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As part of efforts to instill civic responsibility and community pride,
UH Manoa GEAR UP students
have participated in clean up and renovation efforts at
Lo‘i Kalo park in Kalihi.
According to the park caretaker, not much is known about the pre-contact
history of Lo'i Kalo Park in Kalihi. "Lo'i Kalo" means "taro
patch". Lo'i Kalo Park is the last functioning taro pond in Kalihi.
The prominent features of the park left from the pre-contact period are
the fresh water spring, located in the center of the park, and the large
stones along the perimeter. The fresh water spring is fed from two water
sources. One is located at Kunawai (near Liliha) and the other is located
near the bottom of Kapalama Heights.
In ancient times, Hawaiians built their lo'i terraces around a fresh water
source. The wetland variety of taro needs lots of water.
Additionally, the water needs to be continuously flowing so as to maintain
a certain coolness and clarity for the taro to grow properly.
Aside from the spring, there is the question of the large stones around
the park. Edgar invited a few cultural consultants to examine and assess
the significance of the stones. They are arranged in a semi-circle with
the largest stone situated in the center of the formation.
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According to the consultants, they believe that the Lo'i Kalo Park area
was used for one of two purposes: a place of healing or a gathering places
for the chiefs of the area. As a place of healing, Lo'i Kalo may have
been used not only to heal the ailments and maladies of Native Hawaiians,
it also may have been a training area for Kahuna La'au Lapa'au, or traditional
healers, and their students. As a gathering place, Lo'i Kalo provided
the chiefs with a comfortable place to meet, especially being near a fresh
water spring.
Over the past twenty years, control of the park fell into many different
hands. Currently, the park falls under the auspices of the City &
County of Honolulu, under the Parks and Recreation division. Prior to
the City & County, Lo'i Kalo Park was part of Foster Botanical Gardens.
It was supposed to be used as an ethnobotanical garden featuring native
and indigenous species. But the park fell into disrepair, though, and
the City asked Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center (QLCC) to help decide
Lo'i Kalo Park's fate. After holding community meetings, QLCC along with
the neighborhood of Kalihi, decided to clean the park as part of community
building.
Presently, Lo'i Kalo Park is cared for by Na Hoaaloha o ka Lo'i Kalo (Friends
of the taro patch), a community organization in Kalihi. Lo'i Kalo Park
serves as a community learning center for students, student groups, and
community organizations throughout Honolulu.
Through grants and other non-profit ventures, the organization plans to
expand the educational and cultural offerings of Lo'i Kalo Park. hey would
like to continue to expand Lo'i Kalo's botanical collection by increasing
the number and variety of native plants. Relatedly, the organization plans
to rebuild parts of the park, like the stone terraces around the spring
and even to clean out the spring itself. They also plan to establish a
more formal learning center working in conjunction with local schools
and programs. |
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