Uluponui: Somedays we pull weeds, some we kuʻi kalo, some we paepae pōhaku. -- KW

Kaleo and Ryan have returned to more-or-less regular programming after their summer of a thousand kids. Wahi a Kaleo: "Kainalu Elementary faculty and staff with us today (Aug. 7) for some moolelo, huli ka lima i lalo, and ma ka hana ka ike action." Follow him on Instagram at uluponui. -- KdS

Ulupō-grown voyaging foods for Hikianalia's upcoming voyage to San Francisco. -- KdS

And especially to all who helped before, during, and after our Huli ka Lima I Lalo fundraiser.  We knew we had a great night when half the sold-out house stood up to dance "Hanohano Wailea" at the close of the evening ("nothing like playing for our peeps," wahi a Zack)... and when there was still laughter in Hale Kealoha two hours later as kumu and crew washed the final pots and pans and gave good night hugs to Tammy and Daniel.
​-- KdS

Every Monday this summer the Kamehameha Schools' Kūlia i ka Pono summer program comes to Ulupōnui to huli ka lima i lalo.
-- KW

"A gathering of hoaʻāina engaged in caring for lands and waters across Hawaiʻi nei." We were proud to be elbow-to-elbow again with some of our favorite co-conspirators and kīpuka-to-kīpuka warriors, among them: Lehua Lupenui (of The Kohala Center), Pili MacKenzie (of the W.S. Richardson School of Law, Hikaʻalani, and HMI), Noʻeau Peralto, PhD. (of huiMAU), and Māpuana de Silva (of Hikaʻalani and HMI). We gave an opening address, (Māpu and Kīhei), that began with an oli and the following explanation:

Nathaniel Emerson published the mele “‘O ‘Oe nō Paha Ia e ka Lau o ke Aloha” in 1909 in his Unwritten Literature of Hawaii. He interprets it as: “the soliloquy of a lover estranged from his mistress. [The poet’s] imagination,” he says, “is alive in eye and ear to everything that may bring tidings of her, even of her unhoped-for return.” Emerson, as is often the case, completely missed the mark on this one.

The mele is actually an 1850s lament for the departure from Kawainui fishpond in Kailua of the mo‘o-guardian Hauwahine. It was she who brought prosperity to Kailua: a wealth of fat fish in the pond, and field after field of healthy kalo spreading inland from its banks. It was Hauwahine who made a simple covenant with her people: If they lived in pono, she would look after them. If they fell from pono – from harmony with each other, their land, and their akua – then she would leave, and everything would fall apart.

The chant is voiced by a man who speaks for all of Kailua’s ‘ōiwi. He catches a glimpse of what might be Hauwahine – or at least of the yellowing leaf tips that are a sign of her presence. But it can’t be her. The pond is clogged with limu, its banks are littered with ʻōpala ‘ai (edible trash: rice, not kalo), and we surviving Hawaiians are mea ‘ē, are ‘alu’alu, are the estranged, flabby remnants of our former selves. The poet asks: if she were to return, who among us would recognize her. Who would cry in greeting? Who would wail in sorrow?
​
“‘O ‘Oe nō Paha Ia” is about estrangement, but estrangement on a much larger and more distressing scale than that of Emerson’s lovers. It is about how Kailua has almost been lost to us. But not quite. Not while we have a say. We have taught this mele, danced this mele, shared this mele for over 40 years. We do it in hope, not despair. We work for the return of Hauwahine and her pono. We are among those who would still recognize her and cry out in greeting and joy.

Read more about "ʻO ʻOe nō Paha Ia" on our Mele page.

Yes! We are one of 12 non-profits in the 2018 cohort of HPF grantees.  Mahalo nui to our writers – Kaʻolu Luning and Maya Saffery – for putting together a proposal that will help us to hold  Kuʻokʻoa Kukanono, the final activity of Project Pilimai. Hoʻomaikaʻi, as well, to our kīpuka-to-kīpuka co-conspirators at huiMAU and Pōhāhā I Ka Lani! -- KdS

Mahina Kaomea created this video as part of the culminating project for her Kamehameha Schools Kapālama internship assignment with Hikaʻalani at Ulupō. She received an award for her work and promptly donated it to Hikaʻalani as a mahalo to Uncle Kaleo and Aunty Maya "for all the ʻike that you showed over the past several months. I am learning so much from you!" -- KdS

Click here to view Mahina's video.

HulI Ka Lima I Lalo
Sunday, July 1, 2018; 5 to 8:30 pm
At Hale Kealoha in Kailua
Hawaiian Food: Aunty Tammy and ʻOhana
Hawaiian Music: Nā Hoa
Hawaiian Hula: Hālau Mōhala ʻIlima
$50 at [email protected]

This public service announcement was made by Ashley Lopez, Mahina Ornellas, and Keely Smith of Kailua High School for the Windward District CTE Performance Based Assessment competition. The three haumāna were awarded second place in the Hikaʻalani sponsored Digital Media category. Mahalo to all involved: to Ashley, Mahina, and Keely in particular. We are looking forward to a productive second Saturday workday this Saturday at Ulupō, from 8:30 to Noon. Meet Kaleo Wong and Ryan Ueunten in the parking lot behind the YMCA, wear get-dirty clothes and shoes; bring a cap, gloves, bug repellant, and drinking water -- and be prepared to huli ka lima i lalo! -- KdS

To celebrate the 110th anniversary of Hui Nalu Canoe Club, the Hui Nalu ʻohana are paddling around Oahu this weekend as well as driving to different places across this great land of Lua to huli ka lima i lalo. Here are some of their ladies puttin in werk with us at Ulupo, clearing imvasives to plant more natives. -- Kaleo Wong

24 MEI: Kipa mai nei ke kula kaiapuni o Kamakau. Mahalo e @wahinenohomauna no ka lawea mai.  -- Kaleo Wong