Focus Hawaii

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  Focus Hawaii William Faulkner

  Dale Hammond and William Faulkner

  Hosted by Dale Hammond, this episode of Focus Hawaii features William Faulkner, a musician and harpist who presents and discusses a unique Mexican‑Polynesian harp crafted with koa wood and traditional Mexican design. Through live demonstrations, Faulkner explores the musical versatility of the instrument, performing selections from Mexican folk traditions, Celtic ballads, and Hawaiian compositions while explaining differences in rhythm, technique, and cultural expression. The conversation highlights the harp’s historical roots, portability, and adaptability across cultures, as well as Faulkner’s personal journey from mathematics to music. This program blends performance and education, illustrating how musical traditions intersect and evolve, while showcasing the artistic possibilities of the harp in both traditional and cross‑cultural settings.

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  Focus Hawaii Peter Carlisle

  Peter Carlisle

  This special Focus Hawaii episode presents a sobering and urgent public lecture by Peter Carlisle, then the Prosecuting Attorney for the City and County of Honolulu, addressing Hawai‘i’s escalating crisis of ICE (crystal methamphetamine) abuse. Drawing on law‑enforcement data, medical research, and graphic case studies, Carlisle explains why Hawai‘i leads the nation in meth use and arrests, detailing the drug’s extreme addictiveness, irreversible brain damage, psychosis, paranoia, and the heightened risk of violence during the “tweaking” phase. Through tragic real‑world cases—including those of Wayman Kaua and Frank Janto—the presentation illustrates how chronic meth use fuels homicides, hostage situations, and catastrophic harm to victims and communities. Carlisle concludes with a forceful call for systemic change, emphasizing early prevention, family stability, school‑based intervention, treatment reform, and legislative action, framing the meth epidemic as a public‑safety, public‑health, and moral emergency requiring immediate and sustained community involvement.

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  Focus Hawaii Service Project for Kahana Valley

  Brigham Young University Hawaii

  This episode documents a large‑scale community service project at Kahana Valley, where more than 700 students from Brigham Young University–Hawaii joined local residents to restore culturally significant sites. Participants work on clearing invasive vegetation, repairing rock walls around the historic Waialua fishpond, tending graves at the old Mormon chapel, and helping revitalize taro patches within the valley. Community leader Ron Johnson, a fifth‑generation descendant of the Nuhi family, explains the valley’s interpretive program, which uses kalo (taro) and the loʻi as a hands‑on classroom to teach traditional Hawaiian values, sustainability practices, and ahupuaʻa‑based resource management. Students share their experiences of service, culture learning, teamwork, and connection to the land, while organizers describe long‑term goals such as restoring taro fields, reestablishing a working fishpond, and revitalizing historic and cultural sites throughout the valley.

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  Focus Hawaii Laie Hawaii Temple President

  Zane Clark, Glenn Y.M. Lung, and Julina F. Lung

  Hosted by Zane Clark, this episode of Focus Hawaii features President Glenn Y. M. Lung and Sister Julina F. Lung, newly called leaders of the Laie Hawaii Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The interview explores their family backgrounds, deep roots in Hawai‘i, and decades of spiritual and professional service. President and Sister Lung share the story of raising their family in Kaimukī, their involvement in various church assignments, and their lifelong dedication to faith and community. The conversation then shifts to the unique responsibilities of the Temple President and Matron, including oversight of temple operations, hundreds of volunteer ordinance workers, temple grounds, and affiliated facilities such as the Visitors’ Center, Family History Center, and Beehive Clothing. They also explain Latter‑day Saint beliefs about temple ordinances, eternal marriage, and proxy work for deceased ancestors. The episode concludes with a discussion of global temple growth—particularly the expansion era beginning under President Gordon B. Hinckley—and the historical significance of the Laie Hawaii Temple as one of the earliest temples in the Church.

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  Focus Hawaii Merlin Waite

  Merlin Waite and Zane Clark

  Hosted by Zane Clark, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Merlin D. Waite, longtime BYU–Hawaii faculty member, former Acting Dean of Students, religion professor, and recently released stake president, reflecting on more than three decades of service in Laie. Waite discusses his early life in Utah’s Cache Valley, his studies at Utah State University, his mission in Mexico, military service in Germany, and years teaching in Utah and Arizona before joining the Church College of Hawaii in 1968. He describes his evolving roles—from teaching speech, Spanish, and religion to serving in student life administration—along with memories of campus growth, student body changes, and the cultural evolution of Laie over the decades. Waite also shares insights about the expansion of the Church in Hawaii, the development of multiple stakes on Oahu, and the demands and blessings of his nine years as stake president. As he approaches retirement, he reflects warmly on his career, family life, and the spiritual and educational legacy of his time in Laie.

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  Focus Hawaii BYU-Hawaii Christmas Tree Lighting

  Brigham Young University Hawaii

  This video features Benny Kai, a PCC performer, along with the children of Laie Elementary as they perform Christmas songs.

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  Focus Hawaii President Clarke

  Lance Chase, J. Richard Clarke, and Barbara Reed Clarke

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features President J. Richard Clarke and Sister Barbara Reed Clarke, newly arrived as president and matron of the Hawai‘i Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints, following his emeritus release as a General Authority after more than two decades of worldwide church leadership. President Clarke reflects on his upbringing in Idaho, military service at the close of World War II, a successful career in the life‑insurance industry, and his call to full‑time church leadership—including service in the Presiding Bishopric, the First Quorum of the Seventy, and multiple assignments across Africa and other international areas. Sister Clarke shares her perspective on family life, motherhood, and her extensive service alongside her husband in church auxiliary leadership. Together, they discuss the sacred role of temples, the responsibilities of a temple president and matron, the history of the Hawai‘i Temple as the first LDS temple built outside the continental United States, and the spiritual significance of temple worship, eternal families, and proxy ordinances, offering viewers a thoughtful and personal introduction to their mission and ministry in Hawai‘i.

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  Focus Hawaii "Lance Chase Tribute"

  Lawrence Lau and Lance Chase

  Hosted by Lawrence Lau, this special Focus Hawaii tribute episode honors the life, legacy, and enduring influence of Dr. Lance Chase, longtime host of the series, beloved educator, and mentor at Brigham Young University–Hawai‘i, following his passing in June 1999 after an eight‑year battle with cancer. Through heartfelt reflections, archival footage, and excerpts from past programs, the episode celebrates Chase’s profound impact as a teacher of English, religion, and history, and as an interviewer whose curiosity, warmth, and moral seriousness elevated every conversation. The tribute highlights the remarkable range of voices Chase brought to Focus Hawaii, including Robert La Marchina, Arthur Haycock, Diana Hansen‑Young, Charles Toguchi, Hugh Nibley, Jamie Kealoha, James Arrington, Keith Merrill, Carolyn Merril Shumway, Tony Dipreta, and Anne Chase Workman. Together, these moments reflect Lance Chase’s intellectual honesty, deep faith, generosity of spirit, and unparalleled commitment to students, community, and meaningful public dialogue, affirming his lasting legacy within Hawai‘i and beyond.

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  Focus Hawaii Pioneers in the Pacific Gold and Green Ball

  Lance Chase

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii showcases scenes from the Gold and Green Ball, part of the Pioneers in the Pacific sesquicentennial celebration held on the Brigham Young University–Hawai‘i campus in January 1998. The program highlights an evening of music, dance, and theatrical performance inspired by popular styles of the 18th century through the mid‑20th century, blending ballroom traditions with vintage American and Latin rhythms. Performances include period waltzes, costumed ballroom dancing, and energetic numbers such as rumboogie, reflecting how young people across generations have used music and dance for joy, connection, and cultural expression—even during times of global hardship. Through these lively scenes, the episode captures the celebratory spirit of the Pioneers in the Pacific week, emphasizing youth participation, cultural creativity, and communal remembrance of history through performance and festivity.

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  Focus Hawaii Mataumu Alisa

  Lance Chase and Mataumu (Matt) Alisa

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Mataumu (Matt) Alisa, a faculty member at Brigham Young University–Hawai‘i and an acclaimed Samoan‑born artist whose work is deeply rooted in Hawaiian and Polynesian culture. Alisa shares his personal journey from growing up in Samoa and La‘ie to becoming a professional muralist before returning to formal education and earning a Master of Fine Arts degree. He discusses his career creating large‑scale murals across Hawai‘i, including his award‑winning ceramic tile mural at the Hawai‘i Convention Center, selected through a highly competitive statewide process. Through reflections on artistic process, cultural memory, and the symbolic meaning behind his work—particularly his recurring theme of the imu and the spirit of selfless giving—Alisa offers insight into how tradition, place, and personal history inform his art and teaching. The conversation also explores the balance between technology and hand‑rendered artistry, as well as his philosophy as an educator encouraging students to “listen to the wall” and observe life deeply as the foundation of creative expression.

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  Focus Hawaii Garth Allred

  Lance Chase and Garth Allred

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Dr. Garth Allred, Associate Dean of the Division of Religious Instruction and Chair of the Department of Religion at Brigham Young University–Hawai‘i, who shares insights from his academic career and extensive experience teaching and living in the Middle East. Dr. Allred discusses his background in psychology and marriage and family therapy, his role in religious education, and his repeated service as a faculty member and director at the Brigham Young University Jerusalem Center. The conversation explores the Center’s mission of non‑political, non‑proselytizing academic study, the immersive educational experience of teaching scripture and history on location in Israel, Palestine, Jordan, and Egypt, and the value of exposing students to multiple cultural and religious perspectives. Drawing on firsthand experience, Dr. Allred reflects thoughtfully on Israeli‑Palestinian relations, the challenges of achieving lasting peace, and the spiritual and educational significance of studying biblical history in its original geographic and cultural context.

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  Focus Hawaii Stephen R. Covey

  Lance Chase and Stephen R. Covey

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Dr. Stephen R. Covey, internationally renowned author, educator, and leadership philosopher, best known for The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Speaking candidly about his personal journey, Covey reflects on his upbringing in Utah, academic career at Brigham Young University, missionary service abroad, and the evolution of his work from university teaching to global leadership training through the FranklinCovey organization. The conversation explores Covey’s core ideas of principle‑centered leadership, individual responsibility, and the human capacity for self‑renewal, emphasizing the four unique human endowments—self‑awareness, imagination, conscience, and independent will. Covey discusses the universal relevance of moral principles across cultures and religions, the importance of family and community support systems, and the role of moral authority in leadership, drawing on examples from global figures and his own life experiences.

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  Focus Hawaii Elder Reed C. Durham

  Lance Chase and Elder Reed C. Durham

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Elder Reed C. Durham, a distinguished educator and scholar with more than four decades of service in the Church Educational System, who was serving as a teaching missionary at BYU–Hawaii at the time of the interview. Elder Durham reflects on his 43‑year teaching career spanning seminaries, institutes, university classrooms, and international study programs, including his role in founding BYU’s Semester at Nauvoo program and his extensive teaching and travel experiences in the Holy Land, Europe, and the Mediterranean world. He discusses his academic background in theology and biblical studies, authorship of influential books and manuals—including work on Joseph Smith’s Bible translation and church succession—and his philosophy of teaching rooted in faith, scholarship, and student engagement. The conversation highlights the unique spiritual and cultural richness of BYU–Hawaii’s diverse student body and Elder Durham’s enduring commitment to teaching, learning, and service well into retirement.

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  Focus Hawaii Aaron Hammer

  Lance Chase and Aaron Hammer

  Hosted by Lance Chase and filmed on location in Laie, Hawai‘i, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Aaron Hammer, a young drum maker and musician whose work blends craftsmanship, sound, and community connection. Originally from Kansas, Hammer shares how he discovered hand drumming and became drawn to its healing, social, and expressive qualities, eventually teaching himself to build drums using local and imported materials. Viewers are introduced to his drum‑making process, including working with solid woods and staved shells, stretching natural goatskins, knotting African diamond weaves, and branding each drum with his distinctive hammer trademark. Hammer discusses the cultural universality of drumming, its role in personal reflection and group communication, and its therapeutic power across ages and backgrounds. The episode also highlights his involvement with the Art Plantation gallery in Haleʻiwa, drum‑making classes, and facilitated drum circles that invite people of all skill levels to rediscover rhythm as a shared human experience.

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  Focus Hawaii B.J. Lee BYU-H Pacific Island Room

  Lance Chase and B.J. Lee

  Hosted by Lance Chase and filmed on location in the Pacific Islands Room of the Joseph F. Smith Library at BYU–Hawai‘i, this episode of Focus Hawaii features B. J. Lee, longtime university employee and supervisor of the Pacific Islands Room. Lee shares her personal history growing up on Moloka‘i with Hawaiian and Korean heritage, her decades of service at BYU–Hawai‘i, and her deep connection to Hawaiian quilting traditions passed down through her mother and kupuna. Surrounded by historic and contemporary quilts, Lee explains the cultural significance of Hawaiian quilting as both an artistic and social practice, recounting family stories behind specific heirloom quilts, original patterns, and naming traditions. She also highlights preservation efforts, the role of Relief Society women in quilting history, and the Pacific Islands Room’s unique collection of quilt patterns available to the public, underscoring the importance of the library as a living repository of Hawaiian and Polynesian culture.

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  Focus Hawaii Dwight Miller

  Lance Chase and Dwight Miller

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Dr. Dwight Miller, Associate Director of the Center for Academic Excellence at Brigham Young University–Hawai‘i, who discusses the rapidly evolving field of distance learning and its implications for higher education. Drawing on his background as an educator, Vietnam veteran, photographer, and specialist in post‑secondary education and human resource development, Miller explains his recent work in Provo developing Internet‑based courses designed for multi‑campus use across the BYU system. Using photography instruction as a case study, he explores the challenges of teaching visually and subjectively driven disciplines through online platforms, emphasizing the importance of instructor–student interaction, timely feedback, and community‑based learning models. The conversation examines broader trends in non‑traditional education, accreditation standards, technological change, and the shifting role of faculty from lecturers to facilitators, offering insight into how emerging technologies can expand access to quality education while preserving academic rigor.

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  Focus Hawaii Elder Talmage W. Nielsen

  Lance Chase, Elder Nielsen, and Sister Nielsen

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Elder and Sister Nielsen, the directors of the Hawaii Temple Visitors’ Center in Laie, who share their remarkable personal histories and wide‑ranging missionary service across the world. Elder Nielsen, a retired surgeon, and Sister Nielsen, an educator with deep cultural and spiritual roots in Utah, reflect on their upbringing, family life, and multiple missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints, including humanitarian, medical, and administrative service in South America, Europe, and Eastern Europe following the fall of communism. They describe their current mission at the Temple Visitors’ Center, where they welcome visitors from dozens of countries, share messages of faith in Jesus Christ, and help build bridges of cultural understanding, particularly with visitors from Asia. Through stories of medical service, humanitarian aid, and daily interactions with guests, the Nielsens illustrate how global experience, compassion, and faith come together in their work at one of Hawai‘i’s most visited spiritual and cultural destinations.

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  Focus Hawaii Denise Woodbury

  Lance Chase and Dr. Denise Woodbury

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Dr. Denise Woodbury, a BYU–Hawaii business professor whose extraordinary academic path and international experiences span economics, psychology, and global development. Woodbury recounts beginning university studies at age 15, earning a doctorate in financial economics at a young age, and later pursuing additional graduate degrees while teaching in the United States and abroad. The discussion centers on her six‑month assignment in post‑Soviet Russia, where she taught finance and economics, advised government economists, and navigated daily life amid political transition, economic instability, and organized crime. Through vivid personal stories—ranging from classroom exchanges to a harrowing encounter at a Moscow currency exchange—she offers deep insight into Russian culture, perceptions of America, the challenges of transitioning from communism to market systems, and the human realities behind global economic theory.

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  Focus Hawaii BYU-H Business Experience

  Bill Neal, Jim Bradshaw, Allan Oleole, and Denise Woodbury

  Hosted by Bill Neal of the School of Business at Brigham Young University–Hawai‘i, this episode of Focus Hawaii examines an innovative, integrated business education model designed to give students real‑world entrepreneurial experience while still in the classroom. Faculty members Jim Bradshaw, Allan Oleole, and Denise Woodbury introduce a team‑taught core program that combines finance, marketing, entrepreneurship, and communication into a single, immersive learning experience in which students create, fund, operate, and close actual businesses during the semester. Through student‑run ventures—including coupon sales, shaved ice operations, and digital product businesses—the program emphasizes applied learning, teamwork, cultural diversity, financial accountability, and community service, with all profits donated to charitable organizations. The discussion highlights how this hands‑on approach prepares BYU–Hawai‘i’s internationally diverse students—many of whom will return to small or developing economies—to create jobs, lead ethically, and apply business principles in real entrepreneurial settings.

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  Focus Hawaii Pioneers in the Pacific Excerpts from the Opening Ceremonies Part 2

  Lance Chase

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii presents selected excerpts from the “Pioneers in the Pacific” sesquicentennial celebration held at Brigham Young University–Hawai‘i in December 1997. The program features a series of cultural performances, including traditional chants, songs, and staged presentations representing the diverse Pacific Island communities connected to the history of early Latter‑day Saint missionary efforts in the region. Through music and expressive performance, the episode highlights the shared heritage, spiritual traditions, and cultural identity of Polynesian peoples while commemorating the legacy of pioneer faith and migration across the Pacific. The presentation reflects the celebratory and unifying spirit of the larger commemorative event, emphasizing cultural continuity, historical remembrance, and community participation.

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  Focus Hawaii Pioneers in the Pacific Opening Exercise Part 1

  Lance Chase

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii presents highlights from the opening exercises of the “Pioneers in the Pacific” sesquicentennial celebration, held on the Brigham Young University–Hawai‘i campus in November 1997. Blending scripture, Hawaiian chant, dramatic narration, music, and theatrical reenactment, the program reflects on spiritual signs, cultural traditions, and historical events linking Polynesian beliefs with the arrival of early missionaries in the Pacific. Lance Chase frames the presentation within both Hawaiian tradition—particularly stories associated with the god Lono—and Latter‑day Saint history, recounting the 1843–1844 mission of Addison Pratt, Benjamin Gruard, and Noah Rogers, whose labors led to the establishment of the first LDS branch in the South Pacific. The episode emphasizes remembrance, faith, cultural continuity, and historical perspective, illustrating President Gordon B. Hinckley’s call to look to the past to better understand the present and future.

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  Focus Hawaii William Wallace III Associate Professor of History

  Lance Chase

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features William “Bill” Wallace III, associate professor of history at Brigham Young University–Hawai‘i, attorney, kumu hula, and respected Native Hawaiian scholar, in a thoughtful and wide‑ranging discussion of Hawaiian sovereignty, identity, and cultural responsibility. Drawing on his deep family roots in La‘ie and Moloka‘i, Wallace reflects on Hawaiian history, land stewardship (mālama ʻāina), language revitalization, and the spiritual and cultural values of aloha that underpin Hawaiian society. He offers a calm, nuanced examination of the sovereignty movement, acknowledging differing viewpoints within Native Hawaiian communities while emphasizing healing, self‑determination, education, and reconnecting families to land and tradition. Rather than framing sovereignty solely as a political pursuit, Wallace reframes it as a broader moral and spiritual challenge—one grounded in culture, family, faith, and responsibility—presenting a hopeful vision for the future of Native Hawaiians rooted in identity, values, and community strength.

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  Focus Hawaii Alroy Enos "A Promise Kept"

  Lance Chase and Alroy Enos

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Alroy Enos, a longtime Kaua‘i educator and community leader, who discusses A Promise Kept, a large‑scale religious and cultural pageant produced annually on the island of Kaua‘i. Enos traces his personal journey from growing up in Papakōlea to serving a church mission, teaching on Kaua‘i, and becoming involved with the pageant following the unifying aftermath of Hurricane Iniki. The conversation explores the origins, purpose, and message of A Promise Kept, which weaves Hawaiian history, faith, song, dance, and prophecy into a dramatic presentation emphasizing Jesus Christ’s role among the peoples of the Pacific. Through featured clips depicting Queen Liliʻuokalani and the Second Coming of Christ, the episode highlights the pageant’s themes of resilience, spiritual identity, cultural heritage, and communal faith as expressed by hundreds of volunteer performers from across Kaua‘i.

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  Focus Hawaii Jennifer & Nicole Kajiyama

  Lance Chase, Jennifer Kajiyama, and Nicole Kajiyama

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii features Jennifer and Nicole Kajiyama, high‑achieving twin juniors at Kahuku High School, who share their experiences as student leaders, scholars, and multiple‑time participants in National History Day competitions. The twins discuss their award‑winning research projects focused on Hawai‘i history, including their in‑depth dramatic presentation on Walter Murray Gibson, a complex nineteenth‑century political figure whose ambitions, controversies, and influence on the Hawaiian monarchy embodied both tragedy and triumph. Beyond their history scholarship, Jennifer and Nicole describe their active roles in state and district student government, leadership conferences, church youth organizations, and extracurricular clubs, highlighting the opportunities available in Hawai‘i’s public schools. Through thoughtful reflection, the episode underscores the value of civic engagement, rigorous academic inquiry, and supportive family and community in shaping motivated young leaders.

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  Focus Hawaii Kajiyama Twins

  Lance Chase, Jennifer Kajiyama, and Nicole Kajiyama

  Hosted by Lance Chase, this episode of Focus Hawaii welcomes back Jennifer and Nicole Kajiyama, accomplished twin seniors from Kahuku High School, for an update on their remarkable academic and leadership achievements since their previous appearance. The twins discuss their success at the National History Day competition, where their dramatic performance on Walter Murray Gibson placed ninth in the nation, marking a historic achievement for Hawai‘i in the performance category. Jennifer reflects on her participation in the Summer Honors Institute at Ricks College, earning college credit while still in high school, while Nicole shares her experiences serving as a page in the U.S. House of Representatives, working firsthand in the legislative process and meeting national leaders. Throughout the conversation, the sisters reflect on public education in Hawai‘i, leadership opportunities, cultural identity, civic engagement, and future aspirations, offering a compelling portrait of motivated young leaders shaped by scholarship, service, and community support.