Papahana Lawaiʻa

This intergenerational community event centers on traditional Hawaiian lawaiʻa as a living, practical system that supports food security, cultural continuity, and community resilience.

Through hands-on stations focused on:

• Fish identification
• Traditional plant knowledge used in fishing
• Shoreline demonstrations using traditional bamboo fishing poles

Participants will learn how Hawaiian communities historically—and sustainably—used natural resources to feed their ʻohana. At a time when many ʻohana are increasingly disconnected from subsistence knowledge and local food systems, this event provides applied cultural learning that strengthens both practical skill and ʻike Hawaiʻi.

Participating ʻohana will receive a traditional bamboo fishing pole and a simple starter kit, enabling them to practice shoreline lawaiʻa beyond the event and continue building skill within their own ʻohana. The gathering reinforces lawaiʻa as an essential community practice rooted in kuleana, sustainability, and collective responsibility within the Kaiāulu.