Pewa Workshop for Hōʻeu Mana in Thomas Square

In celebration of Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea on July 27, 2025, Kainoa Gruspe and I participated in the Annual Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea Celebration at Thomas Square in Kulaokahu'a (Makiki, Honolulu). Through the Hōʻeu Mana program, we helped activate the makai side of the park. With a rudimentary introduction to woodworking through pewa inlay workshop. We taught participants how to cut the pewa on a bandsaw, and use a mallet and chisel to inlay the pewa into a large piece of wood with several cracks. The result at the end of the day was a mosaic of pewas inserted into the wood showcasing everyones hard work.

The event brought together cultural practitioners and artists to honor Hawaiian sovereignty through various art forms and cultural practices.