KOKE‘E — Despite the recent wildfire, the Banana Poka Vine Basket-Weaving Workshop will be held Saturday at the Koke‘e Museum. The all-day workshop, which has a $15 fee, is part of a fundraiser and membership drive to benefit Hui O
KOKE‘E — Despite the recent wildfire, the Banana Poka Vine Basket-Weaving Workshop will be held Saturday at the Koke‘e Museum.
The all-day workshop, which has a $15 fee, is part of a fundraiser and membership drive to benefit Hui O Laka. It is also a way to help rid the lush Koke‘e mountainsides of an invasive species.
Wailana Kuapahi is the basket workshop leader for the volunteer program. She will lead a group into the forest to search out the banana poka vines. The group will harvest the vines and bring them back to craft a beautiful basket and enjoy lunch.
Michelle Hookano, museum associate, said the thick, woody vine makes for a good, strong basket. They start with a seven spoke rib and then weave the shape.
“They last forever,” Hookano said of the baskets.
Poka is the Hawaiian word meaning “to climb,” and 30 varieties of the plant exist around the islands. The variety used for the class is easy to spot with its bubble-gum pink flower on the bottom, she said.
Weaving classes have been going on as long as the museum has been around, said Hookano. She has been with the museum for 14 years and is certain the weaving classes have been held for at least 18 years.
The materials change from time to time, but right now Hookano said Executive Director Marsha Erickson prefers to use the banana poka vine for the class.
“Different people do different styles,” Hookano said. “People like to use different mediums, and over the years they have used fabrics and yarn to coconut husks and all kinds of things to weave.”
Koke‘e Natural History Museum sits at the top of Waimea Canyon Road. Admission is free and hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
Find out more about the workshop, hiking maps and park information by calling 335-9975, and dial extension 0 to register.
