Maluhia

—Peace, quiet, security, tranquility, serenity.

More ʻŌlelo of the Week

Check back for more ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi.

—Moanikeʻala Nabarro, Office of Communications, Ke Kulanui o Hawaiʻi ma Mānoa (University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa)

For more information on other elements of the definition and usage, go to the UH Hilo Wehewehe Wikiwiki.

How is cultural knowledge received, carried and ultimately passed on?

A new exhibition at Gallery ʻIolani at Windward Community College explores that question through the lifework and lived experiences of master cultural practitioners ʻŌlohe G. ʻUmi Kai and Suluʻape Keone Nunes.

Through photographs, storytelling, selected works and cultural materials, the exhibition explores how ʻike (knowledge) is carried, embodied, practiced and shared across generations.

“ʻAI MAMA: The Transmission of Knowledge Through the Lifework of ʻŌlohe G. ʻUmi Kai and Suluʻape Keone Nunes” runs August 25–December 11, 2026. An opening reception will be held Friday, September 11, from 4–7 p.m. Admission is free.

The title ʻAI MAMA refers to the process of chewing food and sharing it with, or giving it to, another. Within the exhibition, the act becomes a metaphor for the transmission of knowledge–what is received is worked through, understood, embodied and passed on.

Kai and Nunes come from distinct cultural lineages, but their respective practices share a commitment to the continuation of ʻike. Their work reflects years of learning, observation, discipline and relationships, as well as responsibility to those who came before them and those who will follow.

Sharing knowledge

“Knowledge is not something we simply possess,” said Kapulani Landgraf, curator and director of Gallery ʻIolani. “It comes to us through others, and with that comes a responsibility to carry it forward. ʻAI MAMA is about that process of receiving, learning, practicing and ultimately sharing what has been entrusted to us.”

Co-curated by Landgraf and Noelle M.K.Y. Kahanu, ʻAI MAMA is the second in a four-part Gallery ʻIolani exhibition series centered on Hawaiian mentorship and the transmission of ʻike. The series explores the role of mentorship, relationship and kuleana (responsibility) in sustaining Hawaiian knowledge and cultural practice.

Public programs, artist conversations, workshops and community gatherings will accompany the exhibition from September through December.

Gallery ʻIolani is open Tuesday–Saturday, 12:30–4:30 p.m. Admission is free. Learn more at gallery.windward.hawaii.edu/ai-mama/.

Kamaka Frasco’s lab is a row of tanks at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Coral Nursery, where she spends part of her week tending coral for restoration. She spends the other part in a classroom at Ka ʻUmeke Kāʻeo, a preK–12 Hawaiian language immersion school, teaching students how that restoration works—entirely in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language). Some of the corals she cares for don’t yet have documented Hawaiian names. Helping identify them is part of the job.

“I want to show them that ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi exists everywhere,” said Frasco, a UH Hilo English graduate and a member of the ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi cohort of the university’s Pacific Internship Programs for Exploring Science (PIPES).

A single marine science course sparked her love for ocean conservation. Her PIPES internship gave her somewhere to put it and a way to merge it with storytelling. Financial support from PIPES and UH Hilo’s Kīpuka Native Hawaiian Student Center allowed her to work at the nursery while collaborating with Hale Kuamoʻo, UH Hilo’s Hawaiian language center, on a children’s book about coral restoration, written in Hawaiian.

From intern to mentor

This summer, Frasco stepped into a peer mentor role, guiding new interns through research and huakaʻi (excursions). Her focus: getting them to “speak their manaʻo (ideas)” and recognize their own capacity to shape resource management.

“I’m super grateful,” Frasco said. “I never thought I’d end up where I am today, but PIPES made all the difference.”

To learn how PIPES is expanding conservation opportunities rooted in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, go to Kūkala Nūhou.

When Lele Wale premiered at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Kennedy Theatre in March, audiences embraced the original hana keaka (Hawaiian theatre work) inspired by the lived experiences of Lahaina after the 2023 Maui wildfires. This August, the production reaches the destination it was always meant for, home.

Reserve tickets to Lele Wale

A company of 25 students, alumni, faculty and theatre professionals from UH Mānoa will travel to Lahaina for four performances from August 7–8. Six members of the cast and crew are from Maui, including three cast members from Lahaina whose personal experiences helped shape the production.

For Maui native Ikaika Mendez, a UH Mānoa master of fine arts candidate in Hawaiian theatre and the writer and director of Lele Wale, bringing the production home is both meaningful and humbling.

“I’m hoping that, even though we’re three years later, it still sparks hope, it still sparks joy, and it still reveals to the community that the people are what make the place, and the place is what makes the people. I’m hoping this is a timeless experience where people can reminisce, but also have hope for a better future.”

Related UH News story: Lahaina’s story lives in new hana keaka production, February 5, 2026.

For Lahaina

Rather than recreating the tragedy of the fires, Lele Wale creates space for reflection, healing and connection through Hawaiian theatre, hula, music and storytelling.

Lele is the traditional place name for Lahaina. In ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language), lele wale evokes prayer and speaks to motion, as well as the act of releasing. The hana keaka is performed in a combination of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi Creole English (Pidgin) and English intertwined with live music, hula and imagery.

The Lahaina performances are presented in partnership with Festivals of Aloha, with support from Hawaiian Airlines and the Wave of Harmony Foundation. Their sponsorship is helping transport the cast, crew and production from Oʻahu to Maui so the story can be shared with the community that inspired it.

“The significance of this hana keaka traveling to Lahaina is in the intention and creation of the work,” said Tammy Hailiʻōpua Baker, director and founder of the UH Mānoa Hawaiian Theatre program. “The moʻōlelo (story) encapsulated in Lele Wale was developed by a kama (child) of Maui for their community.”

As Lahaina marks three years since the wildfires, Lele Wale returns not as a finished work, but as an offering. It honors those who were lost, celebrates the strength of those who remain, and reminds audiences that the heart of Lahaina has always been and continues to be its people.

Ticket information

Performances are scheduled for Friday, August 7, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Saturday, August 8, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the Haleakalā Ballroom at The Westin Maui Resort & Spa. General admission is $35.

Inoa

—Name, term, title.

More ʻŌlelo of the Week

Check back for more ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi.

—Moanikeʻala Nabarro, Office of Communications, Ke Kulanui o Hawaiʻi ma Mānoa (University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa)

For more information on other elements of the definition and usage, go to the UH Hilo Wehewehe Wikiwiki.

Andrew “Keahi” Castro, a Windward Community College student, has created Likōnane, a free online platform dedicated to the Hawaiian strategy game kōnane, which was traditionally played with black and white stones. Inspired by his desire to reconnect with his heritage, Castro aims to bring the game into the digital age.

Play Likōnane

“I wanted to make sure a Hawaiian game had just as much intentionality and respect as chess,” Castro said. “I wanted everyone in the world to be able to play it.”

Using his background in mathematics and statistics, Castro spent years building Likōnane. The platform features live multiplayer games, tournaments, puzzles and an artificial intelligence opponent named Lopako. Unlike many gaming sites, it is completely free and ad-free.

Connecting to culture

Castro developed the platform as a student in Windward CC’s fully online program in Hawaiian studies called Hawaiʻiloa.

His grandparents moved from Oʻahu to California in the 1950s. Raised in California and now living in Washington, Castro found the Hawaiʻiloa program an essential bridge to his roots.
“I’ve always wanted to learn more about Hawaiʻi and my culture,” Castro said. “Hawaiʻiloa seemed like a great opportunity for it.”

Despite the distance, the Hawaiʻiloa program fostered a strong sense of community, and Castro is on track to earn an associate degree in Hawaiian studies in the fall.

“The online classes have been great,” he said. “The classmates I’ve worked with have been great, and I’ve made some great connections. Even being far away, it’s helped me feel connected.”

For future generations

Castro is integrating ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) throughout the site, including support for specialized characters in chat and usernames. He hopes to eventually offer an Hawaiian-language version.

Ultimately, he hopes the platform will preserve the game for future generations.

“Everyone was playing it,” Castro said. “It can be played all the time again.”

—By Nakoa Camvel

Hoe

—Paddle (As a canoe).

More ʻŌlelo of the Week

“E kaupē aku nō i ka hoe a kō mai (Put forward the paddle and draw it back).”

—Lanakila Grosse, he haumāna ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language student), Ke Kulanui Kaiāulu o Honolulu (Honolulu Community College)

For more information on other elements of the definition and usage, go to the UH Hilo Wehewehe Wikiwiki.

ʻAwapuhi

—Wild ginger.

More ʻŌlelo of the Week

“Nui nā ʻawapuhi i koʻu māla (There is plenty of ginger in my garden).”

—Haʻaheo, he haumāna ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language student), Ke Kulanui Kaiāulu o Honolulu (Honolulu Community College)

For more information on other elements of the definition and usage, go to the UH Hilo Wehewehe Wikiwiki.

Nalo

—Out of sight, hidden.

More ʻŌlelo of the Week

“Aʻole au i ʻike ka puka komo i ke ala hekehi, ua nalo (I did not see the entrance to the hiking path, it disappeared).”

—Kiki, he haumāna ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language student), Ke Kulanui Kaiāulu o Honolulu (Honolulu Community College)

For more information on other elements of the definition and usage, go to the UH Hilo Wehewehe Wikiwiki.

Nohea

—Handsome, pretty, lovely of fine appeareance; a handsome or fine looking person.

More ʻŌlelo of the Week

“He nohea ʻoe i kuʻu maka (You are lovely in my eyes).”

—Kealiʻi DeMello, he haumāna ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language student), Ke Kulanui Kaiāulu o Honolulu (Honolulu Community College)

For more information on other elements of the definition and usage, go to the UH Hilo Wehewehe Wikiwiki.

Manakuke

—Mongoose.

More ʻŌlelo of the Week

“Ua holo ka Manakuke ma luna o ke alanui (The Manakuke ran across the road).”

—Noel Mendoza, he haumāna ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language student), Ke Kulanui Kaiāulu o Honolulu (Honolulu Community College)

For more information on other elements of the definition and usage, go to the UH Hilo Wehewehe Wikiwiki.

ʻUluʻulu: The Henry Kuʻualoha Giugni Moving Image Archive of Hawaiʻi at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu was selected to be a featured contributor to “250 for the 250th,” an exhibit curated by the Society of American Archivists (SAA) to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.

The national online repository tells the story of our country in documents, according to the SAA website. Sourced from institutions across the U.S. and internationally, the collection aims to highlight the full range of America’s documentary heritage and the role archives have played in preserving and understanding our history.

ʻUluʻulu staff nominated Hawaiian Soul, a film from its collection. Produced in 1987, the film features Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) discussing the contemporary meanings of mana (spiritual power) and kuleana (responsibility), and remains a valuable resource, offering profound insights into the Hawaiian Renaissance, its unresolved issues, and its enduring legacy.

“When the call for submissions came for this exhibit, I knew that it was important for ʻUluʻulu to participate so that we could share a perspective of U.S history from the viewpoint of Hawaiʻi and our communities,” said Janel Quirante, head archivist at ʻUluʻulu.

The challenge was choosing just one film to represent their collection.

Native Hawaiian voices live on

“ʻUluʻulu staff voted and we enthusiastically selected Hawaiian Soul from the Victoria Keith Productions Collection to represent us and to highlight the exhibit theme of Unfinished Revolutions,” Quirante said. “Hawaiian Soul was produced in 1987, but its message of what it means to be Native Hawaiian in contemporary America still resonates today.”

Filmmaker Victoria Keith produced, directed and edited Hawaiian Soul, which was co-produced by Naomi Sodetani.“I consider the selection of Hawaiian Soul for this special ‘250 for the 250th’ exhibit to be the honor of a lifetime!” Keith said. “To think this documentary, produced nearly 40 years ago, is going to be made visible again for new generations is an amazing experience.”

Keith added, “Mahalo to the ʻUluʻulu staff for such wonderful support, and of course to the amazing people who shared their manaʻo (ideas) in the video. May their voices live on and be shared through this significant historic exhibit! I am thrilled and excited to be a part of it!”

For more visit Ka Puna O Kaloʻi.

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

Koholā

—Humpback whale, forcing up the water like waves hitting a reef, reef flats.

More ʻŌlelo of the Week

“E ola i ke kai ma ka leo o nā koholā (The sea is alive with the voices of the humpback whales).”

—Hunter Landt, he haumāna ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language student), Ke Kulanui Kaiāulu o Honolulu (Honolulu Community College)

For more information on other elements of the definition and usage, go to the UH Hilo Wehewehe Wikiwiki.

Pūliki

—To embrace with arms, as in a hug, or holding an infant.

More ʻŌlelo of the Week

“Pūliki wau i kaʻu mau keiki i kēlā me kēia lā. (I embrace my children every day.)”

—LaurieAnn Takeno, he haumāna ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language student), Ke Kulanui Kaiāulu o Honolulu (Honolulu Community College)

For more information on other elements of the definition and usage, go to the UH Hilo Wehewehe Wikiwiki.

It’s never too late to grow in new directions. For Scott “Uncle Scotty” Garlough, earning an associate of Arts in Liberal Arts from Honolulu Community College is more than a degree—it’s planting seeds for the future.

Planting the first seed

Before enrolling at Honolulu CC, Garlough had built a life rooted in service. As operations manager at Hoʻoula ʻĀina, a 100-acre nature preserve in Kalihi Valley, he has spent years helping restore native forests and supporting community health.

“In healing the land, we understand we are healing the community,” he said.

Although education was not a part of his original plan, a turning point came through the Ola Niuhelewai Program and encouragement from Kahale Saito and Kalei at Honolulu CC.

What began as a few Hawaiian language classes eventually grew into a full academic path. Over time, Garlough transitioned into the Liberal Arts program while continuing to take Hawaiian studies courses that aligned with his cultural work.

“Coming to school is my way of planting seeds,” he said. “The seeds will sprout when the conditions are just right.”

Blooming beyond the classroom

At Honolulu CC, Garlough found more than a classroom—he found community.

“I’m surrounded by people that I love who love me,” Garlough shared. As a peer mentor at the Hawaiian Center, he supports fellow students while continuing to learn from them. He also maintained a 4.0 GPA, balancing academics with community leadership.

Despite initial hesitancy about returning to school, Garlough pushed forward.

“All the things—‘I’m too old,’ ‘I don’t know how to use a computer,’ but once you start, it’s not as scary as you think,” he said.

Back to the roots

Garlough’s path to college was shaped by hardship. His mother was incarcerated during his childhood and passed away when he was 13. He spent years navigating homelessness, addiction and trauma.

Meet more amazing UH graduates

Reflecting back, he realizes he had people guiding him—his kupuna leading him toward the community college that has played such an important role in his family.

“It wasn’t until I felt love that I was able to transform myself,” Garlough said. “I listen to what my kupunas are telling me. I listen to the plants. They understand energy and come with good energy.”

The power of community

For Garlough, everything comes back to community.

“Healing a community takes a community,” he said. “We rely on communities in times of trouble, but we also should in prosperity.”

Through his work with organizations such as E Alu Pū and Mālama Loko Iʻa, he advocates for a Hawaiian cultural point of view. Everything he studied in the classroom has allowed him to give back to his community, from making hala sails to repairing the hale. Garlough also practices Uhau Humu Pōhaku, Hawaiian rock masonry, as well as fishing, lashing, and caring for fishponds.

Looking ahead

While earning his degree is a meaningful accomplishment, Garlough sees it as just the beginning.

“This is step one,” he said. “There are a lot of people out there with knowledge, but no pathway to share it. This gives me that opportunity.”

His ultimate goal is to continue planting the seed for others. He is passionate about helping people connect with themselves, their culture, and their community.

“Plant the seed,” Garlough advised. “Wait for it to grow.”

An innovative mass-timber public space designed for the Kakaʻako Ma kai shoreline was presented by University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa School of Architecture students at the 2026 International Mass Timber Conference in Portland, Oregon. “The Hale” integrates Indigenous architectural principles with modern sustainable materials to propose a new model for public gathering spaces in Honolulu.

The project was originally developed in a first-semester graduate design studio by architecture students Edwin Sun, Jayden Uowolo and Dylan Martos. Reimagining the traditional Hawaiian “place of shelter” as a contemporary civic space, the design adapted cross-laminated timber and glue-laminated timber systems for long-term performance in tropical marine environments.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to present my team’s work at the International Mass Timber Conference and represent the School of Architecture,” said Uowolo. “This experience pushed me to think more deeply about how traditional Pacific Island ideas can shape contemporary design, while also connecting me with a global community of designers, builders and thinkers. I left with a stronger understanding of how culture, material systems and industry all connect in the making of architecture.”

Addressing coastal challenges

The project addressed coastal challenges by elevating the structure to mitigate projected sea-level rise, storm surges and salt exposure. It also incorporated climate-specific durability strategies such as marine-grade coatings, protected steel connections and rainscreen façades integrated with cross ventilation.

Supported by School of Architecture Dean Mo Zell and guided by professors Ben Parker and Ho Kyung Lee, the students’ research also explored using locally harvested softwoods to strengthen regional supply chains and reduce transportation-related carbon emissions.

“Opportunities like this are so valuable to students,” said Parker. “They give them early exposure to the critical topics professional architects are discussing, and provide chances to network and connect with firms as they plan their own future careers. These events also enrich the school and the profession, as the exchange helps everyone to integrate education and research with real-world concerns.”

Maui Komohana

—West; Western Maui.

More ʻŌlelo of the Week

“Kaulana nui loa ʻo Mokuʻula i Maui Komohana i kona kapu loa. (Mokuʻula Western Maui is very famous due to its sacredness.)”

—Melelani Seiki, he haumāna ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language student), Ke Kulanui Kaiāulu o Honolulu a me Ke Kulanui Kaiāulu o Maui (Honolulu Community College and UH Maui College)

For more information on other elements of the definition and usage, go to the UH Hilo Wehewehe Wikiwiki.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and Hawaiʻi Community College co-hosted Lā Honua 2026, a dynamic, multi-day Earth Day celebration. Guided by the theme “Huli ka lima i lalo, ola” (hands that are turned down to do work, bring life), the event featured demonstrations, conservation efforts and speaker presentations designed to encourage the community to mālama ʻāina (care for our land).

A centerpiece of the celebration took place on Lā Honua (Earth Day) at UH Hilo featuring an Earth Day Fair for K–12 students and a Conservation Career Fair for college students.

Amy Fullerton, a second-grade teacher from Pāhoa Elementary School, emphasized the necessity of the event. “We need to teach the students about how important our earth is because it’s their future.”

Students were thrilled to engage in interactive activities outside the traditional classroom setting. From building their own water systems to learning about how camouflage helps animals in the wild to creating artwork using traditional Hawaiian materials and methods.

For UH Hilo faculty, engaging with the keiki provided a joyful change of pace. Professor Kerri Inglis spent the morning teaching children how to make ti leaf lei. Representing Hui Mālama Makanalua, an organization dedicated to honoring and remembering the residents of Kalaupapa on Molokaʻi, Inglis reflected on the university’s long-standing tradition to mark Lā Honua.

“We’ve all come to really appreciate our connections, and so taking the time once a year to celebrate Earth Day is important,” said Inglis, who chairs the Social Sciences Division in the College of Arts and Sciences. “It’s an opportunity to express gratitude for where we are and recognize that we’re responsible not just to this island, but our Earth is an island that we need to take care of as well.”

For more, go to Kūkala Nūhou.

Leʻaleʻa

—Fun; to have a good time.

More ʻŌlelo of the Week

“E leʻaleʻa kēlā lā me kēia lā. (Everyday should be fun.)”

—Maluhia Nahuina, he haumāna ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language student), Kulanui Kaiāulu o Honolulu (Honolulu Community College)

For more information on other elements of the definition and usage, go to the UH Hilo Wehewehe Wikiwiki.