In the heart of Kaua‘i’s sun-drenched south shore, a powerful transformation is unfolding—one that reconnects modern Hawai‘i with the sophisticated, sustainable lifeways of its ancestors. Hui Mālama O Kāneiolouma, a grassroots cultural stewardship organization, has launched an ambitious restoration of Kāneiolouma Heiau and its surrounding ancient village, using time-honored traditions to breathe life back into a sacred wahi pana (storied place).
This milestone initiative focuses on two cornerstone efforts: rebuilding the interior heiau walls using the ancestral stone-stacking technique known as Uhau Humu Pōhaku, and simultaneously clearing decades of invasive species and debris from a centuries-old fishpond system that exemplifies sophisticated pre-European contact aquaculture systems.
“I ka wā ma mua, ka wā ma hope. (The future is in the past.)” says Rupet Rowe, Po‘o and Executive Director of Hui Mālama O Kāneiolouma.
Under the skilled guidance of master mason Peleke Flores, 20 new apprentices are learning to craft dry-stack stone walls without modern cement or machinery. Trained under the eminent Kumu Palani Sinenci, Flores ensures each stone placed follows traditional protocols, honoring both practice and place.
Just steps away, a parallel effort is underway to clear decades of overgrowth and invasive species from the site’s historic fishponds—restoring a once-thriving aquaculture network nourished by the sacred spring of Waiohai. These ponds, dormant for generations, once channeled freshwater through taro lo‘i before feeding into the fishponds, forming a resilient food system rooted in reciprocity and deep ecological knowledge.
Backed by $425,000 in state and private grants—including $400,000 from the State of Hawai‘i and $25,000 from Historic Hawai‘i Foundation—this work marks Phase III of a long-term vision to fully restore the 600-year-old Kāneiolouma village. Located near Po‘ipū Beach in one of the most visited regions of the island, the site invites visitors to witness living culture in action.
Kāneiolouma is an immersive cultural landscape. The restored village will showcase traditional hale (structures), functioning taro fields connected to the restored fishponds, ancient irrigation channels, and the only intact makahiki sporting arena in the Hawaiian Islands.
“A lot of people would look at this and see just rocks. They don’t know that there were taro patches here, and fish ponds, and a whole Makahiki arena. Hopefully we can bring back some of those traditions and be able to teach this to the next generation,” said Peleke Flores, Alaka’i, Uhau Humu Pōhaku.
As the restoration gains momentum, Hui Mālama O Kāneiolouma is launching a two-year campaign to raise $5 to $7 million to complete the site’s full restoration. The vision culminates in fall 2027 with a statewide Makahiki festival—an event that hasn’t been celebrated authentically at this scale in generations.
By returning Kāneiolouma to its former vitality, this work ensures that the lessons and legacies of ancient Hawaiians remain not only visible but alive—for future generations to learn from, steward, and celebrate.
For more information or to support the restoration effort, visit: www.kaneiolouma.org
Media Contact: Moani Tolentino, Hui Mālama O Kāneiolouma, 1 (808) 635-5949, media@kaneiolouma.org, kaneiolouma.org
About Hui Mālama O Kāneiolouma Hui Mālama O Kāneiolouma is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established to protect, restore, and perpetuate the Kāneiolouma Heiau Complex as a living cultural preserve. Under a stewardship agreement with the County of Kauaʻi through 2037, the Hui leads all restoration efforts with guidance from cultural experts, practitioners, and community volunteers.
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