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

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“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 �鶹��ý (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 .

Research that began with a University of �鶹��ý telescope is now leading to a historic milestone in space exploration. This month, China’s Tianwen-2 spacecraft is expected to begin its encounter with Kamoʻoalewa, a small near-Earth asteroid discovered by astronomers at the UH (IfA) on Haleakalā and the first Hawaiian-named object ever visited by a spacecraft.

The mission connects years of IfA-led research with an international effort to better understand the object, which scientists believe may be a fragment of the Moon. Kamoʻoalewa was first detected in 2016 by the IfA-operated atop Haleakalā.

“This is a remarkable moment for planetary science,” said Doug Simons, director of IfA. “A target first identified through observations from �鶹��ý is now being visited by a spacecraft, opening the door to discoveries that simply cannot be made from Earth alone. The mission has the potential to reveal how Kamoʻoalewa formed and whether it truly originated from the Moon.”

In 2021, a team led by UH researchers published findings suggesting Kamoʻoalewa may have come from the Moon. Tianwen-2 is expected to arrive at the asteroid before mid June 2026. The spacecraft will study the object up close as part of a mission that aims to collect samples and return them to Earth.

Inspired by Kumulipo

In 2019, the asteroid received its Hawaiian name through A Hua He Inoa, a program based at the UH Hilo where Hawaiian speaking students and educators work with �鶹��ý-based astronomers to create names in ʻōlelo �鶹��ý (Hawaiian language) for objects discovered by �鶹��ý-based observatories. The initiative is a collaboration among ʻImiloa, UH �ᾱ����’s , IfA and community members.

In ʻōlelo �鶹��ý, Kamoʻoalewa alludes to a celestial object that is oscillating, like its path in the sky as viewed from the Earth. It is a name found in the Hawaiian chant Kumulipo.

“To see a spacecraft travel to an object carrying a Hawaiian name is a reminder that careful observation of the natural world and the pursuit of knowledge have always been central to ʻike �鶹��ý (Hawaiian knowledge),” said Kaʻiu Kimura, executive director of ʻImiloa Astronomy Center. “The students who proposed the name Kamoʻoalewa thoughtfully considered the possibility that this object was a moʻo—an offspring traveling in orbit within our solar system. It is remarkable to see emerging scientific theory lend support to the insight embodied in their naming. This moment highlights the enduring relevance of Hawaiian ways of knowing as we continue to explore and deepen our understanding of the universe.”

As Tianwen-2 approaches its destination, the mission also shines a light on �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s continued role in planetary exploration. �鶹��ý observatories help discover, track and study asteroids, comets and other objects moving through the solar system.

Along the Keaukaha coastline at Puhi Bay, keiki from Hawaiian language immersion program Ka ʻUmeke Kāʻeo are doing what most adults never get to: growing native coral in a nursery and planting it back into the reef their families have known for generations.

He Pūkoʻa Kani ʻĀina—a year-long collaboration between and University of �鶹��ý at Hilo’s (PACRC)—is where scientific restoration meets traditional ʻike (knowledge). Keiki learn that the health of the coral is inseparable from the health of the ʻāina (land).

PACRC is the UH Hilo research and community-engagement facility in Keaukaha behind the coral nursery. Marine science faculty lead programs that connect directly with the broader �鶹��ý Island community.

For more go to .

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

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

—LaurieAnn Takeno, he haumāna ʻōlelo �鶹��ý (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 .

—West; Western Maui.

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“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 �鶹��ý (Hawaiian language student), Ke Kulanui Kaiāulu o Honolulu a me Ke Kulanui Kaiāulu o Maui (Honolulu Community College and �鶹��ýMaui College)

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

Windward Community College Professor of Art and Gallery ʻIolani Director Kapulani Landgraf has been named a 2026 Guggenheim Fellow. Landgraf is one of just 223 distinguished individuals selected from a highly competitive pool of nearly 5,000 applicants for this honor.

The fellowship will support Landgraf’s project, What Was Taken, What Remains, a body of work confronting colonial histories and reasserting Hawaiian visual sovereignty. Through archival research, photographic interventions, collage and the integration of ʻōlelo �鶹��ý (Hawaiian language) and moʻolelo (stories), the project reframes dominant narratives to restore voices to histories long obscured.

‘On our own terms’

“My work has always been about accountability—of images, of histories, and of the ways they are constructed and carried forward,” Landgraf said. “This fellowship supports the continuation of that work, but it also underscores its urgency. What has been taken cannot remain unexamined, and what remains must be made visible on our own terms.”

Widely recognized for her multimedia installations and photography exploring ʻāina (land) and the impacts of colonialism, Landgraf positions the camera as both a witness and an intervention. At Windward CC, she has transformed Gallery ʻIolani into a space centered on �鶹��ý-based artists and cultural continuity. She is also the author of multiple monographs, including Nā Wahi Pana O Koʻolau Poko and Nā Wahi Kapu O Maui, which extend her explorations of ʻāina, moʻokūʻauhau (genealogy), and resistance.

Established in 1925, the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation provides monetary stipends allowing scholars and artists to pursue independent work under “the freest possible conditions.” The Foundation has granted nearly $450 million to more than 19,000 Fellows, an elite group that includes Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners and cultural icons.

—Fun; to have a good time.

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

—Maluhia Nahuina, he haumāna ʻŌ������� �鶹��ý (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 .

—Flying fish.

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“Ka iʻa lele me he manu (The fish that flies like a bird).”
ʻŌ������� Noʻeau (Hawaiian proverb) 1364

—Sean Mills, he haumāna ʻŌ������� �鶹��ý (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 .

—Clever, Wise.

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“Makemake au e akamai kākou a pau (I wish that we may all become wise).”

—Karuna Wiese, ʻŌ������� �鶹��ý (Hawaiian language) Student, Honolulu Community College

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

—To leave or place something.

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“E waiho mai i ka mea ʻai ma laila (Leave the food there).”

—Kilia Hare, Hawaiian language student, Honolulu Community College

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

Check back for more ʻōlelo �鶹��ý.

This article by Assistant Specialist in the College of Education at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� Kahea Faria was first published in .

The growth of the Hawaiian Language Immersion Program from its inception to now is a sign that more of our people in �鶹��ý are turning to the language, culture, and history of our land and the education that is meant to embody it and facilitate the transmission of this knowledge to our children. For most families, this is the primary means of accessing this knowledge, and as such, it represents a public necessity, not a discretionary option.

While this growth has been encouraging, it has also revealed gaps in the structural foundation of the program. Most Hawaiian language immersion programs remain housed within predominantly English-medium schools, with a few stand-alone K–12 programs statewide and even fewer P–12 programs.

These environments are essential, as they create at least one sustained domain in which Hawaiian can function as the sole language of instruction. This model is not intended to produce monolingual speakers, but rather to strengthen pathways toward genuine bilingualism. Consequently, parents within Hawaiian Language Immersion Programs are increasingly advocating for the establishment of P–12 programs in each school district.

Recent efforts to expand access to advanced Hawaiian language instruction—such as online coursework offered through UH Maui College – along with financial support for teacher candidates from sources such as Kamehameha Schools’ Hookawowo Scholarship, the �鶹��ý Community Foundation, and the State of �鶹��ý’s Grow Our Own (GOO) Teachers, have helped to address these challenges.

Despite these efforts, the sustained growth of the program depends on continued investment in teacher preparation. For those who are interested, as well as those who are seeking a meaningful way to support our community through Hawaiian language, history, and culture, please contact either of the Hawaiian Language Immersion teacher preparation programs at the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo or at the University of �鶹��ý at Manoa.

Finally, the rapid growth of the Hawaiian language immersion program should be addressed in the same manner as those of any thriving public school setting—by being adequately resourced and supported in its expansion, rather than constrained by regulatory frameworks that inhibit development.

The state should take a proactive role in planning for a future that includes P–12 Hawaiian Language Immersion Program schools in every district statewide. Anything less constitutes a disservice to the community and stands in opposition to the program’s purpose and intent to revitalize Hawaiian language, culture and history in �鶹��ý.

Ke ao ia nei ka naauao, auhea mai nei la hoi ke kahua o ka pono?

—To be curious.

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“Ua nīele nā keiki ma loko o ka ʻeke. (The children were curious to look inside of the bag).”

—Kiniki Carlson, Hawaiian language student, Honolulu Community College

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

Check back for more ʻōlelo �鶹��ý.

Nahunaiki

—Little bites (a new word developed for the cookie cutter shark)

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—Hauʻoli Lorenzo-Elarco, Assistant Professor of Hawaiian Language, Honolulu Community College

This newly introduced Hawaiian name for the cookie cutter shark is part of recently published research on one of the ocean’s most elusive predators, which Lorenzo-Elarco co-authored.

Check back for more ʻōlelo �鶹��ý.

For more ʻōlelo �鶹��ý definitions and usage, go to the UH Hilo .

Hawaiian language immersion programs across the state are growing fast, however schools need more qualified teachers to meet that demand. At the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo, Kananinohea “Kanani” Mākaʻimoku is working to help fill that gap.

As director of the within the UH Hilo, Mākaʻimoku prepares educators to teach in Hawaiian medium and immersion schools. Throughout the past decade, the state’s Hawaiian immersion program has grown by 67 percent.

Kahuawaiola is a three-semester graduate certificate delivered in ʻōlelo �鶹��ý (Hawaiian). During the pandemic, Mākaʻimoku helped shift the program online, reshaping and expanding access.

“Since 2020, the average number of students enrolling from the outer islands has increased by approximately 56 percent compared to the program’s pre-2020 history,” said Mākaʻimoku.

She has seen firsthand how hybrid learning has opened doors for students in rural communities, including areas such as Lānaʻi and Hāna. That access drives her to reach even more future educators as the need continues to grow. Since its inception, Kahuawaiola has prepared 164 certified teachers.

“By preparing teachers who are fluent in Hawaiian and grounded in culturally responsive pedagogy, we ensure that Hawaiian language medium and immersion schools can continue to serve families across the state,” Mākaʻimoku said, noting that education has long been one of the most effective ways to reverse language loss in �鶹��ý.

Full-circle journey

Mākaʻimoku’s own path reflects that mission. Educated in ʻōlelo �鶹��ý from preschool through high school, she later spent 16 years teaching in immersion classrooms. She earned her bachelor’s degree in at UH Hilo, along with a through the Kahuawaiola program and a master’s degree in . She is now pursuing her doctorate in within UH �ᾱ����’s College of Hawaiian Language.

—By Susan Enright

Just in time for Mahina ‘Ō������� �鶹��ý (Hawaiian Language Month), PhD candidate Nicholas “Kealiʻi” Lum is turning social media into a classroom for cultural deepening.

Hiʻona Haku Mele, Lum’s 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 UH �Ѳ��ԴDz�’s , 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. “ʻAUHea”—listen, heed my words—is featured as the first episode’s offering.

Related UH News story: Mele �鶹��ý Reimagined: UH Hilo Makuakāne 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.

Makuakāne scholar

The initiative is just one part of Lum’s broader academic and creative journey. As a doctoral student at , Lum was recently named the first recipient of the . This award honors the Makuakāne family’s lifelong advocacy for ʻōlelo �鶹��ý and supports scholars dedicated to Indigenous language revitalization.

For more go to .

—Turning point, a time of change.

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“Huliau speaks to those pivotal moments when life turns and invites transformation. Like the shifting winds and changing seasons, these transitions call us to reflect, recalibrate and move forward with renewed purpose. While change can bring uncertainty, it also creates space for growth, deeper understanding and new possibility. Huliau reminds us that change is not an ending, but a continuation—shaping who we are and guiding the path ahead.”

—Jaime Kanani Green, First Lady of �鶹��ý and proud graduate of the UH William S. Richardson School of Law.

Check back for more ʻōlelo �鶹��ý.

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

—Strong wind.

All ʻŌ������� of the Week

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

Check back for more ʻōlelo �鶹��ý.

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

As Mahina ʻŌ������� �鶹��ý (Hawaiian Language Month) draws attention to the growing vitality of ʻōlelo �鶹��ý (Hawaiian language), a recently released mele �鶹��ý (Hawaiian song) offers a compelling example of how the language is taking root far beyond the islands, this time through a rare partnership between a University of �鶹��ý at Hilo PhD student and a young recording artist from Japan.

Award-winning �鶹��ý musician and UH Hilo graduate student Nicholas Kealiʻi Lum composed Waikīkī, a mele recorded as a duet with Tom Noʻeau, a Japan-born musician and trained ʻōlapa hula (hula dancer). Collaborations like this remain uncommon in Hawaiian music, even as hula has flourished in Japan for decades, with an estimated two million dancers nationwide.

Modern mele �鶹��ý

Lum developed Waikīkī through the , which supports his ongoing creative research following his 2023 debut album Pewa. Praised by listeners for its modern vibe and R&B-influenced sound, Pewa reimagines traditional mele �鶹��ý in a contemporary context while centering cultural resilience and linguistic vitality, values that continue to shape Lum’s work.

Lum said the song the pair recorded in a Kalihi studio was shaped with intention toward visitors, particularly from Japan, �鶹��ý’s largest international tourism market. “What would be so cool is when tourists come here that they don’t just go surfing and go to a lūʻau, but they actually have an educational piece, as well,” he said.

• Related UH News: Mele �鶹��ý Reimagined: UH Hilo Makuakāne scholar bridges past and present, October 28, 2025

Learning deeply

For Noʻeau, the collaboration marked a meaningful step in a journey shaped by years of hula training. He grew up dancing in Japan under the guidance of Kahikina Ah Sing and his brother Kalani, who grew up in Kona and opened Ke Ala O Ke Ao Cultural Arts Studio, their hālau in Japan, more than 20 years ago. Through the hālau, Noʻeau has been learning ʻōlelo �鶹��ý, with a strong focus on accuracy and understanding.

“This song taught me a lot. I’m still learning Hawaiian language, and pronunciation is really hard, but it made me want to learn more,” Noʻeau said.

For Lum, that commitment to language was central to the collaboration. “If you pronounce everything wrong, there’s no meaning there anymore, especially in mele, where the poetry carries the story,” he said.

Ah Sing said watching his student step into Hawaiian music has gone far beyond what he once imagined. “I never thought that the younger generation in Japan would root themselves so deeply in our language and culture,” he said.

Noʻeau has also recorded with award-winning Hawaiian musicians Robert Uluwehi Cazimero and Kuana Torres Kahele, further grounding his work in Hawaiian musical tradition.

Voices, movement and moments of reflection filled at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� 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 UH ����ԴDz� 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 UH ����ԴDz�’s award-winning .

One panel, Aloha ʻĀina Embodied: The Praxis of ʻAha, was conducted entirely in ʻōlelo �鶹��ý. 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 Pā 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 UH ����ԴDz� and a preview of a new hana keaka (theatre work) by UH ����ԴDz� 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 UH News story: Lahaina’s story lives in new hana keaka production, February 5, 2026

Established in 2022 through the UH ����ԴDz� Provost’s Strategic Investment Initiative, ANNO advances Hawaiian and Indigenous performance through scholarship, curriculum and outreach, supporting ongoing research and creative practice at UH ����ԴDz�.

The University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� will debut , a new hana keaka (Hawaiian theatre work) that takes audiences on a journey of community rebuilding in the wake of the Lahaina wildfires. The production honors those who were lost, those who survived, and those who still carry the weight of rebuilding on Maui. Performances run March 4–8 in the Earle Ernst Lab Theatre at Kennedy Theatre.

Created by UH ����ԴDz� master of fine arts (MFA) candidate Ikaika Mendez, Lele Wale does not seek to recreate the tragic wildfires. Instead, the work moves through memory, music and movement to create space to remember, grieve and reflect on what comes next for both people and place. For Mendez, a Maui native, Lahaina holds deep personal meaning.

“Although I am from Kanaio, Lahaina became the place where I learned what it meant to be a performer in service to people and place…working at the Feast at Lele Lūʻau at just 15 years old,” said Mendez. “I learned discipline, responsibility and the power of storytelling through music and movement. That experience deeply influenced my path, leading me to pursue education in music, ʻōlelo �鶹��ý (Hawaiian language), and ultimately my MFA in hana keaka.”

Voices of place

Lele is the traditional place name for Lahaina. In ʻōlelo �鶹��ý, 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 �鶹��ý, �鶹��ý Creole English (Pidgin) and English intertwined with live music, hula and imagery.

“There are experiences, emotions and understandings that cannot be fully expressed in English, so we speak them, sing them and chant them in ʻōlelo �鶹��ý,” said Mendez. “At the same time, Pidgin and English reflect the lived reality of Lahaina today: the sounds of home, work, family and community.”

Ticket information

Performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m.

A free post-show Q&A with the director and cast will follow the Friday, March 6th performance for ticket holders.

Content advisories: Covers themes connected to wildfire, loss of life, strong language, haze effects and flashing lights. Questions about tickets or accessibility can be directed to ktbox@hawaii.edu or (808) 956-7655.