HER Celebrates the Restoration of Waiakahiʻula and Invites the Community to Kīpaepae

For several years, members of Hawaiʻi Environmental Restoration (HER) have had the privilege of witnessing—and at times participating in—the ecological restoration and cultural reclamation of Waiakahiʻula Beach Park under the leadership of Kawaiʻula. From planting native species alongside dedicated volunteers to seeing this special place come alive through ceremony, education, and community stewardship, it has been inspiring to watch the vision for Waiakahiʻula continue to flourish.

This past Sunday, another milestone was celebrated during Kawaiʻula’s Lā Kanu, where community members gathered to mālama ʻāina through the planting of native vegetation. Mahalo to Kawaiʻula for sharing yesterday’s group photo with HER and inviting us to help spread the word about the next gathering in this continuing journey.

The celebration continues on Wednesday, July 1, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., with Kīpaepae no Waiakahiʻula, Kawaiʻula’s third annual ceremonial event at Waiakahiʻula Beach Park in Puna. The gathering will feature the haumāna of Pāhoa High School, Keonepoko Elementary, and many other community members. The morning will begin with a traditional kīpaepae ceremony, followed by educational workshops focused on ʻike Hawaiʻi. Food will be provided, and everyone is warmly welcome.

At HER, we believe that restoring Hawaiʻi’s native ecosystems goes hand in hand with restoring our connections to place. Kawaiʻula’s work at Waiakahiʻula beautifully demonstrates how ecological restoration, cultural knowledge, and community stewardship strengthen one another, creating a legacy that will benefit generations to come.

We encourage everyone who is able to join this meaningful celebration of place, culture, and aloha ʻāina. If you plan to attend, please register in advance and come be part of this inspiring day of learning, ceremony, and mālama ʻāina: https://forms.gle/46GaEWG4rUEJA6fk7

Mahalo nui loa to Kawaiʻula for allowing HER to share in this journey and for their continued partnership in caring for Hawaiʻi’s precious places.