Youth ʻĀina Days at Kaʻala Farms

Youth ʻĀina Days at Kaʻala Farms

HPJ would like to say mahalo nui loa to Kaukaohu Wahilani , Gina Peterson, Makaio Villanueva, and Uncle Butch Detroye for inviting us to be a part of the 306th Super Sustainable Sunday Ma Uka Puea Ka’ala. HPJ Youth Organizer, ʻAlihilani Katoa, along with kumu Rian Tong and Kanoe Nakata  brought 20+ youth from Waianae, Nanakuli, Kailua and Kanaeohe, to work the ʻāina and build pilina. Thankfully, in “the early 1970s,  a group of alienated youth involved with the Waiʻanae Rap Center began hiking in the uplands of Waiʻanae Valley. There, they stumbled upon rock terraces. Unversed in their culture, they didn’t recognize them as loʻi kalo (wet taro fields). But they took the time to find out what they were, and soon shifted their focus.” Because of more than forty years of dedication, Kaʻala farms is an living example of what can come through cultural education and aloha ʻāina and most importantly organizing. We had a blast working together and sharing food, stories and learning new oli. The Youth Organizing Committee plans on doing this monthly, on the last Sunday of each month. If you are in high school and want to join us, hit us up in our DM on instagram.