Kapa Making with Ka'iulani de Silva

Mākeke Kapolei, the weekly farmer’s and green market at Kapolei High, will feature kumu kapa Ka‘iulani de Silva on Thursday, July 5 from 4 – 6 p.m. She will demonstrate the Hawaiian traditional art of kapa (bark cloth) making, explaining the plants and tools used, how the fiber is prepared and beaten, and printing with ‘ohe ka pala (bamboo stamps).  Kapa was an integral part of every part of life in ancient Hawai‘i, for birth, marriage, daily apparel, and burial.   and printing with traditional Hawaiian ‘ohe ka pala.  You can even try decorating kapa yourself. This activity is made possible by a grant from the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (funder) and Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement.

Making 'Ohe Hano Ihu with Kawika Au

Mākeke Kapolei presented Kawika Au from Waialua, O‘ahu, who demonstrated the craft of making ‘ohe hano ihu (bamboo nose flute). Kawika is a cultural practitioner and cultural educator. He learned his crafts studying from master Hawaiian carvers and craftsmen, but more importantly by sitting at the feet of his kupuna (elders). Kawika believes that “education is only truly gained when you share what you have learned." Many children from a summer program came to visit Uncle Kawika and make their own nose flute.

CNHA Community Development Specialist, Katie Gallagher and Sayo Costantino, Malama Learning Center Environmental Educator, at Makeke Kapolei. This activity was made possible by a grant from the Hawai`i Tourism Authority (funder) and CNHA (administrator).

Kahili Making and Cultural Stories of Kapolei with Shad Kane

Mākeke Kapolei featured a kahili (Hawaiian feathered standard) making demonstration by Makakilo resident Shad Kane to show market-goers how feather bundles (uo) are made and how they are attached to their hangers (au). He described the painstaking process and how resource gathering of feathers has changed over time. Shad also showed a map of Kapolei with the ancient Hawaiian names and stories associated with those names. These stories are documented in Shad's book, "Cultural Kapolei."

This presentation was supported by a grant from the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority and Council of Native Hawaiian Advancement to build awareness of, and respect and appreciation for, sustainable Hawaiian cultural practices among residents and visitors attending Mākeke Kapolei.

Limu Identification with Uncle Henry Chang Wo and Wally Ito

Mākeke Kapolei has received a grant from the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority and Council of Native Hawaiian Advancement to build awareness of, and respect and appreciation for, sustainable Hawaiian cultural practices among residents and visitors attending Mākeke Kapolei. In support of that goal Uncle Henry Chang Wo and Wally Ito taught shoppers how to identify native Hawaiian limu (seaweed) and invasive algae and discussed traditional (and some not so traditional) uses.  They also explained why we are losing our native limu resources and how we can all help. Wally even made a delicious limu salad (secret family recipe) and offered samples! Several people enjoyed tasting various types of raw limu.

Hawaiian Crafts and Hula Shared with Aloha

Students from Hālau ‘O Kaululauaʻe, led by kumu hula Mikiʻala Kanekoa, who is also a teacher at Kapolei High, spent a few hours teaching children from the community about making traditional kapa designs using modern methods. Children decorated t-shirts using bright colors and vivid designs.

Some children also learned how to make bags out of six-pack plastic bag rings to reinforce the concept of re-using and re-cycling.

At the end of the day, Hālau members danced for the children as a form of sharing what they love with their new friends. Hālau ‘O Kaululauaʻe is a hula school committed to maintain the knowledge and discipline of hula that has been carefully passed down from one hula generation to the next.  

Sun Powers the Market

Mākeke Kapolei is now powered by the sun! Sunetric, the largest and locally owned and operated full-service renewable energy firm in Hawai‘i is bringing its “Watt Wheels” mobile solar power station to the market to power the EBT machines, sound system, and lights.  Marko Joksimovic, an Energy Consultant with Sunectric, has been bringing the vehicle to the market for the past few weeks, much to the satisfaction of our staff and customers. The 12kWh batteries, powered up by the sun’s rays from three 230W PV panels atop the car, can provide enough energy for most of our needs. Sunectric provides this free service to community, charitable and educational groups to bring awareness about renewable energy. If you’d like to learn more about this service, come to our market on Thursday afternoons (3-6:30 pm) or call Sunectric at 262-6600 (ask for Laura Poirier).

Malama Learning Center's booth at Makeke Kapolei features natural and locally made soft drinks (minty lime-ade, hibiscus-infused iced team, Waialua sodas) and locally grown plants. It's a good place to come to quench your thirst and take in the beauty!