The History of Kawainui Marsh: Ancient Caldera to Ramsar Wetland

This program is free to the public

If you could stand in one place and watch the unfolding of time, what would you see?

Kawainui Marsh has experienced dramatic changes, shaped by the Nuʻuanu Pali Landslide (one of Earth's most spectacular natural disasters); utilized as the site of heiau, fishponds and kalo agriculture by Hawaiians; drained and farmed as rice fields with the arrival of sugarcane workers; left overgrown and later levied after flooding downstream residential development. Against all odds, the open land survived, narrowly escaping the fate of becoming a shopping center or a landfill. In 2005, it was finally designated as a wetland of international importance due to years of advocacy from the Kailua community. Kawainui is now the largest remaining marsh in the entire state of Hawaiʻi, and an irreplaceable refuge.

This presentation is a geological, historical, and artistic exploration of one special location over millions of years. It features historical photographs, vintage paintings, and the artwork of many current Oʻahu artists in celebration of the beloved wetlands that persist quietly within the very heart of Kailua.

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