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FITTED + PAI‘EA PROJECTS: MĀNOA (KĀNAKA) PACK
By Paiʻea Projects
We do this for the people! The Fitted + Pai‘ea Projects Mānoa (Kānaka) Pack drops on Saturday, March 6 and is the final installment of the two-part collection themed Mānoa Ali‘i, Mānoa Kānaka (Mānoa of the Chiefs, Mānoa of the Commoners).
I ka wā kahiko (ancient times) an imaginary line was drawn from Puʻu o Mānoa (Rocky Hill) above Punahou School to the low, green hill, Puʻu Luahine (in back of the Chinese cemetery), at the head of Mānoa Valley. The chiefs resided on the west side, the commoners on the east.
This limited-edition Fitted + Pai‘ea Project Mānoa Kānaka collection features two 90’s throwback Bows’ basketball jerseys (green and black) and a white New Era 9FIFTY Ripstop Mua Snapback. The #2 on the jersey signifies the division of the valley separating aliʻi and kānaka.
Today, the people of O‘ahu regard Mānoa as a very popular residential neighborhood with many good schools in the district. Model Kahanu Cuban is a teacher at Punana Leo o Mānoa as well as a student of Hawai‘inuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Before Kahanu, U.H. and the many houses in the valley there was hundreds of lo‘i that fed the kānaka of Mānoa. While there are not many lo‘i left there is Ka Papa Lo‘i o Kanewai on Dole Street. It serves as a Hawaiian cultural and education outreach program for the Hawai‘inuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge.
Over three decades ago, several U.H. Mānoa students re-discovered the abandoned ‘auwai at Kanewai. This group became known as Ho‘okahewai Ho‘oulu ‘Aina based on the philosophy “make the water flow, make the land productive" when they restored the flow of water, planted kalo and other native plants in the areas surrounding the lo‘i. The students received guidance from the kupuna such as Uncle Harry Kunihi Mitchell and ‘Anakala Eddie Kaanana. Today, the traditional mahi‘ai practices continue to be perpetuated at Ka Papa Lo‘i o Kanewai.
Let us celebrate the work of the Kānaka in Mānoa so this ‘āina may continue to educate and provide for the future generations.
