2645 Dole Street Kamakakuokalani 211B
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-0546
Fax: (808) 973-0988
Email: kanewai@hawaii.edu
Web: ka-papa-loi-o-kanewai/

Director: Makahiapo Cashman

Ka Papa Lo‘i o Kanewai serves as a Hawaiian cultural and education outreach program, which is organizationally housed in Hawai‘inuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge at UH Manoa.

In 1980, several students from UH Manoa re-discovered the abandoned ‘auwai at Kanewai, located in the ahupua‘a of Waikiki. The students restored its flow of water, after which they planted kalo and other native plants in the areas surrounding the lo‘i. The group became known as Ho‘okahewai Ho‘oulu ‘Aina based on the philosophy “make the water flow, make the land productive.” Along with the guidance of kupuna such as Uncle Harry Kunihi Mitchell and ‘Anakala Eddie Kaanana, the traditional practices have been perpetuated for future generations to experience.

As a cultural resource center, Kanewai focuses its work on perpetuating and preserving Native Hawaiian practices such as wetland kalo cultivation, traditional hale construction and preparation of cultural foods and propagation of Native Hawaiian plants. Activities and services provided on a regular basis at Kanewai include first Saturday and educational tours for UH classes, school, and community groups. These events provide community members, young and old, to engage in malama ‘aina and learn about indigenous Hawaiian knowledge of natural resource management and food production.

In the early 2000s, Kanewai formed a partnership with Kamehameha Schools ‘Aina ‘Ulu program to further the mission of malama ‘aina. Ka Papa Lo‘i O Punalu‘u was opened in the district of Ko‘olauloa, O‘ahu to further the education of lo‘i and develop the concept of self-subsistence and sound resource management in our island communities.