Keanakamanō: Many Helping Hands
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| On May 23, 2006, the Ho‘owehe -- blessing ceremony -- was held at Keanakamanō, both to welcome Billy Fields and his crew to the site and to officially begin the restoration project. | The original kahua as it appeared before restoration work began. The kahua was almost indiscernible from the land around it. |
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| An aerial view of Keanakamanō before the work began. | Billy Fields is a master in the Native Hawaiian art of uhau humu pōhaku, or the "skillful setting of stones in tapered formations that use weight and gravity to lock into place," as defined by the non-profit group Hui Ho‘oniho. |
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| Dr. Chun welcomes the group to Keanakamanō. | Work begins to clear the upper area of the site and level out the large kahua area. |
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| Large boulders are retrieved from around the site to begin forming the large kahua.The only pieces of heavy equipment used on the site were one bobcat and one crane, used to manuever the largest stones. | The area that will become the restored large kahua is levelled off. The ditch to the right is a drainage swale, purposely created to help divert any flood or rain waters past the kahua and into the river beyond. |
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| Large piles of hakahaka in the foreground will eventually be laid atop the large kahua and other areas to help minimize dust and weeds. | Beginning to lay the hakahaka on the large kahua. |
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| The restored kahua is beginning to take shape. Ray Genegabuas, bottom, and Lance Ho‘okano are assisted in fitting the stones into place. | The rear wall of the large kahua is now clearly discernible. |
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| The crew begins working on the last face of the large kahua. They used no modern measuring devices in the construction of the wall, and there is no concrete or mortar to hold the rocks in place. It is easy to see that each stone is interlocked to form an integral part of the formation, with gravity and the integrity of the mason's work securing the wall for centuries to come. | Shayne Wong-Yuen drives a bobcat along the final side of the kahua, while Genegabuas places stones in the background. |
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| A corner shot of the completed kahua. One is struck by the massive formation's straight lines and sharp angles, all created using stones in their natural state. | A tranquil shot of Keanakamanō. The large kahua has been completed, and work is begun on the exterior wall and lower terraces. |
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| Wong-Yuen and Genegabuas begin work on the exterior wall. | Wong-Yuen and Genegabuas begin work on the exterior wall. They are laying the foundation stones, then filling the middle with smaller rocks and lepo. It's hard to imagine the pile of stones to their left and right will eventually form the perfectly angled, gracefully curving exterior wall. |
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| A good cross-section of the completed exterior wall. | Pictured left to right in front of the completed large kahua: John Hokama, Ray Genegabuas, Shayne Wong-Yuen, William Ka‘eo III, Lance Ho‘okano, and Billy Fields. Not pictured are Luke Dayton-Smith and Brian Akiona. |
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| Plans are laid out to begin construction on the burial site. | Makana (gifts) are exchanged at the Ho‘omaika‘i -- closing ceremony -- held on August 25, only three months after work began. Billy and his crew presented Kamehameha Schools with a hōlua sled created by Pōhaku Stone, as well as two kōnane boards. |
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| The hōlua sled, Ke Ola Hou, sits atop the kōnane boards on the large kahua. These kōnane boards will eventually move lower on the site to sit in shady areas beneath milo or kou trees, and the hōlua sled is currently on display at the Kamehameha Schools Kapālama Middle School Learning Center. | A close-up view of the hand-crafted makana. |
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| Pictured from left to right: Lance Ho‘okano, John Hokama, Luka Dayton-Smith, Billy Fields, Ka‘iwakīloumoku Coordinator Jamie Fong, Dr. Michael Chun, William Ka‘eo III, Pōhaku Stone, Ray Genegabuas, and Shayne Wong-Yuen. | Students and staff participate in a volunteer work day at Keanakamanō, attending to various tasks such as pulling weeds, planting Native Hawaiian plants, raking, and cleaning debris. |
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| Tours of Keanakamanō are currently offered through Ka‘iwakīloumoku to familiarize others with the site and how much it has changed, as well as to share possible plans for the future and the many different ways we can make use of the area now. |