Tales of Kalo and Bamboo from Kipahulu

by Roger Sussman

Haleakala Times
March 16 - March 29, 2005

It had been quite a while since I had visited gorgeous, nourishing, renewing Kipahulu, or the wondrously beautiful Hana side of Maui in general.

I love it out there, but I just don't like to drive anymore. I had a couple of reasons for going there recently, though, and it was worth taking on the role of motor vehicle machine operator for the time it took to get there and back.

Kipahulu 'Ohana is a group of local Kipahulu folks who have a cooperative arrangement with the National Park Service to maintain and insure the survival of the traditional Hawaiian cultural practices and way of life that have existed in the area for millennia.

Haleakala National Park includes significant portions of the Kipahulu district. Within that district, Kipahulu 'Ohana, under the guidance of John and Tweetie Lind, two native Hawaiian people with deep roots in the area, has rehabilitated traditional lo'i - irrigated taro (kalo) patches - at Kapahu Living Farm with water from nearby 'Ohe'o Stream.

There they have hosted numerous groups of grade school children, high school students, college students and others who have helped with the practical, hands-on work of the farm while being taught and absorbing principles of the traditional Hawaiian way of life.

Through the efforts of the Linds and others involved in the work of the organization, Kipahulu 'Ohana is opening their Hale Ku'ai, adjacent to the National Park's Kipahulu Visitors' Center.

Guided by master hale builder Francis Sinenci, the building of this traditional Hawaiian structure has been a long time in coming.

It will host indigenous craftspeople on the premises, demonstrating their handiwork and providing some of their products for sale. As a result, native knowledge pertinent to the surroundings can be shared, and jobs can be generated for members of the Hana community.

A blessing for the Hale Ku'ai Cultural Demonstration Center was to be held on Sunday, March 13, but has been postponed for a week or two due to inclement weather. The center will be up and running and open to the public on a gradual basis.

There also are interpretive farm tours available on the first Tuesday of each month, by appointment. (Attending one of those tours on March 1 was the initial inspiration for my trip.)

Call Kipahulu 'Ohana at 248-8673 or 248-8974 to inquire about their next scheduled tour.

While I was out in Kipahulu, I thought that I would also visit Whispering Winds Bamboo Farm, part of the Ola Honua parcel which recently was designated as a conservation easement to the Maui Coastal Land Trust. This land preservation agreement with the owner, the Margaret Winkler Hecht Trust, assures that the land will be maintained permanently as an organic agricultural operation, even if the family trust changes or the land is sold.

I had heard of Whispering Winds via a couple of articles published recently in this newspaper, and was intrigued to see what's going on out there.

There are currently 41 varieties of non-invasive, clumping tropical bamboos being cultivated at Whispering Winds. They have selected 15 varieties to propagate at-large for their nursery sales.

As regular readers of Haleakala Times have learned over the past few months, there is an emerging local interest in utilization of structural-grade bamboo as an alternative to conventional timber products. Whispering Winds intends to grow those types of bamboo which can be used for strong and durable - as well as beautiful - building materials, and to offer seedlings to those who want to grow their own. Their motto is, "Creating A Culture Of Bamboo."

In addition to those twenty acres dedicated to growing bamboo, significant portions of Ola Honua are being planted in tropical hardwood trees such as teak, mahogany, rosewood, and numerous other furniture-grade rain forest timbers. All these will be grown organically, which apparently is unheard of for a plantation setting.

Ola Honua's small group of dedicated foresters are setting out to prove to the world of forestry that it can, indeed, be done in full accordance with organic principles and practices.

Now that Bamboo Technologies of Makawao has received building code approval for its Maui-designed, prefabricated and imported bamboo structures, residents of Maui can live and work comfortably in graceful bamboo homes and offices that are fully code- compliant. As the future unfolds, and projects such as the ones at Ola Honua are developed, we can expect to make use of our own island-grown bamboo and tropical hardwoods. The industries which spring up around their production will add jobs to the local economy.

We have great soil here, and a variety of ideal year-round growing climates. It is sensible for us to make use of the abundant opportunities that beneficent Maui offers.

On Saturday, March 19, Whispering Winds Bamboo Farm will host an open house from 9am-2pm, with a plantation tour at 11. Call in advance for free reservations at 248-7561.