Polynesian Cultural Center breaks ground on Hawaiʻi Kauhale Project, expanding its Hawaiʻi Village experience

The Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) marked a new chapter for its Hawaiʻi Village on Sunday, Oct. 3, with a groundbreaking ceremony for the Hawaiʻi Kauhale Project, an initiative designed to deepen guests’ understanding of traditional Hawaiian ways of life, agriculture and the enduring relationship between people and ʻāina, or land. 

The groundbreaking event began with a canoe ride to the Hawaiʻi Village, followed by a ceremony and ending with refreshments and fellowship. 

“This groundbreaking marks an exciting milestone for the PCC and the continued evolution of our Hawaiʻi Village,” said Jarrod Hester, President and CEO, Polynesian Cultural Center. “We’re grateful to everyone who has helped bring this vision to this point, and we look forward to seeing the project take shape. More than a new addition to the Center, this is an opportunity to thoughtfully invest in the future of our Hawaiʻi Village and create new ways for our guests, students and community to engage with Hawaiʻi.” 

The Hawaiʻi Kauhale Project is expected to encompass more than 4.5 acres, representing more than 10% of the PCC’s total size, and is anticipated to be completed in 2028. The expansion will significantly broaden the footprint and experiences of the Hawaiʻi Village while creating opportunities to explore the interconnectedness of land, freshwater and ocean environments. 

The project draws inspiration from the traditional Hawaiian kauhale — a family dwelling made up of multiple hale, or houses, each serving a distinct purpose. In traditional Hawaiian communities, the kauhale represented more than a collection of homes; it was a place where families lived, worked, shared responsibilities and cared for theʻāina together. 

Rooted in Lāʻie’s history as puʻuhonua, or place of refuge, the Kauhale Hawaiʻi expansion is intended to highlight the aloha of pre-contact Hawaiʻi and the uka to kai, or upland-to-sea, connection that guided traditional sustainability and mālama, or stewardship and care practices. Experiences throughout the project will reflect this connection across land, freshwater and ocean environments, providing guests with opportunities to learn about the practices that supported thriving communities in Hawaiʻi. 

Traditional agricultural and aquacultural practices, voyaging and near-shore transportation, surfing and the importance of celebration through makahiki, a time of celebration, will be among the experiences represented in the expanded Hawaiʻi Village. Together, these elements will illustrate aloha kekahi i kekahi, or love and care for one another, and its role in the sustainability and resilience of communities in pre-contact Hawaiʻi, while offering lessons that remain relevant to ko kēia ao nei, or the world we live in today. 

The project reflects PCC’s lonstanding mission to preserve and share the cultures of Polynesia through living, hands-on experiences. Since opening in 1963, PCC has welcomed visitors from around the world while supporting the educational development of students at Brigham Young University-Hawaiʻi. 

As construction progresses toward the anticipated 2028 completion, the Hawaiʻi Kauhale Project will further expand the Hawaiʻi Village as a place where guests can connect with Hawaiian cultural traditions and gain a deeper appreciation for the knowledge, practices and relationships that have shaped Hawaiʻi.