Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 36, Number 1, 1 January 2019 — Māla'ai Kula mobile kitchen arrives [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Māla'ai Kula mobile kitchen arrives

Kawaikini New Century Public Charter School anel Mālama Kaua'i have received their new Mobile Commercial Kitchen Trailer - a key pieee to their farm-to-school pilot program, and their work building loeal food systems. Purchasing a kiīehen trailer has been a goal of the program since Kawaikini lost its school food service vendor in 2014. In addition to providing eommercial kitchen space for the school meal program, the long-term goal is to utilize the khehen for low-cost rentals throughout the community during the evenings and weekends. "We see this as a tool for the community to be used as mueh as possible to strengthen our loeal food system - farmers ean process goods into value-added products, loeal food caterers ean pop up for entrepreneurship opportunities, etc.," said Megan Fox, Executive Director for Mālama Kaua'i. Their long-term goal is for a a multi-use building with a permanent kitchen space at Kawaikini. The Māla'ai Kula program is Kaua'i's first farm to school pilot project, partially funded by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and also includes Ke Kula Ni'ihau O Kekaha Public Charter School. Lei Court seeking applicants Honolulu's Department of Parks and Recreation is seeking candidates for the 91st Annual Lei Court Selection Event on March 2, 2019. Eligible participants must be between 18-30 years old by March 2. Contestants will be scored on: • Kumuhana o ka lei (lei making

- contestants have one hour to make a lei wili on site); • Kūlana Lei (poise and personality); • 'Ōlelo Pelekane and 'Ōlelo Hawai'i (speaking in both English and Hawaiian); and • Hula 'Auana (modern hula). The 2019 theme is Lei Kahakai (Seashore Lei). The selection event will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Kapolei Hale, Applications are available at www.honoluluparks. eom or by calling Samantha Sun at (808)768-3032. The court will be presented at the Lei Day Celebration on May 1

at Kapi'olani Park, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Hula, 'Ōlelo Hawai'i and oli dasses open for registration Ka Lei Pāpahi 'o Kākuhihewa has opened registration for classes in hula, Hawaiian language, and oli running January 12 through June 8, 2019 at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies. Classes will be held on Saturdays, starting at 9 a.m. with hula, 10:15 a.m. for Hawaiian language and 11:30 a.m. for oli. This semester, the oli class will learn and perform oli, ceremony and protocol at specific sites, heiau, significant and other cultural landmarks on O'ahu. To register, eall Keali'i Gora at (808) 386-1363 or email: kealiig@ hotmail.com. Those who miss the January registration may still registerby attending a class. Interested participants ean also contact Keali'i Gora for more information. Ka Lei Pāpahi o Kākuhihewa is an 0'ahu-based Native Hawaiian cultural and education organization

consisting of kupuna and makua who teach or have taught in the State Department of Education Hawaiian Studies program. HTA awards $3.56 million to support 130 progroms in 2019 The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) announced the awarding of more than $3.56 million in funding to support 1 30 programs in the Hawaiian Islands that will perpetuate Hawaiian culture, protect natural resources and showcase community events and programs in 2019. Funding recipients are nonprofit groups, community organizations and individuals statewide, selected through proposals submitted to HTA that demonstrate their commitment to preserving the unmatched qualities that distinguish the Hawaiian Islands as a plaee to live, visit and experience, Funding is being provided to recipients through HTA's Kukulu Ola, Aloha Aina and Community Enrichment programs. The Kukulu Ola program selected 28 recipients to receive a total of $1,223,000. The focus of this program is perpetuat-

ing Hawaiian culture, Awardees include community groups, practitioners, craftsmen, musicians and artists committed to strengthening a broader understanding and appreeiahon of Hawaiian culture through place-based activity engagement. The Aloha Aina program is giving $1,124,000 to 28 recipients who are protecting Hawaii's natural resources, supporting efforts to manage, conserve and revitalize Hawaii's natural environment. The Community Enrichment program invests in an array of festivals, events and year-round culture, education, heahh, nature, agriculture, sports, technology and voluntourism programs. $1,212,900 is being awarded to 74 recipients. KS' new 'gathering plaee' to serve Maui, Moloka'i and Lōna'i region Kamehameha Schools (KS) recently opened its newly renovated Maui, Moloka'i and Lāna'i regional office and community resource center in downtown Wailuku. The fee-simple property sits on the site of the former Wailuku Federal Credit Union, 175 Market Street. Hawaiian agencies and organizations such as DHHL, 'Aha Pūnana Leo o Maui, the Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center and government offices are all within a mile of this location. "With a loeation closer to Native Hawaiian families and educational partners, we look forward to working side-by-side with this region's stakeholders to work toward educational success for keiki and a thriving lāhui," said Kā'eo Duarte, Vice President of Community Engagement and Resources. The KS Regional office will house 10-12 staff and provide: a one-stop shop for information and support regarding all KS campus and non-campus programs and services; community programs, post-high and K-Scholars during the summer and interim school breaks; a touchpoint for 'āina-related issues and information for Maui, Moloka'i and Lāna'i; and career and posthigh counseling and guidance. ■

2018 Lei Queen and Court. - Photo: Dove Miyashiro/Dave Miyashiro & Co.