ABOUT
Rooted in Hawaiian culture and sense of place, Kū‘ono Marketplace at Kāhala is a prospering community gathering space filled with activities, shops, and eateries.
THE HISTORY OF WAI‘ALAE
Refreshing is The Spring Water of Wai‘alae
The area known today as Wai‘alae was historically two distinct ahupua‘a, Wai‘alae Nui and Wai‘alae Iki. The coastal section of these two ahupua‘a is commonly referred to as Kāhala, a shortened form of the longer name Kānewai Kāhala. The name Kānewai Kāhala hints at the role of the god Kāne in creating freshwater springs throughout the Islands.
In times past, abundant springs in Wai‘alae Nui, Wai‘alae Iki and neighboring valleys, were a source of life and vitality for the people of the area. One interpretation of the name Wai‘alae is “the water of the ‘alae bird.” The area is thought to have been named after a spring not far from Kalaniana‘ole Highway, reserved for Hawaiian royalty. The name Kāhala refers to the amberjack fish and the abundant shoreline resources and rich offshore fishery.
Life Giving Water
One mo‘olelo from this area recounts the travels of King Kamehameha III, Kauikeaouli, (pictured) around O‘ahu. As he and his retinue traveled through Wai‘alae, the King inquired of an elderly couple who lived there where he might get a drink of water. Unbeknownst to Kauikeaouli, this couple was related to the traditional keepers of the spring, and they were now its caretakers. The couple shared with him that the only reason they stayed in the area was to ensure that if the King ever stopped there, they would be able to carry out their duty and take him to the spring. The pōhuehue vines and stone slab hiding the spring were removed, and the spring was revealed. The King and his party were refreshed. They thanked the couple and went along their way.
WOODEN WAVE FOR KŪ‘ONO MARKETPLACE
KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS
Kamehameha Schools is a private, charitable educational trust endowed by the will of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the great-granddaughter and last royal descendant of King Kamehameha I. Grounded firmly in Hawaiian values, Pauahi was an excellent student, gifted in music, and known widely for her generosity and kindness.
When Pauahi was born in 1831, the Native Hawaiian population numbered 124,000. By the time she wrote her will, the population had rapidly dwindled to just 44,000. During her lifetime, she also witnessed the decline of Hawaiian language, culture and traditions. Pauahi knew that education would be the key to restoring her people, so in an enduring act of aloha, she left them a precious gift upon her passing in 1884 – over 375,000 acres of ancestral ‘āina. She instructed the trustees of her estate to use the land to educate her people and in 1887 Kamehameha Schools was established. Today her endowment supports one of the largest educational systems in the United States that serves tens of thousands of Hawaiian learners in Hawai‘i and around the world.
Hānai i ke keiki, ola ka lāhui • Nurture the child and the lāhui thrives
Kū‘ono Marketplace at Kāhala
Kamehameha Schools (KS) seeks to generate a positive impact not only in education, but also in environment, community, culture, and economics. The KS Commercial Real Estate Division has the responsibility to integrate legacy, culture, and a sense of place into its development projects to perpetuate and inspire a Hawaiian worldview. While KS’ ancestral lands are primarily used for agriculture and conservation, roughly 1,500 acres are reserved for commercial property including Kū‘ono Marketplace and a number of additional parcels across 193 acres in Kāhala.
The redevelopment of six underutilized parcels into Kū‘ono Marketplace at Kāhala helps KS achieve its goal to optimize the strength, breadth and strategic alignment of its resources with an organization-wide focus on funding the endowment that supports the education of Native Hawaiians. Additionally, this project benefits the community of Kāhala by bringing in refreshed resources and new tenants that can better serve the area.
KS believes in creating mutually beneficial relationships to build and develop thriving communities while balancing the needs of the surrounding community to stimulate Hawai‘i’s economy.
For more information about KS, visit ksbe.edu.