The Class of 2016 visited the Ka‘ala Learning Center in Wai‘anae Valley and the Bishop Museum in Kalihi.  At the Ka‘ala Learning Center students learned the importance of the ahupua‘a, a land division in Hawaiian society that stretched from the mountain to the sea.  At the Bishop Museum they learned about Hawai‘i’s culture, geography, and history.

At Ka‘ala, the students learned how the Hawaiians obtained all their necessities from the ahupua‘a.  They learned about planting, harvesting, and eating kalo, or taro.  They also learned how Hawaiians made kapa, or cloth, by pounding the inner bark of the wauke, a mulberry tree.  Of course, the highlight of the trip was wading in the lo‘i kalo, a taro patch, to pull weeds and kalo.

The students visited the museum to learn about old Hawai‘i.  The first stop was the museum’s planetarium.  Students followed the night sky as they traveled from Hawai‘i to Tahiti, just like the Polynesian voyagers of the past.

In the museum’s science center, they learned about the natural history of the islands.  A huge erupting volcano towered in the center of the building.  Starting from the basement floor and working their way up, they learned how volcanoes were formed.  Informative exhibits explained the animals and plants found in the islands.

The students had a lot of fun learning about the ancient Hawaiians.  At the museum, many of them filled notebooks with information.  Other students could not stop talking about their experiences in Wai‘anae Valley.