E ola ka ʻāina, e ola ke kanaka.
When the land lives, the people live.
Our kūpuna understood that the wellbeing of the ʻāina is inseparable from the wellbeing of the people. Where the land is nourished, people grow – strong in body, spirit, and identity.
From 8 to 116 acres
Today, Hoʻokuaʻāina has a rare opportunity to expand our impact by restoring 116 acres of prime agricultural land in Pālāwai, just steps from our home at Kapalai.
Once the breadbasket of the windward coast, this storied ʻāina is ready to reclaim its legacy as a vital source of nourishment, healing, and cultural renewal. In a time of increasing urbanization, Pālāwai stands to become a kīpuka—a refuge of resilience and abundance for our lāhui (people).
With nearly 20 years of proven mālama ʻāina (caring for land) and kalo cultivation, we are prepared to breathe life back into this wahi kūpuna (ancestral place) and feed the people of Hawaiʻi.
The Challenge We Face
Hawaiʻi stands at a crossroads. We are experiencing a dual crisis of food insecurity and cultural displacement—symptoms of a legacy rooted in the Great Māhele and a continued separation of people from land.
Hawaiʻi, once fully self-sustaining, now imports nearly 90% of its food. This dependency threatens our food systems, our health, and our sovereignty.
The Pālāwai Solution
Food Hub and
Resiliency Center
A puʻuhonua (place of refuge) for ancestral wisdom, innovation, and economic empowerment.
Revived ʻAuwai and Watersheds
Restore life-giving water pathways and Maunawili stream to heal ecosystems and enhance the resilience of Kailua’s ahupuaʻa.
50+ Acres of
Diversified Crops
Restore food sovereignty through culturally appropriate, sustainable agriculture.
Community Farmers Market
Increase local food access and connect families directly to the abundance of ʻāina.
A New Generation
Build leadership and green job pathways rooted in ʻāina stewardship and Hawaiian values.
On-Site Housing
Support the long-term sustainability of a resident workforce committed to mālama ʻāina
Pālāwai is more than a project.
It’s a call to reclaim our identity, our food, and our future.
This is how we restore ʻāina momona (abundant land) and strengthen our lāhui from the roots up.
With the right partners, resources, and shared kuleana, this vision can become a transformative catalyst for the ahupuaʻa of Kailua and beyond.
What if one restored lo‘i could spark a movement– from Kailua to the world?
Your support directly fuels a future where families are fed with healthy, culturally rooted foods.
Where youth grow into leaders grounded in place and purpose. And where ʻāina is protected and passed on with pride to the next generation.
You can be part of this powerful return to abundance, dignity, and
aloha ʻāina.
