Manakaʻa Fishing Village

The Ka‘ū community has been working for years to protect its beloved 80 mile coast to honor their kūpuna (ancestors) and empower future generations to perpetuate their subsistence lifestyle and Hawaiian culture. The Manāka‘a Fishing Village, protected in 2021, is an undeveloped coastal property in the ahupua‘a of Kāwala with 1.2 miles of sea cliffs known as the Maniania Pali standing over 200 feet high with breathtaking views of the Ka‘ū coastline and Mauna Loa.

The lands along the Maniania Pali are a rich historic and cultural resource for the Ka‘ū community. This cultural and natural landscape will be preserved including heiau (place of worship), lava tube habitation sites, water collection caves with underground springs, seabird nesting areas, native coastal plant habitat, ancient trail systems and the Manāka‘a Fishing Village which stands on the sea cliff over Waikapuna Bay.

The land at Manākaʻa is now protected in perpetuity from development – now owned by Kuahiwi Ranch, operated for three generations by the Galimba ‘ohana. These lands are rich with Pahala Ash soil, great for cattle ranching, which produces free-range grass-fed beef, contributes to a sustainable local food system, and perpetuates Ka‘ū’s paniolo culture.

Protecting Manāka‘a from development ensures continued access to this coastline — important for a community which still relies on subsistence fishing and gathering. Conserving this coast perpetuates cultural access for descendants and pedestrian access for travelers along the ancient ala loa (Ala Kahakai Trail) allowing all to walk in the footsteps of Ka‘ū’s ancestors.