1946 Fourth of July parade on Mamane Street, Honoka`a, Paul Christensen Collection NHERC Heritage Center
Since the 1970s, efforts have been made to open a heritage center and museum in north Hāmākua that would celebrate the unique status of Honoka`a as an intact historic plantation town. Following the closure of Hāmākua Sugar Company, UH-Hilo founded the North Hawai`i Education and Research Center (NHERC) in 2006 to bring educational opportunities to the area, and in 2011 NHERC added a Heritage Center to the campus to help preserve the history of Hāmākua. Our guest this evening is Dr. Momi Naughton, coordinator of the NHERC Heritage Center, who has established it as a place where the community has an active role in interpreting their diverse history, and as an applied learning center where UH-Hilo students gain museum and interpretive skills. Join us as Momi reveals how, by using oral histories, family objects, and photographs, a heritage center can bring a sense of identity, pride, and empowerment to a worthy community.
