Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 38, Number 11, 1 November 2021 — LULUKU [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

LULUKU

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By Ardena Sanoe Saarinen and Trisha Kehaulani Watson-Sproat Mark Paikuli-Stride walks the lands of Luluku with his children and a tremendous sense of pride. He has lived with his family on these agricultural lands for decades, growing kalo and hosting education groups from loeal area schools. Paikuli-Stride and his family were among the farmers impacted when the Interstate H-3 was built. They spent mueh time farming and later living in Luluku with "Grandma" Caroline and "Grandpa" Anthony Sanchez who farmed bananas and lived in Luluku since the 1950s. Stories of their life in Kāne'ohe, farming and raising their family, provide a glimpse of what Kāne'ohe onee was - a thriving agricultural community of families. Before her passing, Grandma Sanchez asked for help ffom Paikuli-Stride and in 2006 they formed the Luluku Farmers' Association as a support platform to protect the farmers and perpetuate Luluku's agricultural legacy. Despite the changes construction of the H-3 brought to the agricultural lands of Luluku, Paikuli-Stride and other farmers continued to farm in Luluku and advocate for the restoration of the historic agricultural lands that onee helped to feed the Kāne'ohe community. "We are bringing life and family back to these lands," says Paikuli-Stride. "We've worked so hard so that our ehildren, who are Native Hawaiian descendants of this aina, ean have a future on the land - it is hugely rewarding to see that vision eome to life." In 2015, Paikuli-Stride, with community groups Aloha Āina Health and Learning Center and the Luluku Farmers' Association, entered into a stewardship agreement with the Oflice of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) to facilitate the restoration of some of the Luluku agricultural lands impacted by the H-3. Earlier this year, the groups completed Nā Wai o Luluku, a Stewardship Management Plan (SMP) for the area whieh includes three parcels totaling 20.87 acres. Published by OHA, the plan will help to guide traditional agricultural activities and education programs for the community. Kua'āina Stewardship By completing Luluku's SMP, the Hālawa-Luluku Interpretive Development Project (HLID) team, in collaboration with the Luluku stewards and 'Āina Momona (a Native Hawaiian nonprofit organization), reached a significant milestone in the H-3 mitigation process. This document also serves as a Strategic Action Plan for the Luluku Project Area covered under HLID to miti-

gate some of the negative impacts to the cultural and archaeological resources of Luluku resulting from the construction of Interstate H-3 Highway. The hope is that this successful collaboration ean serve as a model to inspire other community stewardship efforts across the islands, whieh gives practitioners the support they need to conduct traditional Hawaiian agricultural and cultural activities in places they onee tbrived. "The success in Luluku shows how agencies ean eome together to effectively support community initiatives," said OHA Ka Pouhana/CEO Dr. Sylvia Hussey. "This program has also served as an important example in highlighting how OHA ean provide valuable guidanee to grassroots groups looking to restore aina and care for their families." Farming for the Future Luluku's cultural landscape is envisioned to be restored through culturally appropriate science, engineering and agricultural practices. Restoration of these historic agricultural lands and cultural kīpuka will be facilitated through the planting of Hawaiian kalo and other traditional food crops, using ancient and eontemporary techniques. While certain agricultural spaces are already functioning, the intention is to expand these activities by reconstructing the agricultural terraces and reactivating parts of the comprehensive lo'i (irrigated kalo) system that onee flourished there. "Protection of these cultural kīpuka is central to OHA's mission," explains Board Chair Carmen "Hulu" Lindsey, "and when we protect places like Luluku, we do more than just protect aina, we make sure that our keiki, who are the future of our lāhui, ean feed and sustain themselves in a manner that honors our kūpuna and preserves our traditional practices." The relationship between the land and its people are of both historical and cultural importance in the context of interpretations whieh emphasizes Luluku's ability to feed people in the Kāne'ohe district and areas beyond. Historically, Luluku has retained a land use that focused on agriculture due to its natural resources and geographical location. As a result, people have maintained an agricultural relationship with these lands over time. Though the intensity and depth of this relationship has changed over time, the cultural importance remains; thus creating an opportunity to rehabilitate this relationship in tandem with the land and its resources. Luluku's reputation and contemporary potential to SEE REST0RING LULUKU ON PAGE 20

Top: (L-R) OHA lnterim Legacy Land Manager Lori Walker, Susan Paikuli-Stride, Mark Paikuli-Stride, Ho'oikaika Paikuli-Stride, and OHA HLID lnterim Project Coordinator Ardena Saarinen. Center: Mark Paikuli-Stride shares 'ike about growing kalo. He and his 'ohana were impacted by the construction of the H-3. His grandparents Anthony and Caroline Sanchez, who farmed bananas, lived in Luluku from the 1950s. Bottom: View from above the H-3 freeway heading into Kōne'ohe. The 'ili of Luluku is just around the bend. Kōne'ohe Bay is in the background.

REST0RING LULUKU Continued from page 19

Luluku 'ōina stewards prepare the soil for plonting against o backdrop of mossive concrete pilings ond a portion of the vioduct of the H-3 freeway. - Photo: Jason Lees

feed (as in food, medieine, education, Hawaiian culture, and/or spirituality) the people of Kāne'ohe and its surrounding areas still apply and drives the focus of Paikuli-Stride, his 'ohana, the kūpuna of Luluku, and supporting partner organizations. The Luluku stewards are looking forward to beginning their long-an-ticipated collaborative work to repair, restore, and maintain some of the historic lo'i terraces and associated archaeological sites located within the Luluku Project Area. Modest support facilities are being designed, with construction activities anticipated to begin within the next year that will

create learning spaces for students and community. ■ To watch OHA's video about Luluku go to: www.kawaiola.news/ cover/restoring-the-historic-agri-cultural-lands-of-luluku/. To review the Stewardship Management Plan (SMP) go to: ahalawa-luluku-interpretive-devel-opment-hlid/ Ardena Sanoe Saarinen is OHA's HLID Interim Project Coordinator. Trisha Kehaulani Watson-Sproat is the founder and owner of Honua Consulting, LLC.