University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Professor has been selected as dean of with his appointment set to take effect on July 1, 2026, following notice at the next Board of Regents’ meeting in April. Hawaiʻinuiākea is the only Indigenous-serving college at a Research I–designated university in the U.S.

“Kamana brings a combination of intellectual rigor, cultural grounding and visionary leadership,” said ������Ƶ Mānoa Interim Provost Vassilis L. Syrmos. “His work shows how ancestral wisdom can guide innovative solutions to today’s most pressing challenges. As a scholar, teacher and convener, he inspires our students while helping position the University of Hawaiʻi as a place where Hawaiian knowledge not only thrives, but leads the way in shaping a more sustainable future for our islands and beyond.”

Beamer, the inaugural Dana Naone Hall Endowed Chair in Hawaiian Studies, Literature, & the Environment, is director of within Hawaiʻinuiākea. He also holds a faculty appointment at the William S. Richardson School of Law through the . His research focuses on governance, land tenure and Native Hawaiian resource management.

Beyond scholarship, Beamer has helped shape some of the university’s most visible public conversations around land stewardship and justice. He founded and leads the annual Piʻo Summit, hosted by ������Ƶ Mānoa, which brings together community leaders, scholars, policymakers and students to explore solutions for ʻāina restoration, stewardship and the return of lands to community care. The summit has become a signature gathering at the university, highlighting how traditional Hawaiian knowledge, policy and contemporary science can work together to address Hawaiʻi’s environmental and social challenges.

“Hawaiʻinuiākea has provided me with such an incredible foundation and the tools to advance ancestral knowledge and regenerative values at home and across our world,” Beamer said. “I am profoundly honored to build upon the successes of our school and community to navigate a course toward aloha and abundance for our students and ʻāina, even in these challenging times. I can’t wait to get to work!”

Scholarship, service

Beamer is also a prolific author whose work explores Hawaiian sustainability and governance. His books include Waiwai: Water and the Future of Hawaiʻi (2025), Islands & Cultures: How Pacific Islands Provide Paths toward Sustainability (2022), and No Mākou Ka Mana: Liberating the Nation (2014).

From 2022 to 2024, Beamer served as a founding member of the Mauna Kea Stewardship Oversight Authority. He also served two terms on the Hawaiʻi State Commission on Water Resource Management, where he helped restore water flow to 45 streams across Hawaiʻi and pressed the U.S. Navy to address fuel contamination of the aquifer at Red Hill.

More on Beamer

Beamer has served as director of ʻāina-based education at Kamehameha Schools, which helped prepare him for an ongoing role as director of Stanford University’s First Nations Futures Institute, a development program for Indigenous leaders. He comes from a long line of highly acclaimed educators, composers and musicians in Hawaiʻi, including his great-great-grandmother, legendary Hawaiian composer Helen Desha Beamer, and is the only grandchild of Winnona Kapuailohiamanonokalani Desha Beamer. “Aunty Nona” was a revered kumu hula, author, educator and activist. In 2008, the ������Ƶ Board of Regents awarded her a posthumous Regents’ Medal of Distinction.

For years, U.S. military bombs thundered across Kahoʻolawe, ripping into its red earth and poisoning its seas. For Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians), the damage cut deeper. Ancestors honored the island as a physical form of Kanaloa, the god of the ocean, navigation, marine life and deep ancestral knowledge. In 2026, fifty years after a daring landing helped stop the bombing, the (PKO) is marking an anniversary that reshaped Hawaiʻi with the University of Hawaiʻi serving as a key place where many movement leaders emerged.

Davianna McGregor, ������Ƶ Mānoa professor emerita, remembers when the struggle for Kahoʻolawe first arrived on campus was urgent and deeply personal.

“One day, after the first landing on Kahoʻolawe, Hawaiʻi musician George Helm and Dr. Noa Emmett Aluli showed up at my class in the George Hall auditorium and asked to speak to my students about Kahoʻolawe,” said McGregor who co-founded the university’s department. “Their powerful message resonated with my students and they were inspired to get involved in the movement to stop the bombing and military use of Kahoʻolawe.”

That moment helped ignite student activism across the ������Ƶ Mānoa campus. Haumāna (students) circulated petitions in classes, set up educational tables at Campus Center, and organized rallies and concerts including one featuring the then-emerging Makaha Sons of Niʻihau and Helm.

Kahoʻolawe Nine

On January 4, 1976, Helm, Aluli and seven others had evaded a U.S. Coast Guard blockade to land at Kūheʻeia on Kahoʻolawe. Known as the Kahoʻolawe Nine, their act of bold defiance sparked the formation of the Protect Kahoʻolawe ʻOhana and the modern movement. Their courage led to tangible change. The bombing of Kahoʻolawe ended in 1990. In 1994, the island was returned to the State of Hawaiʻi, held in trust under state law for a future sovereign Hawaiian entity, setting a precedent for halting military destruction of Indigenous lands.

“We formed an ʻohana to protect the island and to heal her wounds,” McGregor said, “and elevate the island once again into the sacred Hawaiian cultural center that it had been under our ancestors.”

The movement came at a devastating cost. Helm and Maui native Kimo Mitchell were lost at sea while carrying out efforts to support the occupation of Kahoʻolawe. Their disappearance deeply affected many in Hawaiʻi and strengthened PKO‘s commitment to aloha ʻāina for generations.

Stewardship in action

That commitment also took root physically at at ������Ƶ Mānoa, established largely by PKO members and ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) practitioners. Guided by including Uncle Harry Mitchell of Keʻanae (Kimo Mitchell’s father), students learned that caring for land and caring for people are inseparable. Today, the continues to reinforce student learning in the realm of Hawaiian traditional practices of kalo (taro) farming.

That legacy also continues through ceremony and education on Kahoʻolawe. Kaliko Baker, associate professor at the ������Ƶ Mānoa Center for Hawaiian Language, leads the annual ceremonies for the Protect Kahoʻolawe ʻOhana, honoring Hawaiian deity Lono and maintaining the kapu of ceremony upheld to this day. Since 2014, Baker has also helped spearhead Kawaihuelani’s I Ola Kanaloa program, taking Hawaiian language students from ������Ƶ Mānoa, Hilo and Maui to Kahoʻolawe each year.

“It’s important that ������Ƶ students continue the pilgrimage to Kahoʻolawe and experience the kapu that has driven the movement to stop the bombing and reestablish Kānaka Maoli education and practice on island,” said Baker who first traveled to Kahoʻolawe as a student in McGregor’s ethnic studies course. “Student access to Kahoʻolawe invigorate the of each and every student who makes the journey, which in turn builds the mauli of the .”

Laʻa, Maʻa, Paʻa

As PKO marks its 50th anniversary, leaders are calling for Laʻa, Maʻa and Paʻa (to sanctify, sustain and solidify). The framework is both belief and action, guiding how Kahoʻolawe is protected and how future generations carry the work forward.

Half a century after the landing, the island no longer trembles with bombs. Where explosions once echoed, there are now footsteps, ceremony and learning.

—By Moanikeʻala Nabarro

Jonathan Kay Kamakawiwoʻole Osorio has worn many pāpale (hats)—historian, award-winning musician, advocate, kumu (teacher) and dean. After nearly a decade guiding the at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�, he is stepping away from administration and back into the classroom, where his career began more than 30 years ago.

“I consider the last eight years maybe the most blessed time of my life. The things I learned, about how a university operates, how to work with people around me that didn’t see eye to eye with what we were trying to do, how to be persuasive, all of those things were really amazing to me,” said Osorio.

The kānaka ʻō���ɾ� (Native Hawaiian) scholar became dean in 2017 at age 68, following years of service as a professor and director of the . During his tenure, �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ���Գܾ����� strengthened its reputation as the nation’s only college of Indigenous knowledge at a Research I university.

In 2024, the school earned a 10-year renewal of accreditation from the , a testament to its role in preserving and revitalizing Hawaiian language, culture and values.

Related ������Ƶ News stories:

• Indigenous educators engage in ʻ�徱�Բ�, ʻike at ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�, October 1, 2024
• ������Ƶ haumāna explore Kalākaua and Hawaiian Kingdom’s legacy in Japan, May 27, 2025

Full circle return

While proud of these milestones, Osorio expressed his heart has always been in teaching.

“It’s time to go back to teaching and let a younger, more vigorous and eager person take this job on. And I know it will be a blessing to that person whoever it is.”

Osorio, born and raised in Hilo, Hawaiʻi, began teaching in 1991 as an instructor at . He joined ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� in 1994 and advanced from assistant to full professor of Hawaiian studies. His scholarship has shaped the field of 19th-century Hawaiian political and social history, while his music, recognized with a lifetime achievement award from the Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts in 2019, remains beloved across the islands.

A search committee has been formed to find Osorio’s successor, and the position is expected to be filled by August 2026. The committee will be chaired by Kapā Oliveira, ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� interim vice provost for , and a former professor at �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ���Գܾ�����

The Kumulipo, a 2,102-line genealogy oli (chant) rarely heard in its entirety, will echo across the grounds of ʻIolani Palace for the first time in decades. Among the many voices bringing the oli to life is Kalei Nuʻuhiwa, a lecturer at Hawaiʻi Community College–Pālamanui. The highly anticipated on September 14, is free and open to the public and part of festivities this Kepakemapa (September), co-sponsored by the at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�.

Nuʻuhiwa, a respected scholar of Kaulana Mahina (Hawaiian lunar calendar), explained that the Kumulipo is a pule hoʻolaʻa aliʻi (prayer to sanctify aliʻi). It links Native Hawaiians of today to more than 100 generations of their ancestors, reaching back to the time of source darkness, the birth of the universe. The Maui native and her haumāna (students) are among 66 chanters joining nā kumu hula (masters of hula) Kamuela Chun, Kalani Akana, Mehanaokalā Hind and Kaponoai Molitau. The last time the Kumulipo was recited in full was in 1999.

Echoes of resilience

The chant, which begins at 5:30 p.m. at dusk, will honor Queen Liliʻuokalani, who translated the Kumulipo while imprisoned inside the Palace.

“I think at that time she was probably depressed and trying to find answers for what happened to her and looking into the Kumulipo for hints of overcoming some of those challenges,” said Nuʻuhiwa. “She probably also wanted to help Hawaiians remember who they were, who they are and who they can become.”

More than 500 people are expected to gather for the historic performance, presented in collaboration with The Friends of ʻIolani Palace.

“We (The Friends of ʻIolani Palace) are so proud to kōkua the venue for this amazing event,” said Paula Akana, executive director of The Friends of ʻIolani Palace. “Queen Liliʻuokalani translated the Kumulipo into English while she was imprisoned here. It is a remarkable work that not only speaks to our Queen’s knowledge; but also to the brilliance of Indigenous knowledge.“

Stirring the naʻau (inner knowing)

Among the sections of the Kumulipo Nuʻuhiwa and her haumāna will present is the portion recounting the creation of stars and planets. She hopes the full journey of the oli experience will stir something deep in those who listen.

“Maybe inspiration to do something they’ve been thinking about doing. Just kind of dropping the barrier and going for it and moving forward with your own personal growth and then collective growth is what I hope happens.”

Nuʻuhiwa noted that the Kumulipo event falls under the Hawaiian moon phase ʻOlepau, one of the Kanaloa moons. In Hawaiian tradition, these moons are believed to strengthen connections to ancestors and reopen the foundations that ground and guide us.

Event highlights (All events are free and open to the public.)

• September 17 and 19—Kahiki: Native Hawaiians Abroad
  September 17: Virtual program from San Diego, CA
  September 19: Live and virtual program from Iosepa, Utah
• September 26—Holoholo Honolulu: Historic Health Sites Tour
  Ride through Honolulu on a double-decker bus and discover stories of health, community and aloha.
• September 27—Hoʻōla: History of Hawaiian Health, Virtual Presentation
  Explore Hawaiʻi’s historic health responses and resilience.

For the full schedule, visit .

Kapolei Hale came alive with the sound of oli (chant) and mele (song) as Hawaiʻi launched its first officially recognized . The University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s , Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī Coalition and the City and County of Honolulu’s (MOCA), joined together to welcome the community into a month-long celebration of history, culture and resilience rooted in the legacy of Queen Liliʻuokalani.

That legacy is now written into law. In June, Gov. Josh Green signed Act 167, formally designating September as Hawaiian History Month, with its observance anchored around the Queen’s birthday on September 2.

“Hawaiian history is not something in the past, it is living, breathing and shaping the way we care for one another today,” said Jonathan Kay Kamakawiwoʻole Osorio, dean of ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�’s Hawaiʻinuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge. “At Hawaiʻinuiākea, it is our kuleana (responsibility) to ensure that Hawaiian history is taught and conveyed responsibly, authentically and with aloha for our people.”

Among those in attendance were members of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, longtime champions who first introduced the idea of Hawaiian History Month and have steadfastly advocated for its recognition over decades.

“By designating September as Hawaiian History Month, the State has given us space to reflect and to celebrate,” said Soulee Stroud, Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī Coalition organizer. “But more than that, it reminds us of our kuleana to carry forward the values Queen Liliʻuokalani stood for—aloha, resilience and hope for her people.”

Art, culture front and center

The opening festivities were held against the striking backdrop of the historic ʻUmeke Lāʻau (culture medicine), a 22-foot-wide, 8-foot-tall wooden art piece now on display at Kapolei Hale. Created by Native Hawaiian artist Meleanna Aluli Meyer in collaboration with Honolulu Community College carpentry students and ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� art and theatre faculty and students, the ʻUmeke Lāʻau serves as a living monument of healing and reflection.

“The City and County of Honolulu’s job isn’t just services, it’s also making sure Hawaiian culture is valued, visible and accessible,” said Jennifer Santos, executive director of MOCA. “Honolulu Hale and Kapolei Hale are more than places to do business, they’re part of the heartbeat of our community, carrying culture, history and art for everyone who walks through these doors.”

In celebration of Hawaiian History Month, MOCA will present multimedia programming at Kapolei Hale and Mission Memorial Auditorium, along with an in-person talk story session featuring an intergenerational panel of Native Hawaiian voices from across ��ʻ�����’s six moku (districts).

Event highlights (All events are free and open to the public.)

• September 6—Free Palace Tours and Memory Walk, ʻIolani Palace
  Walk in remembrance and enjoy free admission to Hawaiʻi’s historic seat of monarchy.
• September 6, 7 and 13—Mai Poina: The Overthrow Walking Tours, ʻIolani Palace
  Experience history where it happened. These dramatic walking tours, originally created in 1993 by playwright Victoria Nalani Kneubuhl, recreate the pivotal days of January 1893 and illuminate untold stories of the Hawaiian Kingdom’s overthrow.
• September 13—Student Film Showcase, Aliʻiōlani Hale
  View six original short films produced by Hawaiʻi’s student filmmakers for Hawaiian History Day.
• September 14—The Kumulipo Experience, ʻIolani Palace
  Witness a sacred cultural offering at dusk as Nā Kumu Hula (Master of hula) Kamuela Chun, Kalani Akana, Mehana Hind, Kalei Nuʻuhiwa and Kaponoʻai Molitau and their hālau (hula school) perform the Kumulipo, Hawaiʻi’s cosmogonic genealogy chant, in honor of Queen Liliʻuokalani.
• September 17 and 19—Kahiki: Native Hawaiians Abroad
  September 17: Virtual program from San Diego, CA
  September 19: Live and virtual program from Iosepa, Utah
• September 26—Holoholo Honolulu: Historic Health Sites Tour
  Ride through Honolulu on a double-decker bus and discover stories of health, community and aloha.
• September 27—Hoʻōla: History of Hawaiian Health, Virtual Presentation
  Explore Hawaiʻi’s historic health responses and resilience.

For the full schedule, visit .

This September, Hawaiʻi will mark its first official , following the state’s adoption of earlier this year. The month honors Queen Liliʻuokalani and celebrates Native Hawaiian contributions, inviting the community to reflect, learn and envision the future together.

Presented by the Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī Coalition and the ������Ƶ at ��ā�ԴDz�’s , this year’s observance offers free concerts, films, walking tours, cultural presentations and virtual events designed to connect people across generations.

“This designation affirms our collective responsibility to share Hawaiʻi’s true story,” said State Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, who sponsored the legislation. “It honors Queen Liliʻuokalani while inspiring civic participation rooted in aloha ʻāina.”

Honoring her legacy

Hawaiian History Month honors the legacy of Queen Liliʻuokalani while highlighting the islands’ history and heritage. Born Lydia Liliʻu Loloku Walania Wewehi Kamakaʻeha in 1838 at her family home in Puōwaina (Punchbowl), she was Hawaiʻi’s last reigning monarch. A gifted composer and staunch defender of her people, her September 2 birthday anchors the month’s observance and keeps her legacy at its center.

Rare performance

Among this year’s most anticipated events is the return of Mai Poina: The Overthrow Walking Tours, where actors guide participants through pivotal moments of January 1893 at ʻIolani Palace. Another highlight is The Kumulipo Experience, a rare performance of the sacred 2,102-line genealogy chant, honoring the queen through a cultural offering not seen in generations.

“This month is a living classroom,” said Malia Nobrega, director of strategic partnerships at Hawaiʻinuiākea who is helping organize events. “It’s about carrying forward Queen ��������ʻ�ܴǰ첹�����Ծ�’s vision and creating opportunities for our communities to connect, reflect and be inspired.”

Event highlights (All events are free and open to the public.)

• August 31—Eō e Liliʻu Concert, Kawaiahaʻo Church
  Celebrate the Queen’s musical legacy with a community sing-along.
• September 2—Hauʻoli Lā Hānau e Liliʻuokalani, ʻUmeke Lāʻau at Kapolei Hale
  Commemorate Queen ��������ʻ�ܴǰ첹�����Ծ�’s 187th birthday and the milestone passage of Act 167.
• September 6—Free Palace Tours and Memory Walk, ʻIolani Palace
  Walk in remembrance and enjoy free admission to Hawaiʻi’s historic seat of monarchy.
• September 6, 7 and 13—Mai Poina: The Overthrow Walking Tours, ʻIolani Palace
  Experience history where it happened. These dramatic walking tours, originally created in 1993 by playwright Victoria Nalani Kneubuhl, recreate the pivotal days of January 1893 and illuminate untold stories of the Hawaiian Kingdom’s overthrow.
• September 13—Student Film Showcase, Aliʻiōlani Hale
  View six original short films produced by Hawaiʻi’s student filmmakers for Hawaiian History Day.
• September 14—The Kumulipo Experience, ʻIolani Palace
  Witness a sacred cultural offering at dusk as Nā Kumu Hula (Master of hula) Kamuela Chun, Kalani Akana, Mehana Hind, Kalei Nuʻuhiwa and Kaponoʻai Molitau and their hālau (hula school) perform the Kumulipo, Hawaiʻi’s cosmogonic genealogy chant, in honor of Queen Liliʻuokalani.
• September 17 and 19—Kahiki: Native Hawaiians Abroad
  September 17: Virtual program from San Diego, CA
  September 19: Live and virtual program from Iosepa, Utah
• September 26—Holoholo Honolulu: Historic Health Sites Tour
  Ride through Honolulu on a double-decker bus and discover stories of health, community and aloha.
• September 27—Hoʻōla: History of Hawaiian Health, Virtual Presentation
  Explore Hawaiʻi’s historic health responses and resilience.

For the full schedule, visit .

With diverse expertise ranging from oceanography to economics to community-based coastal management, the University of Hawaiʻi hired eight new faculty members to support sustainable Pacific fisheries efforts. The new cohort of hires will develop an innovative graduate program to advance fisheries research, education, and training for sustainable management in Hawaiʻi and across the Pacific.

Fishing is essential to the way of life in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific, providing 50–90% of the protein for Pacific Islanders. However, management strategies from the U.S. continent often fail here because they were designed for cold-water, industrial fisheries. Pacific fisheries are different—they operate in warm tropical waters with diverse species and fishing gear, and with Indigenous Pacific Island communities. The Pacific Island region is multinational and has comparatively less scientific data, requiring a locally developed approach to ensure they can be sustained for generations.

“It is critically important to elevate and co-develop knowledge relevant to the Pacific, foster local expertise, and train the next generation of fisheries stewards and managers,” said Megan Donahue, director of the (HIMB) in the ������Ƶ Mānoa (SOEST). “The new faculty members in this cohort each bring unique perspectives and talent to the complexities we face here. In addition to their contributions to advancing research and sustainable management of Pacific fisheries, they will be a vital part of developing a fisheries graduate training program.”

New faculty

• Donna Dimarchopoulou, Fisheries Quantitative Biologist–/
• Mary Donovan, Ecosystem-based Fisheries Science & Management–SOEST/ HIMB
• Erik Franklin, Fisheries Science & Management–SOEST/ HIMB
• Kanoe Morishige, Indigenous-Led Biocultural Coastal Management–/
• Eileen Nalley, Fisheries Extension–SOEST/
• Justin Suca, Fisheries Oceanography–SOEST/
• Ron Vave, Ocean Governance & Marine Resources–/
• Xiurou Wu, Environmental & Resource Economics–/

Fisheries in Hawaiʻi are distinct in that they include a variety of sectors ranging from the open ocean longline fishery, which is the sixth largest fishery in monetary value in the U.S., to community managed fishponds or loko iʻa. Importantly, the majority of nearshore fisheries in Hawaiʻi are non-commercial, which requires unique considerations for management. This program seeks to build on existing work by faculty and practitioners across the ������Ƶ System to understand the unique contributions of these diverse commercial and non-commercial fisheries to the economic, social, and cultural well-being of Hawaiʻi to ensure their longevity.

“This cohort of new hires will take fisheries at ������Ƶ to the next level to better serve students, communities, fishers, government agencies and conservation organizations in Hawaiʻi and across the Pacific,” said Jeff Drazen, professor in the SOEST Department of Oceanography. “Our vision with this cohort is to stand up a center of expertise and excellence to facilitate the synergistic work that ������Ƶ is uniquely positioned to contribute.”

Developing the graduate education program

In Hawaiʻi, the Division of Aquatic Resources, the Western Pacific Fisheries Management Council, and NOAA’s Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center have noted the need for greater local research and management capacity. This graduate program will be distinguished from others by creating learning opportunities for students to weave western science and Indigenous knowledge in collaboration with communities, and supporting community-based fisheries solutions and participatory governance approaches.

“We are thrilled to welcome the new fisheries cohort, whose work will significantly enhance Pacific Island fisheries,” said Brian Neilson, Administrator of the Hawaiʻi Division of Aquatic Resources. “By advancing research and cultivating the next generation of scientists, practitioners, and managers with social and cultural competencies tailored to Pacific Island communities, this initiative will benefit Hawaiʻi and our island neighbors.”

This week’s ������Ƶ News Image of the Week is from the ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� Ka Papa Loʻi ʻo Kānewai.

������Ƶ faculty, staff and administrators, including ������Ƶ President Wendy Hensel, spent Tuesday morning at the . They’re participating in a five-day in-person professional development opportunity developed and facilitated by the that provides a deep dive into the Native Hawaiian principles outlined in the .

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Kaina Makua wasn’t seeking the spotlight when he showed up at a state canoe paddling regatta in 2019. The alumnus was there doing what he loved, coaching Waimea High School’s paddling team. But among the crowd that day was actor Jason Momoa, who saw something more: the future face of a king.

That night, Momoa approached Makua with a bold idea, asking if he’d consider playing legendary Hawaiʻi ruler Kamehameha the Great in an upcoming film. Makua, a Kauaʻi native laughed it off, unsure if the Hollywood star was serious.

But Momoa didn’t forget.

“Three years later in 2022 he called me up and said, ‘I told you, I told you,’ and I was like, ‘What did you tell me?’” Makua said with a laugh. “He said, ‘I told you you are going to play Kamehameha.’”

Makua stars alongside Momoa in Chief of War, an Apple TV+ series premiering August 1. The series tells the story of Kaʻiana, a Kauaʻi aliʻi (high-ranking chiefs or royalty) and warrior who opposes Kamehameha’s push to unify the Hawaiian Islands. Filmed in Hawaiʻi and New Zealand, the series also brings to life other key aliʻi figures from that era, such as Kahekili and Kaʻahumanu.

A path of purpose

Makua, a trained ʻōlapa hula (hula dancer), was hesitant at first, not having an acting background. His days were already full–dedicating his life to empowering ʻōpio (youth) in west Kauaʻi through ʻāina (land) rehabilitation and food system revitalization centered around kalo (taro) through his nonprofit, .

Related story: Q&A: Exploring Chief of War with ������Ƶ kumu, July 2025

After deep reflection and guidance, he eventually embraced the role. He dove deep into research and his own genealogy, which connects him to Kamehameha through his father’s side. Along the way, Makua developed a deeper view of the revered aliʻi, often admired, but also questioned for his approach.

“Coming from his perspective and stepping into this leadership role, it was clear that he did what was necessary for Hawaiʻi, not for himself,” Makua said.

He discovered parallels in his own life.

“If you’re a real leader and you’re really making change…you understand the kuleana (responsibility) and the weight of that. You’re always going to get ridiculed, you’re always gonna be under the microscope.”

On set, Makua often found himself surrounded by hundreds of crew members working behind the scenes to bring the historical drama to life. But when the cameras rolled, he leaned into something deeply personal, his own life experiences.

“It’s all everyday emotions for all of us. I mean we all get that. We go up and down. We go left and right. We spin around in circles,” Makua said. “Being around other actors and watching them made my job feel way easier to settle into.”

Healing through ʻāina

Makua carries that same sense of purpose into his work off-screen. Within the past decade, he’s poured his mana (strength) into growing his nonprofit, expanding from 10 to nearly 100 acres of restored agricultural ʻāina across four sites on Kauaʻi and Oʻahu. More than 3,500 ʻōpio have taken part in its ʻāina-based education programs. Through its commercial brand, Aloha Aina Poi Co., the group processes and distributes more than 70,000 pounds of fresh poi across Hawaiʻi each year.

“It’s more apparent how disconnected we are as a people, not even as Hawaiians just as human beings. And it’s only getting worse. Kumano I Ke Ala is here to uplift our people and to help save the world through aloha ʻāina work, love of the land,” Makua said.

Lessons from Kānewai

Much of what he now teaches ʻōpio, especially about the many varieties of kalo and traditional planting techniques, comes from the time he spent immersed at , the taro patches next to the . Makua often reflects with gratitude on the ʻike (knowledge) passed down to him during his time at ������Ƶ Mānoa where he earned a BA in and an MA in and (Hawaiian language).

Sharing moʻolelo

As for his acting debut on the upcoming tv series, Makua hopes it opens doors for native peoples.
“I hope that Indigenous populations that we have across the world understand this is a foot in the door. It’s not going to end here. I hope they understand that it’s not just for Hawaiʻi, this for all Indigenous people because we all get moʻolelo (stories). This is how we all can share.”

—By Moanikeʻala Nabarro

alumnus Brutus La Benz has long been a familiar face on Hawaiʻi television screens appearing in commercials for everything from Texaco and 7-Eleven to Kona Brewing Company and the Hawaiʻi Quit Tobacco campaign. But his big break came this spring, when he debuted as Lilo’s kumu hula (hula teacher) in Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch, a box office hit that soared past the $1 billion mark this July.

Before landing a role in the major Disney film, La Benz’s earliest acting stage was his family’s living room in Kailua. As a kid, he and his brother would spend hours performing scenes from hit flicks Wayne’s World and Tommy Boy after summer fun.

“A lot of times we would just kind of memorize lines and reenact them. And I always thought that was fun,” he said.

That early love for performance stuck. The Olomana native can still recite skits from the late, beloved Hawaiʻi comedian Rap Replinger—classic jokes he proudly calls “scripture.”

La Benz, a Punahou School graduate, earned degrees in (Hawaiian language) and from the ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� . It was in those ʻō������� classes he says a passion for acting truly began to grow.

“In order to help us learn the sentence structures and the new vocabulary, some of them would ask us to do a lot of mini skits, just so that we could memorize the lines and patterns,” La Benz added. “Once I figured out we can make these funny skits and still learn, that was really cool.”

That energy led him to the stage in 2004, when he starred in Kamapuaʻa, a Hawaiian-language stage production directed by Tammy Hailiʻōpua Baker, founder of ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�’s . It’s there he learned how to tell stories through action, not just words.

“Because many didn’t understand Hawaiian language, the words needed to come across in the way we acted. And so that was challenging, but also I think that’s what made us all really, really fun and decent actors,” La Benz said.

Seeking permission

In 2023, when Disney offered him the “kumu hula” role, La Benz actually hesitated. A trained ʻōlapa hula (hula dancer) under Kumu Hula Snowbird Bento, he wasn’t sure if taking the role of a kumu hula on screen was appropriate.

“My initial reaction was I better call my kumu first to make sure that it’s okay to portray a kumu,” La Benz said.

With her blessing, he stepped into it.

“He Mele No Lilo” (A song for the lost)

Filming for the lively scene took place at the Kokokahi YMCA in Kailua, and La Benz, who has a 9-year-old daughter, said it felt natural.

“It was just like having a bunch of my daughters there. They were super goofy. I felt more like I was being a parent and modeling after how I see my kumu interact with her students at those ages,” he said.

In addition to his role as Lilo’s kumu hula, La Benz also served as the body double for the alien character Jumba, performing the character’s physical movements on set.

His daughter, Kealaleihōkū lit up at the film’s Hawaiʻi premiere.

“She was just staring into the screen, but when I came on she said, ‘Oooh! Daddy!!’”

Guiding life moments

Outside of acting, La Benz pours his heart into work as a kahu (officiant). He’s spent more than a decade overseeing weddings, blessings and farewells.

“Honored to be a part of different celebrations…making people feel safe and comfortable enough to celebrate or grieve in a way that they need to,” said La Benz.

He expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity to serve as a kahu and looks forward to taking on new acting roles but says above all, being a dad is the role he cherishes most.

—By Moanikeʻala Nabarro

A group of University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa haumānastudents and faculty travelled through Japan this spring, following the paths of King David Laʻamea Kalākaua’s historic 1881 visit as well as other travels by Hawaiian aliʻiroyalty and haumānastudents in the 19th century. Their nine-day journey in March 2025, part of the ������Ƶ Mānoa (NHSS) Hawaiian Youths Abroad (HYA) program, connected them to a pivotal moment in Hawaiian history—one that is being brought back to life.

King Kalākaua traveled the world to build diplomatic relationships and reaffirm those his predecessors and other Hawaiian officials established before him. During his visit to Japan in March of 1881, Kalākaua met with Japan’s emperor to discuss revising established treaty relations between the Hawaiian Kingdom and Japan. That treaty, stored away for 154 years, was retrieved during the HYA Japan visit, providing a rare glimpse into �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s international past.

“As a Kanaka ʻŌiwiNative Hawaiian history student, seeing the original treaty between the Hawaiian Kingdom and Japan was a surreal moment. We were the first, if not some of the very few, to have seen the Japanese version of the treaty in over 150 years,” said Kale Kanaeholo, who is pursuing a PhD at ������Ƶ Mānoa. “I felt a sense of both humility and gratitude: haʻahaʻahumility for being in the same room as this living document and piece of our history, and aloha for Mōʻī KalākauaKing Kalākaua.”

Vision of a monarch

The NHSS program is a reincarnation of a 19th century program by the same name created by the Hawaiian Kingdom legislature in 1880 that provided funds to support 18 students who studied in six different countries between 1880 and 1892. These students trained in fields such as engineering, medicine, art, music, military science and foreign languages, with the goal of returning home to serve their nation. Funded entirely by the Hawaiian Kingdom, it was one of the world’s first government-sponsored study abroad programs.

NHSS restarted the program in 2018, and have since designed and implemented 4 Hawaiian Youths Abroad program cohorts, led by Nalani Balutski (research specialist) and Willy Kauai (director) of NHSS within the ������Ƶ Mānoa .

This year’s cohort of 13 students and six faculty and staff explored Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka.

On the journey were two ������Ƶ Mānoa haumānastudents with a remarkable connection to the past—Kuʻu Lunn, a graduate student, and Joy Nuʻuhiwa, an incoming graduate student—both direct descendants of one of Kalākaua’s original Hawaiian Youths Abroad students.

Piʻianāiʻa

“The Hawaiian Youths Abroad program has been a tremendous opportunity for me to learn and build upon a legacy of Hawaiian geography. One of the original HYA students was my great-great-grandfather Abraham St. Chad Piʻianāiʻa, who attended St. Chad’s College in Denstone, England. Years later, he returned to use his education in service to his kingdom. As we explore the world, like our kūpunaancestors did, I hope to share the knowledge and connections we gain with my family and community,” said Lunn.

Harbottle Hakuʻole

����ʻ�ܳ󾱷ɲ�’s great-great-grandfather, James Harbottle Hakuʻole, was only 10 years old when he and his brother Isaac were chosen to participate in King Kalākaua’s visionary program to educate Hawaiian youth overseas. In 1882, the brothers from Kīpahulu, Maui, embarked on their journey, among the youngest students selected to study abroad under the king’s initiative.

“It’s pretty heavy,” Nuʻuhiwa reflected. “I didn’t start exploring this history until I heard about this program so it was incredibly meaningful to be able to do this for my family more than anything.”

She found a deep personal connection in walking in her ancestor’s steps.

“To know that we had similar experiences even if it was just trying to navigate Japan…being Hawaiian in Japan and knowing both languages, knowing he also spoke Japanese. To think that maybe if we ever met, we would’ve been able to speak and understand each other in that way.”

Aliʻi footsteps

The NHSS group retraced Kalākaua’s steps from 144 years ago, visiting some of the same train stations, palaces, temples, and even the former site of the Hawaiian Kingdom’s consulate in Shiba.

NHSS hopes to continue to engage future students in international educational experiences and training around the world in service to the �����ܾ�nation.

“The Hawaiian Youths Abroad program is emblematic of NHSS programming design and philosophy, which engages students in research, history, and the educational excellence of kūpunaancestors who came before,” said Kauai.

Bridging past and present

The inaugural HYA cohort traveled to France and England in 2018, followed by a journey to England and Italy in 2019. In 2024, ������Ƶ Mānoa students and faculty followed the path of 19th-century Hawaiians in Tahiti, exploring the legacy they left behind. A fifth iteration of the program is slated for summer 2026 to focus on the Hawaiian footprint in the Pacific Northwest from Vancouver to San Francisco. For each program, a tailored curriculum is developed that explores the themes of Hawaiian education, diplomacy and travel to those particular countries from the 19th century. To date, 48 Hawaiian undergraduate and graduate students from ������Ƶ Mānoa participated in the NHSS HYA program.

Empowering haumāna

This year’s program is sponsored by the ������Ƶ Mānoa Provost Office Innovative Initiatives program and Ka Papa Loʻi o Kānewai Alakaʻina project. Supplemental support was also provided for students by various departments: political science, history, geography, educational administration, communication & information science and the Hawaiʻinuiākea Keaweawe a Kalākaua fund.

NHSS is housed in ������Ƶ ��ā�ԴDz�’s . For more on their journey, .

A newly published study confirms that wastewater from cesspools and the Hilo sewage treatment plant is reaching nearshore waters, impacting coral reefs and potentially human health. The findings are the result of two years of research by ������Ƶ Hilo marine scientists and students, who used dye tracer tests to track sewage movement.

“We found dye emerge at the shoreline every time,” said Steve Colbert, ������Ƶ Hilo associate professor of . “And the water moved fast, one to two football fields [in length], including end zones, each day.”

‘Pilau meter’

The project began after Keaukaha residents raised concerns about strong sewage odors and possible health risks from pollution. Lead researcher Shayla Waiki, a former ������Ƶ Hilo graduate student, focused her thesis on tracking sewage in Keaukaha. Waiki is now a natural resources specialist with the Army National Guard and plans to apply to ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�’s this year.

Using water samples and the “Pilau-meter,” a public reporting tool for bad smells at Puhi Bay, researchers confirmed what the community suspected—sewage is present, and it’s traveling through groundwater quickly. Pilau is the Hawaiian word for stink, rotten, foul.

������Ƶ Hilo researchers found that sewage in Keaukaha’s coastal waters is moving faster than previously recorded in Hawaiʻi. They stress that Hilo should be a top priority for cesspool conversion to prevent further contamination.

Health and environmental risks

Keaukaha, home to �ᾱ����’s sewage treatment plant, also has numerous cesspools near the shoreline. Wastewater from these systems can introduce harmful bacteria and pollutants into coastal waters, raising concerns about infections such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among residents.

The study’s findings are already driving action.

“Results from this research have been shared with the community and Hawaiʻi county, and are being used by the county to help prioritize locations for sewer line expansion in Hilo as part of the statewide effort to transition away from cesspools,” said Tracy Wiegner, a professor at ������Ƶ Hilo who co-authored the study.

Team effort

The study was a collaboration between ������Ƶ Hilo faculty and students, including former graduate students Joseph Nakoa and Devon Aguiar, and marine science undergraduates Nicolas Storie and Ashlynn Overly. Today, they are continuing environmental work in doctoral programs and conservation efforts across Hawaiʻi.

������Ƶ Hilo marine science undergraduates Darienne Kealoha, Kaitlin Villafuerte, Finn Reil and Brooke Enright, and graduate student Walter Boger also contributed to the study. Other co-authors include Karla McDermid (marine science professor, ������Ƶ Hilo), Noe Puniwai ( associate professor, ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�) and Craig Nelson ( professor, ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�).

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—By Susan Enright

Pepeluali (February) is Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian Language Month), and the community is invited to celebrate at a series of free ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) fairs across the state.

Led by the ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� , Kanaeokana, and Kamehameha Schools Kaiāulu, the Ola Ka ʻĪ events will feature music, hula, storytelling, games, student performances, and a hoʻokūkū haʻi ʻōlelo (Hawaiian language speech competition).

The events honor the growing movement to revitalize ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi and encourage the use of the language in everyday life.

Upcoming Ola Ka ʻĪ events

Pepeluali 8

• Ola Ka ʻĪ Hilo, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Prince Kūhiō Plaza (Hawaiʻi)
• Ola Ka ʻĪ Honolulu, 11 a.m to 2 p.m. Kahala Mall (Oʻahu)

Pepeluali 15

• Ola Ka ʻĪ Maui Nui, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Queen Kaʻahumanu Shopping Center (Maui)

Pepeluali 22

• Ola Ka ʻĪ ʻEwa, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Ka Makana Aliʻi (Oʻahu)

Malaki (March) 1

• Ola Ka ʻĪ Kauaʻi me Niʻihau, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Kukui Grove Center (Kauaʻi)

Ola Ka ʻĪ events are a chance for families, students and community members to experience and celebrate ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi and culture together. Whether fluent or just beginning to learn, organizers encourage everyone to join in.

A deep-rooted passion for Earth science, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) and education is guiding one University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa undergraduate student toward a meaningful career that bridges culture and science. Born and raised in Hauʻula, Koʻolauloa on the north shore of Oʻahu, Cheyanne Kapulelehua Greene has found ways to connect her interests throughout her educational journey.

“I have a strong interest in learning more about the environment and the geological processes that created the Earth we know today,” said Greene, who is a student in both the ������Ƶ Mānoa (SOEST) and . “I’m also truly passionate about teaching and integrating ʻike Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian knowledge) and ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi into what I share with others.”

Supporting education in Hawaiʻi

Greene has pursued a variety of opportunities to educate youth and promote education in Hawaiʻi. For the past two years, she worked as an assistant for the Earth Planets ʻIke Kuleana summer program, a one-week experience for high school students and teachers that provides exposure to the geosciences, careers pathways and the importance of geoscience within the community. Additionally, Greene works as an educational assistant at in Mānoa Valley, where she teaches K–12 students through environmental science-based lessons.

“Our mission is to promote sustainability, conservation, and Hawaiian culture through indoor and outdoor activities,” Greene shared regarding her work at Lyon Arboretum. “I also lead students on hikes and garden work around the arboretum. It’s incredibly fulfilling to watch students discover new perspectives on the environment.”

On the ������Ƶ Mānoa campus, Greene also serves as a Teach for America Hawaiʻi campus ambassador. She promotes the organization’s mission of addressing educational inequity and expanding educational opportunities for all students.

ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, Earth science

As a graduate of Kamehameha Schools Kapālama campus, Greene gained a solid foundation in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. In the SOEST , she is putting those skills to use. As a research assistant with faculty member Alyssa Kamanu, Greene helps develop geology resources in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. This past summer, she was also a teaching assistant for an undergraduate Earth sciences course Moʻolelo Honua, which was the first Earth science course at ������Ƶ Mānoa taught entirely in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi.

“Kapulelehua’s excellent work on this project helped provide opportunities for local students to engage in geoscience education grounded in Hawaiian language, knowledge, and culture,” said Kamanu.

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—By Marcie Grabowski

State legislators from �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s House of Representatives got an inside look at the exceptional resources available to students during the Talk Story: Student Success event on Friday, December 18. The event highlighted services that support students’ academic achievements and well-being, including a center dedicated to Native Hawaiian haumāna (students), high-quality mental health programs, and a sensory-friendly stress relief hub.

“It’s incredibly meaningful to share these premier services with our lawmakers,” said ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� Provost Michael Bruno. “We’re privileged to provide comprehensive care that supports our students’ success, ensuring they have the tools and resources to thrive both academically and personally.”

The tour welcomed Reps. Andrew Garrett, Amy Perruso, Jackson Sayama and Cory Chun. The event began at the Queen Liliʻuokalani Center for Student Success, where staff from the shared how the campus is working to reach the campus’ goal of becoming a Native Hawaiian place of learning through the incorporation of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) and ʻike (knowledge) at ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� and within each of its units.

Uplifting kānaka ʻōiwi (Native Hawaiians)

Legislators visited (NHSS), a unit of the . NHSS offers culturally rooted programs and support to foster Hawaiian scholarship and strengthen Hawaiian identities. Lawmakers learned about its impactful role in cultivating a sense of belonging and achievement among Native Hawaiian haumāna.

Student success showcase

Kapā Oliveira, interim vice provost for Student Success, led the campus tour. Oliveira oversees ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�’s , which provides a wide range of student support services, including co-curricular activities, housing, counseling, career guidance, employment, and health services for all students.

Mental health, well being

The (CSDC) offers counseling, psychiatric care, and tailored programs for specific student groups, including veterans, athletes, and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander haumāna. Psychologist Alexander Khaddouma emphasized the importance of expanding services, noting that ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� students experience slightly higher rates of mental health challenges than the national average.

De-stress sanctuary

Another standout feature of the tour was a new sensory room in Kuykendall Hall, that promotes relaxation and stress management. Equipped with calming visuals, fiber optic displays, and other sensory tools, the room has been warmly received by students and faculty. Campus surveys indicate a rising demand for such spaces to provide a sanctuary for self-regulation and focus.

Representative Chun, who represents Pearl City, Waipahu, and Crestview, and is a father of two shared his impressions.

“I’m sure it’s reassuring to parents and family that if they’re sick or if theyʻre having mental health issues that there are services that are there. You donʻt have to worry about cost. They’re available 24/7,” said Chun.

Academic success

The tour wrapped up with an overview of ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�’s academic success services, such as academic advising, learning assistant programming, and civic and community engagement. Students expressed how these programs have played a vital role in their educational journeys and support them in reaching their academic goals.

Hundreds gathered at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� for the , a free series of forums focused on leveraging ancestral knowledge to support long-term recovery efforts for communities affected by the Lahaina wildfires and the 2018 Kauaʻi floods.

“Piʻo summits were created to highlight ancestral innovation and the need for courageous leadership to solve the complex problems of our time,” said Kamanamaikalani Beamer, who is the Dana Naone Hall Endowed Chair in Hawaiian Studies, Literature and the Environment at Hawaiʻinuākea and a professor at and the . “Aloha ʻāina (love of the land) is advancing efforts all across Hawaiʻi, and this is about us galvanizing that movement here at the university.”

• Related ������Ƶ News story: ������Ƶ conference addresses water justice, Red Hill, ʻāina, December 15, 2022

Award-winning vocalist and ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� alumna Raiatea Helm opened the summit at Imin Conference Center with mele aloha ʻāina, grounding the event in songs of love for the land. Her performance connected the audience to cherished places like Oʻahu, Piʻihonua within �ᾱ����’s uplands and Kalamaʻula on Molokaʻi, where her roots lie.

Beyond the fires

A panel on Lahaina’s recovery brought together experts to discuss the devastating August 2023 wildfires and paths forward. Community leader Kekai Keahi, ������Ƶ law professor Kapua Sproat, and ecosystem fire specialist Clay Trauernicht explored how climate change heightens wildfire risks and how ancestral knowledge can inform Lahaina’s rebuilding.

“He aliʻi ka ʻāina, he kauwā ke kanaka—the land is the chief, we are the stewards,” Beamer emphasized. “A great example is restoration of streams,” Beamer said. “When we restore streams we restore the life and ecosystems of that stream system. But it also re-greens the ʻāina, so places in like Lahaina, when the streams were flowing, when Lahaina was the so-called ‘Venice of the Pacific,’ wildfires wouldn’t steep through.”

Healing in Hāʻena

Another panel highlighted resilience in �����ܲ�ʻ��’s north shore community of Hāʻena after catastrophic flooding in 2018. Leaders Chipper Wichman, Lei Wanna and Billy Kinney shared how ʻohana (family) bonds and cultural heritage sustained recovery efforts and preserved community identity.

Hosted by Pōʻai Ke Aloha ʻĀina, a project of the Dana Naone Hall chair, the summit spotlighted how ������Ƶ fosters aloha ʻāina practices to address modern challenges.

Sponsors included ������Ƶ Research, , , Ulupono Initiative, Ka Huli Ao and the Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi.

Kealiʻi Rasmussen, an (Hawaiian language) alumnus from the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�, has turned his passion for ʻōlelo into a mission for community impact. Raised in a Hawaiian language church, he recalls his tūtū (grandmother) speaking some Hawaiian words and phrases and grew to love the language.

“It started off as an avenue to learn ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi the way our kūpuna (elders) did—through oral teaching and communication,” Rasmussen said. “This led to me caring for keiki (children) at the same time and growing a deep connection.”

What started as a three-year role in 2014 at a Pūnana Leo Hawaiian language immersion preschool evolved into a decade-long dedication to language education. Today, he is the head teacher of Pūnana Leo o Waiʻanae (PLOW), where he nurtures young Hawaiian speakers each day.

Kuleana to nurture keiki

In spring 2024, Rasmussen earned a BA in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi from ������Ƶ ����ԴDz�’s and a certificate in Hawaiian language medium early education from ������Ƶ �ᾱ����’s . He believes his studies have equipped him to meet the kuleana (responsibility) to young learners.

“Knowing that you are adding to their success and helping their family grow in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi…and when I run into them 10 years down the line, [I hope] that they remember me and the life lessons that I taught them, are successful and are carrying the ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi in their careers.”

ʻŌlelo opportunities, fundraiser

PLOW is hosting Kāpahi Ka Moana I Kai, a free public fundraiser on Saturday, November 16, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Wai Kai in ʻEwa. The event, designed to engage the broader community, will include live Hawaiian music, makahiki (harvest) games, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi lessons, and more than 20 local vendors. Funds raised will help Pūnana Leo o Waiʻanae enhance its language immersion programs, including classes for mākua (parents) to foster a Hawaiian-speaking home environment.

Full circle path

Reflecting on his journey, Rasmussen feels grateful for his career, which helped him fulfill his dream of embracing the language of his ancestors.

“When I first started Pūnana Leo o Waiʻanae in 2014, I couldn’t ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi but being immersed and learning alongside of the keiki I was able to learn and speak.”

For more go to .

More than 3,000 people are expected to attend on October 26, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. The free event is for prospective students and their families along with the general public so they can see firsthand why ������Ƶ Mānoa is considered one of the best universities in the country. Organizers say current students and employees are also welcome.

“We are thrilled to provide this opportunity for prospective students and the community to learn more about ������Ƶ Mānoa and find why we are consistently ranked among the best universities in the world,” said Provost Michael Bruno. “It is also a chance to speak and interact with current students, faculty and staff, the people who make this university great.”

Booths, displays and hands-on workshops featuring more than 100 academic departments will line iconic McCarty Mall, Legacy Path and the Campus Center courtyard. There will also be campus tours, including special tours of the School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene’s Translational Health Science Simulation Center, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resource’s Certified Kitchen and the Esports Lab.

������Ƶors can also explore interactive exhibits and activities that cover a range of topics, from education to oceanography and medicine. The Queen Liliʻuokalani Center for Student Success and Hamilton Library will also be open to visitors.

“������Ƶ Mānoa has so much to offer academically and there are so many services available to help our students on their journey,” said ������Ƶ Mānoa Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Nikki Chun, who is responsible for Discover ������Ƶ Mānoa. “We want everyone to take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about our campus, even if you are not a prospective student, because ������Ƶ Mānoa is something everyone can take pride in.”

Each attendee will receive a ������Ƶ Mānoa tote bag, event/program map, bookstore coupon and a coupon for $2 off retail dining options, including Starbucks, Ding Tea, Food Trucks and Sodexo Concessions. Attendees will also have the chance to win prizes throughout the day.

Two shuttle routes will be available for attendees interested in visiting student housing, and the Music Building Complex.

Free parking will be available in Zone 20 until 1:30p.m. For more information, visit .

Pāʻina on the Path and homecoming football

Following the open house, ������Ƶ Mānoa will host Pāʻina on the Path, a free homecoming celebration from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. This Homecoming Edition on Legacy Pathway will feature a ������Ƶ Alumni Maker’s Market, Hawaiʻs Finest DJ & Kickoff Concert Series featuringPeniDean, food vendors, a beer garden, keiki zone with inflatables and football-themed games, and more.

The Rainbow Warrior football team will then take on Nevada in this seasonʻs homecoming game. Kick off at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletic Complex is at 6 p.m.

Eight undergraduate students from a variety of disciplines at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� experienced an all-expenses-paid research trip of a lifetime—spending eight weeks in summer 2024 immersed in the Galápagos Islands. They engaged in mentored research via a transformational journey that promoted deep connections to ʻ�徱�Բ� (land/sea), kānaka (people) communities and mālama ʻ�徱�Բ� (stewardship of places and people).

Creighton Litton, professor, (UROP) director, and one of the eight ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� faculty members who designed and implemented the program over the past two years, said, “Mentored research opportunities for undergraduate students is a high impact practice that provides myriad benefits to students, mentors, our campus and our islands as a whole. This is an innovative program—possible via a strong collaboration with the (CDF) in Galápagos, and engagement by multiple faculty from across the ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� campus—that provides our students with transformative learning experiences in research science within a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning context.”

More than 80 students applied, and 12 were invited to enroll in a new spring course on island invasion biology to provide a base of knowledge for their mentored research projects. Eight traveled to the Galápagos and four conducted research in Hawaiʻi.

Students developed research proposals in spring 2024 with mentors from ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� and CDF. The collaborative mentorship approach allowed students to develop their research skills while contributing to real-world scientific questions. During the summer, the traveling students were housed at the CDF research station in the Galápagos, where they conducted their research projects focused on island invasion biology.

During the summer experience, students wrote research papers on every aspect of the scientific process, including literature review, data collection and analysis, conclusions and the socioecological implications of their findings. Each student also crafted a personal, contemporary kaʻao (epic story, tale) to document their experiences, from their hua (initial inspiration) to their haʻalele (preparing for the journey) to the huakaʻi (journey) to the hoʻina (reintegration) back into their on- and off-campus communities.

Important invasive species research

Matthew Kahokuloa’s project involved assessing plant diversity after the reintroduction of giant tortoises on Santa Fé Island.

“Being my first time leaving Hawaiʻi, it was amazing to experience the biodiversity and ecology of another archipelago’s ecosystem,” Kahokuloa said. “This trip provided me with invaluable field experience, especially in terms of working in remote environments and applying research methods.”

Emily Josefina Velasquez studied the impacts of Caulerpa racemosa (species of edible green alga) on sand dwelling benthic invertebrates (small aquatic animals that live on the bottom of bodies of water) in the Galápagos.

“You couldn’t walk for 10 minutes without running into a lounging iguana, sea bird, or sea lion, and we were always close to the ocean.” — Nicole Buyukacar

“The Galápagos was a place where my personal growth as an individual thrived and reaffirmed my passion and drive to work in academia,” Velasquez said. “It’s an unforgettable experience. You’re immersed in your project, living, breathing, and dreaming about it. I was surrounded by scientists from diverse backgrounds, and living and working in an environment where everyone shares a passion for understanding the world around them.”

Nicole Buyukacar’s project was about the developmental dynamics and temperature sensitivity of the avian vampire fly.

“The most remarkable thing about the town we worked in, Puerto Ayora, was the abundance of wildlife living right there on our doorstep all the time,” Buyukacar said. “You couldn’t walk for 10 minutes without running into a lounging iguana, sea bird, or sea lion, and we were always close to the ocean. The experience was an incredible blend of learning to integrate academically and socially into a completely different place while constantly being in awe of the natural beauty and learning to understand the reason why it all needs to be protected.”

The students presented their research and kaʻao products at the CDF research station and at the UROP SURE Symposium. Most students are continuing to work with their mentors to produce peer-reviewed journal publications.

This unique opportunity is the result of a collaboration between ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� and CDF and is funded by the National Science Foundation–International Research Experiences for Students ($300,000 grant), the ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� Provost’s Office to align the overall program with the campus goal of becoming a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning ($100,000) and the ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship ($80,000). The funds will make the program available to ������Ƶ ����ԴDz� undergraduate students for at least the next two years.

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—By Marc Arakaki