E Malama I Ke Kai can be translated as "Take care of the ocean". Taking the translation of the Festival's moniker literally, an annual beach cleanup kicks off the E Malama I Ke Kai Ocean Awareness and Conservation campaign.
The Beach Cleanup Event has taken place at several beaches since E Malama I Ke Kai's inception in 1998. The most recent event was held at One`ula Beach Park in `Ewa on December 1, 2007. More commonly known as "Hau Bush", the area has been garnishing attention due to efforts by `Ewa Beach residents to "take" the beach back and to revive its place in history as home to one of the more prestigious places to gather different types of limu.
More than 100 volunteers gathered at One`ula for this past beach cleanup. The City and County of Honolulu was on hand to provide gloves and garbage bags for participants. Matson Hawai`i provided a shipping container and disposed of the waste retrieved from beach.
The Red Bull tent played host to a number of events in the afternoon. There were native Hawaiian games, guest speakers giving historical background on the area, as well as a limu exhibition given by Uncle Henry Chang Wo of the Limu Project.
Sponsors of the most recent Beach Cleanup Event included Safeway, Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park, McDonald's `Ewa Beach, Starbucks `Ewa Beach, Red Bull, Meadow Gold, Renee K LLC, JPS Dresses, My Evolution, Stan Sheriff Center, WRV, Remy's Adventures, Na Mea Hawai`i, Laleen Ramiscal, and Matson Hawai`i.
Beach Cleanup T-shirts designed and provided by Deep Roots. A special Mahalo goes out to Kapi`olani Community College's Fall Hawaiian Studies 216 Class who played an instrumental role in ensuring the success of this past beach cleanup event.
Pictures of December 2007's event soon to come.
Information regarding 2008's E Malama I Ke Kai Beach Cleanup Event will be posted soon.
For more information feel free to e-mail us at huimakua@yahoo.com.
