Ko Kakou Kohala; Ko Kakou Kuleana
Our Kohala; Our Responsibility
ʻO Wai Ko Kakou - Ko Kakou Hana
Who We Are - What We Do
Kuleana means responsibility. We are lineal descendants of Kohala who uplift our community enabling our families to ʻĀkuleana - delegate power back to community, to the people, returning our kamaʻāīna (children of the land) to the ʻāina of their kūpuna. ʻAuamo Kuleana - work together as families, villages and a community to understand our responsibilities to our places and people of Kohala.
I ka wa ma mua; I ka wa ma hope
In the time before; In the time after
The future is in the past and learning from the past can guide our future
The moʻolelo of Kohala is rich with the history of Hawaiʻi. It starts at the very beginning with voyaging and the Koa Holomoana Heiau at Mahukona. It continues with the birth of Kamehameha Paiea born at Kokoiki to his mother Kekuʻiapoiwa. A prophecy foretold that he would be a great Aliʻi and warrior and the ruling chief of Hawaii island, Alapainui, ordered that he be killed upon birth. Naʻole, a chief of Kohala, took on the responsibility of safely carrying the Kamehameha from Kokoiki to ʻĀwini, past Pololū Valley, where Kahaʻōpūlani waited to receive him. Lineal descendants are deeply rooted in these moʻolelo of Kohala.
Moʻolelo is our kuleana.
He Ali'i Ka 'Aina; He Kauwa ke Kanaka
The Land is Chief; Man is its Servant
This ‘Āina is our school. We grow up listening and learning the mo’olelo of our Akua. These are stories that reconnect us to our purpose. They are stories that are passed down by our kūpuna to remind us to respect and protect our sacred wahi pana. For many of us, we’re grateful to our ancestors for preparing us with understanding and Aloha as we witness the moʻolelo of Pele and Poliahu. Itʻs reminder to restore our genealogical relationship to ʻāina. We have to serve ʻāina and in return ʻāina will care for, feed, and provide for us.
ʻAloha ʻĀina is our kuleana.
ʻAʻohe pau ka ʻike i ka halau hoʻokahi
All knowledge is not taught in the same school
One can learn from many sources
Thereʻs a difference between intelligence and wisdom and in knowledge and knowing. Itʻs a connection that is passed down to each generation through storytelling. ʻĀINA based learning as well as preservation and protection of ʻĀina is important work for kamaʻāina for our keiki, ʻopio and lāhui. Weʻve witnessed many changes in the worldʻs environmental and political climate recently.
ʻIke is our kuleana.
Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻAina i ka Pono
The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness
He Aupuni Palapala Ko‘u
Mine is a Kingdom of Education
"Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻAina i ka Pono" was first spoken by Kamehameha III Kauikeaouli on July 31, when the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Hawaii, was returned by the British. Today, we celebrate this day as Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea. Another famous saying of Kauikeaouli is "He Aupuni Palapala Koʻu (Mine is a Kingdom of education).
Ea is our kuleana.
Cindy Evans is the current Council Member for District 9. Council Member term is 2 years.
other government offices
Mazie Hirono & Brian Schatz
Ed Case & Jill Tokuda
Mitch Roth
Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees
Kohala Kakou
Aʻohe uʻi hele wale o Kohala
No youth of Kohala goes empty-handed
This ʻŌlelo Noʻeau is said in praise of people who do not go anywhere without a gift or a helping hand. The saying originated at Honomakaʻu in Kohala. The young people of that locality, when on a journey, often went as far as Kapua before resting. Here, they made lei to adorn themselves and carry along with them. Another version is that no Kohala person goes unprepared for any emergency.
Kohala is our kuleana.
I ka ‘Olelo no ke ola i ka ‘Olelo no ka make
In language there is life in language there is death
(In 1896 an "English-only" law banned Hawaiian language from being used in public schools. Many kūpuna (elders) have told moʻolelo of being punished. Hawaiian language would not be heard in schools for the next 4 generations. In the 1960ʻs and 1970ʻs a major grassroots movement to support and preserve Hawaiian culture led to the Hawaiian Renaissance and revival of the Hawaiian language.
ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi a me ka hoʻohana ana i ko kākou leo ko kākou kuleana.