Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 32, Number 6, 1 Iune 2015 — OHA GRANTEE SPOTLIGHT: KĀKO'O ʻŌIWI In Heʻeia ahupuaʻa, an OHA grantee makes strides in land sustainability [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA GRANTEE SPOTLIGHT: KĀKO'O ʻŌIWI In Heʻeia ahupuaʻa, an OHA grantee makes strides in land sustainability

By Zach Villanueva i I verybody ready? ** I Alright, let's go!" said Kanekoa KukeaI Shultz, exeeutive ^^™director of the nonprofit Kāko'o 'Ōiwi. Located on the island of O'ahu, in the ahupua'a of He'eia, the 405-acre plot of land serves as the site for what is hoped to become a pivotal part in the future of a sustainable Hawai'i. "We talk about food security, this is it," said Kanekoa. It was on this beautiful misty morning that Kanekoa and his team of three set out to tackle the tasks of the day. These tasks included weed whaeking, harvesting kalo (taro) and preparing and tilling a new lo'i kalo (taro patch). "It never ends, there's always something to do," said Kukea-Shultz, who also serves as the Kāne'ohe Bay marine coordinator at The Nature Conservancy. Kāko'o 'Ōiwi sits on 300 acres of prime taro land, and it is the organization's intention to convert 220 acres of this land to cultivate taro, while using the remaining 185 acres for other means of food production, such as vegetable gardens and raising livestock. Since its inception in 2007, Kāko'o 'Ōiwi has remained true to its mission of "Ho'i," or restoring the agricultural and ecological productivity of this land to its full potential. By restoring this wetland, Kāko'o 'Ōiwi has welcomed the return of native plants and animals to the He'eia ahupua'a. As Kanekoa made his way toward a new location for lo'i kalo, an endangered Hawaiian stilt, or ae'o, flew by to give fair warning that he had been walking near her nest, whieh was located near one of the restored lo'i. "I see you, I see you," Kanekoa replied. This is the

hope of Kāko'o 'Ōiwi, that as the land is restored with native intelligence, native species such as the ae'o will return to live in a symbiotic relationship within this moku; from the lo'i, to the kalo, to the ae'o and finally the kanaka. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs proudly supports the efforts of organizations like Kāko'o 'Ōiwi, whieh aligns with its mission of empowering Native Hawaiians by maintaining the connection to the past by providing a space for Native Hawaiians to participate and benefit from the stewardship of the 'āina. If you're interested in helping to fulfill Kāko'o 'Ōiwi's mission of making food sustainability a reality or if you have aloha 'āina (love for the land), the nonprofit welcomes the help of volunteers, school groups and corporate orga-

nizations through its community workday program, every second Saturday of eaeh month, from 8:30 a.m. till noon. If you are unable to make it to its community workdays, Kāko'o 'Ōiwi accepts monetary donations, as well as donated farming equipment, such as weed whackers, buckets, wheelbarrows and tractors. To sign up or to learn more, visit kakoooiwi.org. ■ Zach Villamieva is a student helper in OHA's Communications Program.

Here are some additional volunteer opportunities with projects funded in part by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs: • Ka'ala Farm Ine. offers 'Ohana Days every third Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Activities include: harvesting and planting kalo, ku'i kalo, cooking demonstrations and activities for keiki. For information or to RS VP for the next event, email cheryl@ kaala.org. • Kōkua Kalihi Vailey works to restore the Kalihi ahupua'a through reforestation efforts and the revitalization of Native Hawaiian culture. KKV offers community workdays every Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to noon, and monthly workdays 8:30 a.m. to noon. For information or to sign up, eall 841-7504, email volunteer @kkv.net or visit kkv.net. • The Hawai'i Allianee for Community-Based Eeonomie Development eneourages sustainable and eom-munity-based investments to support eeonomie development. Recently HACBED volunteered to help kūpuna in the maintenance and restoration of heiau in Hālawa Valley. To learn about future volunteer opportunities like this, visit hacbed.com or email info@ hacbed.com.

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A Hawaiian stilt, or ae'o, soars above a newly restored taro patch as Nature Conservancy Marine Fellow Kalani ūuioeho, with weed whacker in hand, clears a path for the future of food sustainability here in Hawai'i. - Photos: laeh Villanueva

With the Ko'olau Mountain range to their left and He'eia fishpond to their right, Kōko'o 'Ōiwi Executive Director Kanekoa Kukea-Shultz, front, and Nature Conservancy Marine Fellow Brad Stubbs prepare to till the site for what is to become the loeahon of a newly restored lo'i kalo (taro patch).