Day 2 Manaʻo for Cohort Kaulua March 18, 2025

This morning we had the opportunity to participate in Pilina Circles and visit Ka Papa Loʻi ʻo Kānewai. This day is special to me because Kānewai is my puʻuhonua, my place of refuge, and being able to welcome every one of our cohort participants into this space is an additional layer of pilina that we all share together. The loʻi is also an amazing place to share stories while walking or working, and I always appreciate getting to know people while in ʻāina! 

While visiting a loʻi kalo, it may seem as if our kuleana is to get into the mud and do hard work. But that isn’t always the case—experiencing the running water, learning the (hi)stories of the place, and enjoying the beauty of the ʻāina is most important. As the Director Makahiapo Cashman often says, “We are actually here to see the water.” Access to running water is truly a privilege, so I hope that everyone today was able to experience the waters from Mānoa stream that bring abundance to Ka Papa Loʻi ʻo Kānewai. 

Today, when thinking about moʻokūʻauhau and the many genealogies that shape us, I also can’t help but think about the ways that the waters of Mānoa shape me. The incredibly light and gentle rains that fell upon our arrival are a reminder (at least to me) that although I might feel pressured to do the most work that I can, sometimes like today my role is to take care of people in the ways that they need in that moment. And because of the gentle rains of this month, Kānewai is blooming!