Pi‘opi‘o, he ‘āina momona

How often do we drive past important places on our island, knowing little or nothing of their history? Kamehameha Avenue in Hilo cuts through a number of such places, and Pi‘opi‘o, he ‘āina momona (the fertile land), is one of them. The history of Pi‘opi‘o stretches back to Hawai‘i’s mythic era and is closely associated with the development of Hawai‘i Island chiefdoms. During the Māhele in the mid 1800s, this entire ‘ili kupono was claimed by the ali‘i Victoria Kamāmalu and a number of ‘Ōiwi (Native) tenants. But what else makes this place important? On Monday, November 7, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Lyman Museum, Lokelani Brandt, M.A. candidate in UH-Hilo’s Heritage Management Program, draws from both Hawaiian and English language accounts to illuminate the cultural history of this significant part of the Hawaiian landscape.

The nationally accredited and Smithsonian-affiliated Lyman Museum showcases the natural and cultural history of Hawai‘i. Located in historic downtown Hilo at 276 Haili Street, the Museum is open Monday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Admission to this program is free to Museum members, $3 for nonmembers. Space is limited; first come, first seated. For additional information, call (808) 935-5021 or visit www.lymanmuseum.org.