Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 13, Number 7, 1 July 1996 — Photo exhibit features Waiāhole resources [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Photo exhibit features Waiāhole resources

The issue of Waiāhole ditch water allocation will be decided by the Commission on Water Resource Management this year. Photographers Ann Landgraf and Mark Hamasaki have photo documented the partial return of water to Waiāhole ditch, along with portraits of the people who are waiting for the water to be completely and permanently returned. Their photo exhibit is called

"Waiāhole: Ho'i Ka Wai" and was supported by an OHA grant. The water was originally diverted through a tunnel to feed the leeward and central O'ahu sugarcane fields in 1916. The Waiāhole ditch irrigated O'ahu sugarfields for 80 years. Hamasaki and Landgraf hiked for miles with heavy camera equipment to record the return of the water to the windward side of O'ahu. In December 1 994, some of the -natural water flow was restored for the first time since the diversion began. Together, Landgraf and Hamasaki have documented the construction of the H-3 freeway. Landgraf herself has received large aeelaim for her book Nā Wahi Pana o Ko 'olau Poko, published in 1994. Hamasaki is a photography teacher at Windward Community College, where he won the 1992 Excellence in Teaching Award. Landgraf and Hamasaki have a reputation of documenting sensitive loeal issues through photography. The Waiāhole ditch water issue is not just a Waiāhole issue to them, it's a Hawai'i issue. "The issue is protecting the natural resources of Hawai'i, it's about how we want the island to look in the future," they said in a statement at

their showing. The photo exhibit "Waiāhole: Ho'i Ka Wai" has been displayed at the Windward Community CoIlege 'Iolani Gallery in May and at the Pacific Islands Taro Festival at WCC in June. The next exhibit will be at Kamehameha Schools in the Midkiff Learning Center this coming October.

"Waiāhole: Ho'i Ka Wai" was supported by a grant from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Landgraf and Hamasaki said they were grateful for OHA's support in helping them put on the exhibit.

Waianu waterfall in Waiahole has found new life since the partial return of the water.

Calvin Hoe and his son Liko in Waiahole.

The Reppun farm in Waiāhole Valiey.