Celebrate Urban Makahiki at ‘A‘ala Park on November 16
Join Waiwai Collective, American Savings Bank and Trust for Public Land for a day of community, moʻolelo and celebration of the ʻāina
HONOLULU (Nov. 7, 2024) – Waiwai Collective, American Savings Bank (ASB), Hawaiian Tourism Authority (HTA), and Trust for Public Land (TPL) invite the community to celebrate Urban Makahiki at ‘A‘ala Park on Saturday, Nov. 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The vibrant gathering welcomes hundreds of community members for a day of fun games, live performances and cultural demonstrations to foster a renewed connection between ʻāina and community.
Urban Makahiki will center on the themes of moʻolelo, wai and makahiki consciousness, encouraging both locals and visitors to engage with the rich history of ʻAʻala Park and its connection to the ahupuaʻa of Kapālama and Nuʻuanu. The event offers a unique learning experience highlighting Native Hawaiian and local culture.
“The exchange of stories is a defining part of our lāhui,” said Keoni Willing, General Manager of Waiwai Collective, the host of the event. “By keeping moʻolelo alive, we can inspire a collective spirit of stewardship and belonging for future generations.”
Urban Makahiki event will feature a diverse lineup of performances from local groups, including Auʻs Shaolin Arts Society, Halau Hula O Kekela, Capoeira Besouro Hawaii, Paʻi Foundation, the Hawaii Martial Arts Culture Association and Kilin Reece from the Kealakai Center for Pacific Strings. Participants can also engage with various activity booths hosted by Hanafuda Hawaii, Downtown Art Center, Paʻi Foundation, Ho‘opili Tribal Council (formerly Oahu Intertribal Council) and the Honolulu Board of Water Supply. Local vendors will showcase their offerings, including Native Books, Elle Karayan, and Papa Lens.
“American Savings Bank is excited to team up with Waiwai Collective and Trust for Public Land to bring this important cultural celebration to Aala Park,” said Ann Teranishi, President and CEO at American Savings Bank. “We’re proud to continue working with our partners to showcase Aala Park as a vibrant and welcoming place for the entire community.”
“Urban Makahiki is an opportunity for us to come together, reconnect with the land and honor the stories that underscore the vibrancy of our diverse community,” said Lea Hong, Associate Vice President and Hawai‘i State Director of Trust for Public Land. “We look forward to welcoming everyone to this special event at ʻAʻala Park.”
To learn more about Urban Makahiki, please click here.
Click here to access the media kit.
About Waiwai Collective
Waiwai Collective is a group of Native Hawaiian entrepreneurs who share kuleana and a passion for uplifting the lāhui. Through their work, they have seen the extraordinary power of physical community when people come together with purpose and aloha. Ka Waiwai is a call to action for the lāhui kanaka to come together and dream up ideas of exchange and abundance that prioritize the quality of relationships and the balance between people and the ʻāina.
About American Savings Bank
American Savings Bank (ASB) has been serving Hawaii’s businesses and communities since 1925 and provides a full range of financial products and services, including business and consumer banking, home loans, insurance and investments. ASB is one of Hawaii’s leading financial institutions offering easy and convenient online banking services and branch locations throughout the state with evening, weekend and holiday hours. ASB provides Hawaii’s consumers and businesses with more extended weekday and weekend hours than other similarly sized local banks, as well as convenient in-store locations. ASB was named “America’s Best In-State Bank” for five years, a prestigious recognition where residents nationwide ranked ASB highly in the categories of trust, branch services, digital services, customer service, financial advice and terms and conditions.
ASB matches its exceptional customer experience with an employee experience that has garnered local and national awards. ASB has been recognized as one of the “Best Places to Work” by Hawaii Business Magazine for 14 consecutive years and honored nationally as one of the “Best Banks to Work For” by American Banker Magazine and “America’s Greatest Workplaces” by Newsweek. Fortune Magazine has recognized ASB as one of the 100 Best Workplaces for Women and 50 Best Workplaces for Diversity. For nearly a century, ASB has helped to build strong communities. Through its Seeds of Service program, ASB teammates have contributed more than 127,000 hours of volunteer service and ASB has donated millions of dollars to Hawaii’s nonprofits and community organizations. For more information on ASB’s impact, visit https://www.asbhawaii.com/esg or follow American Savings Bank on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority and Kilohana by CHNA
The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA) provides comprehensive management of tourism for the State of Hawai‘i. Their mission is to strategically manage Hawai‘i tourism in a sustainable manner consistent with economic goals, cultural values, preservation of natural resources, community desires and visitor industry needs. The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA) dba Kilohana by CNHA is a Hawai‘i nonprofit corporation, tax exempt under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) and the corresponding provision of state law, with the charitable purpose “to enhance the cultural, economic, political, and community development of Native Hawaiians.”
About Trust for Public Land
Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. As a leader in equitable access to the outdoors, TPL works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,364 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, and raised $110 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 9.4 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org
Kristen Kunimura