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[{"type":"text","text":"\"This is how I help you Dad...\""}]

Smile 26 4 8

<title>Daily Smile: Wednesday, April 8, 2026</title>

"This is how I help you Dad..."

Daily Smile: Wednesday, April 8, 2026

 &quot;This is how I help you Dad...&quot;

A Le Jeune headshot small

Annabelle Le Jeune

Viewpoints

Aloha Spirit

The echo of pahu drums under the darkened sky signaled to the 200 volunteers who stood waiting that it was time to begin their work: planting Maui’s first uluniu (coconut grove) in over 100 years. Cradled between grand sand dunes and the Kapoho Fishpond at the Waiheʻe Coastal Dunes and Wetlands Refuge, Uluniu o Kapuawailana was established the evening of Jan. 22.

“This uluniu will be dedicated to and honor the legacy of Liliʻuokalani, the last sovereign queen of Hawaiʻi,” said Kiaʻiokaʻuhane Collier, manager of Āina Stewardship for the Hawaiʻi Land Trust (HILT).

Following the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, the relationship between Kānaka and this important traditional resource was disrupted, leading to the loss of thriving coconut groves and the everyday use of niu in Hawaiʻi.

Thus, the uluniu was planted as a tribute to Liliʻuokalani’s commitment to aloha ʻāina, setting an intention for the wellbeing of the new coconut grove and, consequently, of the people who will be nourished by a practice and place rooted in Hawaiian culture for generations to come.

Participants and practitioners from across the pae ʻāina represented cross-sector participation to show what is possible when various partners come together: Niu Now, Community Coconut Program from DLNR’s Kaulunani Urban and Community Forestry Program; UH West Oʻahu; Hawaiʻi Land Trust; Ka Poholima Kāʻeo; Pōhaku Pelemaka; with hoʻoponopono practitioners, kūpuna, volunteers, and community members.

Together, they entered into mū ka waha, a sacred ritual of stilling voice to focus intention, planting in silence for the next three hours beneath the night sky to the steady beat of drumming and the chant, He Pule Niu, calling for the growth of coconut, culture, and community.

Exactly 133 coconut trees were planted that evening, “One tree for every year since the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom,” said Collier. Planting the coconut grove marked an act of resilience and healing.

While the trees were being carefully tucked into the ground, a crew from Ka Pōholima Kāʻeo stacked stones to build and complete an ahu (shrine) to mark a promise, sealing the significance of the moment, and reinforcing commitment to aloha ʻāina.

Twenty-three coconut varieties were carefully selected from a coconut nursery that Niu Now, the Coconut Community Program, and HILT started in preparation for this uluniu nearly a year ago. Seedlings were harvested from across Maui, each chosen for its distinct qualities: those used in Makahiki ceremony; those resilient to high-sand soils; varieties prized for their long fibers or favored for productivity, or the flavor of their water, meat, or milk.

The coconut seedlings were mostly planted using the polymotu practice, a traditional uluniu model adapted with contemporary techniques, grouping three or more trees of the same variety to promote and maintain genetic diversity.

The evening selected for planting purposefully aligned with the favorable farming practice of the Kūkolu mahina phase, which means “to stand in threes.” Huli planted during these moon phases are believed to shoot up like coconut trees.

The idea for Uluniu o Kapuawailana emerged about two years ago when Collier crossed paths with Niu Now members Indrajit Gunasekara, Kekaula Hanohano and Jesse Mikasobe-Kealiinohomoku. Together, they envisioned a way to reconnect people with coconut as a cultural responsibility and a foundation of food sovereignty.

Collier is the primary caretaker of the Waiheʻe refuge and leader of Ka Pōholima Kāʻeo, the fishpond restoration group working with HILT toward a Hawaiian-led space filled with fish, food, and cultural resources concentrated in one location to sustain community wellbeing.

“The preparation work is a lot,” said Hanohano, a coconut practitioner, and one of the main caretakers of Maui’s newly established uluniu. “These plants thrive and we’ve seen a lot of success even in the harshest environments. So our intention is to just preserve those varieties of place.”

Uluniu o Kapuawailana was planned in concert with the two-day ʻAha Hoʻoponopono Honua gathering held at UH Maui College and various sites around the island, which emphasized the importance of reconnecting people to ʻāina as a path to healing. In the face of the looming threat of the invasive Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle – and the continued practice of trimming the coconuts off trees – replanting niu becomes an act of healing and reclamation.

“When we heal land, we heal ourselves. When we heal ourselves, we heal land. It’s a simultaneous thing,” said Manu Aluli Meyer, hoʻoponopono practitioner and co-founder of Niu Now.

When the last coconut tree was planted, a light drizzle began eventually giving way to a steady downpour, blessing the freshly planted coconut seedlings. Meyer shared: “Hahai no ka ua i ka ulu lāʻau. Plant a forest and the rains will come.” Share purpose with others and transform the world.

The evening closed with a hōʻike to honor Hanohano as a loea uluniu (coconut grove master practitioner).

“That title means I also need to constantly learn,” he said. He notes that without the traditional governance systems that once distributed care for Hawaiʻi’s lands, roles like his become vital to ensure “that people have kuleana to those spaces.”

As a loea uluniu on urbanized Oʻahu where most coconut trees are pruned, he admits he has no direct access nearby to gather coconuts. That reality fuels his dedication to establish more uluniu throughout Hawaiʻi and reconnect people with a once-abundant relationship with coconuts.

Uluniu o Kapuawailana follows the growing niu movement, building on successful models such as the uluniu at Kūkaniloko established five years ago, where more than 100 coconut trees – of 16 varieties – were planted in service of a shared vision: that everyone in Hawaiʻi will once again have access to coconuts.

This article is reprinted with permission from 

OHA's Ka Wai Ola newspaper: "The first coconut grove planted on Maui in over 100 years" by 

, in its March 2026 issue, Vol. 43 No. 3. Read more at 

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Coconut Grove on Maui - KWO

<title>Community Voices: The first coconut grove planted on Maui in over 100 years</title>

Community Voices: The first coconut grove planted on Maui in over 100 years

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

Before the University of Hawai‘i men's basketball team embarked on its 2025-2026 campaign, Isaac "Big Fish" Johnson sat in a hot tub with some of his teammates. Life after basketball came up, and it was there that Johnson shared this particular season would probably be it for him as far as organized hoops is concerned. 

Following a two-year church mission in Ohio, Johnson began his collegiate career at the University of Oregon in 2021. The 7-foot center from Utah arrived as the No. 61 ranked player nationally in his high school class, according to ESPN Recruiting. But college ball was a different story at first, and Johnson played in just 14 games as a true freshman. He then transferred to Utah State, where he started 31 games in the 2023-2024 season but saw his role diminish the following year. 

With one year of eligibility remaining, Johnson hit the NCAA transfer portal one last time, landing with UH. The plan was to play for the Rainbow Warriors for one year, then get a job while supporting his wife, Audrah, an outside hitter for Chaminade's women's volleyball team. 

Johnson has started all 28 games for the Rainbow Warriors thus far, quickly earning fan favorite status. Whether it's an electrifying dunk, swished 3-pointer or an emphatic block, fans can be seen motioning their arms and performing a chomping motion in support of Big Fish.

Each game with the 'Bows has reminded Johnson why he began playing in the first place. He loves the sport. And he has a lot more to give to it. 

"Being here has ignited that fire back in me, and it feels amazing to be in that position and to have that love rekindled," Johnson said. "It's been pretty awesome.

"It's been consistently throughout the season, there's been moments and being a part of this team, meeting with this coaching staff that treats us like adults and like real human beings instead of a number. The community loves us so deeply. There's just so many little things that have helped grow it."

While being a member of the team has reignited Johnson's love for the sport, his play on the court has revived a program that was coming off a disappointing 2024-2025 season. The Rainbow Warriors went 15-16 overall and 7-13 in Big West play, missing the conference tournament entirely. Heading into their final set of home games in 2025-2026, the Rainbow Warriors are 21-7 overall and 13-5 in conference games. 

If the Rainbow Warriors were to defeat UC Riverside on Thursday and Long Beach State on Saturday, coupled with a UC Irvine loss on Thursday or Saturday, the 'Bows would be crowned Big West regular season champions. Two wins, regardless of UC Irvine's results, would guarantee the 'Bows a top 2 seed and valuable double bye in the conference tournament, which runs from March 11-14 in Henderson, Nev. 

Hawai‘i head coach Eran Ganot believes Johnson has a true shot at winning conference Player of the Year. His impact on the court is felt well beyond his 13.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. 

"Big Fish is up there for Player of the Year, and he's a guy who's come from winning programs, but now he's had to have the task of being a more impactful player on a winning program," Ganot said. "He's done that, and it's been fun to watch. And I think he has a bright future."

Following Saturday's home finale against Long Beach State, Johnson will be one of six seniors honored following the game, along with Harry Rouhliadeff, Gytis Nemeikša, Hunter Erickson, Dre Bullock and Yacine Toumi. Point guard Tanner Cuff is also listed as a senior but is expected back for the 2026-2027 campaign after a knee injury sidelined him in November. 

"Just to see all those guys smile, this is what they wanted, and they wanted to play for a good program, to have success as a team," Ganot said of his senior class. "Then the added benefit of doing it in this state with this fanbase, I couldn't thank them more. I always say this, and I'll say it again over the course of the week, people ask me about the seniors. Hire them. They're guaranteed. And number two, just very grateful for them, thankful that they're in our lives."

The Rainbow Warriors will head to Nevada for the Big West tournament next week, where they'll aim to punch a ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 10 years. Regardless of how the season ends, it won't be the end of Johnson's playing career. 

"Life is short. This is for Fish or anybody, whatever path they choose: Do what you love, where you love, with the people you love, and do it at a place where you can improve. Development's really important," Ganot said. "For me as a coach, you could see the joy, because he loves Hawai‘i, he loves his team and he loves the game, and so that's a big part of why he's improved, because he's happy, and that's a credit to the people of Hawai‘i, the University of Hawai‘i, his teammates, himself. Everybody deserves to be happy."

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Daily Smile: Wednesday, April 8, 2026

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Daily Smile: Wednesday, April 8, 2026

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