At an Ohana (Family) Day celebration last year featuring the nonprofit Waipa Project, Chris Faye noticed a 9-year-old boy pounding corm after corm of steaming taro.

“;The group is restoring the ahupuaa (land division) of Waipa in Hanalei as a sustainable learning center,”; said Faye, curator of the Kauai Museum, which sponsors the monthly event. “;They had set up a large wooden board for people to make poi, and that little boy must've spent two hours there. It was obvious he was enjoying the results of his work.”;

Faye asked who he was, assuming he was related to a Waipa Project member. “;I then discovered he actually was visiting from the mainland and had never eaten poi before!”; she said. “;His family didn't know what they were going to do when they got home since he loved poi so much and they knew they weren't going to be able to find it at their local supermarkets.”;

Hands-on learning is a highlight of Ohana Day, which usually is scheduled on the first Saturday each month. Admission is free, and there's a program of special activities revolving around a cultural or historical theme.

Most of this year's topics focus on the ethnic groups that immigrated to Hawaii to work on the sugar plantations from the mid-1800s to early 1900s. Sugar was the backbone of the islands' economy through the middle of the last century.

The theme of the March 7 event is “;Celebrating Hawaiian Culture.”; Planned are a lecture on Kauai's ruling chiefs from 11 a.m. to noon, and music and hula performances from noon to 1 p.m. Hawaiian food will be available for sale, and Kauai's Aloha Festivals royal court will make an appearance.

“;We're focusing on Hawaii in March because Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole was born on Kauai on March 26, which is a state holiday,”; Faye said. “;He was a great-grandson of Kaumualii, the last king of Kauai, and he represented Hawaii in Congress for 20 years, from 1902 to 1922.”;

Kauai Museum maintains a permanent exhibit on the prince, which includes a gold pocket watch he gave as to his godson, Jonah Kalanianaole Wise, as a present for his 21st birthday.

“;Our exhibits share the arts, culture and history of Kauai and Niihau in two and three dimensions, but the wealth of the Hawaiian culture can't completely be represented in just those formats,”; Faye said. “;Ohana Day enhances the museum experience. For visitors, it enriches their stay on Kauai, and for local families, it helps bond the different generations.”;

She believes this year's plantation themes are especially apropos in light of the country's current economic woes. “;They'll remind us of the hardships the immigrants endured, adjusting to life in a new land,”; she said. “;They didn't have much, but many of them persevered and went on to become successful business people and leaders in the community.”;

In addition to Ohana Day, Kauai Museum offers guided tours, workshops, lectures, cooking classes, art receptions and outreach programs year-round. Its collections include more than 5,000 photographs of Kauai and Niihau dating back to 1890; more than 1,000 stone implements, tools and games; and 250 original paintings by artists such as Theodore Wores, Madge Tennent and Juliet May Fraser.

It also safeguards marine shells, land snails and bird specimens; feather kahili (standards), leis and capes; wooden tapa beaters, bowls and drums; missionary- and plantation-era clothing and furniture; woven mats and hats; scrimshaw; weapons; and more. Items often are pulled from storage to complement Ohana Day themes.

“;Ohana Day is a time to count our blessings and remember our roots,”; Faye said. “;It brings us together to celebrate life in Hawaii as one big family.”;