KANE'OHE — Hawaiian legends, cultural sites and military history abound in this community, yet only a few reminders of this past remains. Now, a couple of local groups want to change that, restoring sites and making them part of the educational landscape of Kane'ohe.

Members of the Ko'olaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club and the Ko'olau Foundation have been talking for decades about perpetuating the Hawaiian culture and have spearheaded educational programs on a neighborhood scale. But now the groups want to move to a grander venue and embrace the entire community to protect and restore portions of Ha'iku Valley, Luluku, He'eia Uli and Kane'ohe Bay.

They're focusing on Ha'iku and Luluku to make the valley a preserve and Luluku into a classroom that helps feed the people of Hawai'i. They have been going out into the community, explaining their plans and asking people to join them. They want to bring limu back to the bay and revive the taro-growing portions of He'eia Uli.

"Our vision is to bring together all the landowners and the stakeholders and create a partnership between the community and the landowners to manage (Ha'iku) as a cultural and environmental preserve so we could provide for educational, cultural and conservation programs," said Mahealani Cypher, president of the civic club and a foundation member. "And maybe someday renovate this building (Omega Station) and convert it into a museum that would honor Omega, that would honor the Ko'olaupoko area, especially He'eia and Kane'ohe."

On a tour of the valley, Cypher pointed out several archeological sites there including the Kehekili or Kahekili Heiau and Kaualehu Cave.

Hawaiian kupuna Caroline Bright and Alice Hewett, both of whom grew up in Ha'iku, said now is the time to preserve the area before someone else tries to develop it.

"This is the center of the whole Windward side and we have Hawaiian information coming from Kailua, Waimanalo and all the way down to Kahuku," said Bright, 83. "Everybody should know what has happened."

STEEPED IN HISTORY

During World War II, Bright used to bring meals to the men who worked at the Ha'iku station, and her family helped workers climb the mountain to hang cables, she said.

Hewett, 77, said the area is important because so many of her ancestors are buried there. Recently honored for 45 years with the Little League, Hewett said she grew up and played in the valley and it should be kept for the children.

"Where in Kane'ohe do we have a place like this?" she asked. "There's no place for our kids. There's no museum."

Other plans for the valley are an amphitheater for performances, gardens to grow plants used in hula, and an educational center with historical information about the military's use of the area, Cypher said. A charter school has leased some of the property but has not yet moved in, she said.

CULTURAL PRESERVE

Bills now going through the legislative process would create a cultural preserve in the valley that could implement these plans. The Senate Ways and Means Committee approved Senate Bill 2727 yesterday and sent the measure to the full House to vote on it. The House version of the bill, House Bill 2704, will be heard tomorrow in the Finance Committee.

In Luluku, next to Ha'iku, similar plans are under way to restore some of the taro fields that once flourished there. The Ko'olau Foundation also wants to preserve archeological sites and educate the public as a means to sustain the area in perpetuity.

The Halawa-Luluku Interpretive Development Plan, created to satisfy historic preservation requirements when H-3 was built, will help. The plan's latest draft just completed a public comment period and awaits consideration by the board of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the state Department of Transportation, the Board of Land and Natural Resources and the U.S. Department of Transportation.

"We're beginning to realize, design and hopefully implement these projects within the short term," said Donna Camvel, who has worked to restore the He'eia ahupua'a.

Getting the word out and building community support is the key to success, Camvel said, adding that if necessary, the organizations will go door to door to spread the word.

"Once they see themselves really involved and they have a kuleana here, they can define that kuleana however they need," she said.

FOR THE WHOLE ISLAND

Herb Lee, who has led more than a decade of effort to restore Waikalua Loko fishpond in Kane'ohe, said getting the community to take stewardship of historical sites is critical to saving history.

At one time, hundreds of fishponds lined the Windward shores. Today a handful remain, and only because of efforts from people who value them.

"Kane'ohe is rich in these resources, so it's an opportunity to reclaim them in our generations so that we can learn from them, restore them and pass them on to the next generation," Lee said, calling the projects a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. "It's not only for Kane'ohe but the whole Windward side, the whole island."

In He'eia and at Kane'ohe Bay members of the groups want to restore taro fields and improve limu production, said Rocky Kaluhiwa, who belongs to both organizations. The civic club is partnering with The Nature Conservancy to provide limu in Kane'ohe Bay, and her husband, Jerry Kaluhiwa, has been instrumental in providing information about growing it, Rocky Kaluhiwa said.

"It's something good for the community because poi is scarce, limu is scarce," she said.

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com.