Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 1, Number 9, 1 November 1984 — Hoomohala Pua Adds New Dimension [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hoomohala Pua Adds New Dimension

Kaala Farm, an environmental eeonomie development project covering more than 27 acres in Waianae Valley, has added a new dimension to its program. lt is an environmental education program called Ho'omohala Pua. The project is designed to provide Hawaii's children and the community with an on-site, hands-on program expounding traditional Hawaiian lifestyle and values.

This was explained by Kaala Farm Manager Kawehi Ryder at an Aug. 29 meeting of the Hawaiian Cultural Research Foundation in the conference room of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. HCRF members who attended the meeting — Gladys Brandt, Miehael Chun, Homer Hayes, John Dominis Holt, Yuklin Aluli and Hana Ferreira — were very impressed and enthused by Ryder's presentation and the project itself. A slide presentation of the various Hawaiian plants to be grown on the project and their many uses was shown and narrated by Kaipo Moses, project coordinator.

Following the presentations by Ryder and Moses, Brandt declared she was very impressed with the project. The others echoed the same sentiments. Moses noted that many of the plants and shrubs shown in the slides are hard to find today but that he knows where to loeale them. HCRF provided S 1,500 "seed" money to get the project started and the Aug. 29 meeting was to give the group an update and make a request for additional funding. Brandt said she was sure her group would be very happy to approve another grant and suggested to OH A Administrator T. C. Yim that OHA also rnatch their funding.

"At last, our young will now have something where they will be made aware of their heritage." she exclaimed. The program goals cited by Ryder are: • Encourage and develop a small scale, self-suf-ficient Hawaiian ethnobotanical garden/farm and education center to serve as a training and educational resource facility. • To function in part as grower and supplier of indemand raw materials needed by loeal craft people — hala, wauke, 'ohe hawai'i and ipu. • Develop an appropriate and relevant on-going curriculum to enhanee an on-site experiential program to be offered to the Department of Education as well as private educational adult and youth programs.

• Ho'omohala participants will develop increased awareness of the many unique aspects of Hawaiian culture through (a) promotion of the values of ahupua'a, 'aina, lokahi, ho'oponopono, and (b) creative and productive labor and hands-on activities. It was explained that the term "ethnobotany is derived from two longestablished sciences, ethnology, the study of man, and botany, the study of plants. Ethnobotany ean be defined as the study of the interrelation of man and plants, of the study of the importance of plants to primitive man." (Krauss, Beatrice, Ethnobotany of the Hawaiians, 1974).

Ryder finds there is a definite need by loeal craft people making traditional Hawaiian crafts and hula implements for raw materials (hala, wauke, ipu, bamboo) suitable for the making of their products. He explained that this small scale self-sufficient type farming and spinoff cottage industries would build upon traditional Hawaiian methods, incorporating appropriate modern technologies. Two acres of Kaala Farm have been allocated for this component. Under Moses' guidance, one acre already has been cleared and made ready for the planting of hala, pilo, wauke, ipu, 'ohe Hawaii and niu. lncentives for focusing on these plants are that they will:

• Generate revenue. • Serve as examples of those materials used for the construction of the halau. • Provide raw materials for traditional Hawaiian crafts, for on-site demonstration and application. • Serve as wind breakers and protection against erosion. Additionally, other endemic and indigenous plants are being researched and resources for acquiring these plants are being identified and contacted with the assistance of ethnohistorian Tommy Holmes, Beatrice Krauss of the Lyon Arboretum and Wilfred Ho of Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden.

Alu Like is assisting the project by sponsoring four environmental adult trainees for a six-month period. A 30' by 40' halau is also planned for the current clearing with the completion date set for the summer of 1985. The halauwill befabricated, utilizingtraditional Hawaiian as well as appropriate modern techniques and materials.

lt will consist basically of 'ohi'a wood and piligrass. Nylon cord will be used in lieu of olona for lashing. Most of the materials will be gathered from the Big Island.

Project Coordinator Moses is an experienced hand. He comes to Kaala after 10 years with the City of Refuge in Ho'onaunau where he coordinated and implemented Hawaiian activities programs for school . children and adult groups. He has spent countless hours in the researching and recreating of traditional Hawaiian tools, utilitarian

artifacts and crafts, with particular success in reviving the art of 'ie'ie weaving. Moses also participated in the DOE kupuna program and in the development of curriculum for Ho'onaunau for adult and youth groups, based on Hawaiian concepts and values.

His current employment with Kaala Farm is on a part-time basis. Ryder, meanwhile, will be seeking additional funding from various sources so as to see the completion of the project and to make it meaningful and productive.

Members of the Hawaiian Cultural Research Foundation, a non-profit organization, discuss funding for Ho'mohala Pua. From right to left around tableare Kaipo Moses, project coordinator, and Foundation membersMichael Chun, Gladys Brandt, Homer Hayes, John Dominis Holt, Yuklin Aluli and Hana Ferreira. Displayed ontableare some of the items made from plants whieh Moses plans on growing.