Aloha mai kākou,
On Saturday, August 16, I had the privilege of joining the Hawaiian Civic Club of Wahiawā for their monthly Mālama ʻĀina Day at Kūkaniloko, a revered wahi pana in the heart of Central Oʻahu. Every third Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. to noon, volunteers, families, and community members gather to restore, protect, and honor this special place.
Kūkaniloko is one of Hawaiʻi’s most historically and culturally significant landmarks, often called the piko of Oʻahu, the symbolic “navel” or center of the island.
It served as the sacred birthing site for aliʻi nui (high-ranking chiefs) from the 12th to the 17th centuries. It is said that 36 aliʻi attendants surrounded the birthing stones during these ceremonies, witnessing the arrival of future leaders and ensuring the continuity of chiefly lineages. Standing on this ground, you can feel the mana, the deep spiritual energy, that still resonates through the pōhaku and ʻāina.
In 1925, the Daughters of Hawaiʻi recognized the need to protect this wahi pana and became its first modern stewards, preserving the site during a period of rapid change.
In 1960, stewardship was passed to the Hawaiian Civic Club of Wahiawā, which continues to care for Kūkaniloko today under the leadership of ʻAnakala Tom Lenchenko, ʻAnakē Jo-Lin Lenchenko Kalimapau, and Pele- kikena (president) Noelani Devincent.
Before entering Kūkaniloko, volunteers are guided through proper cultural protocols, grounding ourselves in oli, intention, and gratitude. We are then assigned various tasks, such as weeding, pruning, watering, and weed whacking. Participants are encouraged to bring a gallon of water with them to nourish the native plants, a simple act of reciprocity, of giving back to the ʻāina.
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) is deeply connected to Kūkaniloko. In 2012, OHA acquired 511 acres surrounding the 5-acre Kūkaniloko Birthstones site to serve as a protective buffer and prevent incompatible development.
In collaboration with the Hawaiian Civic Club of Wahiawā, OHA continues to work toward preserving this sacred site through land stewardship, conservation planning, and cultural revitalization efforts.
For me, participating in Mālama ʻĀina Day was profoundly grounding and restorative. To stand on this storied ʻāina, care for it, and connect with others in honoring our aliʻi is a privilege and a kuleana.
If you have never visited Kūkaniloko, or if it has been a while, I encourage you to join a future Mālama ʻĀina Day. It’s an incredible way to preserve and protect one of our most sacred sites.
To sign up for upcoming workdays, please visit the Hawaiian Civic Club of Wahiawā’s website: kukaniloko.org.
Me ka haʻahaʻa,
Stacy Kealohalani Ferreira
Ka Pouhana | Chief Executive Officer
