March is Women’s History Month and WISN is hosting a celebratory free conference in Lahaina, Maui. The conference will run Wednesday through Friday – March 25 to 27, 9AM – 4PM at Waiola Church hall, followed by a fundraiser from 5 – 7 PM on March 28 at the Lahaina Loft.
The event will focus on two concerns of WISN — first: restoring awareness and appreciation of women who have kept Hawaiian culture alive, and second: the ancient sacred sites of the west side they cared for. Today, most of the sites, like the contributions of these remarkable women, have been forgotten and, in some cases, trashed.
Activities will include presentations by kupuna and international scholars, video overviews of West Maui pre-contact sacred sites, displays of the six women honored by the celebration for preserving Hawaiian culture (Queen Lili’uokalani, Alice Kaehukai Shaw Ka’ae, Martha Beckwith, Inez Ashdown, and Lydia Ruyle).
WISN invites families and kupuna to come forward to share their stories of these ancient sites as well as recollections about women who preserved Hawaiian culture. Call or email Samantha at 1(314)808-5923 or samantha@wisn.org to participate.
On Saturday (March 28), a fundraiser will happen from 5 – 7 PM at the Lahaina Loft, address is 736 Front Street – doors will open at 4. We invite you to wear colors of moonlight, such as lavender, white and blue. WISN is asking for a donation of $30/person at the Lahaina Loft event that will include pūpūs and 1 beverage ticket. All proceeds from the fundraiser will go to WISN’s Hawaiian Fund to support improvement and restoration of the ancient (pre-contact) sacred sites on West Maui.