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?

Mahina ʻŌ������� �鶹��ý (Hawaiian Language Month) is observed each Pepeuali (February), and the University of �鶹��ý is hosting a series of events to uplift �鶹��ý’s native tongue. This year’s UH-sponsored events began January 30 at .

Held at Hale ʻĀ��Dz���Dz� (Campus Center), 120 students from kindergarten through high school took part in Nā Leo Hiehie o ke Koʻolau, an annual ���ʻ�ǰ�ū��ū ʻō������� �鶹��ý (Hawaiian language speech competition). Participants shared memorized passages and original speeches delivered entirely in ʻō������� �鶹��ý.

“I’m a kaiapuni [Hawaiian medium school] mom, so this is really close to my heart as well to get to see our keiki, the ʻō�辱�� (youth) get up there and be proud of themselves,” said Windward CC Chancellor Ardis Eschenberg, “We hope for these children to feel comfortable while they’re here today to have a really good time and see that the college really values them for who they are and where they’re from and come to us when they’re done.”

Voices rising

Co-sponsored by Kanaeokana, ʻAhahui ʻŌ������� �鶹��ý and the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, the competition evaluated students across several categories, including pronunciation, fluency and grooming. The event featured students from Ke Kula Kaiapuni �鶹��ý ʻo Kahuku Academy, Ke Kula Kaiapuni ʻo Hauʻula, Ke Kula ʻo Samuel M. Kamakau, Kūlaniākea and Ke Kula Kaiapuni ʻo ��ū‘ō�󲹱���.

“Speaking ʻō������� �鶹��ý as a community, as a lāhui, when our kūpuna (elders) were banned from speaking their language, it means a lot to be able to do this,” said Pakalana Kaniho, a Hawaiian immersion student at Kahuku Academy who took home one of the top honors at Nā Leo Hiehie o ke Koʻolau.

UH events

The Windward CC event marks the first of six ���ʻ�ǰ�ū��ū ʻō������� �鶹��ý hosted by UH this Pepeluali. Hundreds of keiki are registered to participate in upcoming competitions at UH Hilo, UH Maui College, UH West Oʻahu, UH ����ԴDz� and Kauaʻi Community College.

“When you look at our children, they’re thriving! They’re all so excited,” said Ekela Kaniaupio-Crozier, President of ʻAhahui ʻŌ������� �鶹��ý. “What I would like them to know is the Hawaiian language is not only for your classroom. It doesn’t only happen in your hale (home) but it’s gonna happen everywhere whether you go to the gas station, valet your car, in the university, in academics, in all sorts of places. We know that Hawaiian language is alive.”

Free ʻō������� events

Winners from each event will go on to perform at events, a statewide series of free Hawaiian language fairs held in public spaces throughout February and March. The annual celebrations are sponsored by community organizations, schools, and non-profits that are committed to Hawaiian language and culture on that specific island.

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—Ruler, measuring stick.

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—Grant Nakasone, journalism major, University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa.

Check back for more ʻō������� �鶹��ý.

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

University of �鶹��ý researchers have published a new study that brings together ʻike �鶹��ý (Hawaiian knowledge), ʻō������� �鶹��ý (Hawaiian language) and western marine science to shed new light on one of the ocean’s most elusive predators, the cookiecutter shark.

Rarely seen but often noticed, the cookiecutter shark is named for the distinctive wounds it leaves behind. Instead of tearing flesh, the small shark removes neat, circular plugs of meat that resemble the cut of a cookie cutter. These unmistakable bite marks are commonly found on prized fish such as ʻahi (bigeye tuna) and aʻu kū (swordfish), providing scientists with rare clues about the shark’s behavior in the deep, open ocean.

“What makes this species so fascinating is that we almost never see the shark itself,” said Justin Suca, an assistant professor in at UH ����ԴDz�. “We’re learning about it by studying when and where those bite marks appear.”

The interdisciplinary study was led by Suca, J. Hauʻoli Lorenzo-Elarco, an assistant professor of at Honolulu Community College and PhD candidate at the UH Hilo , and Donald R. Kobayashi and economist Hing Ling Chan from NOAA’s Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC).

Kobayashi, a biologist at PIFSC and UH ����ԴDz� alumnus, has been a cookiecutter shark enthusiast for decades.

“I’ve been intrigued by these small sharks for over 40 years, when I first learned about them while a graduate student in oceanography at UH ����ԴDz� and we would encounter them in net tows,” Kobayashi said. “These enigmatic creatures have resisted formal study due to their habitat, behavior, and apparent rarity, so it is quite gratifying to personally contribute some solid scientific knowledge towards understanding them and their ways!”

Night patterns

Published in, the study analyzed a much larger dataset than previous research, examining bite patterns recorded across �鶹��ý’s longline fisheries over many years. The results reveal clear and persistent trends: cookiecutter shark bites occur most often at night and are closely tied to lunar cycles, with higher activity during darker, low-illumination periods.

Searching the past

Alongside the scientific analysis, the researchers reviewed Hawaiian-language sources, including historic nūpepa (Hawaiian-language newspapers), and considered knowledge shared across Polynesian cultures to better understand how the shark may have been recognized in �鶹��ý. While no direct references were found, the team believes Hawaiian ancestors were likely familiar with the shark’s distinctive bite marks.

“Our kūpuna (elders) may never have encountered the shark itself,” said Lorenzo-Elarco. “But they almost certainly encountered the evidence it left behind, the distinctive bite marks on fish they brought in from the open ocean.”

ʻŌ������� in science

From that understanding, the team developed a new Hawaiian name for the cookiecutter shark, nahunaiki, meaning “little bites,” and created an ʻō������� noʻeau (Hawaiian proverb) describing its bite patterns and connection to nighttime conditions. The study also includes an abstract written entirely in ʻō������� �鶹��ý, highlighting how Indigenous knowledge and modern science can work together to reveal patterns that might otherwise remain unseen. Developed by utilizing elements of traditional Hawaiian proverbs, the ʻō������� noʻeau says, Muku ka malama, nanahu ka nahunaikio o ka pō, When the new moon arises, the cookie cutter shark bites.This ʻō������� noʻeau is aimed at helping current and future generations of ocean stewards connect the lunar cycle to the bites of this shark.

These findings build on earlier UH ����ԴDz� research that linked moonless nights to rare cookiecutter shark bites on humans, particularly swimmers in �鶹��ý’s ocean channels, suggesting darkness plays a key role across very different types of encounters.

Mai nā lālani mua o ke mele koʻi honua i kaulana ma kona inoa ʻo Kumulipo i loaʻa mai ai ka hua ʻō������� o kēia makahiki, ʻo &�����ܴ�;�����ܱ���.&�����ܴ�; ʻO ke “kāhuli” ka loli ʻana a ʻokoʻa mai ka hopena. ʻO ia kāhuli , ka wela hoʻi o ka honua me ka lole o ka lani, ka huna ahi i ʻoniʻoni ʻeuʻeu aʻe ai ka wale a kumu haʻohaʻo maila nā mea a pau o ke ao holoʻokoʻa nei.

He au kāhuli kēia e holo nei. He loli nui ma ke ao politika e ��ūʻŧ aupuni ��ū�辱�쾱�辱�쾱ʻō ai nā �����첹ʻ�徱�Բ��Բ� a puni ka honua. He loli honua ma ke ao ʻō��ܲ� o �鶹��ý e lewa aʻe ai nā waʻalele halihali ʻō��ܲ� maʻamaʻahia. He loli ma ke ao pāpaho nui o ka hoʻāno ��ū���첹���� i ka ʻō������� aliʻi o ka lāhui.

Ma nēia makahiki, kai kani leo leʻa hou aʻe ai ke Kumulipo ma kona ʻ�徱�Բ�, kona hale aliʻi ��DzԴ�ʻī, i ʻike ��ō������첹 ʻia, ʻo ke kāhuli ka loli e paneʻe aukahi ai kākou mai ka nae maha ʻolu o ka uʻi lolena a e kaʻi ai kanaka i ke au e hiki mai ana.

• Related UH News story: 2024 ʻō������� of the year, December 9, 2024

2025 Hawaiian Word of the Year: Kāhuli

Drawn from the opening lines of the Hawaiian creation chant known as the Kumulipo, the 2025 Huaʻō������� (Word) of the Year selected by the , is kāhuli—to change, to alter, to overturn. In the Kumulipo, kāhuli describes the transformation that warmed the earth and unfolded the heavens, catalyzing the formation of the universe itself.

“Kāhuli speaks to transformation at a fundamental level—not surface change, but the kind of shift that reorders everything,” said Kaʻiu Kimura, director of the Hawaiian language college.

This meaning resonates as we navigate change on multiple fronts: federal shutdowns affecting vulnerable ʻohana, rising costs reshaping island economies, climate disasters whose recovery continues across our communities. Political movements challenge unjust systems globally, while our communities grapple with the cost of simply remaining home.

“The word kāhuli acknowledges that transformation can feel disruptive, but it’s also how new worlds emerge,” explained Kimura. “We’re living through an era of kāhuli politically, environmentally and culturally.”

In a year where the Kumulipo again resounded across its homeland, kāhuli reminds us that transformation is both inevitable and essential. In a year when the expression “6–7” emerged, kāhuli moves away from the middle ground, emphasizing work that looks beyond “good enough” toward something worthy of our kūpuna’s (elder) vision and our ����ʻ�DZ�ܲԲ�’s (grandchild) future.

“Kāhuli distinguishes between forces that merely break things and forces that break us free—from complacency,” Kimura noted. “It insists we unsettle what doesn’t serve us to make space for what must come next.”

faculty, staff and students are helping revive the traditional place names of �鶹��ý Island through a growing series of bilingual geographic maps that honor ancestral knowledge and strengthen community connection to the ʻ�徱�Բ� (land).

The project began several years ago when Geography Assistant Professor Drew Kapp and his student Kaylyn Ells-Hoʻokano combined their shared passion for mapping and inoa ʻ�徱�Բ� (traditional Hawaiian place names) to produce a community map of the ahupuaʻa (land divisions) of Puna. In 2025, the pair were joined by Hawaiian studies student Yuna Inoue to create a second map of the ahupuaʻa of Hilo.

“I view this work as a means to highlight the significance of place names and their role in indicating how to interact with the environment, to honor the stories that are embedded within them, and to contribute in ensuring their regular use and vibrancy,” said Kapp.

The new Hilo map, completed in spring 2025, features ahupuaʻa across Hilo and is fully bilingual in ʻō������� �鶹��ý (Hawaiian) and English. Ells-Hoʻokano served as mapmaker using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), while Inoue and Kapp researched inoa ʻ�徱�Բ�, historic land divisions and cartographic considerations.

“One challenge we had was to figure out how to best fit a large moku (district) like Hilo with its approximately one hundred ahupuaʻa, on a single sheet,” said Kapp.

Inoa ʻ�徱�Բ� significance

Kapp said that working with historical place names required careful attention. “We encounter so many variations of names in our research, many of which are incredibly compelling, meaningful and deeply sourced,” he noted. “We hope people will use these maps as resources to strengthen connections with their moku, ahupuaʻa and ʻ�徱�Բ�.”

�鶹��ý CC Hawaiian language and studies Assistant Professor Ākeamakamae Kiyuna emphasizes the broader cultural importance of this work.

“Inoa ʻ�徱�Բ� are far more than simple labels; they are informative narratives that embody the mana (power) and unique character of a place,” Kiyuna explained. “Their restoration and presence on updated geographic maps are crucial for cultural preservation, historical accuracy, and honoring Indigenous identity and sovereignty.”

Research sources

Their research drew on Native Hawaiian scholar Mary Kawena ��ū���ʻ��’s scholarship, historic maps, kaʻao (legends) of Hawaiian akua (goddesses) Pele, Hiʻiakaikapoliopele and kupua (supernatural being) Kamiki, and old nūpepa (newspaper).

Community members, faculty experts and librarians, including �鶹��ý CC’s Kiyuna and Assistant Professor Kuʻulei Kanahele, UH Hilo Librarian Annemarie Paikai and former lecturers Lokelani Brandt and Manaiakalani Kalua also served as integral resources for the collaborative project.

The children’s storybook , which helps children understand Alzheimer’s disease, has been adapted into a . The story follows Pōmai, a young girl learning to support her Papa (grandfather) as he experiences memory loss, offering a gentle, culturally grounded way for families to start conversations about dementia. First released by the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� in 2019 and translated into ʻōlelo �鶹��ý in 2025, the story has reached keiki and caregivers across the islands.

Related UH News story: Dementia storybook released statewide

The animation was developed by Kalilinoe Detwiler, a UH ����ԴDz� PhD candidate in English, with the , housed in the . It brings the storybook to life with vibrant visuals, expressive characters and narration voiced by Hā Kūpuna team members.

“We hope the book and video will open conversations between children, parents and kūpuna about dementia in a cultural and age-appropriate way,” said Detwiler, who is an , and co-principal investigator for the Symphony of �鶹��ý Seas project. “I enjoy spending time with the characters, imagining their expressions and who they might sit beside in the setting. I also enjoy imagining visual representations to subtle changes in their emotions and understanding of dementia.”

The project began in January 2025 and included storyboarding, visual design, background art, voice recording, animation and editing.

“As we create resources for ʻōpio (youth) and caregivers, we recognize there are mediums that best suit the intergenerational households in �鶹��ý,” added Detwiler. “Animation is one of those mediums. It opens possibilities for stories that can be challenging or heavy,”

“The purpose of Hā Kūpuna is to enhance understanding of kūpuna, celebrate their lives, and improve eldercare services,” said Shelley Muneoka, Hā Kūpuna program coordinator. “Storybooks and animation help extend this information to new audiences in a meaningful way.”

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This article by Native Hawaiian Engagement Director at the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo Pelehonuamea Harman was first published in .

This summer, University of �鶹��ý at Hilo served as a cultural and intellectual bridge between the New Directions in the Humanities international conference and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

These two global events—centered on Indigenous knowledge, language revitalization, and the role of youth in shaping culture—highlighted UH Hilo’s leadership at the intersection of scholarship, ʻike kupuna, and community.

Held at UH Hilo and chaired by Dr. Patsy Y. Iwasaki, the New Directions in the Humanities conference marked the first time this prestigious gathering was hosted in �鶹��ý. Previous locations included Paris and Rome, with Lisbon, Portugal, set to host next.

The conference opened with a kīpaepae welcome ceremony, grounding guests in the spirit of the land and people of �鶹��ý.

Under the theme “Oceanic Journeys,” scholars, students, and cultural practitioners explored the humanities through a Pacific lens. Presentations spanned topics from language reclamation and Indigenous storytelling to cultural continuity and place-based education. A field trip to the luapele—the volcanic landscape sacred to Pele—provided an experiential learning opportunity rooted in Hawaiian ways of knowing and deepened participants’ understanding of the connection between land, language, and identity.

UH Hilo faculty, staff, and students played central roles sharing research, performing mele and oli, and engaging in cross-cultural dialogue. The conference affirmed UH Hilo’s strength as an Indigenous-serving institution committed to community-centered and place-based education.

Weeks later, UH Hilo’s voice resonated from the National Mall in Washington, D.C., where university representatives participated in the 2025 Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

Under the theme “Youth and the Future of Culture,” the �鶹��ý delegation led the Language Reclamation Program. Representatives from UH Hilo leadership, , , Ke Kula ʻo ����ɲ���ī�ǰ첹�����Ծ�ʻō���ʻ��, and the National Native American Language Resource Center shared mele, oli, hula, and strategies for revitalizing ʻōlelo �鶹��ý.

A key facilitator for the folklife festival was UH Hilo alumnus Hālena Kapuni-Reynolds who serves as a curator at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. His leadership helped ensure that Indigenous voices from �鶹��ý were highlighted with respect and authenticity on this national stage.

Visitors to the �鶹��ý tent participated in intergenerational dialogue and hands-on activities, learning how language restoration is deeply tied to land, education, and cultural identity. In a powerful gesture of continuity, several “Oceanic Journeys” attendees visited the �鶹��ý tent to thank the UH Hilo delegation for extending the spirit and ʻike of the conference to the nation’s capital.

Whether we are hosting a conference as kamaʻ�徱�Բ� at our own university or attending as malihini at a national gathering, our relationship to �鶹��ý remains central to who we are and how we engage. In every setting, we carry this ʻike (knowledge), aloha, and the values rooted in this ʻāina with us.

These gatherings affirmed a shared vision: that the humanities are most powerful when grounded in place, lived experience, and Indigenous knowledge systems. UH Hilo’s presence at both events underscored its commitment to cultivating future cultural leaders—those who carry tradition forward while envisioning and shaping a resilient future.

A children’s storybook developed through the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� is now available in ʻŌlelo �鶹��ý, offering Hawaiian-speaking families a new resource to support loved ones with dementia.

Pōmai Lāua ʻo Papa: Ka Wā Kamaliʻi a me ka Makua Poina Wale: Pehea e Mālama ai i nā Mea Koʻikoʻi loa is the Hawaiian-language version of Pōmai and Her Papa: Growing Up Around Memory Loss and Holding on to What Matters Most, originally published in English.

Expanding access

The translation, led by at UH ����ԴDz�’s , helps meet a growing need for culturally and linguistically relevant resources for Hawaiian-speaking families caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Related UH News story: ʻŌlelo �鶹��ý for elder care, February 2025

Translating medical concepts such as “geriatrician” and “social worker” into ʻŌlelo �鶹��ý required the thoughtful creation of new terms. It reflects the commitment to improving access for the increasing number of Hawaiian language speakers.

“We wanted to contribute to increasing language access for Hawaiian speakers by having Pōmai Lāua ʻo Papa available everywhere Pōmai and Her Papa is already available,” said Hā Kūpuna graduate assistant Kepo ʻo Keliʻipaʻakaua, who led the project.

Understanding dementia together

The initiative was prompted by Hā Kūpuna’s joint advisory committee, which identified a pressing need for Hawaiian-language eldercare materials. Both versions of the storybook help families recognize the signs of dementia, understand the difference between memory loss and normal aging, and connect with support services.

Initially, partners at the Waiʻanae Coast Comprehensive Health Center requested a small number of ʻŌlelo �鶹��ý copies for outreach kits to houseless families.

“There was such an interest, even among volunteers, that they requested more Hawaiian language books,” said Shelley Muneoka of Hā Kūpuna. “It’s so exciting to see the enthusiasm for this resource!”

By the end of 2025, more than 1,500 copies of the English book will have been distributed, and nearly 350 Hawaiian language copies will join them in public and school libraries statewide.

In �鶹��ý, where multigenerational homes are common, and dementia rates are rising, Pōmai Lāua ʻo Papa offers families a child-friendly way to talk about memory loss and support kūpuna with care and compassion.

To download the books or request printed copies, visit Hā Kūpuna’s website or email Shelley Muneoka at muneokas@hawaii.edu.

—Trip, voyage, journey.

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“Valuable knowledge and transformative experiences are cultivated through participating in meaningful huakaʻi.”

—D’Sean Watson, student, Honolulu Community College

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

This week’s ʻō������� was recorded with the assistance of the (MELE) program.