Mālama Kūkanono

Mālama Kūkanono, named after the ʻili ʻāina where it’s located, means “excessive” or “more than usual,” reflecting the abundance that once thrived here. Through community-led ʻāina restoration & education, the project works to return that abundance to this wahi pana in Kailua, Oʻahu. It restores loʻi kalo, native habitats, & wetlands while protecting endangered species & stabilizing water systems that once fed fertile lands. Community engagement is central—youth, residents, & visitors plant, harvest, & prepare traditional foods through workshops, cooking demos, & events like monthly Second Saturday Workdays & the annual Lā Kūʻokoʻa event. Guided by Kauluakalana’s core principles—Haʻi Moʻolelo (storytelling), Hāna (hands-on restoration), & Hānai (feeding & teaching community)—the project blends ecological stewardship & cultural learning. Mālama Kūkanono strengthens ties to ʻāina, supports healthy ecosystems & food systems, & models regenerative tourism that sustains people & place.