Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 38, Number 11, 1 November 2021 — “It's a Kākou Thing!” [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

“It's a Kākou Thing!”

My trustee journey in September took me to parks and beaches on Moloka'i. We have fewer than the larger islands. When our beaches and parks fall into disrepair, we don't have a broad range of options. This affects the eommunity's ability to gather with 'ohana. As I experienced the problem

on-site, the words "It's a kākou thing" eame to mind. Kākou means "us" and we are all in this together. As your Trustee, I believe it fits OHA's strategic plan to mālama aina. Our aina is where we engage in our cultural tradition of eelebrating 'ohana - the spirit that deeply connects us by heritage, shared blood, family ties, intention, and aloha. It then becomes equally important to preserve the precious aina sites at whieh we ean gather. "It's a kākou thing." Let's take care of one another!

You may have read about the OHA purchase of a land parcel in Iwilei on O'ahu. Longs, Petco and Ross are current tenants on the property. We are working on this acquisition as a means of generating revenue for OHA's beneficiaries and programs now and into the future. If you have any questions or comments, you ean send them to me at alapainfo@oha. org or eall 808-594-1898. Your Trustee on the Move Kiowea Beach Park

The Kalaniana'ole Community Hall at Kiowea Beach Park is in serious need of repair. Kiowea Beach Park is a popular outdoor venue for 'ohana reunions and pā'ina. Kiowea has hosted 'ohana, at least for four generations, but the Kalaniana'ole Community Hall pavilion at the park is

Luana Alapa Trustee, Moloka'i and Lāna'i

in serious disrepair. Only $500K of GIA seed money was allocated against the $1.8 million needed to renovate it! The eommunity on Moloka'i has been trying for far too long to gain the total funds needed to repair the structure. I understand a rare dragon fly was discovered on property that may attract research, jobs and preservation efforts. Meet Ipō and Kūnani Nihipali

Kūnani and Ipō Nihipali showed me around their farm in Ho'olehua.

One of the blessings about being a OHA Trustee is meeting beneficiaries during trustee meetings and then learning about who they are and what they do. Meet the Nihipali family from Ho'olehua - who are pioneers in the "farm to table" lifestyle. Ipō and Kūnani moved from Pūpūkea, O'ahu, to Ho'olehua in 2014. Kūnani Nihipali and his brothers purchased a 5-acre DHHL lease and he and Ipo eall 1 acre their home. Like most farmers in Ho'olehua, they have had to erect a fence around their property to keep the wild deer from destroying their fruits and vegetables and the flowers that they have painstakingly created in this oasis in the middle of the Haole Koa trees. Among the bounty of produce you ean find on their land is eggplant, kamalunggay, noni, fuji apple trees, three varieties of crown flower and more. The next project is aquaponics as they hope to grow fish. Ipō is an award-winning artist and continues to find inspiration to paint creatively in Ho'olehua. The Nihipalis favorite tag line is, "I support GMOGrow My Own!"© Aloha Kekahi i Kekahi. ■