Hoʻola Hou ia Kalauao are one of Kaulunani Urban & Community Forestry Program's community partners. I took these photos during one of their lā hana (work days) in the loʻi kalo (taro patch) with local keiki (children) from Ulu Aʻe Learning Center.
In Hawai‘i, kalo is so much more than a primary food source; it's widely seen as the source of life. One version of the Hawaiian creation story describes how kalo grew from the first-born son of Wākea (sky father) and Papa (earth mother). Their child was stillborn and buried, and out of his body grew the kalo plant. Papa became pregnant again and gave birth to a healthy baby boy named Hāloa (everlasting breath) in honor of his older brother, the kalo. Hāloa is considered the first Hawaiian person and, according to the chant, all Hawaiians trace their roots back to him and to his older brother, the kalo plant.
These community workdays provide a vital biocultural connection for kānaka maoli (Native Hawaiians). I interviewed Dani Espiritu about the significance of her work, check out her response in the video below.
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Arbor Day Hawaiʻi 2022
I took these images during the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa's Arbor Day Hawaiʻi 2022 celebrations and tree-giveaway event. The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is the longest Tree Campus Higher Education in Hawaiʻi and as a requirement of the program celebrate Arbor Day Hawaiʻi each November. In these photos, Nōweo Kai leads a tour highlighting the unbelievable spectrum of trees found on campus at UH.
Following the tour, the Campus Arboretum in partnership with Lyon Arboretum gave away over one hundred free native, floral, and fruiting tree saplings including ʻōhiʻa lehua, ʻaʻaliʻi, plumeria, and kumquat.
