Kona Historical Society’s (KHS) Hanohano ‘O Kona Lecture Series will return to the West Hawai‘i Civic Center with “The Great Māhele: Changes in Land Tenure in the Hawaiian Kingdom” presented by Hawaiian Naturalist and Historian Boyd Bond. The talk will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 31, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Ka Māhele, often referred to as “the Great Māhele,” is considered a pivotal period in Hawaiian history when the traditional system of land tenure evolved into the more contemporary form of privatization. Traditionally, Hawaiian lands belonged to the gods and stewarded by Aliʻi Nui who were responsible for managing resources and production. In less than 20 years, 90 percent of Hawaiians were landless. The “talk-story” style lecture will explore the decision by the king to make this change, and what he and his advisors hoped to accomplish by it.

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Boyd Davis Bond of Kohala is a sixth generation kamaʻaina who was born in Hawaiʻi and grew up during the sugar plantation days. He attended the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa earning a Bachelor’s degree in Hawaiian Studies in 1994, and later, a Master’s degree in Education in 2005. With more than 35 years’ experience as an interpretive naturalist in the Hawaiian Islands, Boyd combines his scholarly background with the oral histories shared with him over his lifetime.

Presented in cooperation with the County of Hawai‘i, the Hanohano ‘O Kona Lecture Series is free and open to the public. The ongoing series spotlights llocal and state speakers on a wide variety of cultural and historical subjects.

For more information, call KHS at (808) 323-3222 or visit www.konahistorical.org.