Anahola farmers market opens

ANAHOLA — The coconut trees in Aweepano Satow’s yard in Anahola were happy Sunday morning.

Al AhLoo and his family descended on the yard and reaped a truckload of coconuts for sale in the Anahola farmers market at the Anahola farm lots.

“The tree is happy now,” said Keoni AhLoo. “The more you pick, the more it gives.”

Aweepano was one of the vendors offering her tribal adornments at the Kalale‘a Anahola Farmers Hui, a market on Hokualele Road, north of the Anahola town.

“This is a soft opening,” said Aggie Marti Kini, market coordinator. “We were closed for about a year and a half, but now, we’re open on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Today, we celebrate the opening with kanikapila, and honor the old timers. They came here to sell, vend, and wala‘au.”

Aunty Ihi Kaneali‘i Wakinekona lives nearby.

“I used to come here when I could,” the kupuna said. “I can do what I can do. Mostly it was the young people who came and did a lot of work.”

Marti Kini said Aunty Audrey Loo, another of the “old timers,” used to come early and stay late.

“She lives up the road,” Marti Kini said, pausing after being overcome with emotion. “When she started, she had only one, or two papaya. But they sewed lei — both, she and Aunty Loke Perreira. All day.”

Perreira has since passed on, but a picture of her with Loo graced the table that overlooked Charlie Perreira’s net-making, his deft fingers weaving amongst the words being presented at the soft opening.

Sy Shim set out to husk some of the coconuts that were being unloaded in anticipation of the shoppers following the soft opening ceremony officiated by Sabra Kauka.

“This is life water,” Shim said. “It’s the next best thing to blood. When we were in the war, there were people who poured coconut water into the wounds. One coconut is equal to two IVs. It keeps you alive for extra time until they come fix you. Priceless.”