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Papakōlea – The Native Hawaiian Education and Culture Center master planning process includes research, coordination of community workshops (ʻAha ʻo Pūowaina), development of technical studies and the completion of a Environmental Assessment, prior to receiving site control.  Over the next 12 months, we invite ʻohana of Papakōlea, Kewalo, and Kalāwahine to participate in various activities aimed to complete our project objectives.

Below, youʻll find a list of project related activities for the next 10 weeks:

• October 6, 2025 – Community Co-Design Meeting #1 with Group 70, where they will share an overview of the project site, discuss site constraints, review the proposed design schemes, and take an in-depth walk-through of the program.
• October 20, 2025 – Community Co-Design Meeting #2 with Group 70, where they will go over any updates to the program and have a conversation about architectural styles and aesthetics.
• October 27, 2025 – Community Co-Design Meeting #3 – We will present the draft design concepts and gather your final feedback and comments to guide us in securing the long-term lease from DHHL for the project.
• November 3, 2025 – Moʻolelo of Pūowaina and Surrounding Areas with Lilia Kapuniai and special guests.

We welcome members of each homestead to participate in the workshops, learn more about Pūowaina and surrounding areas, provide input on the project design, and support completion of the master plan.

Honolulu, HI – The Papakōlea Community Development Corporation (PCDC) held itʻs first ʻAha ʻo Pūowaina on Monday, August 4, 2025, at the Papakōlea Community Park and Center.  Participants received an overview of PCDC and the funded project.  Additionally, Group70 provided an overview of their work completed to date, and next steps for the year.  Twenty-nine (29) residents of Kewalo, Kalāwahine, and Papakōlea homestead communities participated.

Click here to view the PowerPoint (PPT) Presentation by PCDC.

Click here to view the PPT Presentation by Group70.

Following the ʻAha on Monday, a small group of community members joined Ms. Kapuniai and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands on a walk of the 7-acre parcel on Pūowaina.

The purpose of the ʻAha ʻo Pūowaina is to convene the homestead communities of Kewalo, Kalāwahine, and Papakōlea, and gather input on the design and master plan of the Native Hawaiian Education and Culture Center at Pūowaina.  This is the next step since visioning meetings completed in 2023.

Below, is the final visioning charette voted-on by community planning meeting participants in 2023.

Below, is the rendering used to “put a dress” on the visioning charette.  This is not the final rendering for the project.  Final renderings will be produced at the end of our ʻAha ʻo Pūowaina series.

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This project is supported by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, the State of Hawaiʻi Grant-in-Aid Program, Group70, TiLeaf Group, Hawaiian Lending and Investments, and PCDC.  For more information about the project and/or the meetings, please contact Ms. Lilia Kapuniai, PCDC Executive Director, at lilia@papakolea.org or 808.265.2755.

PAPAKOLEA, HI – The Papakōlea Community Development Corporation (PCDC) is excited to announce that the Hawaiian Homes Commission approved Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) staff recommendation to award PCDC $500,000 to support its Pūowaina Research and Education Project on February 18, 2025.  The goal of the project is to conduct due diligence, and technical studies required to complete an Environmental Assessment and a Land Stewardship Plan.

“We are excited to receive this news, and look forward to meeting with community members and stakeholders, that seek to build the Native Hawaiian Education and Culture Center at Pūowaina,” stated Ms. Kuuipo Enos, PCDC President.  “The community selected this project as a priority during the 2009 DHHL Regional Planning Process, and it has taken over 16 years to get to this point.”

PCDC will convene community meetings around the design of each building within the complex, as soon as the grant agreement is executed.  Over $2 million of grants were submitted within the last six months to support this project.  Kamehameha Schools (KS) has been supporting the project through youth-focused research and lesson development.

Pictured below, is the most rendering.  Community will be convened to take a closer look and dive into the design of each building, to ensure it truly resembles a facility that they will use and be proud of.  PCDC is grateful to DHHL, KS, and its project partners, Group70, Hefenua Consultants, and TiLeaf Group, for their contributions to the ongoing project.

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Community held its last community meeting relating to the Native Hawaiian Education and Cultural Center on August 7, 2023, at the Papakōlea Community Center.  At this meeting, Group70 provided a review of the final vision charettes reviewed and voted-on by community.  Group70 also provided an overview of the Environmental Process ahead, launched by the August 7th meeting.  Stay tuned for more updates.

Visioning meetings began in April 2021, and are now complete.  36 community members participated in these meetings, and provided valuable input.  Participants that attended the last meeting, voted on Option Two.  Mahalo to everyone that participated – we value your input!

The Native Hawaiian Education and Cultural Center is a priority identified by community, and included in the DHHL Papakōlea Regional Plan of 2009 and 2020.  These planning meetings are part of the Kupuaʻe Hawaiian Language Project.  Planning support has been provided by the U.S. Administration for Native Americans and the U.S. Native Hawaiian Education Program.  Should you have any questions regarding this project, please contact Ms. Lilia Kapuniai, PCDC Executive Director.

Hulō! Hulō! With 30 participants, Kupua‘e completed its second Ho‘omaha Hā‘ulelau (Fall Intersession), between October 8^thand 12^th. Keiki, ages 3-10, participated in four huaka‘i to Kuhiawaho, Mokauea Fishing Village, Honolulu Zoo, and Moli’i Fishpond. Click here to watch a sampling of activities coordinated through Kupua’e.

Mahalo nui to our volunteers and partners that made Kupua‘e a reality this Fall: Kula No Nā Po‘e Hawai‘i, Kamehameha Schools, Lincoln Elementary School, Hawai‘i Hawaii Super Transit, Kuhiawaho, Mokauea Fisherman’s Association, Honolulu Zoo Staff, Kualoa Ranch, and the PCDC Board of Directors.

3rd Annual Papakōlea Pā‘ina Highlights from Lilia Kapuniai on Vimeo.

Eo Papakōlea! We enjoyed another successful Papakōlea Pā‘ina yesterday.  Roddy Imada received the 2018 Living Legacy Award.  Dr. Mitchel C. Eli received the 2018 Cultural Practitioner Award.  $5,250 was disbursed to the 2018-2019 Papakolea Community Scholarship Recipients – Kawaiokapualeilehua Kāneakua-Rauschenburg, Kaimiloa Ah Mook Sang, Noah Au, Shastyn-Thor Kekahuna, and Ulalia Solatorio. 670 people served.

Mahalo to our sponsors and supporters: MIRA Image Construction, LLC, Menehune Water Company, LLC, Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, Sam Kaina, Kumu Rich Pedrina, Chef Zone, Kupua‘e, Kupuna Community Care Network, Manulani Chong and ‘Ohana, and community philanthropists.  Mahalo to all volunteers coordinated by the staff of Kula No NāPo‘e Hawai‘i, Puni Kekauoha and ‘Ohana, and Faith Kalamau and the Kaho‘olawe Pā‘ū Unit.

2018 Kupua’e Wrap-Up from Lilia Kapuniai on Vimeo.

PAPAKŌLEA, HI – Kupua’e, the Papakōlea Youth Intersession Program, wrapped-up today with an impressive hō’ike.  Kupua’e began on June 12th, and finished on July 27th with 54 keiki, ages 3-10.  Through culture-based programming and the use of ‘ōlelo Hawai’i, Kupua’e offered the keiki of Papakōlea a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in mea Hawai’i, as a pathway to school readiness.

This year, keiki worked in the garden every Thursday, and went on seven engaging huaka’i where they learned more about Papakōlea, ‘āina-based programming, wa’a culture, and maintenance of our loko i’a. They were hosted by Kawaipuna Foundation at Kualoa, and visited Moli’i Fishpond, Polynesian Cultural Center, Kōkua Kalhi Valley, MA’O Farms, Papahana Kuaola, and Pu’u ‘Ualaka’a.

Kupua‘e is made possible through support from Kula No Nā Po‘e Hawai‘i, Kamehameha Schools, Executive Chauffeur Hawai’i LLC, Hawai’i Super Transit, Hawai’i Lodging and Tourism Association, Lincoln Elementary School, Koki Kitchen, Aunty Theone Kanuha, Aunty Helen Hew Len, Aunty Lani Kapanui, Bill Quinlan, Manuwai Kapiko, Matt & Mokihana Asperilla, the Solatorio ‘Ohana, and the PCDC Board of Directors.. Mahalo nui to all partners and community members for making Kupua‘e a reality.

For more information about Kupua‘e or the Papakōlea Community Development Corporation, contact Ms. Lilia Kapuniai, PCDC Executive Director, at 808.520.8998 or lilia@papakolea.org.

Papakōlea , HI – Effective immediately, a uniformed Honolulu Police Department officer is required at all special events held after 4 pm at the Papakōlea Community Park and Center with 100 attendees or more.  The purpose of mandatory police security is to maintain order, provide security, facilitate traffic flow, take action against violations of the law, and enforce PCDC rules and regulations.

The decision was made at a Special Meeting of the Papakōlea Community Development Corporation (PCDC) Board of Directors on June 26, 2018.

“The recent incident is the first of its nature in over a decade.  Papakōlea is a close-knit community of nearly 2,000 residents, established 84 years ago through an amendment to the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act (1921).  Papakōlea has numerous community accomplishments to celebrate and I am proud to call Papakōlea my home,” stated Ms. Lilia Kapuniai, PCDC Executive Director and Papakōlea resident.

PCDC is a 501(c)3 community-based nonprofit, established in 1999, to serve as a steward of the Papakōlea Community Park and Center, and provide the residents of the Papakōlea, Kewalo, and Kalāwahine, with a full range of comprehensive services.  For more information about PCDC, contact Ms. Lilia Kapuniai, PCDC Executive Director, at 808.520.8998 or lilia@papakolea.org.

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Hulō! Hulō! With 26 participants, Kupua‘e completed its first Ho‘omaha Hā‘ulelau (Fall Intersession), between October 9^th and 13^th. Led by Kumu ‘Iolani Kamuoha Uli‘i and Ka‘apuni Kekauoha Kama, the keiki, ages 3-12, participated in five huaka‘i to Waimea Valley, Kaiona Beach Park, Kōkua Kalihi Valley – Ho‘oulu ‘Āina, Kahuku Farms, and Polynesian Cultural Center.

Mahalo nui to our partners that made Kupua‘e a reality this Fall: Kula No Nā Po‘e Hawai‘i, Friends of Hawaii Charities, Inc., Kamehameha Schools, the Cooke Foundation, Hawai‘i Lodging and Tourism Association, and the PCDC Board of Directors.