Kona Historical Society Gets $28K for History Program

Visitors learn lauhala weaving in Hands On History. Photo courtesy of Kona Historical Society.

The community-based nonprofit and Smithsonian Museum partner Kona Historical Society (KHS) has received a $28,000 grant from the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA) to expand its Hands On History program at Kona Coffee Living History Farm in Captain Cook.  

KHS’s Hands On History engages visitors and residents with traditional Hawaiian crafts, trades, practices and foods that were commonly found on early 20th century Kona coffee farms.

“We are very grateful that HTA will be supporting this successful program for a second year,” said Gavin Miculka, Kona KHS assistant program director and farm museum manager. “The grant enables Kona Historical Society to share traditional practices that, in many cases, can be experienced nowhere else.”

KHS will use the grant award to support interpretive talks, activities and hands-on demonstrations within the program, hosted by staff and volunteers. The activities are: roasting coffee using traditional home methods, lauhala weaving, Japanese calligraphy, traditional medicinal gardening, sustainable vegetable gardening, Japanese pickling, mochi making, tofu making, Sashiko crafts, and Japanese floral arrangement.

Hands On History will be offered Wednesdays and Fridays at the farm from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Kona Coffee Living History farm is located at 82-6199 Mamalahoa Highway in Captain Cook, near mile marker 110.

For more information, call Kona Historical Society at (808) 323 3222 or visit www.konahistorical.org.