Restoring ‘Āina Momona
At Kainehe, we are transforming this ground into a living history and gathering space to celebrate this ʻāina momona that once fed Lahaina's aliʻi.
Recovery is not only about housing.
It is also about healing.
It is about having places for ‘ohana to gather, to grieve, and to celebrate.
LCLT is setting forth on a new path to steward Kainehe, known in recent decades as 1050 Front Street. LCLT’s dream for Kainehe is to create a living, breathing public space where art, play, and ancestral knowledge come together to reclaim ‘āina and the story of Lahaina for the people who for centuries have called this place home. This vision is made possible by a generous gift from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, which entrusted this ‘āina to LCLT.
Inspired in part by Waimahara Park in Aotearoa, which resurfaces the ancient waters that flow beneath the city through art, the gathering space at Kainehe will become once again home to nourishing groves of ‘ulu, niu and kalo, alongside educational spaces and living art installations that draw directly from this ʻāina's own story.
That story begins with wai. Water once moved through this ʻāina the way breath moves through our bodies, down from Kahoma Stream, through ʻauwai and into loʻi kalo and groves of ʻulu and niu. The people who tended it called it Kainehe, once held by High Chief Piʻikoi and depended upon to help feed the aliʻi and the lāhui.
