Hoʻoulu ʻĀina Community Project

Project Description

The Hoʻoulu [causing to grow] ʻĀina [land] Project(HACP) was created by members of the Keaukaha-Pana’ewa Farmers Association (KPFA) to address strategic needs of the Keaukaha and Panaʻewa farming community. KPFA is composed of Native Hawaiians who hold leases to designated agricultural lands in the Keaukaha and Panaʻewa areas on the east side of Hawaiʻi Island.

In its second year HACP continues to set-out to encourage Native Hawaiian homesteaders in Keaukaha and Panaʻewa to actively farm for the cultural, economic, health, and self-sufficiency benefits that farming provides for individuals and families. Additionally, HACP will be documenting the oral histories and farming practices of Hawaiian homesteaders.

HACP activities in its first year included gatherings such as “Aloha Panaʻewa” - that offered participants a space to engage with community elders and learn about the farming history of the area. Other types of events such as “Mālama Mahiʻai” workshops, focused on bringing farming resources and support services into the Keaukaha and Panaʻewa homestead community.

The Ho’oulu ‘Aina Community Project is being supported by the Pawanka Fund, an Indigenous Ways of Learning and Knowing Fund. It is a Indigenous-led grant-making effort supporting indigenous initiatives engaged in promoting and protecting traditional knowledge, well-being, rights and self-determined development.

Learn more about the Pawanka Fund at https://www.pawankafund.org

For more information about this project please contact
Justine Kamelamela, Project Manager at panaewa.nui@gmail.com

Mahalo for your support!