{"id":223655,"date":"2025-10-14T11:41:54","date_gmt":"2025-10-14T21:41:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=223655"},"modified":"2025-10-14T11:42:24","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T21:42:24","slug":"ikuwa-at-imiloa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/10\/14\/ikuwa-at-imiloa\/","title":{"rendered":"\u02bbIkuw\u0101 at \u02bbImiloa, where culture meets science"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> < 1<\/span> minute<\/span><\/span>
\"Kids
ʻOhana<\/span>-friendly fun at ʻIkuw\u0101<\/span> Festival.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Energy and excitement filled the ʻImiloa<\/span> Astronomy Center<\/a> at the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at Hilo on September 28, when the community came together for the 2025 ʻIkuw\u0101<\/span> Festival<\/a>. The annual celebration invited attendees to explore how ʻike<\/span> ʻImiloa<\/span> (Hawaiian knowledge) and science come together to honor the connections between land, sea and sky.<\/p>\n

\"people
Attendees learn about stories related to ʻ\u0101ina<\/span> and culture.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

ʻIkuw\u0101<\/span> marks the change from summer to winter in the Hawaiian calendar, a season known for storms, abundance and renewal. This year\u2019s theme came from the ʻ\u014dlelo<\/span> noʻeau<\/span> (Hawaiian poetical saying): “Pala ka hala, momona ka h\u0101ʻukeʻuke<\/span>\u2026 momona ka uhu.” (When the hala fruits are ripe, the sea urchins and parrotfish are fat and ready.)<\/p>\n

The proverb celebrates the richness of the season and the value of kilo, closely observing the environment. That spirit guided the day\u2019s activities, which encouraged guests to see their role in caring for the ecosystems that feed and sustain Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Hands-on learning<\/h2>\n
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ʻ\u014clapa<\/span> hula (dancers) share mele (songs) at ʻImiloa<\/span>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Festival attendees joined hands-on workshops and cultural games, learned about traditional navigation from ʻohana<\/span> waʻa<\/span> (Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s voyaging canoe family), and explored a traveling exhibit from INPEACE<\/abbr> about loko iʻa<\/span> (fishponds). Conservation groups offered ways for the community to protect native species and restore natural habitats.<\/p>\n

Performers and presenters at the event also shared ʻike<\/span> (knowledge), ʻ\u014dlelo<\/span> (language) and moʻomeheu<\/span> Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> (Hawaiian culture), celebrating the strength and beauty of Native Hawaiian traditions.<\/p>\n

The ʻIkuw\u0101<\/span> Festival 2025, made possible by the generous support of the Ama OluKai Foundation and Kamehameha Schools Kai\u0101ulu.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ʻIkuw\u0101<\/span> marks the change from summer to winter in the Hawaiian calendar, a season known for storms, abundance and renewal.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[1057,292,14],"class_list":["post-223655","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","tag-hawaiian-language","tag-imiloa-astronomy-center","tag-uh-hilo","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t