In a chicken-skin moment, slightly more than 100 people answered the call of Manu Mook's conch shell and gathered on a grassy slope at Kaka'ako Waterfront Park for a photo shoot.

They posed proudly with signs expressing the Save Our Kaka'ako Coalition theme, "Public Land Not for Sale" as Kupu'aina performed Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's "Hawai'i '78" from the amphitheater stage.

Yesterday's "mahalo ho'olaule'a" was about people power and a grass-roots effort started in May 2005. It grew into a movement supported by 25,000 that halted Alexander & Baldwin's planned development of high-rise condo towers on 36.5 acres of state land along the Kaka'ako waterfront.

The effort resulted in the passage this year of House Bill 2555, prohibiting residential development or selling of makai land from Kewalo Basin Park to Pier 2.

"It feels good to see local people standing up to preserve stuff for future generations," Kevin Chang of Kupu'aina said after singing "Hawai'i '78" to the picture-posing group.

Ron Iwami, president of Friends of Kewalo Basin Park Association, which started the movement, said the ho'olaule'a was organized to thank the many groups that supported the effort.

The coalition was made up of Save Our Surf and Surfing Education Association, Sierra Club's O'ahu chapter, Life of the Land, Hui o He'e Nalu, Hawai'i State Body Surfing Association, Kaka'ako Business and Landowners Association, the Surfrider Foundation, Redwings Events Committee/Ka Hui O Malama Kaka'ako Paka, Kewalo Basin Boaters Association, Ala Moana/Kaka'ako Neighborhood Board, and Kaka'ako Shoreline Park Plan.

In May, the state Legislature voted down the A&B proposal after demonstrators marched in opposition of selling the land for residential high-rise development. A&B had proposed to build three 20-story condo towers to help pay for other improvements such as a hula amphitheater, waterfront promenade and farmers market. In response to community concerns, A&B later eliminated one condo tower.

"The mana of this park would have never been the same if it happened," said Iwami, a Honolulu Fire Department captain and longtime surfer in the area who called the proposal "a sweetheart deal."

"If we didn't stand up, they'd be building it right now," he said. "We won this with the power of the people."

Hilary McKee of Papakolea attended the ho'olaule'a with her husband, Clinton, and children, ages 2 and 4.

"My husband has been surfing here for 20 years, I learned to fish at Kewalo Basin and I want my kids to be able to come to a big grass park in town and not drive to the North Shore, so this was important to us," McKee said.

Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.