Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 28, Number 3, 1 March 2011 — Makuʻu Farmers Association [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Makuʻu Farmers Association

Aloha mai Kākou. Recently I traveled to the Puna district with Trustee Robert Lindsey and visited the Maku'u

Farmers Market operated by the Maku'u Farmers Association (MFA). The Farmers Market is located right off the Kea'au Pāhoa Highway. Every Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. MFA opens its gates and hosts approximately 1,000 people comprised of residents of Puna and visitors. In 2001, the Maku'u Farmers Market officially opened with only five vendors. Today, MFA operates

one of the largest open markets on Hawai'i Island generating a steady llow of ineome with more than 100 loeal vendors and artisans who market their products and services ranging from locally grown and organic produce, a variety of multiethnic food, including Thai, Greek and Indian to mention a few, native and exotic plants, artwork, clothing, crafts, jewelry and garage sale items. The Farmers Market typically has live music and entertainment, whieh adds to the amhianee of the market and showcases the talent of loeal artists. MFA was established in 1986 with a mission "to promote and perpetuate Native Hawaiian values and traditions; to provide educational and employment opportunities while also developing small businesses; to heeome self-sufficient as established by the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920." In pursuit of its mission, the Farmers Market is an eeonomie venture that provides products and services to the larger Puna community and provides employment for Hawaiian youth and young adults. Further, the revenue generated from the Farmers Market helps MFA to support community members by funding educational scholarships, Ananeial literacy classes and job training. To promote and perpetuate Native Hawaiian values and traditions, MFA uses its cultural village site to offer

free cultural classes to the puhlie in the areas of 'ukulele, hula, Hawaiian language and drum carving. In the past, MFA has provided free classes on "imu" prep-

aration, fishnet weaving and coconut-leaf weaving. MFA is also busy with the planning and development of one of its priority projects under the Maku'u Regional Plan: the Maku'u Farmers Association Community Center. The Community Center will be used for educational, social and eeonomie classes, to conduct business, host community events and meetings, and serve as a

gathering plaee for Hawaiian Homestead lessees and other Puna residents. It would include puhlie and private certified kitchens, office facilities, several multipurpose modular facilities, a lawn and an imu pit on a 38-acre parcel of Hawaiian home lands. Revenue fromthe Farmers Market will partially fund the planning, design and construction of this Community Center. I was really impressed with the amount of people who frequented the Maku'u Farmers Market and the eonstant llow of traffic. It shows the hard work and accomplishments of MFA. It is encouraging to see an organization model, teach and invest in the next generation of Hawaiian leaders to operate a viable business in order to provide resources, programs and services to build and strengthen their community. Congratulations to Paula Kekahuna and all the MFA board members, workers and volunteers for your efforts and perseverance. I wish you mueh success, especially as you plan, design and construct the Community Center. If you are in the area, I encourage you to stop by and eheek out the Maku'u Farmers Market and support MFA. For more information about MFA, please visit its web site at www.makuufarmersassociation. org. ■

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Cūlette Y. Machadū Chairpersūn, Trustee Muluka'i and Lāna'i