'i
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On December 23, 1995 our new warehouse that was fully stocked was burglarized and the burgalars had taken everything that was to go on sale at the flea market for the last minute shoppers. Worst of all, the insurance from our old warehouse was not transfered. Warrior Designs Hawai`i came to an aburpt ending and I would spend the next four years wondering what it all meant. The island of Kaua'i has been very healing for me. I've spent a lot of time in her valleys and streams and on her beautiful secluded beaches at Napali. I became enchanted with the visions of how my ancestors once lived here. I went on to study the ancient Hawaiian chant and language. One day an organizer for a canoe racing event saw one of my designs (Heiheiwa'a-canoe racing)and she asked if I wanted to participate in their craft faire. I told her that what ever I sold I would donate to the event, and that started me back into the business again after receving a printer and dryer from a good friend.
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