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In Hawai‘i, the Japanese o-bon season is widely known for its bon odori (dance festivals) which are held across the Islands, attracting crowds of people throughout the summer. The festival season traditionally kicks off in early June at the Hawai‘i Plantation Village in Waipahu and at least one festival is held every weekend thereafter. The simple joy of gathering with friends to dance, donning a colorful yukata (cotton kimono) or hapi coat, following the rhythmic beat of taiko drums on a hot summer evening is a special memory for many. Although this year live bon dances in Hawai‘i have been cancelled again due to the covid-19 pandemic, many temples are offering virtual celebrations (see notes below). Beyond the merrymaking--what is the meaning of o-bon? Reverend Junshin Miyazaki of Hakalau Jodo Mission offered these reflections to share. O-bon Sermon by Reverend Junshin Miyazaki of Hakalau Jodo Mission Depiction of obon customs, 1867 (courtesy Hakalau Jodo Mission) O-bon is a mixture of many religions and cultures. The customs, the expression of O-bon, vary by region. Generally, the belief is that the spirits of the deceased come back from the other world to this world during O-bon. People welcome the deceased by having a minister officiate at a service at the home altar, making cucumber horses and eggplant cows to ride, making a fire and hanging lanterns outside so the deceased do not get lost, offering good foods, and dancing all night under the full moon. The deceased who passed away after the previous O-bon come back to this world for the first time. They are called Hatsu-bon or the First O-bon and people made much of it. The family hang a white chochin outside the [...]

Educator and advocate Lynette Hi‘ilani Cruz, PhD was born in Hilo and grew up on O‘ahu, eventually settling in Wai‘anae. She holds a PhD in Anthropology. For most of her adult life, Cruz has been a strong and effective advocate for the preservation and maintenance of ancient Hawaiian historic places. During her years as a professor of cultural anthropology at Hawai‘i Pacific University, she has inspired hundreds of students to volunteer and mālama historic sites primarily on the island of O‘ahu. By promoting place-based learning, Cruz encourages students to put into practice what they learn in the classroom. Since her retirement from HPU, she continues these efforts as a professor at Leeward Community College Wai‘anae. She also maintains her advocacy work via Hui Aloha ‘Āina o Ka Lei Maile Ali‘i, an organization which she formed to involve people in cultural service work and learning in honor of Queen Lili‘uokalani. After years of practice, Cruz has established relationships with a considerable number of caretakers and supporters. Under her leadership, volunteers have completed restoration or rehabilitation work at dozens of sites, including: Hālawa Valley, Ho‘oulu ‘Āina (Kalihi), Huilua Fishpond (Kahana), lo‘i kalo in Ka‘ala, Kanehekili Heiau (Haiku), Kanewai loko i‘a (Kuli‘ou‘ou), Mākua Valley, Ulupō Heiau (Kailua), Kaniakapūpū (Nu‘uanu), and many others. “Lynette has been a tireless voice of na kūpuna kahiko (the ancestors), teaching others about the value of these wahi pana and wahi kapu (famous and sacred places) as well as introducing and connecting them to modern historical events,” says fellow advocate Mahealani Cypher. “Her strong heart and love for history has nurtured and inspired many to follow in her footsteps to support and preserve the history of our ancestors.” This 1897 article by Miriam [...]

By Donne Dawson, HHF Trustee At this year’s Preservation Honor Awards, Historic Hawai‘i Foundation honored a protection measures project installed at the beloved and very fragile Kaniakapūpū, the 176-year-old summer home in Nu‘uanu Valley of King Kamehameha III, Kauikeaouli, and his queen, Kalama. Kauikeaouli was the second son of Kamehameha the Great and the longest reigning monarch in the Hawaiian Kingdom. His majestic 12-foot tall statue stands today in Thomas Square in Honolulu in honor of Lā Ho‘i Ho‘i Ea, one of the first national holidays of the Hawaiian Kingdom when Admiral Richard Thomas was sent by England’s Queen Victoria to restore the Hawaiian Kingdom after rogue agents of the British Crown temporarily seized control of the Hawaiian government.  Kauikeaouli proclaimed these now famous words, Ua mau ke Ea o ka ‘āina i ka pono, “the sovereignty of the Hawaiian Nation is restored by righteousness,” as the Hae Hawai‘i, the Hawaiian flag, was raised again supplanting the Union Jack.  A lū’au is said to have happened at Kaniakapūpū where 10,000 people marched up Nu‘uanu Valley to the King’s summer estate to celebrate the return of the Hawaiian Kingdom.  Since Kaniakapūpū was built prior to the lush Nu‘uanu forest we know today, it’s likely that the giant Hae Hawai‘i--atop what was probably a 100-foot flagpole--was the most prominent feature of the 18-acre site, visible from Honolulu Harbor a mere 4 ½ miles away. The Preservation Award was given to Kaniakapūpū in recognition of recent mitigating efforts by the State Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife; Honua Consulting, LLC; Omizu Architecture and  ‘Ahahui Mālama o Kaniakapūpū—kahu ‘āina of the area led by Dr. Baron Ching, Kapukini Kalahiki, Dr. Lynette Cruz and others [...]

Established in 1896, Palama Settlement is a non-profit, community-based social service agency serving the Kalihi and Pālama neighborhoods of O‘ahu. Founded by James and Ragna Rath, pioneers of social work in the Islands, the settlement was founded on the premise that social workers could better serve their constituents if they lived among them. Journalist Paula Rath describes the traumatic circumstances her grandparents faced when they first arrived from Massachusets with the mission of transforming Palama chapel into a settlement. "Pālama had been a quiet cluster of taro farms and cottages with vegetable gardens and little rice paddies until it experienced a sudden and radical change on Jan. 20, 1900. Five cases of bubonic plague had been reported in Chinatown, then a crowded, rat-infested business and residential area just east of Nu'uanu stream. The city tried to eradicate the disease by setting fire to the homes of plague victims. The fires got out of control, however, and burned down the entire, densely populated neighborhood. The Chinatown fire altered the urban landscape and left thousands of residents and their families homeless. The city answered the need for homes by placing people in hastily-built tenements across the stream — in Pālama. The landscape and lifestyles changed radically as people were crowded into a few ramshackle rooms. There was inadequate water and sewers, and no open space for children to play. In a report to the community, Grandfather wrote, "Pālama is sadly in need of cleaning. I have seen most of the cities of the United States, but I have seen nothing as bad as this anywhere." It was a neighborhood in need: in need of healthcare, nutritious food, affordable housing, recreation, English classes and jobs. Warren Nishimoto, director [...]

Historic Hawai‘i Foundation is pleased to recognize the thirteen kama‘āina companies, organizations and landmarks that have reached the 100-year mark in 2021. We applaud their lasting success and  contributions to the cultural heritage of the Hawaiian Islands over the past centennial. Ala Wai Canal, Honolulu, O‘ahu: The Ala Wai Canal is an human-made waterway in Honolulu which serves as the northern boundary of Waikīkī. Construction to drain the rice paddies and swamps in the area--a key step in the development of Waikīkī as Honolulu’s premier tourist area-- was completed during 1921-28. The Canal also serves as a primary drainage corridor for the rivers and streams that run through central and east Honolulu, and empty into the ocean at Ala Wai Boat Harbor. The Canal is listed on the Hawai‘i Register of Historic Places. (Photo by Tor Johnson; courtesy Hawaii Tourism Authority)   Anahulu Stream Bridge, Hale‘iwa, O‘ahu: The Anahulu Stream Bridge, a reinforced concrete bridge designed by engineer Fred Ohrt and architect Guy Rothwell, was built in 1921 to carry Kamehameha Highway over Anahulu Stream, replacing an earlier wooden bridge on the site. It is the most widely photographed landmark in Hale‘iwa and serves as the gateway to the historic town. The bridge’s double rainbow arch is a rare remaining example of a once-common bridge type, one of only two of this style left in Hawai‘i.   Diamond Bakery Diamond Bakery, Honolulu, O‘ahu: What started off as a dream between friends has grown to become Diamond Bakery, a household name in Hawai‘i. The company was founded in 1921 by three Japanese immigrants, Hidegoro Murai, Kikutaro Hiruya and Natsu Muramoto, who all enjoyed baking and shared a vision to create the perfect Hawaiian-made cracker. [...]

The Mother Waldron Playground Cultural Landscape Report (CLR) is a historic preservation treatment document and long-term management tool for the historically significant playground. It is one of three CLRs required by the Rail Transit’s Historic Preservation Programmatic Agreement mandated by the 1966 National Historic Preservation Act. The report was prepared by HHF Planners for the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) and Jacobs (formerly CH2M) in association with the Honolulu Rail Transit Project (HRTP). The Mother Waldron Playground CLR was recognized with a Preservation Programmatic Award as a successful documentation of the history and significance of the Mother Waldron Playground's designed landscape and as an excellent evaluation of the site's integrity, followed with long-term landscape treatment recommendations. The report establishes preservation goals for the playground's cultural landscape that can serve as the basis for making sound decisions about the management, preservation treatment, and use of the site following The Secretary of Interior’s Standards for The Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes (1996) and other relevant provisions. The report includes informative chapters on the historic context of the site and with the permission of HHF Planners we are delighted to share excerpts here. (Please note, the chapters are not published here in full; resource citation has been omitted.) Excerpts from Chapter 2.0 Site History from Mother Waldron Playground Cultural Landscape Report The physical history for this Cultural Landscape Report (CLR) is divided into three periods. These periods are defined based on changes that occurred within the Mother Waldron Playground CLR study area and its immediate surroundings, as well as larger historical trends and events that influenced the shape and form of the cultural landscape. The periods are broadly defined as [...]