Hi‘ipaka, LLC

This project will document, preserve, and expand access to oral histories that capture the lived experience, cultural knowledge, and community contributions connected to Waimea Valley. Funding will support the development of an oral history initiative that addresses the long-time staff, cultural practitioners, and community members who have worked to protect, restore, and sustain the valley. Project activities include staff-led coordination, collection of video oral histories, development of internal capacity to manage and use oral history resources, and partnership with the Center for Oral History at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa for technical guidance and project support. Deliverables include recorded oral histories, preserved archival materials, and resources to support future educational programming, public interpretation, and publication. Expected outcomes include increased representation of community voices in historical records, strengthened organizational capacity to steward and share oral history collections, and expanded access to culturally significant resources. Primary beneficiaries include the Waimea Valley community, cultural practitioners, educators, researchers, and the public.