Huakaʻi (Site Visits)

HĀ Summit Huakaʻi

Ma ka hana ka ʻike (In working, we learn). The morning of the summit will include 11 different huakaʻi across the Koʻolau region of Oʻahu where participants will immerse themselves in the place and be guided by the kiaʻi (caretakers) and/or the alakaʻi (leaders) through hands on learning experiences. The 11 huakaʻi are listed below with details on the experience. Review and determine which one you will select prior to registering. You can only select one (1) as they all occur at the same time. Intensity levels are from 1 (kūpuna friendly) to 4 (high intensity). As each site is located in a natural, outdoor environment, walking on uneven terrain is required. Scroll to the bottom to learn what to bring.
Note: huakaʻi are subject to change due to environmental factors

Hoʻokuaʻāina loʻi restoration

Ho‘okua‘āina is a non-profit in the ahupua'a of Kailua at Kapalai in Maunawili dedicated to serving as a gathering place for people in the community to connect with and care for the ‘āina, perpetuate Hawaiian culture through the cultivation and preparation of kalo, and bring healing to people, especially at-risk youth. 7.6 acres have been restored to an abundant and productive kalo farm. Today the lo’i is an ideal learning environment and valuable asset to the Windward community as well as a productive farm enterprise.
Huakaʻi experience: Participants will experience the work of kuaʻāina in a traditional loʻi kalo. Alakaʻi of Hoʻokuaʻāina will lead a cultural values based lesson and protocol before participants interact with the loʻi to learn about the ancient ways of cultivating kalo.
Level of intensity: 2

Waimānalo: Ahupuaʻa living

Partnering organizations Hui Mālama O Ke Kai, Waimānalo Learning Center at Waimānalo Research Station, and Waimānalo Canoe Club come together to provide participants with a glimpse of how ahupuaʻa living is done in Waimānalo.
Huakaʻi experience: Participants will experience how the three programs work together on a regular basis to provide lessons that emulate the HĀ framework and strengthen BREATH. From learning food cultivation and production in order to feed a community to teaching students science and math through the waʻa, participants will get hands on learning on ways to implement this in the classroom and how community can enrich learning in schools. It takes a village to raise a child and we are prepared to be that village.
Level of intensity: 3

Ulupō Nui

Situated in Kailua on the banks of Kawainui on the land known as Kūkanono, the Ulupō heiau is the largest agricultural heiau on Oʻahu. Springs flow out of the base of the heiau and into loʻi kalo that have fed people for over 1000 years. Hikaʻalani is a non-profit organization that aims to cultivate meaningful relationships of people and place through the sharing of cultural stories, eating food grown on the land, and turning our hands to the ground to work. We use the name Ulupō Nui to describe the land that encompasses Ulupō heiau and the surrounding loʻi kalo.
Huakaʻi experience: Participants will learn the moʻolelo of Ulupō heiau from past to present and spend the day supporting efforts to restore this special place.
Level of intensity: 2

Hale Building

Hale in Hawaiian can mean a house, building, institution, lodge, station, or hall. There is a movement to reinvigorate the use of traditional Hawaiian architecture through the preservation and promotion of traditional practices of hale building including aipono – poi, pae pae – rock wall – stone masonry and native plant cultivation of Native Hawaiian species and reforestation that are necessary for traditional hale building practices. The beauty of the Practice is that as a Community builds a hale, the hale builds that community by empowering everyone present.
Huakaʻi experience: Nalani Tukuafu and Tiana Henderson, native Hawaiian Practitioners dedicated to teaching communities the almost lost art form of hale building, will teach participants critical elements of the hale building process such as preparing wood, ancient lashing techniques, and how to erect a hale structure. They will also share how the process of hale building can be an intensive learning experience that is multi-disciplinary, culturally relevant, and STEM-tastic.
Level of intensity: 2

Waikalua Loko Iʻa

The Waikalua Loko Iʻa (fishpond) was lovingly preserved and managed from 1995-2015 by Kiaʻi Loko (caretakers) at the Waikalua Loko Fishpond Preservation Society. An intensive effort by community breathed new life back into the 400-year old fishpond. As each stone was put back on the wall and each native plant took root, a foundation was laid for a healthier and sustainable future, honoring the rich cultural and natural heritage of the Kāne‘ohe ahupua’a. In 2016, the fishpond was given to the Pacific American Foundation for future care and preservation.
Huakaʻi experience: Participants will learn about the rich history of Waikalua Loko I`a with a tour to follow. After, they will mālama ʻāina by removing invasive Mangrove and building up the kuapā (fishpond wall).
Level of intensity: 3-4 for the hana, but option for a 1 to sit and observe during the hana

Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine biology at Moku o Loʻe

HIMB is an organized research unit within UH Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology whose mission is to conduct multi-disciplinary research and education in all aspects of tropical marine science. HIMB is situated on an islet called Moku o Lo‘e in Kāne‘ohe Bay, a basaltic remnant of the Ko‘olaupoko mountains with significant cultural, historical and biological value to the region. Within this context, one of HIMB’s K-12 related education objectives is to create pathways for the next generation of kama‘āina ocean scientists, managers, and stewards.
Huakaʻi experience: Those selecting this huakaʻi will participate in one of HIMB’s numerous place-based science inquiry experiences, each grounded in Hawaiian marine ecosystems as well as the cultural and societal significance of the He‘eia ahupua‘a and Kāne‘ohe Bay estuary.
Level of intensity: 2 - Requires ~20 minute transit by boat from He‘eia Kea Small Boat Harbor to Moku o Lo‘e and back

Paepae o Heʻeia

Paepae o He'eia is a private non-profit dedicated to caring for He'eia Fishpond, an 800 year-old ancient Hawaiian fishpond located in He'eia, Ko'olaupoko, O'ahu. He’eia Fishpond is a kuapā (walled) style fishpond enclosing 88 acres of brackish water. The kuapā is built on the Malaukaʻa fringing reef that extends from the shoreline surrounding the pond out into Kāneʻohe Bay - possibly the longest at 1.3 miles long. The vision is to perpetuate a foundation of cultural sustainability for ‘ohana of Hawai`i through education using the strengths of the fishpond as a place of learning to weave ancestral knowledge together with western ways of knowing.
Huakaʻi experience: This huakaʻi will give participants a little bit of everything - a tour of the fishpond complete with history, moʻolelo (stories) and wahi pana (place names), hana - learning to lash a mākāhā (fishpond gate) and food (fish preparation).
Level of intensity: 2.5

Kakoʻo ʻŌiwi

Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi is a community-based non-profit organization based in the ahupuaʻa of Heʻeia, moku of Koʻolaupoko, island of Oʻahu. Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi stewards a 38-year lease agreement with the State of Hawaiʻi Community Development Authority (HCDA) to implement Māhuahua ʻAi o Hoi (Regrowing the Fruit of Hoi), a long-range project to restore agricultural and ecological productivity to nearly 405-acres within the wetlands of Heʻeia. Through cultural, educational and ecosystem restoration programs, Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi is promoting the social and economic advancement of the local community.
Huakaʻi experience: Participants will tour the farm and learn about the intensive community efforts supported through education to bring back a thriving wetland system connected to a thriving ahupuaʻa. They will be guided through a work project clearing the ʻauwai (water channels) and loʻi kalo.
Level of intensity: 2, but option for a 1 to sit and observe during the hana

Papahana Kuaola

Papahana Kuaola is a non-profit organization located in the ahupuaʻa of Heʻeia in the ʻili of Waipao with the mission of creating quality learning focused on Hawaiʻi's cultural and natural resources, environmental restoration, and economic sustainability fully integrated with Hawaiian knowledge in order to exemplify a lifestyle respectful of kānaka, ʻāina, and akua. This includes restoring relevant aspects of the kauhale system of human and natural resource management to the 63 acre He'eia parcel and using this model in educational programs, re-establishing irrigated and dry-land gardens as well as areas to naturalize strands of native vegetation, and recognizing and caring of special places and spiritually significant sites.
Huakaʻi experience: This huakaʻi will be focused on an introduction to the space through a series of mo'olelo, 'āina- based activities, and a moderate hike that overlooks the ahupua'a of He'eia.
Level of intensity: 3

Kānehūnāmoku Voyaging Academy

The mission of Kānehūnāmoku Voyaging Academy is to perpetuate the the legacy of Pius Mau Piailug and the skills and practices of Hawaiian canoe sailing, non-instrument navigation, wayfinding, and voyaging. Kānehūnāmoku, a 29 ft double hull sailing canoe, is a hands-on, dynamic, and living classroom for haumana of all ages. Based at Kaʻalaea in Kāneʻohe bay, haumana become crew and learn all aspects of sailing the canoe, including maritime skills, non-instrumental navigation, elemental observations, teamwork and communication. We do this through three main programs, Papahana Ho'olauna - our hands-on classroom and wa'a visits, Oihana Holomoana - our curriculum development and materials productions, and Halau Holomoana - our youth leadership and maritime careers exploration program.
Huakaʻi experience: Participants will experience the HĀ framework through hands-on exploration and experience with the waʻa. Be prepared to wade out to the canoe, about mid-thigh depth max.
Level of intensity: 3

Ahupuaʻa ʻO kahana

Ahupuaʻa ʻO Kahana State Park is located on the windward side of O’ahu between Kane’ohe and Laʻie. Kahana is a relatively unspoiled valley and one of only a few publicly owned ahupuaʻa, or ancient Hawaiian land division, in the state. Kahana was a thriving fishing and farming community prior to Western contact. The Division of State Parks classifies Kahana as a "living park" with the primary purpose to nurture and foster native Hawaiian cultural traditions and the cultural landscape of rural windward Oʻahu. There are over 20 families living in the ahupuaʻa of Kahana. These families assist with interpretive programs that share the Hawaiian values and lifestyle.
Huakaʻi experience: Friends of Kahana will share the moʻolelo of the area and lead a tour of the Kahana Visitors Center, garden and loʻi. This will be followed by cultural activities including traditional Hawaiian food, kapa making and weaving with hala or coconut.
Level of intensity: 2, but option for a 1

What to Bring: ʻĀina Gear! For each huakaʻi wear comfortable, breathable clothes that can get dirty such as t-shirts and board shorts (swimsuit optional). Bring a change of clothing, towel, hat, sun glasses, environmentally friendly sunscreen and bug repellant, slippers and walking shoes that can get muddy and wet i.e. tabis or old athletic shoes. In case of wet or cool weather, a rain jacket and/or long sleeve clothing options also recommended.

Protocol: Each site has a different protocol related to that place and experience, so be ready to follow the lead of the kiaʻi (caretaker) or alakaʻi (lead guide) of the place. If you feel it is appropriate for you, you may choose to bring makana (gift), oli (chant), or mele (song) to share with the kiaʻi or alakaʻi and the ʻāina of your huakaʻi site. Most importantly, bring an open mind, curiosity and aloha!