Initial Presence of Place book:Hānau: Birth, Transformation, and Possibility expands and refines a remarkable collection of creative works about the place called Hawai’i, originally published online in January 2016 as the debut issue of Kalani Literary Review.

Hawai’i, the Pacific chain of islands, is widely known for warm tropical climate, sandy beaches, captivating natural scenery, abundant sea life, and active volcanoes, a popular destination for tourists, surfers, seekers, writers, artists, biologists, and volcanologists. For many it is an exotic place associated with exploration, romance, relaxation, renewal, discovery, transformation, and Spirit of Aloha, a way of life dedicated to love, compassion, kindness, and grace, “living in the presence of divine breath”. For native Hawaiians of aboriginal Polynesian ancestry, and for those fortunate to live fulfilling lives in the tropical islands commonly called paradise, Hawai’i is home. ​