Kohala festival shares insight and abundance of the aina

“The world is undoubtedly heading toward a food crisis,” said Dash Kuhr, co-founder and executive director of the Hawaii Institute of Pacific Agriculture.

With sustainable farming and self-reliance in food production as their mission, Kuhr and his wife, Erika, founded Aina Fest on Hawaii island in 2010.

“North Kohala extends over 133 square miles. About 85 percent of that land is zoned for agriculture, a characteristic that the community wants to preserve. Despite that, 85 percent of the food in our district comes from elsewhere. It’s imperative that we change that.”

They view the event as an opportunity for the 2,000 expected attendees to renew their vow to malama aina (care for the land), join forces to build food sovereignty and learn how to use agriculture to restore the land instead of harm it. Proceeds support HIP Agriculture’s three pillars: youth education, community events and residential farmer trainings.

Held during makahiki season (typically November through late January or February), Aina Fest also honors Hawaiian traditions. During that period in ancient times, work and warfare ceased, and attention was turned instead to feasting, dancing, storytelling, competitive games and religious ceremonies. A greater emphasis is being placed on Hawaiian culture at this year’s festival.

“If we’re going to talk about sustainability in a meaningful way, it’s important that we remember our host culture, which has a long history of food cultivation and land stewardship,” Kuhr said. “Hawaiian cultural leaders from around the state will be sharing their knowledge about traditional farming and food preparation practices, and there will also be makahiki games, hula performances and demonstrations of poi pounding, lei making and coconut frond weaving.”

The festival has evolved over the years. In 2015, they hosted a luau for 700 guests exemplifying the sustainable practices they teach.

Hundreds of pounds of taro, breadfruit, cassava and other crops were harvested. Four sheep and four pigs were slaughtered. Food was cooked in two enormous imu and served on dinner plates made from woven coconut fronds covered with banana leaves.

“The last time a meal of that magnitude was held in North Kohala was probably centuries ago, during the time of Kamehameha the Great,” Kuhr said.

“We wondered, ‘Can we do this? Can we feed that many people with food gathered directly from the land and cooked without propane?’ We weren’t sure we could pull it off, but we did! We fed an entire ‘village’ using ecologically sound and sustainable practices.”

Although a public luau is no longer a component, this year’s Aina Fest includes presentations on growing fungi, healthy beekeeping and native species propagation. Ticket holders can attend three free workshops prior to the festival: “Natural Building” (Nov. 1), “Bamboo Building” (Nov. 2) and “Permablitz” (Nov. 3). Registration is required by calling 333-8664 or emailing hipagriculture@gmail.com at least 24 hours in advance. Details will be sent after registration.

During “Permablitz,” participants will be fertilizing and mulching existing trees and planting new trees, primarily edibles such as coconut, banana, breadfruit, pomegranate, avocado and citrus.

“‘Permablitz’ enables us to ‘walk the talk’ about food sovereignty,” Kuhr said. “Hands-on engagement is the best way to learn, and we’ll also be distributing cuttings of taro, sweet potato, pigeon peas and other plants so participants can start or augment their food gardens at home.”

Other highlights include yoga classes; nonstop music by 20-plus bands and soloists; vendors selling organic, fresh-from-the-farm food; and a Keiki Zone with circus activities, obstacle courses, face painting, arts and crafts, and an exercise bike that kids can use to blend healthful smoothies.

“Aina Fest is a celebration,” Kuhr said. “Aina Fest is an educational platform. Aina Fest is a call to action. We need to come together and energize the movement to build food sovereignty, food distribution networks and resilient communities. Our future depends on it.”

ABOUT HIP AGRICULTURE

Dash Kuhr and his wife, Erika, founded the Hawaii Institute of Pacific Agriculture (HIP Agriculture) in 2008, as its mission statement says, to “practice and teach ecologically conscious agriculture, empowering individuals and communities to cultivate alternative systems of living that restore human and environmental health.”

The nonprofit organization operates two farms in Kapaau. they are:

>> Halawa Farm: The 7-acre Halawa Farm serves as its headquarters, where starfruit, lychee, cacao, lettuce, beets, carrots, basil, fennel, thyme and much more are grown.

The produce goes to select restaurants, the pilot Farm to School program in North Kohala and the Hawi Farmers Market on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. .

Halawa Farm is designed as an educational space for tours, community workshops and special events. This is also where HIP Agriculture’s interns and apprentices receive training in topics such as permaculture, composting, plant medicine and soil fertility.

>> Iole Garden: Among the crops growing on the 1.8-acre site are breadfruit, banana, taro, kava, sweet potato and papaya, all produced using traditional Polynesian agricultural methods.

For more information about HIP Agriculture, call 889-6316 or go to hipagriculture.org.

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.