Long before our islands became known as Hawai‘i, the first families navigated their way to our shores at what we now call Kalaeloa, in West O‘ahu. The now barren land once flourished as water flowed freely mauka to makai nourishing native plants and providing essential resources to people looking for a place to call home.

Nestled in what was once Barbers Point Naval Air Station, Kalaeloa Heritage Park might not catch the attention of most people driving by. It is unassuming and simple, but it is a hidden and priceless gem with the gift to take you back in time the moment you step out of your car. And if it weren’t for the determination of one man and his ability to inspire action in others, Kalaeloa Heritage Park might never have existed.

The park lives because of Uncle Shad Kane. Ask anyone who knew him, they will tell you the park is Uncle Shad. His legacy lives on in each shell, each stone, each plant, each site discovered in Kalaeloa. His work was a true labor of love from establishing the park to sustaining it and ensuring that the history there remains in our present through the dedication and education of future generations.

As part of Hawaiian History Month, we’ll take you on a journey through history, along the paths traveled by the first people to settle our islands and the mission to discover and preserve the hidden treasure of knowledge and living history that exists in our own backyard.