Saturday, March 20, 2021—Community members of all ages are invited to join in our 2021 Hoa‘āina Stewardship Days! These guided, half-day learning journeys are designed to deepen our connections with Kohala’s natural and cultural landscape, create space for meaningful exchanges between people and place, and share in mālama ‘āina (care for the land) in this place we call home.
This Hoa‘āina Day will be a special one for two reasons: it marks our return to the Koai‘a Corridor after more than a year, and it’s the morning after Piko o Wākea (the Spring equinox), providing us with an exciting opportunity to kilo (keenly observe) what’s happening in our environment. An ʻOle moon will guide our stewardship activities as we deepen kinship with place and our sources of water, sharpen our kilo skills, and check in on and mālama (care for) previously planted koai‘a, ‘a‘ali‘i, ‘iliahi, and other members of our forest ‘ohana.
Access to the Koai‘a Corridor requires a challenging hike suited for guests in good hiking condition. Participants will be required to hike roughly five-eighths of a mile (35-45 minutes with breaks) up Kohala Mountain to reach the Koai‘a Corridor. We will meet as a group on Kohala Mountain Road and hike up and back together while maintaining adequate social distancing. For those unable to participate, we invite you to sign up for the Koai‘a Tree Sanctuary events in June and December that are less physically demanding.
We look to Kaulana Mahina, the Hawaiian moon calendar, to guide our activities based on generations of kilo (environmental observation). Drawing on ancestral knowledge and the environmental conditions we observe, we will engage in appropriate hana (work) that effectively and lovingly cares for Kohala’s native forests.
Space is limited to no more than 15 participants, and adherence to coronavirus mitigation protocols will be required, including wearing face masks properly when within six feet of other participants. Details on where to meet and what to bring will be provided in an email upon completion of registration. Register online at koha.la/hoaaina-register. For more information, please contact Mahina Patterson at mpatterson@kohalacenter.org or 808-887-6411.