HistoricHawaii

  Sometimes things are just meant to be!  For sometime, HHF has been actively seeking to initiate meaningful opportunities and experiences for young people, especially in the area of internships. Our goal: to educate youth (specifically high school and college level students) about historic preservation practices, introduce them to significant historic sites and share the diversity of potential careers in the field. We received special grant funding and were on track to develop a full summer internship for winter and/or summer of 2021--then the pandemic hit. As we were thinking about how best to move forward, I received a very interesting email from a young woman named Nayun Hong. I am a third-year architecture student at the University of Notre Dame I had the wonderful opportunity to study abroad in Rome, Italy, focusing on the study of classical architecture and history until my program was suspended due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Fortunately, I was able to return home to Honolulu before Italy began their lockdown. From the seven months I spent in Europe, I saw, sketched, and learned about the architecture of different regions and cities. I was captivated by the organic beauty of so many historic buildings and this cultivated my interest in the preservation of historic architecture. After graduation, I would like to become an architect that not only designs new projects, but also works to restore and preserve the elegance of existing structures. The featured projects in my portfolio were hand-drafted with some initial work on Adobe Photoshop, AutoCAD, and Google SketchUp.   "What an amazing coincidence," I thought and was impressed with the examples she shared of her hand-drafted renderings from her studies in Europe. Here are a few of [...]

122 people responded to our Virtual Engagement Survey, thoughtfully sharing their concerns about specific historic and archaeological resources, along with valuable feedback for future programming.  We have set out to incorporate the feedback into some upcoming engagement and look forward to the results. Please click on the image below to see a summary of the responses in slide format. We thank everyone who participated and for your support of our shared purpose. Please enjoy this virtual mini-tour around the Islands of places identified in the survey as favorites or places of concern. By Beth Iwata, Director of Development

Hui No‘eau Visual Arts Center is located on the beautiful estate of Harry and Ethel Baldwin, also known as Kaluanui, along Baldwin Avenue near the town of Makawao.  The main complex rests within a semi-formal landscaped setting extensively planted with indigenous and exotic plants and trees.  The residence, designed by architect C. W. Dickey in 1916, is one of the few early California Mission-style residential buildings remaining in Hawai‘i and is listed on the State Register of Historic Places. Today, the Arts Center serves as an excellent example of how preservation and adaptive reuse can transform an existing property into a beloved community resource.  Historic Hawai‘i Foundation was able to assist with this process, facilitating grant funding in 2015 to complete the renovation of the historic garage into the Print Studio.  In addition to the cleaning, repair and repainting of the structure, the grant enabled the removal of hazardous materials from the Studio and the adoption of proper waste disposal practices. The renovation ushered in a new series of screen printing classes for teens and adults to boost the Print Studio's existing repertoire.  The Studio has served over 800 youth, 100 adult students and 300 community artists since its inception.  Classes range from intaglio, woodcut, collagraphy, monotype printing and more, enhancing the diverse array of art produced by the Maui community. At left, the Print Studio in 2015, before renovation. On right, the renovated Print Studio in 2016. In addition to its wonderful art classes, the Hui actively promotes the value of preservation through guided and self-guided walking tours of its historic campus. "There is so much to be gained by creative use of historic sites without tearing down existing buildings...Housing our art [...]

  Note from Historic Hawai‘i Foundation: Heather Leilani Kekahuna moved to Hawai‘i in 2018 to continue her studies and explore her ancestral roots. She came to volunteer with HHF through Poʻi Nā Nalu, Honolulu Community College's oldest Native Hawaiian-serving program. When we were looking for a student volunteer to serve as a docent at our Dillingham Ranch Historic Open House event in May of 2019, we were hoping to find someone interested to research and share Hawaiian history and mo‘olelo of the site. Heather answered the call.     “Maika‘i ka hana o ka lima, ‘ono no ka a‘i a kawaha!          When the hands do good work, the mouth eats good food!       (ʻŌlelo aʻo mai kupuna Daniel Kaōpūiki Sr.)   My name is Heather Leilani Kekahuna. I was born in Southern California and returned to school in 2016 at the College of the Desert in Palm Desert to pursue my passion for history. After being introduced to anthropology, I changed my major to anthropology with a minor in history. I moved to Hawai‘i in 2018 to further my education in the place where my kūpuna lived. I’ve always felt disconnected from my identity and wanted to learn more about where my kūpuna came from. Attending Honolulu Community College through the Hulilikekukui Native Hawaiian Center I had the opportunity to participate in a summer internship program in Ke’ei and Honaunau on Hawai‘i Island where I completed the WAHI Kūpuna Internship Program in 2018.  In the spring of 2019 I researched the Waialua Ahupua‘a and told mo‘olelo as a volunteer docent at Historic Hawai‘i Foundation’s Dillingham Ranch Historic Home Open House event. After graduating from HCC with an associate’s degree, I transferred to the University of Hawai‘i [...]