Presentation given at the WMA on the Hawai`i Capital National Heritage Area

1. Western Museum Association
Portland, Oregon
October 20, 2010
Trisha Kehaulani Watson, JD, PhD
Community Outreach Coordinator
community@hawaiicapitalculture.org

2.  In 2003, a diverse group of community members joined
together to establish The Hawai`i Capital Cultural District,
creating a partnership of arts and cultural institutions in
the downtown, Nu`uanu, and Kalihi areas, arts and
culture-related associations, state agencies, and businesses
with an interest in working together to nurture and
celebrate the legacy of Honolulu’s historic core. The
organization was re-named the Hawai`i Capital Cultural
Coalition in 2008.

3.  The group commissioned a study of the area.
The “National Heritage Area Sustainability /
Feasibility Study” was completed in December
2008. The study's chief author was Dr. William
Chapman, Director of the Historic Preservation
Program in the American Studies Department of
the University of Hawai`i, Mānoa. Dr. Chapman
is an expert in historic preservation and has no
relationship with the coalition other than the
authoring of this study.

4.  THEME 1 — NATIVE HAWAIIANS’ STRUGGLE FOR
CULTURAL PRESERVATION AND SELF
DETERMINATION.
 THEME 2 —HAWAI`I’S EXCEPTIONAL
EXPERIENCE IN MULTICULTURALISM.
 THEME 3 — HONOLULU’S ROLE AS A LINK
BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES, ASIA, AND THE
PACIFIC.

5. Original area
Original area included
only the
Downtown/Chinatown
areas

6. CurrentArea
Current area includes the
ahupua`a of Honolulu and
Kapālama

8. Community
Culture
Economics
Stone Barns Center
for Food &
Agriculture - housed
in the former
Rockefeller family
farm complex - is a
working farm,
restaurant and
education center
devoted to teaching,
demonstrating and
promoting
sustainable,
community-based
food production.

9. Achievements
 Strong partnerships
 Diverse coalition
 Strong base in research,
heritage and natural
resource
 Excellent marketing and
outreach base
 Misinformation
campaigns
 Outreach resources
 Governance
 The evolving role of
residents
Challenges

10. Planning
 Focusing on designation
 Outreach that focused
on concepts
 Standing on the outside
looking in
 Chasing our tails
 Opponents
 Legislature
 Focusing on
programming
 Outreach that
highlighted activities
and products
 Setting a course and
excelling
 Scholarship
 Outreach
Programming

11.  Find your champions
 Pick your low-hanging fruit
 Minimal resources
 Build partnerships
 Collaborate
 Document your achievements
 Don’t be afraid of press
 (e.g., Civil Beat)
 Be great at what you do

14. Hawaiian Heritage Research and Projects
Implementing the National Heritage Area Initiative

15. Cherokee
BLUE RIDGE
NATIONAL
HERITAGE AREA,
CHEROKEE
HISTORICAL
ASSOCIATION

16. Historical Heritage Living Cultural History

20.  Provide research support
 Provide outreach support
 Provide programming support

24.  King Kamehameha
Parade and Ho`olaule`a
 PEWA (MAMo Gallery)
 Ka Himemi Ana
 105th Anniversary of
`Ahahui Ka`ahumanu
 `Ōiwi Journal Book
Launch
 Taste of Helumoa
 Aloha Festivals
 Farm Fair
 Art Spree
 I Love Liliha Festival
 We Value Hawai`i –
Youth Festival
 Girl Fest
 First Friday (Gallery
Walk)
 Community Clean-ups
 Farmers Markets

25. 200 thanniversary
of theunification
of thekingdom
June 12th Ho`olaule`a
Partnership with
KKCC, HCCC, and
Friends of `Iolani
Palace

26. June12th
Hawai`i Capital
Cultural Coalition
table at `Iolani
Palace during the
King Kamehameha
Celebration
Ho`olaule`a

27. King
KamehamehaDay
Volunteers from
various organizations
gather in front of
`Iolani Palace before
the Parade

28. www.hawaiicapitalculture.org
community@hawaiicapitalculture.org