"Keep Hawai'i Hawai'i," a historic preservation awareness day, is set for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday at the Hawai'i State Capitol.
The event, co-sponsored by the Heritage Caucus 2007 and Historic Hawai'i Foundation, will feature programs and products that illustrate how preservation makes a difference in Hawai'i's economy and long-term community well-being. It will be held on the fourth-floor lanai areas. There is no admission fee.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources will "showcase historic preservation projects of its Historic Preservation and its State Parks divisions that illustrate the positive impact that preservation of our cultural and historical resources is having in Hawai'i," Peter Young, DLNR chairman, said in a news release issued today.
Among the featured projects are: Mo'okini Luakini Heiau in North Kohala, Hawai'i; 'Ewa Villages, O'ahu; Kam Mon Store Kahana Valley Visitor Center, O'ahu; Waimea Canyon and Koke'e State Parks historic recreation-residences, Kaua'i; Nualolo Kai archaeological site, Na Pali Coast State Park, Kaua'i; and Kiholo Bay archaeological sites, Pu'uwa'awa'a, North Kona, Hawai'i.
Mo'okini Luakini Heiau The heiau was built by ancient Hawaiians more than 1,500 years ago on the slopes of the North Kohala Coast. It has the distinction of being one of the first Hawai'i sites entered in the National Register of Historic Places and to be designated a National Historic Landmark
The heiau measures roughly 250 feet by 125 feet, with walls up to 30 feet high in some places. Stewardship of the heiau has been passed down through a single family lineage, represented today by Kahuna Nui Leimomi Mo'okini Lum. Originally, the heiau was reserved exclusively for Hawai'i's ali'i nui, but in 1977 Lum rededicated the heiau to the children of Hawai'i. Lum now holds a children's day event every November.
'Ewa Villages During its operation, 'Ewa Sugar Plantation built more than 1,200 residences in eight villages — 'Ewa Villages. Preserved today as a reminder of Hawai'i's plantation era are three of the villages: the plantation manager's residence, remnants of the plantation's mill, and the O'ahu Railway & Land Co. railroad tracks.
Kam Mon Store Kahana Visitor Center A close replica of the historic Kam Mon store is nearing completion at Kahana. The store was once a focal point of this rural community. Designed to maintain the historic character of Kahana and its landscape, the replica will serve as a visitor center and house various interpretive exhibits illustrating and discussing the history and cultural past of the 'ahupua'a.
Waimea Canyon and Koke'e State Parks — Kaua'i historic recreation-residences State Parks will rely on design standards and guidelines to help preserve the historic character of the recreation residence camp lots at Koke'e, Halemanu, and Pu'u ka Pele. Of the 108 recreation residences and camp facilities located within the camp lots, 71 are contributing properties to the Koke'e and Waimea Canyon Recreation Residence Historic District. The design standards and guidelines will assist lessees of these lots and DLNR in efforts to preserve and rehabilitate these e examples of Hawai'i's architectural and landscape history.
A discussion of this process and examples of the residences and their settings will be exhibited at the historic preservation awareness day event.
Nualolo Kai, Na Pali State Park, Kaua'i Over the past 10 years, State Parks has been systematically documenting and mapping archaeological sites at Nualolo Kai, a coastal flat isolated by high, dramatic cliffs. This effort has been undertaken in partnership with the Na Pali Coast 'Ohana, who help facilitated summer access trips with volunteers to help clear and map sites. Such documentation provides baseline data needed for general cultural resource management efforts and for current plans to stabilize and reconstruct features within an massive complex of stone terraces, platforms, and walls located on the flat.
Maps prepared of this site will be exhibited at the event. Also discussed will be the recent use of LIDAR technology to obtain highly precise, three dimensional maps of the complex.
Kiholo Bay archaeological sites — Pu'uwa'wa'a, North Kona, Hawaii Island. State Parks archaeologists have conducted an inventory survey of archaeological sites, including subsurface testing, along a portion of Kiholo Bay's coastline. The study is to help assess park user impacts on cultural resources and provide baseline data to determine where ongoing and projected park uses, including potential park facilities, may or may not be appropriate.
Photographs of survey work and its setting will be shown at the event.
