The malama is Nana. The anahulu is Hoʻonui. It is Hoʻoilo, wet season.

This newsletter follows the Prince Kūhiō Hawaiian Civic Club’s kaulana mahina, inspired and created through the research of the late Aunty Bobbee Mills-Diaz; and edited, updated, and enhanced by Kalei Nuʻuhiwa. We kilo in Hilo and Hāmākua.

Happy Equinox

Following is an excerpt from Kūkulu ke ea a Kanaloa: The Culture Plan For Kanaloa Kahoʻolawe by Dr. Pualani Kanakaʻole Kanahele and The Edith Kanakaʻole Foundation with co-authors Ms. Huihui Kanahele-Mossman, Ms. Ann Kalei Nuʻuhiwa, and Mr. Kaumakaiwapoʻohalahiʻipaka Kealiʻikanakaʻole

Piko o ka Honua - Vernal Equinox

The Spring Equinox begins on the equator indicating that the sun will rise exactly at due east and will set at due west on March 21st. Some years however, the vernal equinox will fluctuate between March 20th - 22nd. This is the one day of the two days of the year that everything is in balance which means that there are the exact amount of time during the day and the night. From the Piko o ka Honua, or the equator, the sun appears to move north along the horizon because the earth then tilts towards the sun. The days lengthen and the nights shorten on the surface of the earth as the northern hemisphere is exposed to more sunlight. This marks the transitional period into the Kū period of time. The supposition is that Kū season formally begins at the rising of Mānaiakalani six and a half weeks after the vernal equinox. it takes the sun three months to move from Ka Piko o ka Honua to Ao Polohiwa a Kāne, Summer Solstice.

Are you an agricultural producer whose operation was impacted by the recent storms?

Agriculture Stewardship Hawaiʻi has an online rapid assessment tool to report disaster impacts, view data, and find recovery programs for Hawaiʻi’s agricultural producers.

Farmstand: Local Produce

Stay up to date with additions or if we’ve run out of stock by checking back in with this issue on our newsletter’s webpage - updated daily 

Baked Goods

Banana Bread Minis available Kūlua Sat 3/21 & Kūkolu Sun 3/22

Fresh Rosemary Bread available on Fridays - 1st come 1st serve or pre-order

Song of the Anahulu

Trials by Māwae and Pili Boyo

Selections by Māwae - vinyl DJ available for events. Contact @braddahmawae on Instagram or [email protected] for inquiries.

Hub Happenings

Onomea Farm Hub, Project Kanu, and The Lei Bar present: Mālama ʻĀina & Farm-to-Lei Monthly Community Day at OFH Farm in Pāpaʻikou. Get grounded with ʻĀina and each other. Featuring meakanu of the month.

This is a 6 month installation to:
-mālama ʻāina & cultivate food
-provide education on lei & fiber crafting
-foster connection to canoe crops & native plants
-build community, share space with each other
-keiki fun
-get involved in developing our shared Hub spaces/facilities

Register here for this final gathering ʻāina workday & lei workshop series at the Onomea Farm Hub and learn more at theleibar.com/F2L 

Lā Honua Earth Day Fest returns on April 26th, and Onomea Hub is teaming up with the Keaukaha Canoe Club to bring you the Onomea Scenic Route Fun Run again! A day rooted in mālama ʻāina, community, and movement — don’t miss it. Details coming soon! @projectkanu @onomeahub @keaukahacc53

Community Happenings

Applications Open

• The Kohala Center has 2 open positions: Mahiʻāina Specialist, & Donor and Volunteer Engagement Specialist. Find more info and apply at https://kohalacenter.org

• huiMAU is hiring an ʻĀina Education Program Assistant. Join Hui Mālama i ke Ala ʻŪlili in working to re-establish the systems that sustain communities. Apply here or email [email protected].

• Āhualoa Family Farms is hiring in Honokaʻa. Apply at [email protected]

• huiMAU Keiki Papa Summer Program applications open now - April 16th. June 15th - Fri June, Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm. Ages 6-13. Find more info & apply here

• Kāhea for the Ea Hou Short Film Fest submissions open Feb. 11th - April 20th. Calling all filmmakers to share their stories of Ea and Sovereignty. Submissions accepted here

Events, Workshops, ʻĀina Workdays

• Ola Ke Kanaka Health Series: Lāʻau Lapaʻau - Pana’ewa Homestead - on Saturdays 9-11am, March 21st & April 25th at Pana’ewa Hub (behind Home Depot). Homestead residents are priority. Please help spread the word! Heal your ʻohana with lāʻau that grow all around us. Make long lasting medicines to add to your first aid kit and medicine cabinet. ʻOhana and keiki welcome! Learn about Ola Ke Kanaka and register for free here

• Kū Mai Ka Mala 2026: 11th Annual Ceremonial Community Planting on Sun March 22, 10am-2pm at Honokaʻa Farmer’s Market / Hāmākua Harvest. Aha, ’awa, blessing, hula, planting, food, speakers, market, music, & more!

• Pepeʻekeo Mill Farmer’s Market on Sat. March 21st & Sat. April 4th, 10am-4pm. Join us for a delightful experience filled with fresh, locally-grown produce, artisanal goods, and a wonderful community atmosphere. Interested vendors? Email [email protected]. HWY 19 & Sugar Mill Rd, Pepeʻekeo, HI 96783. Find more info on their Instagram 

• Summer View Farms Pop-Up on Tues. March 24th, 11am-2pm at The Locavore Store. A farm to skin experience with grass-fed tallow skincare. Find more info here

• Ola Ke Kanaka Health Series: Lāʻau Lapaʻau - Noni & ʻAhuʻawa - Keaukaha Homestead on Sat March 28th, 9:30-11am, at Lā Kūhiō Festival at Kulapae Hawaiian Village. Come celebrate the life and legacy of Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaole with your ohana! Make an oil infusion, ʻukus be gone. Make your own hair oil to kill ʻukus naturally. Learn about Ola Ke Kanaka and register for free here

• Legislation In Action: HFU Advocacy Webinar on Thursdays, every 3 weeks Jan-May. April 2nd, 5-6pm via Zoom. Hawaiʻi Farmers Union and their advocacy director, Hunter Heaivilin; will cover what’s moving at the Capitol, walk through HFU’s priority bills, and answer your questions. Whether you’re a seasoned member or simply interested in agriculture policy, all are welcome. Register to attend one or all of the upcoming sessions and view 2026 policy priorities

• Pau Hana Paʻauilo 1st Fridays on April 3rd, 5-8pm at the huiMAU Hub. ʻOno grindz made from their ʻāina by the huiMAU hub and fresh mixed ʻawa and waibez from Kanaka Kava. Live music 6-8pm with Stephen & Pohai Henderson. Hele mai! This is a drug and alcohol free event - entertainment is free to the public. Mahalo and see you there! https://www.instagram.com/huimau_hub/

• Lift Up Farmers: A day of connection, learning & community on Sat April 4th, 10am-3pm at Touching The Earth Farm in Hāwī. In partnership with HIP Agriculture this event will feature soil health education, coconut processing & value-added pathways, CRB awareness & prevention, and panels, demos, and talk story with farmers & food entrepreneurs. Register for free here

• Nā Leo Kaulana on April 4th, 7pm at The Palace Theater. Live benefit concert presented by Hālau Kaleo a Keahilapalapa, featuring talented Hawaiian artists Kekuhi Kealiʻikanakaʻole, Kuana Torres Kahele, and Kaumakaiwa Kanakaʻole. A night of hula and music by a Hilo based Hālau and artist is the perfect way to begin this year’s Merrie Monarch season. Get tickets here

• Hōʻikeʻike Mele Manaka April 7th-10th, 10am-6pm at Ka Waihona inside Island Nation. Free community event to celebrate the 63rd annual Merrie Monarch Festival. Community outreach, keiki activities, cultural demonstrations, workshops. Find flyers, schedules, and workshop registration at https://www.kawaihona.com

• Beginner Farmer Training Program AgCurious Info Session on Tues April 7th at 5:30-7pm via Zoom. Learn more about GoFarm Hawaiʻi’s sustainable agriculture training program and hear from graduates. https://gofarmhawaii.org

• Introductory Hawaiian Language Workshop on Sat, April 8th, 10am-12pm at SPC Hilo Hotel. E ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Kākou invites you to join for free, beginner-friendly ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi workshops rooted in place, culture, and connection. Workshops led by the EA Foundation. Find more info and register here

• Hale o Lono Workday every 2nd Saturday of the month. April 11th, 9am-11:30am. Join in connecting with ʻāina through traditional Hawaiian fishpond management in Keaukaha. More info at instagram.com/hale_o_lono and edithkanakaolefoundation.org/sites Potluck encouraged. Recommended to bring tabis, gloves, sunscreen, and water.

Local Food Resources

• Onomea Country Market is a distribution location for Hawaiʻi Farm-To-Car by Hoʻōla Farms; an online farmers market for local produce, meat, eggs, cheese, baked goods, value-added products, and more. SNAP/EBT accepted. Shop online Friday-Monday and pickup on Wednesdays from 3pm-5pm at the Pepeʻekeo location. https://hoolafarms.org/hawaii-farm-to-car/

• Food Distribution Community Kitchen every 3rd Friday at the huiMAU hub in Paʻauilo. Fri April 17th, 10am-pau. Pūʻolo meaʻai (food bundles) for kūpuna and ʻohana. Includes 1 pound of fresh Waipiʻo poi, a variety of locally grown veggies, and every so often a ready-to-eat meal/protein. To join the food program, all you need to do is answer a few registration questions as a walk-in. https://www.alaulili.com/community-kitchen.html

Follow this link to make submissions for Community Happenings.