Kamani trees removed from Dillingham Boulevard as part of Skyline rail construction have been repurposed into commemorative ‘umeke bowls. The bowls were gifted to delegates at the Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture, a traveling festival celebrating indigenous Pacific Islanders held in Hawai‘i from June 6 to 16.

The trees were cut down to make way for utility line relocations along the rail’s path of construction along Dillingham. Overhead electrical lines along the mauka side of the street are being moved underground, necessitating the removal of the trees.

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation worked with contractors and community groups to repurpose wood from the kamani trees.

HART provided the wood to the Pa‘i Foundation, a Native Hawaiian arts and cultural organization, which transferred the wood to neighbor island organizations to craft the ‘umeke bowls. The bowls were then returned to O‘ahu to be distributed at FestPAC.

“Displacing trees that are beloved by the community was not HART’s first choice. This is why we are
grateful to work with arborists, the Outdoor Circle and community groups to repurpose this wood in a meaningful way, while also sharing a part of Hawai‘i’s rich history and culture with the world at FestPAC,” said HART Executive Director and CEO Lori Kahikina in a press release.

HART is committed to providing the repurposed wood to several

nonprofit organizations that focus on Hawaiian culture and arts, including the Pa‘i Foundation, Honolulu Community College, the Polynesian Voyaging Society, the Kalihi Pālama Culture and Arts Society and the Kalihi-Pālama Hawaiian Civic Club.

Utility relocation work along the Dillingham corridor is projected to be completed in early 2026.