OUR MISSION
To promote ʻāina-based education and stewardship that protects and restores natural, cultural and community resources of the southern Waiʻanae mountains and throughout Hawaiʻi.
Upcoming Events
Workshops:
October 4, 10 AM to 1 PM
October 4, 2 PM to 5 PM
Choose from the dropdown below
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The workshop moves gently through three offerings:
Tea — Settle in with a warm cup as the cabin and the view
Sound Bath with Mika — Crystal singing bowls, crystalophone, bells, tingsha bells, chimes, and instruments made from nuts layer into an immersive soundscape crafted for stillness. This is music as medicine — unhurried, enveloping, and attuned to the natural atmosphere of Pālehua.
Ear Acupuncture with Akemi Nakagawa Bischoff, L.Ac — Close the experience with ear seeds, a gentle practice rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Tiny seeds are placed on specific points of the ear — each corresponding to a different area of the body — offering continued support for relaxation, sleep, and wellbeing long after you leave the mountain. They are worn for three to five days, a quiet reminder of the stillness you found here.
Please bring a yoga mat and a blanket if desired.
About Mika
Mika is a Marimba, Vibraphone, and Percussion player, sound healer, and piano teacher based in Hawaiʻi. She holds a Master's Degree from the Osaka College of Music and a degree from the Berklee College of Music, and spent a decade performing in New York City with award-winning musicians. Since moving to Hawaiʻi in 2019, she has become a beloved presence in the islands' music and wellness community — performing, teaching, composing, arranging, and healing across genres.
About Akemi Bischoff
Akemi Nakagawa Bischoff, L.Ac is a licensed acupuncturist practicing ear seed therapy rooted in the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Her work supports stress and anxiety relief, pain management, sleep, and overall nervous system regulation.
Performances:
August 30, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
August 30, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
December 6, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
December 6, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Choose in dropdown below
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This program brings together harpist Megan Conley and bassist Shawn Conley for an intimate evening of music inspired by the natural world and the landscapes that shape us. Spanning cultures, centuries, and continents, the program explores how composers have drawn creative inspiration from mountains, oceans, forests, and the rhythms of place.
The three-hour experience includes guided travel up and down the mountain, a live performance, light bites.
Performed in the serene setting of the Ossipoff Cabin, the concert invites listeners to experience music in dialogue with its surroundings. Works by J.S. Bach, François Rabbath, Leilehua Lanzilotti, Takuma Itoh, and others offer diverse perspectives on nature, memory, and belonging—from Europe to Japan to Hawaiʻi and beyond.
Blending the rich sonorities of harp and double bass, this unique program celebrates the connections between music, landscape, and cultural heritage, creating an evening of reflection, beauty, and discovery.
Two Performances on August 29, 2026:
Morning Session: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Afternoon Session: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
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One year after its release, Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award-winning singer-songwriter Izik brings KŌWĀ to the Ossipoff Cabin for an intimate performance. KŌWĀ was shaped by five years of reflection and recorded in Aotearoa with Māori producer Brandon Haru. Inspired by a meditation on the color blue and its significance in Hawaiian language and worldview, it moves fluidly across folk, R&B, country, reggae, and contemporary Hawaiian sounds — music that, like this place, asks you to be present.
The Ossipoff Cabin, perched on the southern ridge of the Waiʻanae mountains, shaped by an architect who understood the Japanese art of dwelling in harmony with nature is one of them.
The three-hour experience includes guided travel up and down the mountain, a live performance, light bites, and unhurried time with the musicians in the mauka setting.
Proceeds from tours benefit Pālehua Conservation Initiative, a new non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to advance education and stewardship efforts that protect, promote, and restore the natural, cultural and community resources of the southern Wai‘anae mountains.
Tour Dates:
Saturday, September 5, 4 - 7 PM
Sunday, September 6, 4 - 7 PM
Saturday, October 3, 4 - 7 PM
Saturday, November 7, 4 - 7 PM
Sunday, November 8, 4 - 7 PM
December 26, 4 - 7 PM
December 27, 4 - 7 PM
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Join Pālehua Conservation Initiative and Oʻahu architect, Graham Hart, for a tour of Ossipoff Cabin. Built high on the ridge of the Waiʻanae mountains in the mid 1950s, this cabin was Vladimir Ossipoff’s personal retreat. Every detail expresses his design philosophy and understanding of this mountain microclimate. Restored with care in 2020 by the Gill ʻohana, the cabin continues to exemplify the indoor-outdoor, carefully crafted, Japanese-inspired style that Ossipoff embraced in future projects.
The three-hour tour includes an hour of guided travel up and down the mountain, with two hours for learning about and enjoying the Ossipoff Cabin and Goodsill Cottage. A curated selection of pūpū reflecting the themes of the cabin will be provided by co-host Kristine Pontecha.
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Graham Hart is an architect and advocate for Hawaiʻi mid-century architecture. He is co-founder of Kokomo Studio, a lecturer at UH Mānoa- School of Architecture, VP of Docomomo HI, serves on the Hawaiʻi Historic Places Review Board, and holds a Doctorate of Architecture with a focus on Tropical Modernism. For the past several years, Graham has helped share the history and design principles of Ossipoffʻs cabin in media, presentations, and architectural tours.
Proceeds from tours benefit Pālehua Conservation Initiative, a new non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to advance education and stewardship efforts that protect, promote, and restore the natural, cultural and community resources of the southern Wai‘anae mountains.
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We encourage 14 years and older for ideal participation. Anyone attending must have a ticket. Babies that aren’t yet walking are welcome to join caregivers, but no children under the age of 12 otherwise please!
Limit 15 people per tour.
Guests must be comfortable carpooling to the remote location.
Refunds/late attendance will not be granted.
Cancellations permitted within 48 hours of booking.
Pre-arrival information will be sent by maukacabins@palehua.org. Please check all inboxes (esp. junk mail) the week prior to workshops, for our email.
We also offer private group tours, contact maukacabins@palehua.org for more information and booking.
Images courtesy of Mariko Reed
Sunday, September 8, 2026
Choose date in dropdown
When signing up, please be sure to "check out" (even though this is event is free!) by clicking the cart icon at the top of the website after adding your tickets with the "add to cart" button.
Join us for a community work day at Pālehua!
Come and lend your lima and kōkua one of the ʻāina sites that PCI stewards! ʻĀina Program Manager Aliah Irvine and Conservation Field Technician Deandra Castro lead volunteers in the hana of clearing invasives, planting natives, watering plants, monitoring habitat, and tending fences. Along the way, they share knowledge and connections shaped by experience with the land.
Please wear shoes, bring a jacket, hat/sunscreen, bug spray, water, and snacks. Gloves will be provided but volunteers are welcome to bring their own, as well as any tools you prefer for this sort of hana.
Participants must be comfortable carpooling from a meeting point in Makakilo to the remote location. Please plan to arrive 15 minutes early, as we will head to Pālehua at 8:30am. Groups must be guided up the mountain together.
We will provide a water jug and a light snack. Please feel welcome to bring your own lunch. When the work is over, we talk story, have snacks, then leave as group.
Communication will be sent to the email and/or phone number provided at checkout prior to the work day. If you are later unable to attend, please email maukacabins@palehua.org.
Weʻre excited to work alongside each of you. Thank you so much for joining in on our journey to mālama iā Pālehua.
When "checking out," please enter your preferred contact phone number and email address, as this is where we will reach you with logistics and any other event details.
Do not hesitate to email with any questions.
Workshop Dates:
Sunday, August 23, 2 PM - 5 PM
Sunday, September 27, 2 PM - 5 PM
Saturday, October 10, 2 PM - 5 PM
choose in dropdown
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Andrew Mau + Courtney Monahan are a creative collaboration that brings color, creativity, and joy to Pālehua when they host onsite workshops. This event brings a modern take on the Japanese floral arranging practice of ikebana to Ossipoff Cabin, where the architecture is also inspired by Japanese aesthetics. All materials will be provided including kenzan (flower frogs) and foraged flora from Pālehua. We will supply ample vases for each student (assorted styles), but if you would like to explore a vase you already own, we invite each student to bring a shallow, opaque water-tight vessel (bowl or vase with a 4-10" opening). All materials will be provided.
The 3-hour workshop includes an hour of guided travel up and down the mountain and 2 hours of instruction. Guests can look forward to refreshments and time to explore Vladimir Ossipoffʻs personal retreat.
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Ossipoff Cabin was built in the mid 1950s by Vladimir Ossipoff and restored in 2020 by the Gill ʻohana. The cabinʻs Japanese-inspired style, careful use of local materials, and breathtaking view make for an inspiring setting for workshops.
Andrew Mau + Courtney Monahan are a creative collaboration that brings color, fresh blooms, and joy to Pālehua! Off-mountain, Andrew is the creative force behind Island-Boy in Kaimuki and Mau-House, while Courtney Monahan is co-founder of Paiko and Pua Hana, which offers fresh and unusual botanicals in arrangements and lei that lean towards the contemporary, with a taste of retro.
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We encourage 14 years and older for ideal participation. Babies that aren’t yet walking are welcome to join caregivers, but no children under the age of 11. Anyone attending (other than babies) must have a ticket.
Limit 15 people per workshop.
Guests must be comfortable carpooling from a meeting point in Makakilo to the remote location.
Cancellations permitted within 48 hours of booking.
Refunds/late attendance will not be granted.
Pre-arrival information will be sent by maukacabins@palehua.org about a week prior to the event. Please check all inboxes (esp. junk mail) for this email.
We also offer private group workshops, contact maukacabins@palehua.org for more information and booking.
Proceeds from tours benefit Pālehua Conservation Initiative, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to advance education and stewardship efforts that protect, promote, and restore the natural, cultural and community resources of the southern Wai‘anae mountains.
Workshop Dates:
Saturday, August 22, 10 AM - 2 PM
Saturday, August 22, 2 PM - 6 PM
Saturday, September 26, 10 AM - 2 PM
Saturday, September 26, 2 PM - 6 PM
Sunday, October 11, 10 AM - 2 PM
Sunday, October 11, 2 PM - 6 PM
Saturday, November 14, 10 AM - 2 PM
Saturday, November 14, 2 PM - 6 PM
(select in dropdown below)
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Andrew Mau + Courtney Monahan are a creative collaboration that brings color, fresh blooms, and joy to Pālehua when they host lei poʻo workshops at the Ossipoff Cabin. Lei poʻo, worn on the head, will be taught as lei wili, where the stems of ferns and flora are bound together by winding rafia to create a flat base for the forehead. All materials will be provided.
The 4-hour workshop includes an hour of guided travel up and down the mountain, and three hours of instruction. Guests can look forward to refreshments and time to explore Vladimir Ossipoffʻs personal retreat.
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Ossipoff Cabin was built in the mid 1950s by Vladimir Ossipoff and restored in 2020 by the Gill ʻohana. The cabinʻs Japanese-inspired style, careful use of local materials, and breathtaking view make for an inspiring setting for workshops.
Andrew Mau + Courtney Monahan bring color, fresh blooms, and joy to Pālehua! Off-mountain, Andrew is the creative force behind Island-Boy in Kaimuki and Mau-House, while Courtney Monahan is co-founder of Paiko and Pua Hana, which offers fresh and unusual botanicals in arrangements and lei that lean towards the contemporary, with a taste of retro.
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Limit 15 people per workshop.
Guests must be comfortable carpooling from a meeting point in Makakilo to the remote location.
We encourage 14 years and older for ideal participation. Babies that aren’t yet walking are welcome to join caregivers, but no children under the age of 12. Anyone attending (other than babies) must have a ticket.
Cancellations permitted within 48 hours of booking.
Refunds/late attendance will not be granted.
Pre-arrival information will be sent by maukacabins@palehua.org about a week prior to the event. Please check all inboxes (esp. junk mail) for this email.
Proceeds from tours benefit Pālehua Conservation Initiative, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to advance education and stewardship efforts that protect, promote, and restore the natural, cultural and community resources of the southern Wai‘anae mountains.
We also offer private group workshops, contact maukacabins@palehua.org for more information and booking.
Images courtesy of Island-Boy.
Sunday, August 23, 10 AM - 1 PM
Sunday, October 10, 10 AM - 1 PM
Select in dropdown below
Island-Boy and Paiko are a creative collaboration that brings color, creativity, and joy to Pālehua when they host onsite workshops. This event brings the Japanese planting style of kokedama to Ossipoff Cabin, which also draws inspiration from Japanese architecture.
Kokedama are a way to bring potted plants into the home – without a pot! Instead, moss creates an organic container for soil and plant. All materials will be provided, with most greenery to be sourced from the mountain.
The workshop includes an hour of guided travel up and down the mountain, and 2.5 hours of instruction. Guests can look forward to refreshments and time to explore Vladimir Ossipoffʻs personal retreat.
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Island-Boy, located in Kaimukī on Waiʻalae Avenue, is a one-man retail experiment curating a diverse spectrum of items and art through a fun, tropical lens. Pua Hana by Paiko offers fresh and unusual botanicals in arrangements and lei that lean towards the contemporary, with a taste of retro.
Ossipoff Cabin was built in the mid 1950s by Vladimir Ossipoff and restored in 2020 by the Gill ʻohana. The cabinʻs Japanese-inspired style, careful use of local materials, and breathtaking view make for an inspiring setting for workshops.
Proceeds from tours benefit Pālehua Conservation Initiative, a new non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to advance education and stewardship efforts that protect, promote, and restore the natural, cultural and community resources of the southern Wai‘anae mountains.
————
We encourage 14 years and older for ideal participation.
Limit 15 people per workshop.
Guests must be comfortable carpooling from a meeting point in Makakilo to the remote location.
Refunds/late attendance will not be granted.
Cancellations permitted within 48 hours of booking.
Pre-arrival information will be sent by maukacabins@palehua.org. Please check all inboxes (esp. junk mail) the week prior to workshops, for our email.
Images courtesy of Mariko Reed (cabin) & Paiko (kokedama).
Workshops:
Sunday, August 16, 10am - 1pm
Sunday, August 16, 1 PM - 4 PM
Sunday, October 18, 10 am - 1 PM
Sunday, October 18, 1 PM - 4 PM
(choose in dropdown below)
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Join local ceramist Tamiko Claire and Pālehua Conservation Initiative at Ossipoff Cabin for an inspiring workshop in the creative craft of pottery. Unplug and join us for a relaxing experience hand-building 手捻り tebineri cups using the pinch pot method—just your hands, water, and earth. This is a slow, grounding process where you can shape your piece freely—wabi-sabi, imperfect and intuitive. All levels welcome, no experience necessary.
Hosted high on the southern ridge of the Waiʻanae mountains in an inspiring space oriented to the environment, this collaboration hopes to bring each guest a sense of clarity and wonder. Guests will also have time to experience Vladimir Ossipoffʻs personal retreat.
The 3-hour workshop includes an hour of guided travel up and down the mountain and 2 hours of instruction. Light refreshments will be provided.
Note: Finished vessels will be taken by Tamiko for firing and glazing and will be available to pick up at her Honolulu studio within 3-4 weeks.
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Tamiko Claire is a ceramicist from Nuʻuanu, Honolulu, Hawai'i. She found her love for clay as a teen and furthered her study of the practice while living between Japan, New York, and Hawai'i. Back home on Oʻahu, Tamiko continues to develop her ceramic technique in a free style method, inspired by explorations of her inner world, interactions with nature, and admiration of Hawai'i past, present and future.
Ossipoff Cabin was built in the mid 1950s and restored in 2020 The cabinʻs Japanese-inspired style, careful use of local materials, and breathtaking view make for an inspiring setting for workshops.
Proceeds from tours benefit Pālehua Conservation Initiative, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to advance education and stewardship efforts that protect, promote, and restore the natural, cultural and community resources of the southern Wai‘anae mountains.
————
Guests must be comfortable carpooling to the remote location.
Refunds/late attendance will not be granted.
We encourage 12 years and older for ideal participation.
Limit 15 people per workshop.
Cancellations permitted within 48 hours of booking.
We also offer private group workshops, contact maukacabins@palehua.org for more information and booking.
Images courtesy of Tamiko Claire and Mariko Reed.
This gift card can be applied toward any upcoming PCI workshops at our mauka cabins or any Ossipoff Cabin architectural workshop. We look forward to you joining us on the mountain!
$100 = One ticket to an Ossipoff Cabin public architectural tour
$165 = One ticket to an Ossipoff Cabin floral workshop
$500 = Private architectural tour of Ossipoff Cabin for up to 5 people
$1000 = Private architectural tour of Ossipoff Cabin for up to 10 people
$2250 = Private floral workshop of choice at Ossipoff Cabin for up to 15 people
Upon checkout you will be able to enter the name and email address of the person you are gifting to, and they will receive an email notification with a unique code to redeem. You can also send the card to your self and present the email with code to them.
Please email maukacabins@palehua.org if you would like to request a specific amount or have any questions.
Tuesday, July 7 - 9am - 12pm
Tuesday, August 4th
Tuesday, September 1st
(choose in dropdown)
When signing up, please be sure to "check out" (even though this is event is free!) by clicking the cart icon at the top of the website after adding your tickets with the "add to cart" button.
After signing up for the kūpuna volunteer series for any of the dates, you may be added to a regular kūpuna volunteer list and will be able to coordinate attendance directly with Aliah.
We welcome retirees, kūpuna, and anyone (of any age!) who wants to dedicate ongoing time on Wednesdays to helping restore the ʻāina at Pālehua! Bring your moʻopuna, bring your uncles and aunties, all are welcome. This will be a weekly event with ʻĀina Programs Manager Aliah Irvine.
Hana will include removing invasive plants, such as removing strawberry guava or bamboo with handsaws or cutting grass. We will also be planting natives.
Please wear shoes, bring a jacket, hat/sunscreen, bug spray, water, and snacks. Gloves will be provided but volunteers are welcome to bring their own, as well as any tools you prefer for this sort of hana.
Participants must be comfortable carpooling from a meeting point in Makakilo to the remote location. Please plan to arrive 15 minutes early, as we will head to Pālehua at 9am. Groups must be guided up the mountain together.
We will provide a water jug and a light snack. Please feel welcome to bring your own lunch. When the work is over you are welcome to stay and talk story while eating or you can head out (in carpool group).
Communication will be sent to the email and/or phone number provided at checkout prior to the work day. If you are later unable to attend, please email maukacabins@palehua.org.
Weʻre excited to work alongside each of you. Thank you so much for joining in on our journey to mālama iā Pālehua.
When "checking out," please enter your preferred contact phone number and email address, as this is where we will reach you with logistics and any other event details.
Do not hesitate to email with any questions.
Ke Kuahiwi Poina ‘Ole
The unforgettable mountain range
Keep in Touch
Want to get connected? Be among the first to know about community work days, tour dates, and new workshops when you sign up for our newsletter.
Tours & Workshops
We host architectural tours of the Ossipoff Cabin and Goodsill Cottage, alongside various hana no‘eau workshops with skilled craftsmen and field experts.
Get Involved
Pālehua Conservation Initiative is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a vision to restore a native forest to the mountain. See how you can help support our mission.
Two Performances on August 29, 2026:
Afternoon Session: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Moonrise Session: 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
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Join us for an intimate evening of music with Taimane — the celebrated hapa Sāmoan artist whose sound has captivated audiences from Hawaiʻi to Europe. A two-time Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winner for Favorite Entertainer of the Year (2019, 2023), Taimane brings her boundless artistic range — from Bach to flamenco to tribal rhythms — to the historic Ossipoff Cabin, with an original set inspired by the full moon and the wild beauty of the mountain that surrounds us.
This three-hour mauka experience includes guided travel up and down the mountain, a live performance in a setting unlike any other, light bites, and time to connect with the musician against the backdrop of Pālehua's ridgelines.
All proceeds support the Pālehua Conservation Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to protecting, promoting, and restoring the natural, cultural, and community resources of the southern Waiʻanae mountains.