October Events: National Farmer's Day

Honouliuli National Historic Site was only found again thanks to the local farmers in the area who were able to identify the site based on historic photographs. Without their knowledge of the land and expertise, it is very possible that Honouliuli may have taken many more years to find, and therefore delayed its establishment as a National Park.

Additionally, prior to the camp, the land was owned by the Oʻahu Sugar Plantation and after the camp was closed, reverted back to agricultural use again. Both incarcerees and prisoners of war also tended to gardens where a variety of vegetables were grown.

October will be centered around celebrating National Farmer's Day in gratitude to the farmers who not only helped find Honouliuli, but also to Bayer Hawaiʻi who donated the land to establish the National Park. This month will feature two speakers and a movie screening. The Hawai‘i Farm Bureau will also be hosting events this month in celebration of National Farmer's Day.

Please Note:

Nearly all of our Speaker Series events will be virtual.

Event details will be posted closer to the month in which they take place. Please check back for updates to the calendar and event pages.

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Speaker: Jay Sturdevant

National Park Service

Date and Time: October 2025, Exact Time and Date TBD

Discussion Summary: The former acting-superintendent of Honouliuli National Historic Site will discuss his experience during his tenure

Biography: Sturdevant brings over 25 years of NPS experience. He began his career working as an archeological technician at Dinosaur National Monument before serving as an archeologist and cultural resource advisor at the Midwest Archeological Center in Nebraska for 22 years. His prior experience includes an acting superintendent assignment at Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site in 2017. Sturdevant received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from Colorado State University in 1999 and a Master of Arts degree in Anthropology from the University of Nebraska in 2001.

Movie Screening: "Removed by Force" with Panelists

Doris Duke Theater; Kinetic Productions

Date and Location: October 19, 2025, Doris Duke Theater at the Honolulu Museum of Art, 900 Kinau St, Honolulu, HI 96814, Time TBD

Parking information can be found here

About the Event: Local Hawaiʻi resident and Director Ryan Kawamoto has created multiple documentaries about internment and incarceration in Hawaiʻi with his production company Kinetic Productions. "Removed by Force" originally aired on PBS Hawai'ʻi and highlighted the unique experience of the 1,500 Japanese Americans in Hawai'i that were evicted, but not interned, during WWII. Thanks to Pacific Historic Parks, the community will be able to watch the one hour film for free at the Doris Duke Theater at the Honolulu Museum of Art. This special film screening will be followed by a discussion of Honouliuli and Hawaii's internment experience with panel members, including Ryan Kawamoto himself, Carole Hayashino, the former President/Executive Director of the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i, and William Kaneko, the former past chapter President of the Honolulu Japanese American Citizens League.

Two more of Ryan Kawamoto's films were screened at Doris Duke Theater as a part of Honouliuli's 10th Anniversary Celebrations:

Untold Story (June 22)
Voices Behind Barbed Wire (August 17)

Honouliuli Monthly Bookstore Educational Item

Pearl Harbor National Memorial Gift Shop

Date and Location: October 2025, 1 Arizona Memorial Place, Honolulu, HI, 96818

About the Event: The Honouliuli National Historic Site bookstore is located in the Pearl Harbor National Memorial bookstore. The bookstore, which carries items beyond just books, provides visitors with a range of interpretive and educational materials about Honouliuli. The income generated from these items supports important historic preservation, ongoing research, visitor interpretation, natural and cultural resources management, and educational programs at the park.

To find other ways to help support the park, explore the drop down menu under the Get Involved section of the navigation banner.