Question: I am interested in finding out how to have an ahupuaa boundary marker installed. I have been unable to find markers that set the boundaries for Honouliuli. I live near the West Loch Shoreline Park, soon to be part of the Leeward Bikeway, and think it would be fun and important to have ahupuaa boundary markers along the bike path from Aiea to Nanakuli.

Answer: The state Department of Land and Natural Resources directed us to Mahealani Cypher of the Ko‘olaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club. Cypher is a founder and coordinator of the O‘ahu Ahupua‘a Boundary Marker Project. She describes herself as a project mentor now that the group has concluded its initial work.

A marker has been designated for Ewa (although not on the bikeway) but is not yet installed, she said.

Designating, installing and maintaining the markers requires a broad and lasting government and community commitment. Cypher is happy to speak to you directly about contributing to the effort. Reach her at malamapono744@aol.com.

Before delving further, some clarification: In traditional Hawaiian land division, moku are the largest districts of an island, while ahupuaa are smaller tracts within moku that generally extend from the mountains to the ocean.

Here’s more information directly from Cypher:

“The O‘ahu Ahupua‘a Boundary Marker Project coordinated by the O‘ahu Council of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs involved placing those brown symbols and name signs along major thoroughfares in the moku of Kona, ‘Ewa, Waialua and Ko‘olauloa. Earlier projects had established markers in the moku of Ko‘olaupoko and Wai‘anae by civic clubs from those areas.

“The project involved working with state and county transportation departments, cultural practitioners, civic clubs and community leaders from these moku to identify where traditional ahupua‘a boundaries might have been located and to arrange for these markers to be placed. The general thinking was to place them along the most heavily-traveled roadways.

“Although we completed identifying where the markers should be placed, the state and county transportation departments are still in the process of installing the signage on a ‘time available’ basis. ‘Ewa is one of the areas yet to be completed. In addition, some markers need to be corrected or replaced (having been stolen or vandalized).

“Unfortunately, our project did not have adequate funding to provide for additional markers along bikeways, but there’s no reason why those communities cannot pursue doing the same thing in their area.

“We have agreed to mentor work being done on some of the neighbor islands to re-establish markers for traditional ahupua‘a boundaries, and have been working with native Hawaiians and community leaders from those areas. Those are their projects — they pursue funding and community support and we provide guidance on how we were able to do our work.”

Q: What’s that place where you can check whether a school is worth it?

A: If you are thinking of an online site, it could be collegescorecard.ed.gov, where the U.S. Department of Education shares information about U.S. colleges and universities. It covers only higher education.

The site doesn’t judge whether a college is “worth it,” as you asked, but it does clarify the costs and benefits of specific institutions. The scorecard for each school includes the average cost of attendance by family income; retention and graduation rates; student indebtedness and loan-default rates; and median salaries years after graduation.

Mahalo

Mahalo to the woman driving the white SUV-type vehicle during lunchtime Friday near the Hawaii Kai post office for paying attention as I rode through a red light. I was heading toward the post office on Hawaii Kai Drive and trying to get into the left lane. At least six cars had passed, and finally a driver let me in just prior to the intersection. I followed the car in front of me through the intersection without checking the signal lights, which had just changed to red. Please accept my sincerest apology for not doing my part in following the rules of the road. — A Honolulu bicyclist

Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.