Kalapana Kollars of Lahaina Restoration Foundation will teach the new class.

LAHAINA – Every Wednesday, beginning Feb. 5, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., free Hawaiian cultural workshops will be held at the new cultural park in Lahaina, Apuakehau.

The park is located across from the Baldwin Home Museum on Front Street.

Apuakehau is newly landscaped with Native Hawaiian plants, trees and three beds of kalo. This area is the former site of the King’s Kalo Patch. The park will open to the public in late January.

Starting Feb. 5, a cordage-making workshop will be held weekly at 10 a.m. This will be a hands-on workshop, and participants can take home the cordage they make.

Kalapana Kollars, cultural director for Lahaina Restoration Foundation, will teach the class.

Without access to metal, ancient Hawaiians perfected the art of cordage for use in all aspects of daily life.

Canoes were lashed together with cordage as were the timbers of their homes.

Fishing nets, lines, traps, string and the netting that provided the foundation for elaborate feather capes are other examples of the extensive use of cordage.

A variety of Native Hawaiian plants and roots were used to make cordage, and each exhibited unique properties.

Coconut sennit was preferred for canoe lashing, because it did not rot in saltwater.

It was discovered that hau cordage was very strong but hala roots made a more elastic cordage.

Beginning at 11:30 a.m., Kollars will conduct a walking tour of the Native Hawaiian plants and trees, including a talk and demonstration about the varieties of kalo growing in the park.

The cordage workshop is limited to 15 people. All materials are provided, and instruction is provided free of charge.

Call the Lahaina Restoration Foundation office at 661-3262 to register or e-mail kalapana@lahainarestoration.org.