KA ʻUMEKE ʻAI
RESTORING A THRIVING FOOD SYSTEM
OUR TRADITIONAL SUSTENANCE AND RESTORATIVE REUSE INITIATICE, DEDICATED TO REVITALIZING THE ANCESTRAL ʻĀINA TECHNOLOGY OF THE KAHALUʻU KONA FIELD SYSTEM THROUGH RESTORATION AND CULTIVATION, GUIDED THROUGH ʻIKE KŪPUNA.
THE MANAʻO BEHIND THE NAME
“ʻO kēia nō nā hana maikaʻi e kipaku ʻia aku ai ka wī mai ka ʻumeke aku a ke kanaka.” — Moʻolelo Kaao no Kuhaupio ke koa kaulana o ke au o Kamehameha ka Nui
The name Ka ʻUmeke ʻAi can literally translate to a bowl (ʻumeke) for food (ʻai). Figuratively, ʻai represents sustenance through traditional food crops such as kalo, ʻuala, and ʻulu, while the ʻumeke represents ʻāina itself—the vessel that holds and provides the food that sustains us.
Rooted in a traditional Hawaiian understanding that both land and sea, when properly cared for and stewarded, can provide what we need to sustain life, Ka ʻUmeke ʻAi reflects our kuleana to restore and maintain that relationship for generations to come.
REVITALIZING ANCESTRAL ʻĀINA TECHNOLOGY
The Kona Field System is a reflection of the knowledge, ingenuity, and agricultural practices of our kūpuna. This ancestral ʻāina technology sustained generations of kānaka through a thriving agricultural system rooted in ʻike kūpuna. Through Ka ʻUmeke ʻAi, we are working to restore and reactivate these traditional agricultural spaces, bringing them back into cultivation while strengthening local food production and carrying this knowledge forward.
RESTORING THE LANDSCAPE
Our restoration work focuses on bringing traditional agricultural spaces back into active use through invasive species removal, native plant restoration, and the preservation of cultural sites. These efforts help restore the health of the ʻāina while protecting the cultural and natural resources that make this landscape unique.
Restoration is an ongoing process and an important part of revitalizing the Kona Field System. As we continue to restore these areas, we are creating opportunities to expand cultivation and bring more of our ancestral agricultural landscape back into production.
CULTIVATING ANCESTRAL FOOD CROPS
As agricultural spaces are restored, we are expanding the cultivation and distribution of traditional Hawaiian food crops, including kalo, ʻuala, maʻi, kō, ʻawa and ʻulu.
Our work seeks to strengthen local food production and restore a thriving food system that can continue to nourish our community while carrying forward the agricultural knowledge and practices of our kūpuna.
CULTIVATING ʻIKE A KULEANA
Through community workdays, site visits, and hands-on experiences, Ka ʻUmeke ʻAi brings people together to take part in the restoration and cultivation of Kūāhewa. These opportunities allow our community to learn traditional agricultural practices, strengthen their pilina with ʻāina, and contribute to the ongoing stewardship of our wahi kūpuna, carrying forward the legacy of our kūpuna for future generations.
2026 PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
354 LBS
FOOD SHARED
2,000+
INDIVIDUALS ENGAGED
94
CULTURAL SITES STEWARDED
