WAIMEA VALLEY VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER NĀ LEO O KA ‘ĀINA N O W E M A P A N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 5 Voices of the Land OUR ANNUAL MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26, BROUGHT TOGETHER OVER 45 VOLUNTEERS WIELDING GARDENING TOOLS AS THEY WORKED TO PREPARE THE GAMESITE AND AMPHITHEATER FOR THE UPCOMING MAKAHIKI FESTIVAL. EMBODYING THE SPIRIT OF HO‘OKĀHI KA ‘ILAU LIKE ANA, THESE VOLUNTEERS ARE BUILDING PILINA, RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE VALLEY AND WITH ONE ANOTHER AS THEY MĀLAMA ʻĀINA. FRIENDSHIPS ARE FORGED AS WE WIELD NOT PADDLES, BUT GARDENING TOOLS, UNITED IN CARING FOR THIS SACRED SPACE. HO‘OKĀHI KA ‘ILAU LIKE ANA. WIELD THE PADDLES TOGETHER. WORK TOGETHER. NOV 2 - MĀLAMA MĀLA VOLUNTEER DAY NOV 8 - ‘OHANA VOLUNTEER DAY NOV 16- MĀLAMA MĀLA VOLUNTEER DAY NOV 20 - HĀNAI ‘ĀINA MAUKA RESTORATION NOV 22 - ʻOHANA VOLUNTEER DAY UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES LONO, THE HAWAIIAN GOD OF AGRICULTURE, FERTILITY AND RAIN, IS KNOWN TO APPEAR DURING HOʻOILO (THE WET SEASON) AS RAIN CLOUDS AND WINTER STORMS. KNOWN AS AKUA POʻO HUNA I KE AO LEWA, THE GOD WHOSE HEAD IS HIDDEN IN THE DARK CLOUDS, LONO NOURISHES THE ‘ĀINA AND THE PEOPLE WITH LIFE-GIVING WATER. HONORED DURING THE MAKAHIKI SEASON, LONO PHYSICALLY MANIFESTS AS DARK CLOUDS, THUNDER, PARTIAL RAINBOWS, WHIRLWINDS, AND WATERSPOUTS. BY HONORING LONO, WE DEEPEN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF WEATHER SYSTEMS AND PATTERNS AND THE DEEP KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES OF OUR KŪPUNA. CULTURAL SPOTLIGHT UA ʻIKE ANEI ʻOE? DID YOU KNOW? Makahiki Festival | Tuesday, November 11 8:00AM - 4:30PM Join us for a day of culture, friendly competition, and live entertainment to welcome the Hawaiian New Year! Admission: $5 for kamaʻāina (ages 4+) or bring a non-perishable item for FREE entry (one item per person) in support of Hawaiʻi Foodbank. Veterans Day Special : FREE admission for all active and retired military. UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS Veterans Day Tuesday, November 11 Active and Retired Military can enjoy FREE admission to the valley. King Kalakaua’s Birthday Sunday, November 16 Kamaʻāina can enjoy FREE admission to the valley. Lā Kūʻokoʻa (Hawaiian Independance Day) Friday, November 28 Kamaʻāina can enjoy FREE admission to the valley. SPECIAL CELEBRATIONS