A Day of Building Pilina and Listening to Farmers
Just as the pili grass – we grow in kinship to one another and join in our collective pilina to ʻāina, moʻolelo, and the stewardship of good food across Hawaiʻi. To us, pilina are the lasting relationships we create, reflecting the importance of sustaining connections that improve systems for generational wellbeing.
In June, HGFA gathered a group of producers and organizations working in food systems at Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi in Heʻeia to talk story and build pilina, part of a journey to strengthen Hawaiʻi’s food systems.
There were panels, breakout groups, delicious lunch by Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi (Kūlolo crunch! Kalua pork! Poi! Watercress-tofu-taegu salad!), and a tour of the nonprofit’s commercial kitchen, loʻi, and community vision of restoring the ʻāina and agricultural production.
Over the course of the day, topics included stewardship, land access, collaboration, policy, the next generation of farmers, and more.
While the challenges are many, what was shone through was the passion and purpose to farm–and not only to farm, but to do it in a way that can support families and provide nutritious food while doing right by ʻāina for generations to come.
“There’s a lot of relationships that were built to move this system forward, and we’re not done yet.” —Kanekoa Shultz, Executive Director of Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi
Our first panel highlighted farms and farmers that were connected through supply, sourcing, or relationship to where we were gathered. For example, kalo farmer Sierra-Lynn Stone of SBH Taro Farms supplies Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi with kalo she grows on Kauaʻi. Our second panel expanded to highlight voices of farmers and those in organizations supporting farming.
“I think COVID taught us that local food is resilience. It may cost less to bring it in, but it doesn't, once you look at the community impact. The other thing, on top of that, is that having nutritious local food should kind of be a human right, just like we have parks, like we have DLNR.” –Taylor Kellerman, Kualoa Ranch
“Being that I have keiki now, the goal is to provide that continuity and that true generational stewardship to keep going, and to protect that aina so it doesn't become a golf course or what have you. Because it's something that's really happening and you can't just ignore it. And so that fight, that protection is crucial, and it takes that discussion, it takes the opposition and the conversations to be had in order to secure and keep going. So again, I think definitely stewardship and longevity of place and continuity is a huge thing to discuss and not ignore and find a way to keep it, keep it country, keep it within, and to keep prospering in that sense.” –Sierra-Lynn Stone, SBH Taro Farms
“The hugest cost to farming is stopping to farm. If you walk into a six-generation farm where all the loʻo are set up, it's just like cut the grass and boom, we going. There's very little investment costs, right? And every time there's a break in continuity of stewarding of the resource, you are set back more than one generation in terms of the cost to getting it going.” –Nick Reppun, Waianu Farm & Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi
“The only model that showed me a bright future was the one of our ancestors.” –Kaipo Kekona, Hawaiʻi Farmers Union
Throughout the day, in panel and in discussion, the importance of connection carried through. It took a variety of forms, including resource and knowledge sharing among farmers and those supporting them, as well as continued connection to the land being farmed and between the generations doing the work.
“The reason I'm here is because I'm super excited about the potential of being involved, and being a part of building the bridges that connect the resources that are already here to existing operators such as ourselves as a family and others that are just really doing great work but have no leadership skills, no business skills, no access to resources because they are limited in what their capacity is.” –Judah Lum, Kahuku Farms
“Having these types of workshops and events and connections to communicate and have those resources in your corner, it speaks volume, because most times we're just so in our bubble, on ‘āina, working and mālama’ing and all the things sun up to sun down, and you just need to take that moment. … I just love to support and collaborate. And I think collectively thatʻs just the ultimate goal throughout the pai ʻāina and that's the way that we're gonna be able to succeed and to keep this abundance and fruition growing.” –Sierra-Lynn Stone, SBH Taro Farms
Takeaway highlights included:
The power of being in the room, together Gathering in person, sharing story and building trust in person, creating a sense of hope and resilience even when facing big challenges.
Closing gaps in support and knowledge Helping connect the gaps to resources, across career stages (early career, mid-career, leadership), and among farmers.
Bridging capital to farmers Connecting people with capital — investors, banks, philanthropists — to farmers who need it.
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Pilina ʻAi pathway of Kuina ʻAi intended to gather and build pilina through connection, sharing, and cultural grounding in the Hawaiʻi Good Food Movement. This was the first of a series of three gatherings by Hawaiʻi Good Food Alliance shaped to build pilina and strengthen Hawaiʻiʻs local food economy.