Ahupua'a O Kahana State Park

Ahupua'a O Kahana State Park is located on the windward side of O'ahu, between Kane'ohe and La'ie, and 26 miles from Honolulu. Kahana is a relatively unspoiled valley, and one of only a few publicly owned ahupua'a, or ancient Hawaiian land division, in the state. An ahupua'a includes lands from the mountains to the sea (mauka-makai), encompassing all of the resource zones needed for subsistence. The ahupua'a of Kahana encompasses almost 5,300 acres, ranging from sea level at Kahana Bay to 2,670 feet at Pu'u Pauao on the crest of the Ko'olau mountains. Kahana is one of the wettest valleys on O'ahu. Overcast skies and showers are frequent, with an average annual rainfall of 75" along the coast to 300" at the back of the valley. Temperatures can range from the mid-60s to the mid-80s. Kahana was a thriving fishing and farming community prior to Western contact. Those living in Kahana had an abundance of fresh water and fertile soil on the valley floor to cultivate kalo (taro), the staple crop. The loçi (ponded fields of kalo) were irrigated by 'auwai (ditches) that diverted water from the streams to the fields. Kahana Bay provided a wealth of fish and shellfish. In the 19th Century, following the unification of the Hawaiian Islands by Kamehameha I, the population rapidly declined as a result of Western contact and the introduction of foreign diseases. Sugar cane cultivation and the use of the valley as a WWII jungle warfare training site, have altered the natural and cultural environment of Kahana. The primary purpose of this park is to nurture and foster native Hawaiian cultural traditions and the cultural landscape of rural windward O'ahu. Established as a "living park", there are thirty-one families living in the ahupu'ça of Kahana. These families assist with interpretive programs that share the Hawaiian values and lifestyle. If you have a group interested in a cultural program at the park, please call 237-7767.