Grassroots Organizing: Maunawila Heiau

The Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi has entered into a new partnership with the Hawaiian Island Land Trust and the Koʻolau loa Hawaiian Civic Club to help with the restoration efforts at Maunawila Heiau. Located in the ahupuaʻa of Hauʻula, Maunawila Heiau is one of the last intact heiau in the moku of Koʻolau loa.  In 2014, Hawaiian Island Land Trust purchased the nine acre parcel where the heiau is located and began the tremendous task of clearing the land from an overgrowth of hau and non-native plants.  Students from Brigham Young University-Hawaiʻi  were a tremendous help in clearing the land and completing various projects with their professors Rebekah Matagi-Walker and Tevita Kaili.In late 2015, Hawaiian Island Land Trust’s Oʻahu coordinator, Christina Aiu and Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi’s Conservation Program Coordinator, Joshua Noga began discussing plans for a collaborative effort focused on trail restoration and community organizing at Maunawila Heiau.  After several planning meetings, site tours, and feedback from the community, a partnership formed between Hawaiian Island Land Trust, the Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi and Koʻolau loa Hawaiian Civic Club, the local civic club.  In March 2016, the Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi began to help partners in organizing work days and officially kicked off the partnership in June with “Mālama Maunawila Heiau,” a program for 125 keiki as part of Hauʻula Summer Fun.  Over five weeks, the keiki learned about the history of the area, its significance as a community healing heiau, and participated in several mālama ʻāina such as clearing the mauka trail behind the heiau and cleaning the area near the heiau known as the “ti-leaf garden.” The project ended with a community pāʻina for the keiki and their ʻohana, with over 100 community members.  The pāʻina included kuʻi kalo and ulu demonstrations by Lāʻie kalo farmer Lono Logan with music and lunch provided by the Koʻolau loa Hawaiian Civic Club.  Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi also brought a papa kuʻi ʻai and pohaku kuʻi ʻai for the keiki to make paiʻai to take home for their ohana.  It was a very special day for all in attendance, especially for some of the kupuna from Koʻolau loa who didn’t know about the heiau growing up but were able to learn about the projects the keiki recently completed.  The “Malama Maunawila Heiau” program is set again for Summer 2017.  Christina Aiu stated, “Hawaiian Islands Land Trust is so thankful for the work of Josh Noga and Sierra Club Hawaiʻi Chapter in helping us reconnect the community of Hauʻula with Maunawila Heiau, a sacred place of healing.  We look forward to ongoing opportunities to partner with the Sierra Club to engage Hawaiʻi residents in mālama ʻāina.”Also at the heiau on September 6th, Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi and partners hosted a group of religious leaders who were on island for the World Conservation Congress.  The group included leaders from Kenya, Mongolia, Peru, Brazil, Papa New Guinea, England, USA, Canada, Borneo, and Korea who helped to clear weeds after taking a tour of the heiau.  At the end of September, a group of IUCN Earthworks Young Professionals visited Maunawila Heiau and cleared an area where native healing plants, including noni, lāʻī, and awa will be planted.  To learn more about upcoming workdays and projects at Maunawila Heiau please email Joshua at joshua.noga@sierraclub.org