By: Ari Lunow-Luke, Program Coordinator at Ho’okua’aina This year, we are excited to announce that we are piloting new partnerships with other ‘āina organizations across Ko’olaupoko for our Ahupua’a Systems Apprenticeship (ASA) program! For the past four years, our ASA participants have worked with Hoʻokuaʻāina staff on-site to gain leadership skills in ahupuaʻa management through...
By: Vincent Cochet, High School Student from Berlin, Germany Hello, my name is Vincent and I am a 16-year-old from Berlin, Germany. I am volunteering with Ho’okua’āina for three months as part of a High School program that asks every student in my grade to volunteer abroad on a social project. The purpose is all...
By: Kazu Akiona-Bannan, Hoa’āina/Farm Operations Specialist at Ho’okua’āina Aloha! My name is Kazu Akiona-Bannan. Having been born and raised in Kailua, I constantly found myself immersed in the beautiful outdoors of the Ahupua’a I call home. My deep love and passion for the land and ocean of Hawaii guided me to pursue higher education at...
For me, this project has been one of the greatest honors of my life. School is sometimes frustrating, but working with Hoʻokuaʻāina has never been anything less than a profound joy. Part of my mom’s family goes back more than five generations in Kailua, including the Maunawili area specifically.
One of the biggest gifts of the program is the intergenerational pilina building between kūpuna and the ʻōpio in our mentorship program. We have seen great value in creating spaces for generations coming together to learn, grow, and support one another. Through meeting inspiring and hardworking young people, kūpuna expressed feeling nostalgia for their youth and hope for the future.
Just like the process of hehi, stomping, and turning over the lepo to prepare a patch for the next cycle of growth, this new year brings with it new nutrients and abundance; excitement for what’s to come.
This program has helped me in so many ways. It has helped me work better with my social anxiety, given me a space where I know who I can come to if anything were to happen and has made me hopeful for my future. The program has also flowed through me to my family.
My family had a banana patch in Maunawili for 40 something years. My dad was first generation in Hawaiʻi, born in Okinawa. Momi is the person who first introduced me to the poi from Hoʻokuaʻāina. She told me, “Audrey, you gotta have this poi cause it’s the best one on the island.” I go, “Yeah right. Poi is poi.” Then she brought me some when I went to the dentist, because she was my teeth-cleaner. I said, “Oh my god, this is out of this world!” So I started going to Hoʻokuaʻāina.
November 20, 2021 Aloha mai kākou, Itʻs amazing that 2021 is already coming to a close! Like everyone, we have done our best to navigate through this year and hope you all are doing well during these most challenging of times. In spite of the difficulties, we are grateful for the many highlights. Here are...
It’s been a long time and so much has happened since our last newsletter back in March 2020! Like everyone on the planet, we have done our best to navigate through the pandemic and hope each one of you are doing the best you can through these most challenging of times. I would like to share a few of Hoʻokuaʻāinaʻs highlights during this period as well as discuss what I believe to be the mindset of health and well-being from the perspective of our kūpuna to encourage us all.
I’m very grateful to have been put in many situations where I had to teach this summer. It’s definitely something out of my comfort zone but it’s taught me more than I could imagine. I’m more conscious of my actions, my words, my attitude, and my energy.
At the junction of the Kaloʻs hā and lau lies the piko. This is the navel of the plant. An indispensable connection that tethers the ʻiʻo at the base of the kalo to the outstretched alo of the lau.
Itʻs been an interesting past couple of months witnessing the growth and transformation of Kapalai.
Meet our dedicated young Kaiaulu volunteers, Sophia (12yr) and Cael (15yr) who have chosen to join us in the ʻāina.
Aloha Mai Kākou, I hope everyone is enjoying their summer! My last newsletter over three months ago was quite dire regarding the need for us all to be socially responsible in the face of mitigating COVID 19 with the mindset of preparing for the worst and hoping for the best. I think it safe to...
It’s hard to believe that 2019 is already coming to a close. This year was one of tremendous growth, both in the loʻi and in our organization. We harvested from Zack patch (patch #21) for the first time and were able to get about 3,000 lbs of kalo and over 250 lbs of lau. Patch...
November 24th, 2019 Aloha mai kākou, Another year of connection, cultivation, and healing has flown by at Ho‘okua‘āina. We often challenge the young people we work with to reflect on their year as a tool for self-assessment and a basis for future goal setting and growth. The challenge now is ours to share highlights of...
Global Village is a boutique in Kailua run by a mother and daughters’ team, Sharrie, Debbie and Dawn. The trio uses their business to facilitate awareness of Ho`okua`aina and raise money with their recyclable bag program. This is the fourth year that Global Village has incorporated their team, customers, vendors, and non-profit partnerships to celebrate...
I can’t believe it’s almost the end of 2019. I feel like it was just yesterday that we were beginning the new year completely rested from our downtime during the holidays. Yet here we are about to enter the holidays once again. My Christmas wish might be to make time slow down or to add...
True to its name, our Kupuohi Education Program has seen significant growth this year! Kupuohi means to flourish or to grow vigorously and is the name of our multi-visit education program. We are extremely encouraged by the increase in the number of schools participating in our multiple visit program. It was never our intention to...
Hoʻokuaʻāina is located in the ahupuaʻa of Kailua at Kapalai in Maunawili on the island of Oʻahu. Get Directions.
For more information about our programs or how you can get involved please contact us.
916E Auloa Rd.
Kailua, HI 96734
P.O. Box 342146
Kailua, HI 96734
Hoʻokuaʻāina is located in the ahupuaʻa of Kailua at Kapalai in Maunawili on the island of Oʻahu.
For more information about our programs or how you can get involved please contact us.
916E Auloa Rd.
Kailua, HI 96734
P.O. Box 342146
Kailua, HI 96734
Reach Us At:
Hoʻokuaʻāina is a 501c3 Non-Profit Organization
© Hoʻokuaʻāina 2020 All Rights Reserved | Terms & Conditions | Privacy | Site By Created By Kaui
Hoʻokuaʻāina is a 501c3 Non-Profit Organization
© Hoʻokuaʻāina 2020 All Rights Reserved | Terms & Conditions | Privacy | Site By Created By Kaui
Hoʻokuaʻāina is a 501c3 Non-Profit Organization
© Hoʻokuaʻāina 2020 All Rights Reserved | Terms & Conditions | Privacy
Site By Created By Kaui