Just in time for Mahina 鈥�Ō濒别濒辞 Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian Language Month), PhD candidate Nicholas “Kealiʻi” Lum is turning social media into a classroom for cultural deepening.

Hiʻona Haku Mele, Lum鈥檚 new Instagram video series, invites learners to explore the poetic soul of Hawaiian music, going beyond conversational speech to uncover the unique lexical phrases that make mele (songs) distinct.

“There are specific pieces of language and ways of expression that make mele unique and separate it from common speech,” Lum explained, adding that he was inspired by Kahikina De Silva, an assistant professor at 糖心视频 惭补苍辞补鈥檚 , who recommended that Lum document these poetic devices in his dissertation.

Hiʻona Haku Mele launched on February 1 on and Instagram accounts, and new episodes will drop every Monday and Thursday throughout the month. Each minute-long video highlights a specific term, explains its function, and provides examples from recorded albums. “驶A糖心视频ea”—listen, heed my words—is featured as the first episode鈥檚 offering.

Related 糖心视频 News story: Mele Hawaiʻi Reimagined: 糖心视频 Hilo Makuak膩ne scholar bridges past and present, October 2025

Lum notes that while spoken Hawaiian and “mele language” share a foundation, Hawaiian haku mele (composers) use musical jargon to convey ideas more descriptively or poetically.

“Our kupuna had ways of expressing emotion in a far more beautiful way than saying something so literal,” explained Lum.

Makuak膩ne scholar

The initiative is just one part of Lum鈥檚 broader academic and creative journey. As a doctoral student at , Lum was recently named the first recipient of the . This award honors the Makuak膩ne family鈥檚 lifelong advocacy for ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi and supports scholars dedicated to Indigenous language revitalization.

For more go to .

Voices, movement and moments of reflection filled at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 in early February as , a biennial conference brought together scholars, artists and community members for two days of exchange. Hosted by the (ANNO), the conference explored how Indigenous performance sustains knowledge, language and relationships across generations.

The second biennial conference featured panels, workshops and special events that emphasized learning through practice.

Participants took part in everything from hula workshops led by 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 instructor and Kumu Hula Tracie Kaʻōnohilani Farias Lopes to kapa making, puppet making, carving and a movement-based session by Sami L.A. Akuna that invited reflection on storytelling and the body.

“We hope that the conference delegates engaged in the many offerings of the two-day event and see the importance of Indigenous performance as a site of knowledge production, cultural preservation, and collective imagination,” said Tammy Hailiʻōpua Baker, who co-founded ANNO and is a director of 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 award-winning .

One panel, Aloha ʻĀina Embodied: The Praxis of ʻAha, was conducted entirely in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. The session featured several kumu, including Kaliko Baker, an associate professor at ; Kaipu Keala, an assistant professor at , Kaulu Luuwai, an attorney with at William S. Richardson School of Law, and Snowbird Bento, kumu hula of Ka P膩 Hula O Ka Lei Lehua.

Panelists discussed how is expressed through performance and community practice, reflecting on the ways language and movement inform artistic and community-based work.

Celebration and story

The conference concluded with a hoʻolauleʻa, a celebration that combined conversation and creative sharing. Events included a film screening of , directed by Lisette Flanary, professor at 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 and a preview of a new hana keaka (theatre work) by 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 Hawaiian theatre graduate student Ikaika Mendez. The production, Lele Wale, reflects on community rebuilding after the Lahaina wildfires, honoring those who were lost, those who survived, and those continuing the work of rebuilding on Maui. Performances run March 4–8 at the Earle Ernst Lab Theatre at Kennedy Theatre.

• Related 糖心视频 News story: Lahaina鈥檚 story lives in new hana keaka production, February 5, 2026

Established in 2022 through the 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 Provost鈥檚 Strategic Investment Initiative, ANNO advances Hawaiian and Indigenous performance through scholarship, curriculum and outreach, supporting ongoing research and creative practice at 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补.

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, 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 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 糖心视频 Mānoa, Hilo and Maui to Kahoʻolawe each year.

“It’s important that 糖心视频 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

Kaina Makua wasn鈥檛 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鈥檚 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鈥檇 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鈥檛 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鈥檚 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鈥揹edicating 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 糖心视频 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鈥檚 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鈥檙e a real leader and you鈥檙e really making change…you understand the kuleana (responsibility) and the weight of that. You鈥檙e always going to get ridiculed, you鈥檙e 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 more apparent how disconnected we are as a people, not even as Hawaiians just as human beings. And it鈥檚 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 K膩newai

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 糖心视频 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鈥檚 not going to end here. I hope they understand that it鈥檚 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鈥檚 kumu hula (hula teacher) in Disney鈥檚 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鈥檚 earliest acting stage was his family鈥檚 living room in Kailua. As a kid, he and his brother would spend hours performing scenes from hit flicks Wayne鈥檚 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 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 . It was in those ʻ艒濒别濒辞 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 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 . It鈥檚 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 ʻ艒lapa hula (hula dancer) under Kumu Hula Snowbird Bento, he wasn鈥檛 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 kumu hula, La Benz also served as the body double for the alien character Jumba, performing the character鈥檚 physical movements on set.

His daughter, Kealaleih艒k奴 lit up at the film鈥檚 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鈥檚 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

Kealiʻi Rasmussen, an (Hawaiian language) alumnus from the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补, has turned his passion for ʻōlelo into a mission for community impact. Raised in a Hawaiian language church, he recalls his t奴t奴 (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鈥攖hrough 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 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 and a certificate in Hawaiian language medium early education from 糖心视频 贬颈濒辞鈥檚 . 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鈥nd 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 .

Two University of Hawaiʻi instructors took home first place awards in an international competition, the inaugural , held by the Norwegian company that founded the interactive authoring tool.

The , comprised of instructional designers and ITS staff across the 糖心视频 System collaborating to support 糖心视频 H5P programs, submitted five nominations, which resulted in the two first place winners. The nominees were:

• Susan Jaworowski, professor, Business, Legal, and Technology Education,Kapiʻolani Community College: (nominated and awarded first place for Impactful Gamification)
• Felicia Wun, lecturer, Anthropology, Leeward Community College: (nominated and awarded first place for Best Interactive Book)
• Terianne Brown, lecturer, Business Technology/Economics, Hawaiʻi Community College: (nominated for Outstanding Visual Design)
• Brent Hirata, instructional designer, Educational Media Center, Leeward CC: (nominated for Best Interactive Book and Best Use of Multimedia)
• Kahealani Lono, instructor, Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补: (nominated for Innovative Use of Multimedia)

Engaging activities in Laulima, more

Creating interactive content continues to play a significant role in the learning success of online students. As a result of increased requests from faculty for a tool that could support these efforts, the program was piloted in 2021 with a unique structure that motivated faculty to explore, create, integrate (into Laulima courses), evaluate, and share activities created with H5P. Participants were encouraged to improve student learning and engagement while equipped with a 1-year H5P license.

Following its success, two new options were added to form the s. The was created in 2023 and provides the next step for first-year H5P + Laulima participants to return as mentors and advocates. The Site License pathway provides an alternative option for faculty and staff to request department funds and obtain a license without having to meet any program requirements.

Future opportunities

The 糖心视频 H5P programs will be offered again in the 2024–25 academic year, with the new H5P + LMS (formerly H5P + Laulima) and H5P I Mua cohorts to be announced in May.

With more than 50 interactive activity types available, users can integrate them into online learning management system courses (including Sakai and Brightspace) with automatic grading and enhanced interactivity and assessment capabilities.

糖心视频 the to learn more about offerings. For updates about future cohorts and offerings, fill out the .

For the second consecutive year,, an Oʻahu hālau (school) led by nā kumu hula (hula teachers) Keawe and Tracie Lopes took top honors in both the group and solo divisions at the 61st Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo, Hawaiʻi. Keawe is a Hawaiian language professor at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and the director of the at the , and Tracie is a 糖心视频 Mānoa alumna.

• Related 糖心视频 News story: 糖心视频 Mānoa kumu hula leads hālau to Merrie Monarch victory, April 24, 2023

The wāhine (women) of the hālau captured the competition鈥檚 overall award with 1,201 points, a combination of scores acquired in both hula kahiko (ancient) and ʻauana (modern) performances. Their score surpassed their closest competitors, Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leināʻala, which finished second with 1,199 points, and Hula Hālau ʻO Kamuela came in third with 1,195 points.

Their mele kahiko (song), Auhea Wale ʻOe E Ka Liko, honored King Kalākaua and compared the Hawaiian monarch to the rising Sun, one who is destined for greatness.

In the kāne category, the hālau took fourth place in both kahiko and ʻauana categories. Their mele kahiko, Waiʻanae Kū Kilakila, praised the moku (district) of Waiʻanae on Oʻahu and Mauna Kaʻala (Mt. Kaʻala), standing tall with its broad shoulders.

4th consecutive Miss Hula

Awards for the hālau follows their soloist, Kaʻōnohikaumakaakeawe Kananiokeakua Holokai Lopes, winning the Miss Aloha Hula title on April 4. Kaʻōnohi, a graduate student at 糖心视频 Mānoa, follows the footsteps of her mother (Miss Aloha Hula 1994) and sister Piʻikea Kekīhenelehuawewehiikekauʻōnohi Lopes (Miss Aloha Hula 2022). This yearʻs win marks the fourth consecutive solo title secured by Keawe and Tracie鈥檚 hālau.

A graduate haumāna (student) pursuing a master鈥檚 degree in at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa earned the Miss Aloha Hula title and Hawaiian language award at the 61st annual Merrie Monarch Festival. Kaʻōnohikaumakaakeawe Kananiokeakua Holokai Lopes competed alongside 12 other contestants in the solo category held at the Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium in Hilo on Thursday, April 4.

Lopes鈥� parents, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 alumna Tracie Lopes and 糖心视频 Mānoa Director R. Keawe Lopes are also her kumu hula, leading Windward Oʻahu-based hālau Ka Lā ʻŌnohi Mai O Haʻehaʻe. 21-year-old Ka驶艒nohi, who is fluent in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language), also earned a BA from the university鈥檚 Hawaiian language department.

“One of the goals in Kawaihuelani is for our predominantly Hawaiian population of students to acquire their language and realize a sense of self through ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi,” said C. M. Kaliko Baker, a Kumu ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi at 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补. “That sense of self was evident in the way that Ka驶艒nohi carried herself last night. She absolutely knew who she was.”

Soloists are judged on a variety of criteria, everything from posture, expression, costume authenticity and mele (song) interpretation. Each contestant is required to dance both hula kahiko (ancient) and ʻauana (modern).

For her kahiko portion, Lopes shared mele Aia Ka Lani Kua Kaʻa I Luna, which transported audiences to Lanikūhonua, a revered cultural refuge at Ko Olina. The West Oʻahu abode, once frequented by aliʻi (royalty), holds great significance to her parents鈥� hula lineage.

Lopes鈥� mele ʻauana honored her namesake, the late Uncle George Ainsley Kananiokeakua Holokai, a revered kumu hula. Draped in golden strands of lei kukunaokalā, she danced Kanani Holokai, likening Uncle George to a gentle breeze that dances across the land.

Hula heritage earns 3rd ʻohana title

Lopes comes from an ʻohana deeply rooted in hula. Her mother Tracie won the Miss Aloha Hula title in 1994. This is also the fourth consecutive solo title secured by Keawe and Tracie鈥檚 hālau. Two of those were earned by 糖心视频 Mānoa alumnae; Lopes’s older sister, Piʻikea Kekīhenelehuawewehiikekauʻōnohi Lopes (Miss Aloha Hula 2022) and Rosemary Kaʻimilei Keamoai-Strickland (Miss Aloha Hula 2021).

More hula excellence
• 糖心视频 Mānoa kumu hula leads hālau to Merrie Monarch victory
• Face of Nike Indigenous collection is Kānaka ʻōiwi grad student
• 糖心视频 Mānoa grad student captures 2022 Miss Aloha Hula title
• New Miss Aloha Hula 2021 honors 糖心视频 kumu with dance

There are two more nights of hula competition with wāhine (women) and kāne (men) groups. Hālau from across Hawaiʻi and the U.S. continent will perform on Friday, April 5 (hula kahiko) and Saturday, April 6 (hula ʻauana).

is housed within at 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补.

Pepeluali (February) marks Mahina ʻ艑濒别濒辞 Hawaiʻi or Hawaiian Language Month

A kumu ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language instructor) at is dedicated to empowering more Native Hawaiians residing on Hawaiian Homelands to embrace their native language. Last September, Kapela Wong, a homesteader in East Kapolei, initiated complimentary ka papa ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language classes) for residents within Hawaiian homestead communities in Kapolei.

“I really want to enrich our pulapula (homesteaders) because now that we have a growing population of kanaka in Hawaiian Homestead lands in Kapolei, there is still a lot of work to be done, and that includes language,” said Wong.

Wong, a 糖心视频 Mānoa alumna who majored in and within the , is hosting the second installment of papa ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi through the end of February in partnership with the Kapolei Community Development Corporation.

‘It鈥檚 never too late to learn’

The majority of her haumāna (students) are kūpuna (elders) who are enthusiastic about immersing themselves in ʻōlelo, though some begin their Hawaiian language journey with a sense of guilt.

“We鈥檙e healing a lot of kūpuna who come and say, ‘ʻMy parents they couldn鈥檛 ʻōlelo (speak) to me and I just feel so bad and so shame that I canʻt speak it.’ And I tell them, there鈥檚 no reason to feel shame, you did the best you could, and it鈥檚 never too late to learn,” Wong explained.

Mokihana Aea is one of the many kūpuna in Wong鈥檚 papa (class) on Monday nights. The Hawaiian homesteader has lived in the Maluʻōhai Hawaiian Homes subdivision for the past 24 years and is grateful for the opportunity to finally learn to speak.

“I enjoy the class and wish I did it earlier. I want to pass it down so our kids know their language,” Aea said.

Tomorrow is never promised

Motivated by two life-altering experiences, Wong鈥檚 dedication to teaching ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi to fellow kānaka ʻōiwi (Native Hawaiians) found its roots in resiliency. In 2016, the mother of two toddlers faced the daunting diagnosis of aggressive leukemia at the age of 25. Despite the challenges, Wong鈥檚 resilient spirit, positive mindset, and unwavering support from her family and friends propelled her to overcome the cancer and enter remission. However, in 2019, doctors discovered leukemia cells in her spinal fluid which left her unable to walk and severely immunocompromised.

Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Wong and her caregiver support team including her husband, Kaihilani and parents Steven Kahili and Carolyn Lopes-Shane, sought treatment in Seattle where she recovered from the disease once again. She expresses particular gratitude for the care provided to her keiki (children) by her in-laws, Annette Kuuipolani Kanahele Wong, an associate professor at the at 糖心视频 Mānoa who also oversees the Mānaleo (native speaker) Office on campus and Keola Wong, a kumu ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi at Kamehameha Schools Kapālama.

“Cancer can really change a lot of families for the better or for worse. We now make the best of each moment. Be in the present moment, tell each other how much we care and really love one another. I鈥檓 grateful that it turned out to be in our favor. We learned to graciously accept that Ke Akua (God) has a plan and to hoʻomanawanui (be patiently steadfast),” Wong expressed.

Hoʻōla hou (renewed life)

Her renewed zest for life shaped her path to teach. In 2021, she began teaching Hawaiian language at Windward CC and later in 2022 she began teaching neighbors on her street in the Kaʻuluokahaʻi Hawaiian Homes subdivision. The idea sprang from a deeply spiritual conservation.

“Ok, Ke Akua, it seems like you want me to do more with my life. I don鈥檛 have a whole lot of skills but at the very least, I can put the knowledge that was shared with me by all of my kumu (teachers) from Pūnana Leo o Waiʻanae, Ke Kula Kaiapuni o Ānuenue, 糖心视频 Mānoa, and my ʻohana in action and be a bridge and help other kanaka reconnect with our Hawaiian culture through ka ʻŌlelo Makuahine (Mother Language),” Wong said.

Aside from teaching ʻōlelo through Windward CC鈥檚 Hawaiʻiloa program, a fully online Hawaiian studies pathway, Wong is also a counselor at a substance abuse treatment center that weaves Western best practices with Hawaiian spiritual values.

Approximately 75 University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 undergraduate students showcased their projects at the 2023 (SURE) Symposium on August 4. Hosted annually by the (UROP), the nine-week summer research and creative work program culminated with hybrid oral presentations in Kuykendall Hall and over Zoom, and poster presentations at the Campus Center Ballroom.

Culturally responsive education system

Sarah Rice and Tristan Fleming-Nazara鈥檚 research project, “Creating A Culturally Responsive Education System and Equitable Outcomes through Hawaiʻi-Based Learning Opportunities,” is based on the idea that to sustain the academic growth of K–12 students in Hawaiʻi, there must be an effort to consider the historical contexts and persistent inequities throughout the islands and within Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities through practices, projects, programs and policies. They showcased their project during the symposium鈥檚 oral presentation session.

Under the mentorship of Professor Kealiʻi Kukahiko, Rice and Fleming-Nazara worked with the Hawaiʻi Department of Education (HIDOE) focusing on schools that engaged in the Office of Hawaiian Education鈥檚 ʻ膧颈苍补 Aloha program in 2022–23. They examined the schools’ implementation of a more culturally responsive education system through the assessment of written narratives, competency surveys and focus group findings.

Their findings explored the extent to which engaging in experiential academic and civic opportunities connected students to place, community, culture and language with a measurable impact on the outlined goals in the DOE Strategic Plan. Rice and Fleming-Nazara discovered that the ʻ膧颈苍补 Aloha program created opportunities for students to experience place-based learning and emphasized engaging, participatory lessons that are accessible to students regardless of background or circumstance.

“We recognize that Indigenous practices and ancestral knowledge hold value that can promote progress toward the stated goals of Hawaiʻi‘s schools,” Rice said. “All those receiving an education, pre–K through PhD, on this ʻ腻颈苍补 can benefit from connection to ʻ艑濒别濒辞 Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language), Kuanaʻike (Hawaiian perspective) and Pilina Honua (Relationship to ʻ腻颈苍补).”

Rice is a senior and presidential scholar, majoring in with a certificate in . Fleming-Nazara is a senior double majoring in and .

Creating art from cultural stories

Adam Joseph Parrilla鈥檚 creative work project, “Weaving Cultural Narratives into Art: Character Design Inspired by Hawaiian Moʻolelo (stories),” revolves around the cultural significance of preserving Native Hawaiian moʻolelo through the art of character design. Parrilla presented his project in the symposium鈥檚 poster session.

Mentored by Hawaiian Language Professor Matthew Kainoa Wong, Parrilla chose the story of “Ke Kumu ʻUlu Mua Loa,” which depicts the Hawaiian akua (deity) K奴 coming to Hawaiʻi in human form and raising a family. During a season of drought, he sacrifices his body and is unable to return to his family to grow the ʻulu (breadfruit) tree, which has continued to be not only a staple of Native Hawaiians, but also a symbol of perseverance and kinolau (embodiment) of K奴.

“My main hope for this project was to inspire an appreciation for Hawaiian culture and moʻolelo by connecting it to something you’re interested in,” Parrilla said. “With this project, I wanted to create a good character design from this story I enjoyed. However, if this project could give anyone interested in Hawaiian stories or culture a reason to integrate what they are learning in school, that would be amazing.”

Parrilla is a senior majoring in and , and pursuing a certificate in .

“I would encourage other students to pursue their passions, seek mentorship and look for opportunities like these for growth and learning.”
—Adam Joseph Parrilla

“This experience has been invaluable, improving both my artwork and project management skills,” Parrilla said. “I would encourage other students to pursue their passions, seek mentorship and look for opportunities like these for growth and learning. Find ways to take your knowledge and skills developed in school and apply them through programs such as these.”

UROP funding support

Both projects received UROP project funding. Each year, UROP awards more than $500,000 in merit-based scholarships directly to students to support faculty-mentored undergraduate research and creative work projects and presentations.

The SURE Symposium is one of several regular on-campus venue presentation venues organized/co-organized by UROP. During the fall and spring semesters, UROP co-organizes the Undergraduate Showcase with the Honors Program.

—By Marc Arakaki

Kumu hula R. Keawe Lopes, Jr. of H膩lau said he is very proud of his dancers after winning the 2023 Merrie Monarch Festival. Lopes is a Hawaiian language professor at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 and the director of the at the .

“Very humbled for the honor of being selected the overall winner of the 60th anniversary,” said Lopes, whose wife Tracie is also a kumu hula for the h膩lau. “Just thankful that we were able to present something that the esteemed panel of judges thought worthy of the title, and we are just ecstatic about that, for sure.”

Lopes鈥� h膩lau finished with 1,231 points edging out H膩lau N膩 Mamo O Puʻuanahulu, which finished second with 1,230 points. H膩lau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leināʻala came in third with 1,229 points.

“I think every kumu hula and every dancer that makes a commitment to the Merrie Monarch needs to be congratulated because the huakaʻi, or the journey, to the Olympics is not an easy one,“ said Lopes. “My hats off to all that commit devoting their time and their efforts and their family and their support to making it to the Olympics of the hula.”

For the third straight year, a dancer from Lopes鈥� h膩lau won Miss Aloha Hula, with Agnes Renee Leihiwahiwaikapolionāmakua Thronas Brown taking the 2023 title. His daughter, Piʻikea Kekīhenelehuawewehiikekauʻōnohi Lopes, a 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 graduate student, captured the 2022 title.

ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) students, faculty and staff gathered on the Maile Way lawn near Spalding Hall at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 on February 10 to speak solely in Hawaiʻi鈥檚 native tongue. The bi-annual event, L膩 Launa P奴 is organized by the 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 , a part of to encourage students (haum膩na) to engage in more conversations in Hawaiian to help them retain the language.

“ʻO ka mākia o Kawaihuelani, ʻo ia nō ʻo ʻI pono nā mamo a Hāloa.鈥� No laila, ʻo ia nō ka pahuhopu o kēia hanana ʻo ka Lā Launa Pū. ʻO ka manaʻolana, e lohe ʻia ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi ma ke kula nui, ma ke kai膩ulu, ma ko Hawaiʻi paeʻāina a puni ka honua! M膩lama ʻia k膿ia l膩 i hiki ai i n膩 haum膩na ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi ke launa p奴 me n膩 hoa papa, n膩 kumu a me n膩 limahana ma o ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, ʻo ia hoʻi ka ʻōlelo makuahine o k膿ia ʻāina o Hawaiʻi nei. (Kawaihuelani鈥檚 motto is ‘I pono n膩 mamo a H膩loa’ so that is the goal of this event ‘L膩 Launa P奴.’ Our hope is to have ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi heard at the university, in the community, around Hawaiʻi and the world. The event is held each semester so that Hawaiian language students can socialize with their classmates, teachers and staff in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, the language of this ʻāina, Hawaiʻi),” said Kainoa Wong, a kumu (teacher) at Kawaihuelani who organized the event.

Wong has taught ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi on the 惭腻苍辞补 campus for the last 17 years and has seen an increase in the number of haum膩na interested in learning the once nearly extinct language. The first Hawaiian language courses were offered at 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 in 1922.

The event featured food, kanikapila (music) and traditional Native Hawaiian games to celebrate Makahiki (traditional Hawaiian observance marking time of year for harvest and peace). Attendees played ancient pāʻani makahiki (makahiki games) such as the stone rolling game ulu maika, and hukihuki, a form of tug of war.

Preschool-age haum膩na from P奴nana Leo o 惭腻苍辞补 were among Hawaiian language speakers of all ages who also participated in the day鈥檚 events.

“He mea nui ka ʻōlelo no kekahi l膩hui. Hauʻoli nō au i ka lohe ʻana i ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi ma n膩 wahi like ʻole a me ka ʻike ʻana i ka haʻaheo o nā haumāna e hoʻomau ana i nā mea Hawaiʻi. (The language of a people is vital. I鈥檓 so happy to hear ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi all over and to see the pride that the students have who are perpetuating our language and culture),” Wong said.

In an effort to mark 130 years since the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom and the 7th annual , the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa held an inaugural event, (Hawaiʻi my beloved home). Hosted by the 糖心视频 Mānoa , more than 200 participants gathered on campus across McCarthy Mall to participate in free activities to promote learning, connection and deep reflection.

“Our goal was to bring folks from various communities from across Hawaiʻi together to build pilina—connections and relationships—as a critical step in working together to take care of our shared beloved home,” said Kaiwipunikauikawēkiu Punihei Lipe, 糖心视频 Mānoa Native Hawaiian Affairs Program Officer.

Students, faculty, staff and members of the community took part in a variety of workshops throughout the day from oli (chant) to meditation and mālama ʻāina (care for the land).

The first-ever event opened with learning an oli, composed by Kumu R. Keawe Lopes, Jr., director of the 糖心视频 Mānoa . 糖心视频 Mānoa Provost Michael Bruno was among attendees who learned Lopes鈥� chant composition, Welina Mānoa which honors the elements unique to the ahupuaʻa (land division) where the university is located.

“I was struck by people who made comments, several of them used the word grounded. A few expressed gratitude that before they had to run off to class it was good to get grounded in this place,” said Provost Bruno. “I thought that was super.”

A group of attendees also opted to connect with ʻāina joining 糖心视频 Mānoa Campus Arboretum Curator Nōweo Kai. They engaged in huli ka lima i lalo (turn your hands to the ground) and learned how to care for meakanu (plants) on the Mānoa campus.

Participants were also invited to share their moʻolelo (story) out loud through an innovative writing workshop hosted by playwright and story coach Sean Dunnington. The activity centered around expressing one鈥檚 experience of Hawaiʻi as home.

Hoʻokupu to honor Liliʻu, MLK

A procession gathered at noon to present hoʻokupu (offering) in honor of 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈鈥檚 last reigning monarch at Ke Ahu o Kamakaʻeha (Liliʻuokalani altar) fronting the Queen Liliʻuokalani Student Services Center. Oli and lei were gifted to commemorate the Queen鈥檚 legacy and reflect upon the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom.

“As a Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Campus Center, it is our kuleana (responsibility) here at 糖心视频 Mānoa to highlight and share the many truths of our communities,” Lipe said. “The overthrow of Queen Liliʻuokalani and the Hawaiian Kingdom is not only a part of our history but also our current reality and can be felt in every part of Hawaiʻi today. That鈥檚 why it is important to create spaces to remember and explore what the overthrow meant and continues to mean for us.”

The procession then proceeded to Martin Luther King, Jr.鈥檚 honorary plaque near the art department on campus. Hoʻokupu were placed to pay homage to one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement.

Niya Denise McAdoo is earning her masters degree in at 糖心视频 Mānoa and was moved to tears during her keynote address near the MLK plaque where she expressed the importance of forwarding the icon鈥檚 mission.

• Related 糖心视频 News story: 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 observes National Day of Racial Healing, January 18, 2022

“It鈥檚 important for all of us to acknowledge that we all have a part to play. We all have a kuleana, whether that鈥檚 individually, as a community, as a university, as faculty, staff, administration,” said McAdoo. “We all have a responsibility in our everyday lives in the work that we do to push the mission of racial equality.”

糖心视频 Mānoa is one of more than 60 (TRHT) across Hawaiʻi and the U.S. selected to implement ambitious, visionary action plans that tackle historical and contemporary effects of racism. The TRHT Center at Mānoa is deeply rooted in ʻike Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian knowledge) and led by the NHPoL Advancement Office which helps to shepard the mission for the campus to become a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning. Its Hawaiʻi-grounded approach envisions a pae ʻāina ʻo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiʻi archipelago) in which each individual, family and community recognize their collective and interdependent kuleana regardless of race to aloha one another and ʻāina. This interwoven approach has been recognized on a national platform.

Sai-Dudoit performing “Kalamaʻula”

A multi-talented artist who can hit the really high notes and play his own accompaniment, student Heuaʻolu Sai-Dudoit is no stranger to performing. He has been singing and playing the ʻukulele since he was 9 years old, and was recently named the winner of the 20th Annual .

The contest provides a platform for preserving and perpetuating leo kiʻekiʻe (falsetto)—a style of music that entails singing at a vocal register higher than one鈥檚 usual range. Sai-Dudoit was among five singers competing in this year鈥檚 contest, which was held on Maui in September. In addition to his first place title, he also received the special Hawaiian Language and Musicality awards for his stellar performance of “Kalamaʻula.”

“It was a good environment for Hawaiian music,” said Sai-Dudoit. “We all enjoy Hawaiian music and we understand the value of it.”

Although this was his first time competing in the contest, Sai-Dudoit鈥檚 specialization in falsetto singing has been many years in the making. His interest in falsetto began in fourth grade, when his substitute teacher who happened to be the granddaughter of Genoa Keawe, a prolific Hawaiian falsetto singer, introduced a Hawaiian falsetto song to the class. He continued singing and honing his craft in the years that followed, and eventually entered a broad singing competition through in 2021. This year, at the recommendation of a vocal coach with Mana Maoli, he decided to enter the falsetto contest.

“There鈥檚 kind of a purity, a clearness, to singing falsetto,” said Sai-Dudoit. “For me, singing it feels good. It鈥檚 being able to express the words in the way where people take notice of it and people can enjoy it.”

Musical family lineage

Sai-Dudoit鈥檚 contest piece, “Kalamaʻula,” is a well-known Hawaiian falsetto song that holds a special family connection. It was written by Emma Kala Dudoit—his great-great-grandmother on his late father鈥檚 side. His Dudoit ʻohana also includes ties to Horace K. Dudoit III, a founding member of Grammy-nominated group Hoʻokena. His mother鈥檚 side of the family has a musical lineage of its own—his mother is the niece of Marlene Sai, a Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts Lifetime Achievement Award winning singer.

“A lot of people would choose a song because ‘this one sounds the best,’ or ‘this one is a standard,’ but with the one I picked, I have a connection to the song,” explained Sai-Dudoit. “I chose the song as a way to honor that side of the family—my father and my great-great-grandmother.”

In addition to rehearsing for his performance, Sai-Dudoit did diligent research in the month leading up to the contest. Since “Kalamaʻula” is an older song, many of the lyrics were passed down vocally over time. In order to uncover the original, complete lyrics, Sai-Dudoit carefully examined a Hawaiian language newspaper from the early 1900s, which contained one of the earliest known documentations of the song.

Hawaiian language meets business

A 2021 graduate of Ke Kula ʻO Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu immersion school on Hawaiʻi Island, Sai-Dudoit is now a second-year student majoring in Hawaiian language at the in 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 . Alongside his Hawaiian language studies, he is also taking courses at the .

In blending Hawaiian language and business, Sai-Dudoit hopes to reinstitute Hawaiian language making use of skills gained through the study of business. Specifically, he is interested in the music industry, and his business studies give him the entrepreneurial background to help him succeed in that enterprise.

“Hawaiian language…it’s fun, it鈥檚 interesting, it鈥檚 thought-provoking and I鈥檓 reintroducing the language and its qualities into business—into a domain where it had once flourished,” said Sai-Dudoit.

—By Alisha Churma

A traditional Hawaiian music group made up of students, alumni and faculty from the (KCHL) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa captured a Nā Hōkū Hanohano award for Hawaiian Language Performance of the Year. The Tuahine Troupe accepted the coveted award on July 20 at the 45th annual awards ceremony hosted by the Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts where they were also invited to perform during the opening ceremony.

“ʻOiai he makana “Nā Hōkū Hanohano” kēia no ka puana maiau o ka ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi ma ka hīmeni ʻana, ʻaʻole loa no mākou ponoʻī wale iho nō kēia wahi makana akā, he makana nō hoʻi hā kēia e pahola ana ma luna nō o nā koa makeʻe mau no ka pono o ko kākou ʻōlelo aloha ~ ʻO ka ʻōlelo ka lei kāhiko e ʻike ʻia ai kākou he lāhui a no laila, e ola ka Lāhui Hawaiʻi i ko kākou ʻŌlelo Makuahine,” said Keawe Lopes, an associate professor at KCHL of and the director of who formed the troupe.

The troupe garnered a total of eight nominations: Album of the Year, Group of the Year, Most Promising Artist, Hawaiian Music Album, Favorite Entertainer, Graphics, Haku Mele and Hawaiian Language Performance.

• 鈥婻别濒补迟别诲 糖心视频 News story: 糖心视频 group鈥檚 drive to perpetuate ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi earns 8 Nā Hōkū nominations, July 19, 2022

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the 22-member musical troupe exercised safety precautions while recording its very first album inside a brand new studio in Spalding Hall on the 糖心视频 Mānoa campus.

Four of the 14 songs on the Nā Hōkū nominated album, Keāiwaokulamanu, are original compositions written by band members. While recording, Lopes required students in the troupe to concurrently complete the department鈥檚 haku mele (song composition) course at 糖心视频 Mānoa, which is formed around broadening language acquisition through learning traditional mele (songs) composed by mānaleo (native speakers).

The troupe鈥檚 album pays homage to the ʻāina (land) of Mānoa, where the flagship campus sits. Every track on the album is either written about the area or by a composer who has called Mānoa Valley home. The deeply rooted tribute is even echoed in the troupe鈥檚 name, tuahine, which is a traditional name used to identify a gentle rain that falls in the valley.

• Related 糖心视频 News story: 糖心视频 Hawaiian language play scoops 8 national awards, May 5, 2022

A 22-member traditional Hawaiian music group born out of the (KCHL) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is paving a path to perpetuate 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈鈥檚 mother tongue. Fresh off of recording its very first album inside a brand new studio on the Mānoa campus, The has their sights set on expanding the use of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) throughout the islands and around the world, starting with its members.

糖心视频 Mānoa Associate Professor Keawe Lopes, who is the director of and KCHL of (HSHK), formed the troupe that is made up of students, alumni and faculty. While recording the album, Lopes required student members to concurrently complete the department鈥檚 haku mele (song composition) course at 糖心视频 Mānoa, which is formed around broadening language acquisition through learning traditional mele (songs) composed by mānaleo (native speakers).

“Learning the songs…learning the meanings…learning how to build upon those kinds of poetic expressions [of] our kūpuna allows them to further develop their language skills,” Lopes explained.

From lyric composing to recording, 糖心视频 Mānoa Hawaiian language student Taisamasama Kaiminaauao-Eteuati is still mesmerized that he was given an opportunity to deepen his connection to ʻōlelo.

“We could write the song, understand the language and then go to kumu and get corrected and then come here [recording studio] and relate all of those manaʻo (thoughts) all of these old inoas (names) now into a recording,” he explained.

Nā Hōkū nominations

The Tuahine Troupe earned eight Nā Hōkū Hanohano nominations for Album of the Year, Group of the Year, Most Promising Artist, Hawaiian Music Album, Favorite Entertainer, Graphics, Haku Mele and Hawaiian Language Performance.

“Now that we have the eight nominations, ‘I [thought] that鈥檚 amazing!’…the project came out so well and we鈥檙e so proud of it, [so to have that recognition is truly an honor]” said troupe member Kaʻiulani Kanehailua, an educational specialist at HSHK.

The Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts hosts the annual Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards and invited the group to perform in the ceremony鈥檚 opening number. The awards show will air live on K5 on Wednesday, July 20 at 7 p.m.

Four of the 14 songs featured on the troupe鈥檚 album, Keāiwaokulamanu, are original compositions written by band members. The album also showcases four mele (songs) penned by Lopes and a track co-composed by Lopes and 糖心视频 Mānoa alumnus Zachary Lum, an award winning musician who earned his MA in ethnomusicology. The troupe recorded five cover songs originally composed by kūpuna (elders) Julia Walanika, J. K. Kamali, Bina Mossman, John K. Almeida and Kimo Alama Keaulana.

A majority of the tracks were recorded inside a new fully equipped recording studio in Spalding Hall at 糖心视频 Mānoa. The studio features a control room and professional software and equipment. During the recording process, Kaiminaauao-Eteuati shadowed award-winning sound engineer Michael Grande who helped produce the album.

Welina Mānoa (Greetings to you, Mānoa)

The troupe opted to pay homage to the ʻāina (land) of Mānoa where the sprawling university campus sits. The essence can even be found in the troupe鈥檚 name, tuahine, which is a traditional name used to identify a particular gentle rain that falls in the valley. Every track on the album is either written about the area or by a composer who lived in Mānoa Valley.

The voices of longtime Mānoa residents Aunty Mona Teves and her daughter Noelani Whittington are spotlighted on the track Rain Tuahine o Mānoa, which was composed by their tūtū. Keaulana also grew up in the lush valley and can be heard singing with the troupe on track Nani Mānoa, his own composition. Other special appearances on the album include keiki from Pūnana Leo o Mānoa led by Kawaihuelani alumnus and kahu (site coordinator) Kahōkū Lindsey-Asing, and 糖心视频 Mānoa alumni Hauʻoli Akaka and Kalehua Krug who are both renowned ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi educators and musicians.

The album is available at 糖心视频 Mānoa Bookstore, Spotify, Pandora and Apple Music.

Three University of Hawaiʻi faculty members participated in two federal field hearings, convened by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaiʻi), on the needs of the Native Hawaiian community and how the federal government can assist. Schatz is the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs chairman and held the hearings, titled “Upholding The Federal Trust Responsibility: Funding & Program Access For Innovation In The Native Hawaiian Community,” on June 1 at the at 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 and on June 2 at the 糖心视频 Hilo .

Winona Kaalouahi Lee, the associate chair of the 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 (JABSOM) , participated in the June 1 hearing, and 糖心视频 Hilo Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language Director Keiki Kawaiʻaeʻa and 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 Associate Researcher Noa Kekuewa Lincoln participated in the June 2 hearing.

“The federal government has a trust responsibility to Native Hawaiians—just like it does with American Indians and Alaska Natives—and that trust responsibility must be fulfilled,” said Schatz when he opened the hearings. “That is why we brought this conversation home—for the first time in more than a decade to hear about how this committee can seek equity for Native Hawaiians and support a thriving Native Hawaiian community.”

Lee focused on health disparities in her testimony, saying that Native Hawaiians have higher rates of diabetes, obesity, hypertension, substance abuse, depression and suicide compared to other ethnic groups in Hawaiʻi, and these problems were amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Access to quality and timely medical care for Native Hawaiians is challenging due in part to the severe physician shortage we face here in Hawaiʻi, as well as underrepresentation of Native Hawaiians in medicine and science,” said Lee during the hearing as part of a joint testimony with Joseph Keaweʻaimoku Kaholokula, the chair of the 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 JABSOM Department of Native Hawaiian Health. “Native Hawaiians make up only 4.5% of the physician workforce while comprising 21% of our general population.”

Among her comments, Kawaiʻaeʻa commended Schatz for introducing a bill to establish a federally funded Native American Language Resource Center.

“We lack the resources that such foreign language and area of study programs receive, including any of the 15 federally funded, national foreign language resource centers,” said Kawaiʻaeʻa during the hearing. “The lack of such support severely hampers our ability to reach the full potential of our various Native Hawaiian and Native American programs.”

Lincoln驶s testimony focused on agriculture, saying that Hawaiʻi was self-sufficient before Western contact and today, we are importing about 90% of our food supply.

“We rely on a just-in-time importation system, meaning that at any given point in time, we have about a 3-day supply of food in the state, putting us in a very precarious place in terms of disaster resilience and food security,” said Lincoln in his testimony, adding that the greatest barriers to Indigenous agriculture and food systems is access to land and water resources.

“We greatly appreciate Senator Schatz鈥檚 pioneering leadership of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, including by hosting two field hearings in Hawaiʻi with key 糖心视频 leaders,” said 糖心视频 President David Lassner. “We look forward to working together to continue to advance joint priorities at the federal level to improve the lives of Native Hawaiians in Hawaiʻi and beyond.”

The founder of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa鈥檚 inaugural has earned one of the greatest honors in theatre education. The , a world-renowned performing arts facility in Washington, D.C. which serves the nation as a leader in arts education, awarded Tammy Hailiʻōpua Baker a Medallion of Excellence for her trailblazing vision in Indigenous arts.

The honored Baker during its virtual awards ceremony on May 21, calling her an incredible force and identifying her theatre program as a guide to demonstrate how to restore language and reclaim the stories of generations of Indigenous populations.

“I鈥檓 deeply humbled to receive this prestigious award and grateful for the John F. Kennedy Center’s recognition of Kanaka Maoli artistry in storytelling and performing arts,” said Baker.

Baker, who is also a respected Hawaiʻi playwright, launched the Hawaiian Theatre, or hana keaka program, within the 糖心视频 Mānoa in 2014 centered around Hawaiian language revitalization, and the empowerment of cultural identity through stage performance. The program made history at 糖心视频 Mānoa after its inaugural production, Lāʻieikawai, became the first ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) play performed on the mainstage at the campus鈥� . In 2019, sold out crowds reveled after the production, ʻAuʻa ʻIa: Holding On, a play Baker both authored and directed. The 52-member cast topped headlines after receiving an invitation to perform off-Broadway in New York City.

“I鈥檓 reminded of ka wai hālau o Wailua (the expansive waters of Wailua, Kauaʻi), Kanaka Maoli knowledge and artistry is wide-ranging and interdisciplinary, we have much to offer,” Baker said. “The national recognition that the Hawaiian Theatre Program has received is more than acknowledgment of our hana noʻeau (artistic practices), it also recognizes our moʻolelo (stories), our ʻōlelo (language), our ʻāina (land), and our kūpuna (elders). That is our wai hālau, these waters offer a holistic appreciation and understanding of who we are and where we come from. This is ea (life).”

“The decision of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. to award the Medallion of Excellence to professor Tammy Hailiʻōpua Baker, is a major acknowledgment of her tireless work as a teacher, mentor, scholar, playwright, director, community member, and colleague,” said Markus Wessendorf, 糖心视频 Mānoa Theatre and Dance chair. “Our MFA in Hawaiian Theatre was only established in 2014鈥owever, in just a few years Dr. Baker managed to turn this Indigenous theatre program into a core component of our department and to lead it to such a level of excellence that it is now recognized at the national level.”

You could say theatre is a way of life for Baker and you would be right. Her kāne (husband), Kaliko Baker, who is a kumu ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi at 糖心视频 Mānoa , is also an accomplished scholar and storyteller. The power couple co-founded Ka Hālau Hanakeaka, a Hawaiian medium theatre troupe whose productions have toured internationally and throughout the Hawaiian archipelago.

That passion for the arts naturally caught on within their Koʻolaupoko hale (home) in Windward Oʻahu. Their keiki, Kaipulaumakaniolono (24) and Kaneikoliakawahineikaʻiukapuomua (19) both earned Kennedy Center awards at the same virtual ceremony on May 21. Kaipu鈥檚 production of He Leo Aloha earned eight awards, outshining dozens of top-ranked productions from across the country. His sister who took on one of the play鈥檚 lead roles, netted an award for her individual performance.

And celebrations are certainly in abundance for the Bakers in 2022. Their award winning keiki both graduated from 糖心视频 Mānoa this spring, Kaipulaumakaniolono (MFA, playwriting) and Kaneikoliakawahineikaʻiukapuomua (bachelor鈥檚, Hawaiian language).

Related 糖心视频 News stories:

• Ka Moʻolelo O Ka ʻōlelo a me Ka Hale Keaka o Kennedy, September 23, 2019
• Comedic play to debut in Hawaiian, Pidgin and ʻōlelo māhū, March 31, 2022
• ʻŌlelo, oli and live musicians fill Kennedy Theatre season opener, September 10, 2021