The Hakalau Kuleana extends about 6 miles along the Belt Highway and upslope to the tree line...it's a relatively small area.  

During the sugar era, Hakalau families lived in the camps and villages for up to three generations, and occasionally longer.  People worked, worshipped, studied, and played together. Children were nurtured. There was robust community activity, regularly reported in the newspapers in great detail.
This small area with its relatively small population makes it  easy to study the history... including the stories of individuals and groups. We initiate this section on PEOPLE with stories of key individuals: Over time, the number of stories about individuals will increase and stories of groups working together will be added.
For the Hakalau Kuleana, our responsibility is to care for the land, the people, and the culture. We are guided by cultural values of YESTERDAY: Engage in collective effort. Look out for each other. Honor hard work. Show respect for those who came before us. Aloha and Mālama `Aina. In 2021, Akiko Masuda added two more values to the list: Consistently show up. Whatever has to be done, jump in and do it!