LIHU‘E — Two Kaua‘i historians and two preservation projects were honored at the 47th annual Preservation Honor Awards, hosted by the Historic Hawai‘i Foundation online in May.
The four Kaua‘i Preservation Honor Awardees include historian and advisor Dr. Carlos Andrade of Ha‘ena; Christine Faye, a historian and preservationist, in Koke‘e; the Ha‘ena State Park Master Plan, and the Allerton Cottage and Montgomery House Restoration.
“I was surprised,” Hui o Laka Executive Director Faye said. “My board nominated me. I still feel like I haven’t done enough or lived long enough to receive awards for something I like to do. I would do what I do regardless of an award. Personally, I don’t need an award, but I know it is great for the organization and the Koke‘e Natural History Museum, which deserve recognition for being there for the community.”
“It (Kaua‘i) has very diverse people that live here, and even though it isn’t the plantation community I grew up with, it is still diversifying and in need of learning lessons from the past,” Faye said.
“Going through the pandemic was an opportunity to take the Koke‘e Natural History Museum back to its roots and original mission, to teach people about Koke‘e as a place and share the natural history with the visitors. We became too much of a hiking focus, which is only one small part of what Koke‘e is about.”
In 202o, during the pandemic, Faye took the opportunity to redesign and refresh the museum’s exhibits. She also served as curator at Kaua‘i Museum, and has helped establish other museums and develop tours at several historic sites on Kaua‘i.
Faye is the great-granddaughter of one of the founders of Kekaha Sugar Company, which is why she holds a high standard of kuleana towards research and Kaua‘i’s history.
Andrade shared the history and mo‘olelo of Ha‘ena, and his passion for music led him to write songs of Ha‘ena’s history through songs like “Limahuli.”
Sailing through the Pacific ocean on the Hokule‘a, Andrade took his experience as a crew member and returned to O‘ahu to teach courses about Hawaiian navigation, astronomy, geography and culture at Hawai‘inuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa.
Andrade devoted his time to write a book, “Ha‘ena: Through the Eyes of Ancestors,” to capture a Native Hawaiian’s perspective of the earliest times to the present.
According to HHF’s Trustee and Chairperson Pat Griffin, since 1974 HHF has committed itself to the preservation of places that help tell Hawai‘i’s unique, multifaceted and fascinating story.
“The awards committee was impressed by the high caliber of the nominations we received this year, especially given the strains under which we have worked during the pandemic,” Griffin said.
HHF recognized the Ha‘ena State Park Master Plan because it prioritizes the protection, rehabilitation and restoration of Ha‘ena State Park’s archaeological, cultural and natural resources.
Located on over 50 acres on the North Shore, Ha‘ena State Park features include ancient agricultural settlements, he‘iau, streams, sand dunes, fishing areas and wet caves.
The Allerton Cottage and Montgomery House restoration projects within Ha‘ena State Park were recognized for the restoration of two historic cottages which are integral components of the implementation of the master plan for the park.
The Allerton Caretaker’s Cottage was restored for use by the park’s rangers and for cultural practitioners at the Ka-ulu-o-Paoa He‘iau, and the Ke-Ahu-a-Laka hula platform.
The Montgomery House was restored for multiple purposes, including educational programs, park staff and community volunteers who maintain the traditional lo‘i kalo at Ha‘ena.
