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Revitalization of Nāpoʻopoʻo, an ancient village site built by our kūpuna.

Mālama Nāpoʻopoʻo Program

Continuing efforts since 2001 to restore, cultivate, and protect the Nāpoʻopoʻo area of Waipiʻo Valley through educational and community group hostings.

PROGRAM SUMMARY

Mālama Nāpoʻopoʻo means to care for and shine light on the historical & cultural significane of Nāpoʻopoʻo, an ʻili (small land section) that was once the largest village site in Waipiʻo Valley with unique geography & rich moʻolelo.

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With the ʻāina of Nāpoʻopoʻo in Waipiʻo Valley as a our foundation, groups can come learn the historical and cultural significance of Nāpoʻopoʻo and the valley as a whole while helping to mālama ʻāina with the various indigenous and native plants on site.

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Mālama Napoʻopoʻo is the perpetuation and elevation of the continued Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) stewardship of an important wahi pana (special place) in historic Waipi’o Valley. Napo’opo’o is the largest ancient village site in Waipi’o Valley with over 400 terraced rock walls built by our ancestors that date back to 800-1200 A.D. and is the first stewarded land section that the waters from Hi’ilawe and its partner waterfalls flow through.

PROGRAM GOALS 

1) Elevate the Nāpo’opo’o Kīpuka to create a thriving & easily recognizable indigenous Hawaiian stewardship through propagation & protection of Hawaiian plants and traditional water resource management, with community and visitor participation; and 2) Create a public education campaign regarding the cultural and natural resource significance of the Nāpo’opo’o area and how the island community and visitors alike can responsibly participate to mālama, taking care of the land together.

 

Mālama Nāpo’opo’o aims to elevate the area into a thriving kipuka with strong kanaka maoli stewardship presence of managed cultivation for unaware hikers & protection from wild horses, as well as an education campaign on site and beyond to spread awareness of the natural and cultural resource significance of the area. Unaware hikers trespassing on private property, over burial & historical sites, and through waterways that feed our and other farmers’ lo’i kalo need to be educated of the area. Wild horses trample through cultivated crops and limit types of plants because of their grazing preferences need to be kept out. The general public, residents and visitors alike, need to be educated of the need to protect these natural and cultural resources. With these actions, Nāpo’opo’o will be able to thrive with native & indigenous plants that will symbolize active stewardship with more aware residents and visitors helping to malama ‘aina together.

Ancient terraces of the village site Nāpoʻopoʻo

The Historic Ti House in the Upper Area of Nāpoʻopoʻo

PROGRAM SITE 

The program utilizes multiple parcels in the Nāpo’opo’o area of Waipi’o Valley. The lower lands includes lo’i kalo (wetland taro patches), māla (dryland patches, the Hi’ilawe po’owai (diversion dam/waterhead) that feeds the auwai (irrigation channels) and mala (dryland gardens) of limited la’au (plants) due to the invasion of wild horses. The upper lands includes hillside forests of native and invasive trees and the famous Ti House structure. These parcels have incrementally been being restorated and cultivated through past organizational programs such as: 1) Ka Wai I Ho’oulu ‘Ai, Ho’omālamalama I Ka Malama Program - the empowering of kane (male) and wahine (female) youth through cultural and land based education activities, primarily in the Nāpoʻopoʻo area; and 2) Kāhuli Program - the restoration of lo’i kalo and utilization of felled trees to offer poi board & stone making workshops with community, schools, and other volunteers. 

ABOUT THE TI HOUSE

The Ti House lease has been held by since 2007, and clearing work on the property began in 2013. The Ti House was built in the 1970's by a developer named John Butcher with ideas of a high end restaurant and bar , but after opposition from the community & the ʻāina, and eventual denial of a permit by the liquor commission, he abandoned the project and donated it to Bishop Museum for educational purposes. Pōhāhā I Ka Lani's honors that intent with our continued and ongoing stewardship and education programs at the Ti House. The long term vision of the structure itself is to be determined due it's deteriorating condition and the short term nature of the Bishop Museum lease.

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