Whenever Clifford Naeole visits the Honokahua Preservation Site on the grounds of The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, he is filled with gratitude. He is thankful for the 1,000-plus kupuna (ancestors) who rest beneath the 13.6-acre dune overlooking the ocean and Honokahua Bay, which is where the luxury hotel was originally supposed to have been built.

He is also grateful for then-Gov. John Waihee, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and hundreds of citizens statewide for leading a three-year crusade to stop the remains, dating from between A.D. 610 and 1800, from being excavated and reinterred a half-mile away so the development could proceed.

Last, he is appreciative that in 1989 Ritz-Carlton executives and landowner Maui Land & Pineapple Co. agreed to move the construction 500 yards inland, enabling the burial site to be restored and preserved. The next year, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) was enacted to protect the rights of lineal descendants, Native American tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations to cultural items, including human remains.

Encircled by a hedge and blanketed with grass to prevent erosion, the Honokahua Preservation Site is now open only for traditional ceremonies. Naeole, The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua’s cultural adviser, offers an hour-long presentation, including a walk to the border of the sacred site, on most Fridays beginning at 10 a.m. It is free, and the public is welcome to attend.

“Our ancestors’ final resting place is the spiritual center of this beautiful resort,” Naeole said. “As we observe the silver anniversary of Celebration of the Arts (COA), it is fitting that our theme is ‘Wahi Mahalo: A Universal Thank You’ to give thanks not only to everyone who has supported the event for 25 years, but also to our kupuna and to those who are keeping our culture and our history alive today.”

“Na Wai e Hoola i na Iwi? Who Will Save the Bones?” chronicles the movement to save the burial grounds at Honokahua. Naeole will introduce the 25-minute documentary at COA and lead the discussion following its screening. Because it is such a sensitive, emotion-charged topic, it is the first time he is playing such a role at the event.

“The documentary was filmed during the actual desecration,” said Naeole, who has been involved with COA, heralded as one of Hawaii’s premier cultural events, since its inception and has spearheaded it for the past 20 years. “If it weren’t for the concerted efforts of many people, there would be no NAGPRA or island burial councils today, and the desecrations would be ongoing. The film is about where we went, but the discussion will be about where we are going. What gains have been made and what battles continue?”

In her presentation “Mahalo: More Than Just Thanks,” kumu hula Hokulani Holt will explore deeper meanings of this oft-used word in the local lexicon. In the Hawaiian language, “mahalo” is both a noun and a verb: It means gratitude, esteem, regards and also to admire, to praise and to appreciate.

“The concept of mahalo is based on reciprocation and the understanding that give and take happen constantly,” Holt said. “If you take too much and don’t give in return, then the balance is uneven. Vice versa, if you give more than is received, that doesn’t feel good, either. There is the expectation that reciprocation will happen, perhaps not immediately, but eventually.”

Holt points out that mahalo is linked closely to aloha (love), kokua (to help) and malama (to take care of), and it can extend through generations. “For example, if I help you with your family luau by making the desserts, when my granddaughter gets married you help prepare food for her reception,” she said. “You share your time, talents and resources with me just as I shared them with you. Mahalo is displayed through actions rather than words. To truly say mahalo, we don’t just send a thank-you note.”

A key aspect of COA has always been its recognition of the arts, both contemporary and traditional. Attendees will again have the chance to meet and watch some 40 Hawaii artists and artisans at work, including cultural practitioners skilled in feather work, lau hala weaving, stone and wood carving and the making of bamboo nose flutes. Visitors can engage in hands-on activities and call on their own creativity to make a memento to take home.

“Everyone contributes to the success of this event, including those who teach, listen, observe, entertain, share opinions and learn by doing,” Naeole said. “In this, a red-letter year for Celebration of the Arts, it is appropriate that there be a pervading spirit of gratitude with an even deeper sense of appreciation … Wahi Mahalo: A Universal Thank You.”

Highlights

Friday

11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Art demonstrations, sales and activities. Also Saturday, 10:30 a.m.- 4 p.m.

11:15 a.m.-noon

Film: “E Ala E” examines how Iao Stream was carved by nature but redesigned by humans in a controversial way.

12:30-1:15 p.m.

Film: “Ho‘omau … A Story of Perseverance” describes the struggles of a Hawaiian village being overburdened by an influx of seafarers from the South Pacific.

8 p.m.-midnight

Celebration After Hours featuring top island entertainers. Also on Saturday. Attendees must be at least 21 years old.

Saturday, April 15

11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

Film: “Na Hulu Lehua” tells how a feather cloak and helmet that Hawaii island Chief Kalaniopuu gave to British Capt. James Cook in 1779 came back to Hawaii.

12:45-1:30 p.m.

“Mahalo: More Than Just Thanks”

2-2:45 p.m.

Film: “Na Wai e Ho‘ola i na Iwi? Who Will Save the Bones?”

3:15-4:15 p.m.

“Pohaku … A Sacred Presence”: Discover why stones carry a sacred energy and command respect.

6-9 p.m.

Celebration of Island Tastes. Admission is $25 for adults and $12 for children 6 to 11 years old ($15 and $8, respectively, for kamaaina). Buy tickets at the door or in advance by calling 665-7089. Scrip for food and drinks will be sold at the event.

Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Star-Advertiser have won several Society of American Travel Writers awards.