The Papa Kālai‘āina Project

At ʻO Makuʻu Ke Kahua; Māla Ho’oulu ‘ike emphasizes the teachings of generational Hawaiian traditional planting techniques from the Konanui ‘Ohana, along with the hand-carving of papa and pōhaku ku’i ‘ai (poi pounding boards) as taught by Nick Francisco through the ‘ike of  Uncle Earl Kawa’a.

This initiative promotes cultural, social, and environmental resilience, as well as sustainable food security, by offering ‘Āina that connects and grounds both ‘Ohana and various local organizations in Puna. Additionally, it honors the ‘āina while fostering economic opportunities.