A place full of history also has a history of being a dumping ground.

But now a project is under way to transform the grounds of the Moiliili Japanese Cemetery so more people will see who played a part in Hawaii's past.

For the past 100 years, Japanese gravesites have filled up the cemetery.

"The first stones were small and simple and many of those here didn't even have stones," said Moiliili resident Laura Ruby.

Now there are many large, engraved stones; memorials made for families or to remember the famous and the infamous.

But all of the Japanese immigrants and their families added to Hawaii's cultural diversity and history.

"For people that find their roots, third or fourth generation, this is where they can go back and see their origins. They can see the first Japanese to arrive on our shores," said Ruby.

Over the past few decades, the cemetery collected more than just gravestones but also garbage.

"Outside of the fence, people thought nobody cared so the would dump out there and there were people dumping inside, too," said Ruby.

On Saturday, volunteers cleared the rubbish that used to pile up along the cemetery fence. They also removed old rocks and boulders to construct a new wall -- not to keep people out, but to allow people to see in.