In 1994, members of the Ka‘u community came up with the idea to create a Hawaiian Cultural Center in the district.

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In 1994, members of the Ka‘u community came up with the idea to create a Hawaiian Cultural Center in the district.

In the 30 years since, nonprofit Hana Laulima Lahui O Ka‘u has been working on making that idea a reality, and has identified a location for the center and secured some of the funding for the project.

A final environmental assessment was recently completed for the site, which is located near Waiohinu on land managed by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

Plans for the center include a visitor center, museum, event space, classrooms and an amphitheater for hula and music, all surrounded by botanical gardens.

The organization hopes it will serve as a place for local residents to gather and keep cultural traditions alive, as well as an educational center for visitors.

The entrance to the center would be along Hawaii Belt Road, which many people use on the way from Kona to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

HLLK President Terry-Lee Shibuya and her husband, Dane Shibuya, have been involved in the project from the beginning and said they are some of the only early proponents left who may get to see it actually built.

“The board members all passed away already,” Dane Shibuya said. “So, just me and her, and maybe one or two more left that was initially involved, you know, the core guys, founders of the project.”

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The Shibuyas said they were waiting for DHHL to approve a long-term lease for the site in order to move forward. However, DHHL Acting Planning Program Manager Lilliane Makaila said that the agency is still needs additional documentation in order to proceed.

While the final EA determined that the project would not cause significant environmental damage, HLLK still needs to fulfill State Historic Preservation Division requirements which involve the completion of technical studies showing that historic sites will not be adversely impacted.

According to Makaila, this has not yet been done by the consultant hired for the project, Yummet.

Once that step is completed and the project receives SHPD approval, Makaila said the lease could be issued soon after, upon approval from the Hawaiian Homes Commission, which meets monthly. Makaila said DHHL is supportive of the project moving forward and utilizing the 10-acre site.

“We’re banking on them moving forward with the project,” she said. “I included it in the island plan update, so I’ve changed the land use designation in our Hawaii Island plan to accommodate their use. So that protects the parcel for their future use — it’s not identified for any other types of competing uses.”

In the meantime, Terry-Lee Shibuya said HLLK has decided to move forward with some of the plans for the center at a different site, just behind the Panalu‘u Bake Shop, through an agreement with the owner. She said there will be an opening celebration on Aug. 1 at 9 a.m.

“We’re gonna do the blessing, and then we’re gonna start having people, we’re gonna start having our community come on in. … All we ask is a membership of $10 for the whole year, and they come on in, and they’ll be selling their products, teaching whatever they have to share, preserving the culture, teaching hula. … It’s going to start; we’re starting it, we’re moving,” she said. “This person gave us that opportunity. Let’s holomua, let’s get more moving forward.”

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Email Grace Inez Adams at [email protected].