M.A. - Hawaiian Studies

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10125/36913

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 40

He ʻōlelo ola ma ke kenekulia iwakālua: He kālailaina no ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi ma ka hoʻonaʻauao (A living language in the 20th century: An analysis of the Hawaiian language in education)
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2025) Earle, Kapaiaalaopuna; Keawe, Lia O’Neill M.A; Hawaiian Studies
ʻO ka ʻōlelo ka mea e hāpai ai i ke ola o ka lāhui kanaka me kona ʻike kūʻokoʻa ma kona ʻaoʻao. I ka makahiki 1896 i hoʻoholo ʻia ai he kānāwai e aʻo ʻia nā kula a pau o Hawaiʻi nei ma ka ʻōlelo Pelekānia wale nō. Ua ʻaui mai nā haumāna kula aupuni ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi ma nā makahiki i hala iho, eia nō naʻe, na i ia kānāwai 57 i hoʻopau loa i ka holomua o ka ʻōlelo ʻōiwi o nei ʻāina no nā hanauna ma hope aku. Ma ka huli ʻana o ke kenekulia ʻumikūmāiwa i hāʻule nui ai ka ʻōlelo makuahine o ko Hawaiʻi Pae ʻĀina nei ma o ka hoʻonaʻauao. Ua piha maila ka hoʻokula ʻia ʻana o nā haumāna me nā ʻano holoi aupuni a Hōʻamerika ma ke Kelikoli. I loko nō o ka ʻaneʻane pau pono o ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi ma nā kula, ua ʻonipaʻa ka poʻe ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi i nā 1900 no kona holopono ma ka lana ʻana. Ma nāhi ʻē aʻe i ola ai ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, ʻo ia hoʻi ma nā kula ʻōlelo, kula Sābati, a me ka hoʻokumu ʻana, ʻo ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi he papa ʻōlelo ʻē ia i nā 1920. Ua hoʻopaʻa kūikawā kēia i ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, a laila i hoʻokumu ʻia ai he kahua no kona hoʻāla ʻia ʻana ma ka hope o nā 1900. ʻAʻole i noho wale a haʻalele ka poʻe Hawaiʻi i ka ʻōlelo makuahine, ua ola nō naʻe ka ʻōlelo, he ʻōlelo ola o ke kenekulia iwakālua. Ma kēia pepa noiʻi nei i kālele ʻia ai ka mana Hawaiʻi ma o ka nānā ʻana i nā kumuʻike mua, ʻo ia hoʻi ma ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi a me ka Pelekānia. Ua kau nui ka manaʻo o kēia noiʻi i ka haʻi pololei ʻana o ka moʻolelo o ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi ma hope o ke kānāwai 57 i 1896. ʻO ke kumu o kēia hana noiʻi, ʻo ia hoʻi ka hoʻomaopopo pono ʻana i ka loli o ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi a me kona hoʻomau ʻia ʻana ma nā hanauna hou. Ke paio aku nei kēia i nā manaʻo i mahuʻi ʻē ʻia a ka pololei a pololei ʻole paha o nā moʻolelo i hoʻopuka ʻē ʻia no kēia mau wā a kēia kumuhana nei. Nā Huaʻōlelo: ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, kahua hoʻonaʻauao, noiʻi kumuʻike mua, moʻolelo ʻōlelo, moʻolelo hoʻonaʻauao, kuina moʻolelo Language is imperative to the existence of a people through carrying its distinct epistemology and perspective. In 1896, a policy was enacted that declared English to be the medium of instruction in all the schools of Hawaiʻi. In the preceding years, students in Hawaiian language government schools were deviating, however, Act 57 put a halt to the evolution of the native language of the land for its future generations. At the turn of the nineteenth century, the native tongue of the Hawaiian Islands collapsed in education. Schooling in the Territory was subsequently filled with tactics of denationalization and Americanization. Despite its near extinction in the schools, Hawaiians and Hawaiian language advocates alike were steadfast in the 1900s to ensure it would successfully prevail. The Hawaiian language endured through alternative spaces, such as language schools, Sunday schools, and eventually reintegrating Hawaiian as a language subject in the 1920s. These efforts secured the language in the interim, and also laid the foundation for its revitalization in the latter twentieth century. Hawaiians did not passively neglect the Hawaiian language, but rather it weathered the twentieth century as a living language. This study underscores the significance of Hawaiian agency by examining the primary source repository comprising both Hawaiian and English materials. It prioritizes the accuracy of the accounts of history following Act 57 in 1896 and seeks to precisely analyze the changes that the Hawaiian language sustained in education and how its perpetuation persisted across emerging generations. Furthermore, the research also critically challenges prevailing assumptions and narratives surrounding these eras and topics. Keywords: Hawaiian language, systematic education, primary source research, language history, education history, historical continuity
Paradise Isle: How Hollywood Created An Imaginary Hawaiʻi
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2024) Kini, Emilia K.; Drexel, April A.H.; Hawaiian Studies
The purpose of this MA study is to showcase how Hollywood films from the twentieth-century have come to define the universal expectations of what Hawaiʻi and Native Hawaiians should be like. The definitions used are the byproducts of a compilation of tropes and themes produced by outside sources unfamiliar with the content and working with a foundation built on colonialism, racism, and ignorance. The main topics to be examined will be the following: how the Islands of Hawaiʻi have come to be defined as a paradise; the reoccurring caricatures of Native Hawaiian men and women; how the military-industrial complex of the United States has used its relationship with the former two to create a biased narrative of Hawaiʻi; and finally, the consequences of these tropes on viewers. The study will be conducted by using a film that has become synonymously associated with Hawaiʻi, Native Hawaiians, and the military—From Here to Eternity. The study will dissect the movie and examine how even the smallest detail has contributed to a false narrative of Hawaiʻi, Native Hawaiians, and the military-industrial complex. This research study aims not to demean or discredit the work done for the film but to present an understanding of where all these tropes came from and why they do not offer an accurate portrayal of the subject matter.
RECONNECTING TO WAIKĪKĪ’S PAST: THE ROLE OF HISTORICAL, PLACE-BASED KNOWLEDGE TOWARD A FUTURE OF FLOOD RESILIENCE
(University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2024) Medeiros, Emily; Kikiloi, Scott Kekuewa; Hawaiian Studies
Waikīkī is a region that was altered significantly from a traditional floodplain ecosystem to a heavily urbanized area. It was once characterized by an abundance of water resources and intensified agricultural systems that supported a large population. There is now a reduced water supply due to the proliferation of invasive species in forests, the pumping of groundwater resources, and a decline in rainfall—yet flood risks are much greater due to drastic changes in policy and land use following the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. These flood risks are exacerbated by climate-related vulnerabilities including increased storm frequency and intensity, and sea level rise. Despite the greater availability of water under the traditional water management system, flooding events were typically not damaging to human activities and structures. Simply stated, historically there was more water and less flood risks, whereas today there is less water and greater flood risks. Recent iterations of flood control plans for this region were terminated because they would have caused adverse environmental impacts, while hardly reducing flood risks to humans and infrastructure. There are currently no selected or place-appropriate plans to address this region’s vulnerabilities, therefore this thesis aims to understand the water management practices used in the Waikīkī floodplain region prior to the land use changes surrounding the overthrow and construction of the Ala Wai Canal in order to help inform and guide flood resilience planning for this area. For the first time, the historic water management system of Waikīkī is examined in the context of flooding and is analyzed for its resilience by utilizing archival research combined with GIS spatial analysis. Areas where the findings from the past intersect with contemporary needs are then identified and presented as a range of strategies and opportunities to improve flood resilience for the region in ways that improve ecological health.
“Ke Aupuni: He Aha Ia?”: Using Joseph Nawahī’s Conception Of The Aupuni Body As A Framework To Hoʻohawaiʻi
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2023) Hart, Kyle Brandon; Puniwai, Noelani; Hawaiian Studies
Joseph Nawahī’s conception of the aupuni body can be seen as an ancestral knowledge-based framework used to understand the construction of space between and around us in 21st century Hawaiʻi. Operating on the premise that aupuni is not some magical, esoteric concept, I explored the four mahele of the aupuni – ʻāina, lāhui, kānāwai, and waiwai. Mālama Puʻuloa workday participants were sampled to understand how we perceived aupuni at Kapapapuhi, along the shoreline of Honouliuli. The aupuni body framework was a viable guide for constructing a bridge in understanding how aupuni is perceived. The aupuni at Kapapapuhi is, at its core, community-based stewardship and education guided by aloha ʻāina. As members of a lāhui, this framework enables us to be intentional in our endeavors as we navigate away from American Imperialism and the Western ideologies of nationhood and instead strive to hoʻohawaiʻi Kapapapuhi and beyond.
On The Standard of Being “Hawaiian Enough” Native Hawaiian Lateral Violence and Contemporary Hawaiian Language Acquisition
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2023) Moniz, Hauolihiwahiwa; Kuwada, Bryan K.; Hawaiian Studies
This master’s thesis explores the troubling concept of being “Hawaiian enough” within the contemporary Native Hawaiian community as a pervasive form of Native HawaiianLateral Violence that negatively impacts contemporary Hawaiian language acquisition by Kānaka Maoli. “Hawaiian enough” refers to the set of stereotypical, legal and social expectations placed upon Native Hawaiian people that are primarily foreign in origin and function in a way that attempts to undermine and invalidate Native Hawaiian people and their claim to their ʻŌiwi identities. Using a mix of ethnographic and autoethnographic methods to understand this particular type of social violence, this thesis examines how the internal and external perception of “not being Hawaiian enough” negatively affects Hawaiian Language learning and engagement, community relationships, cultural self-efficacy, and the worth and worthiness of many Hawaiians today. This thesis features primary data collected from 50 Native Hawaiian community members gathered through a series of Hawaiian Language Acquisition and Engagement surveys that detailed personal experiences with learning, attempting to learn, or avoiding altogether, Hawaiian language and its related acquisition opportunities as well as their reasons and perspectives while doing so. Survey responses were analyzed for expressions of shame and shaming, peer judgement, defensive failure, the Hawaiian Language Hierarchy, and the fear or avoidance of speaking Hawaiian, especially with peers, each rooted in some way in Native Hawaiian Lateral Violence. Three social phenomena unique to the Native Hawaiian community that are significant contributing factors to Native Hawaiian Lateral Violence will also be introduced, those being Reactive Skepticism, Aloha Fatigue, and Triggering Whiteness. By documenting the psychosocial challenges to Hawaiian language reclamation experienced by Kānaka today, a currently under-researched topic in academic literature, this project hopes to serve as a catalyst for future investigations into this community issue so that Hawaiian language acquisition might be more accessible and equitable for all Kānaka ʻŌiwi.
Hoʻolaukanaka I Ka Leo O Nā Manu
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2022) Dinwiddie Kala, Kellie Kaleilehua; Drexel, April A. H.; Hawaiian Studies
It is the goal of this qualitative grounded theory research to analyze the way Hawaiians used Hawaiian honeycreepers as metaphors in mele and why the birds were used to represent what they did. Much of the scholarly material found on the topic of manu mūkīkī Hawaiʻi has been written from a western perspective, with little to no documentation as to what the birds represent. The way the manu mūkīkī Hawaiʻi are utilized in mele is of particular interest, and if Hawaiians fail to recognize this potential loss now and take steps to remedy it, they will not be able to pass down this invaluable ʻike to future generations. This qualitative study examines the usage of Hawaiian honeycreepers as literary devices in mele. After the initial gathering of mele, the Papakū Makawalu methodology of deconstructionism will be applied to allow readers to see the different layers of meaning. In order to aid the Hawaiian language revitalization efforts, it is important for Hawaiians to recognize the significance of manu mūkīkī Hawaiʻi in mele. The aim of this inquiry is to present Hawaiians with one more way to understand and engage with the mele that were left for us by older generations.
Wahi Pana Aloha ʻĀina: Storied Places of Resistance As Political Intervention
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2022) Ioane, Keahialaka Leiuʻiowaikaʻalulu; Puniwai, Noelani; Perry, Wendell K., Jr.; Hawaiian Studies
Wahi pana aloha ʻāina, storied places of resistance, is a historical and political research device that perpetuates contemporary Hawaiian sovereignty history, and can serve as a political intervention between Kanaka (Hawaiian people) and the State of Hawaiʻi. Wahi pana aloha ʻāina are places where movements and resistance in the name of aloha ʻāina occur. Aloha ʻāina is a founding quintessential concept to a Hawaiian worldview and epistemology. The genealogy of aloha ʻāina traditions equipped generations of Kanaka with environmental keenness through a deep love for and connection to the land. During the illegal overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi in the 1890s, aloha ʻāina became the political identity of Kanaka in the struggle for sovereignty of Hawaiʻi during the illegal encroachment by the United States. In the 1970’s during the Hawaiian renaissance (cultural re-awakening), leaders of the Protect Kahoʻolawe ʻOhana (the group who organized the first contemporary resistance by Kanaka against the U.S.) re-discovered and reclaimed aloha ʻāina to re-awaken the Hawaiian consciousness after decades of imposed American indoctrination. The Hawaiian renaissance led to a series of land movements that arose in opposition to America’s control of Hawaiian lands and became the basis for the Hawaiian Sovereignty Movement, or the current Hawaiian political movement for better self-determination and the return of Hawaiʻi’s sovereignty to Kanaka. This legacy of storied places of resistance has been effectively written over by colonial historiography and the State of Hawaiʻi’s legacy of American expansionism. This has manifested into a legacy of prejudice in the State of Hawaiʻi judicial system that favors non-Kanaka entities, initiatives and agendas, while disapproving and discrediting Kanaka self-determination initiatives and sovereignty agendas. Due to this, there is no concern from the State of Hawai’i in remedying the political conflicts that arise between Kanaka and the State. I argue that the normalization of wahi pana aloha ʻāina can assist Kanaka in overcoming the negative impacts of the colonial footprint of the State of Hawaiʻi over Kanaka ancestral legacies and land histories, and be used to reclaim Kanaka land rights. In this paper, I lay out the research behind the theory of wahi pana aloha ʻāina, and how it functions as a research tool in the field of Kanaka land struggles, with a specific focus on historical colonial resistance. Second, I exemplify the use of wahi pana aloha ʻāina through telling the story of the wahi pana aloha ʻāina of my own moʻokūʻauhau (genealogy) in Keaukaha on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi, and how my family and community maintain our moʻokūʻauhau and kuleana (rights / privilege / responsibility) through the practice of perpetuating wahi pana aloha ʻāina.
Hiding In Plain Sight: Kekahi Loko I‘a ma Pu‘uloa
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2022) Borden, Anika; Perry, Wendell Kekailoa; Hawaiian Studies
The physical characteristics of Puʻuloa, the surrounding land areas, and the water resources available provided the ideal habitat and resources for the construction of fishponds and fish traps by the native Hawaiian peoples, who strive to utilize the natural environment around them to its full potential. In the entire island chain, no moku, or centralized water area contained more fishponds and fishtraps than Puʻuloa. This fact is little known today as both the physical presence and historical knowledge of many of these fishponds and fish traps have been destroyed and forgotten. To ensure the future and perpetuity of the remaining fishponds, as well as the traditional knowledge, history, and cultural connection of the Hawaiian people to Puʻuloa, it is necessary to renew interest in the current and previous existence of those fishponds. By looking at the history of Puʻuloa and ʻEwa through a traditional lens, addressing the history of Loko Paʻaiau, and taking a closer look at the history of the sugar industry and reciprocity, as well as the effects of militarization on Puʻuloa’s fishponds, I hope to put forth a narrative that will rekindle interest and encourage discussion in Puʻuloa and ʻEwa, and the fishponds located there.
Hana Loʻi: Building An Ecology Of ʻōiwi Thought An Approach To Cultural Resource Management Exploring The Environmental And Cultural Ecology Of Loʻi Systems Through Akua, Kinolau, And ʻāina
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2021) Lee-Agcaoili, Renee Kalena K.; Drexel, April A. H.; Hawaiian Studies
Ecology, the study of relations between living organisms and their surrounding environment is the composition for which this research study encompasses. The thesis topic presented in this narrative, draws attention to the ecology of ideas inspired by the ecological system of wet-land taro cultivation, referred to as loʻi kalo. Speaking primarily to an ʻŌiwi point of view, the ecology of ideas foregrounds the basis of this work in an exploratory study to understand how and in what ways we connect to and rationalize our unique sensibility to the natural world. This thesis uses the metaphor of loʻi as a framework for understanding a Hawaiian worldview. It emphasizes the epistemological bases of Hawaiian identity and ancestral intellect as it relates to the holism of environmental well-being and human experience. This study engages its readers in a process that introduces the concept of Hawaiian deities and their elemental manifestations eminent in loʻi kalo and highlights the agency these akua and their kinolau have within the functionality of loʻi and the broader ecosystem. This study layers two lenses: (1) an environmental understanding of loʻi and (2) an honoring of cultural beliefs and ancestral consciousness. These layered lenses construct a holistic understanding into ‘Ōiwi thought that draws parallels between Hawaiian thought systems and that of loʻi. This thesis offers an approach for cultivating best practices to restore and maintain ʻāina in its cultural integrity. It is consistent with ʻŌiwi philosophy in cooperation with the functionality of the natural environment from which our cultural practices stem. This approach is culturally grounded and encourages a heightened competency of our natural surroundings and relationship to them. The symbol of loʻi presented in this thesis narrative serves as a microcosm of the kind of world that can be achieved, should we try.
Lāʻau Lapaʻau: A Study Of Treatments For Anaphylaxis
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2021) Brumblay, Jackson Konane; Drexel, April A. H.; Hawaiian Studies
What is the Hawaiian understanding of anaphylaxis and what is used to treat it? Anaphylaxis is a generalized allergic reaction that at times is so severe it may result in death. The Hawaiian understanding of a life-threatening kind of severe allergic reaction has a spiritual component. Some anaphylactic reactions that are not life-threatening, however, are recognized more simply as asthma or generalized swelling. Our traditional healing practices have had thousands of years of experimentation to determine which treatment will be most effective for certain conditions. If we rely solely on the knowledge that a particular plant or treatment works best for a certain ailment, we will lose the part of our practice that involves traditional understanding of pathophysiology and various therapies. This study looks into the Hawaiian pathophysiology, therapies, and pharmacology of anaphylaxis by using qualitative data such as Hawaiian literature, interviews, and first-hand experiences.
He aliʻi komo mua: a glimpse into the life of King William Charles Lunalilo
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2013-05) Renaud, Kapualokeliʻiliʻokalani; Armitage, James Kimo; Hawaiian Studies
This thesis was created to establish one of the largest archival repositories regarding one of Hawaii's nineteenth century rulers. King William Charles Lunalilo (January 31, 1835-February 3, 1874) was an intriguing young man who excelled in poetry, and song writing. He was known for writing the Hawaiian Kingdom's national anthem, E Ola Ke Aliʻi Ke Akua and ʻAlekoki. Not only was Lunalilo talented, he was "immensely popular among the kānaka (Hawaiian people)" (Osorio 147).
Candid Moments: Capturing Indigenous Knowledge Through Social Media
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2021) Paulino, Jillian Kamakaila; Beamer, Kamanamaikalani; Hawaiian Studies
The use of social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook to promote Native Hawaiian ideologies has increased over the years. From increasing Hawaiian language retention through Instagram highlights to learning how to make a mākāhā through YouTube, ʻike kūpuna has been easily accessible. This thesis attempts to explore the ways in which social media platforms can continue to promote ʻāina well-being and ʻāina advocacy. Through the use of various archival materials and with the conduction of interviews, this research looks into ancestral understandings and cultural practices of mālama ʻāina and how these are expressed on social media. The culmination of conclusions drawn in this thesis are part of a purposeful strategy to advance appropriation of modern technology by welcoming different mediums that improve mālma ʻāina rhetoric.
Spirituality: Oli and Pule Through The Moʻolelo of Hawaiian Healers
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2021) Aiwohi-Kim, Phillip Kanakanui; Puniwai, Noelani; Hawaiian Studies
This moʻolelo brings awareness to the spiritual rituals of oli and pule in lāʻau lapaʻau by acknowledging the spiritual aspects of healing that builds relationships with Akua and others, and most importantly yourself. Through my personal lived experiences and moʻolelo from both kūpuna and practitioners of healing, I reflect upon the importance and values of how each individual perpetuates the practices of these spiritual rituals. I take on this kuleana as a Kānaka Maoli who has experienced the power of pule, and its function and purpose in oli, pule, and spirituality inately found in the practice of lāʻau lapaʻau. The moʻolelo I share, in great part, comes through my kumu and mentor Keoki Kīkaha Pai Baclayon, kumu of Hālau Lapaʻau ʻo Waitata and ʻĒwekea Piʻi Moʻo Lāʻau Lapaʻau. It is also expressed through various journals, conversations with kūpuna, and experiences outside of hālau. The different knowledge and values taught to me during my time in hālau has made me the person that I am today, and I would not know where I would be if it was not for lāʻau lapaʻau. When others read my moʻolelo, I want them to understand the values of spiritual healing within lāʻau lapaʻau, and how it can change their lives too. Oli and pule are the foundational aspects in healing and lāʻau lapaʻau.
Ua ʻĀina: Testaments of Aloha in Food, People, and Place
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2020) Doudt, Tiele-Lauren L.; Kameʻeleihiwa, Lilikalā; Hawaiian Studies
Food as a facet of cultural identity has been relatively unexplored in Native Hawaiian academic discourses of the 21st century. Utilizing an autoethnographic approach, this thesis aims to unravel an aho pākolu of ʻŌiwi identity, thereby increasing insight and understanding upon the fibers that connect us as Kanaka Hawaiʻi to food, people, and place. Following the footsteps of Kaweloleimakua, this research begins with initial food identity development at the Waipā Foundation on the island of Kauaʻi. From there, it crosses the Kaʻieʻiewaho sea and embarks on food identity loss at Kamehameha Schools and the subsequent recovery thereof at MAʻO Organic Farms on the island of Oʻahu. The journey is then summarized with the return home to Kauaʻi to explore the potential of future food identities at ʻĀina Hoʻokupu o Kīlauea and beyond.
Ka Poʻe Alona ʻĀina 1894 He Moʻolelo Hoʻonaue Puʻuwai: Hawaiian Defiance A Year After The Overthrow
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2019) Manoa, Keanupohina Poliʻahu; Beamer, Kamanamaikalani; Hawaiian Studies
Abstract There were different and opposing national identities claiming to represent Hawaiʻi in 1894. A year after the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, the same insurgents now calling themselves the Provisional Government of Hawaiʻi (PG) were putting on a one-year anniversary celebration. Depending on the newspapers and other records from the day, completely different stories could be told on this same event. The PG attempted to spread political myth as fact, to legitimize their cause, and give them the appearance of embodying American values. Opposing English language newspapers however, were able to unravel many of these political myths, thus delegitimizing the PG and highlighting President Cleveland’s rejection of annexation. Meanwhile, Hawaiian language writers, first demonstrating an intimate and expert knowledge of Hawaiʻi’s situation, then published and used this knowledge to express themselves and find answers in a very Hawaiian way – through the use of metaphor and kaona - to further delegitimize the PG. Because these writings were published and kept, these writers simultaneously preserved Hawaiian thought and action from this turbulent time for Hawaiians today. These stories can act as an example of Hawaiian identity and Hawaiian Nationalism in a time of great political change, thereby perhaps showing one way to move forward in today’s politically changing environment.
Finding ʻIeʻie: Re-learning Ancestral Knowledge Through Moʻolelo
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2019) Manoa, Makanauiokalani Dale; Puniwai, Noelani; Hawaiian Studies
In the year 1894, Mose Manu published the Moolelo Kaao Hawaii Laukaieie concurrently in two Hawaiian language newspapers, Ka Leo O Ka Lahui and Nupepa Ka Oiaio. This moʻolelo tells the story of the demigoddess Laukaʻieʻie, whose kino lau is the ʻIeʻie, a native Hawaiian liana found in the mountain forests of the Hawaiian Islands. Knowledge and information regarding ʻIeʻie today is scarce and scattered. Through this work I attempt to re-learn ancestral knowledge regarding ʻIeʻie found in this particular moʻolelo. By collecting information about ʻIeʻie and using it to analyze the Moolelo Kaao Hawaii Laukaieie, I demonstrate the value of utilizing moʻolelo as a source of Hawaiian ancestral knowledge.
O Kualoa, O Na Kanawai No Ia O Ko Mau Kupuna: Reviving Buried Ideas of ʻĀina Through Moʻolelo, Moʻokūʻauhau, and Aloha ʻĀina
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2019) Elkington, Kahiokala; Beamer, Kamanamaikalani; Hawaiian Studies
The ahupuaʻa of Kualoa of Windward Oʻahu was considered one of the most sacred places on the island traditionally. Understanding that ahupuaʻa is a system of land management that perpetuates natural abundance, recent scholarship proposes their palena (place-boundaries) connect people to spiritual resources as well. This thesis attempts to explore wahi kapu through place-based analysis, and contextualize why this analysis is important in a larger Kānaka Maoli national consciousness. Structured around three key themes: moʻolelo, place, and aloha ʻāina as Hawaiian nationalism, this research uses existing literature to help frame how Kualoa is wahi kapu, and what it means for a place to have spiritual abundance. As a result of loss of language, land, and culture, Kānaka Maoli experience historical trauma that is perpetuated by persisting discrimination and oppression. However, explicit research is sorely needed in trans-generational transmission studies focusing on the strengths that are passed down to descendants. By adopting a strengths-based perspective, the concept of inherited resilience is carried into how aloha ʻāina and nationalism is defined and explored to comprehend a uniquely Hawaiian nationalism. Moʻolelo from Kualoa are used to expand on ways to see ourselves as a Lāhui, and methods of how to see ourselves as a Lāhui. Resulting conclusions drawn in this research are part of a purposeful strategy to combat historical trauma by embracing inherited resilience in order to transform the violence of trauma into strategies of restoration and empowerment.
Hawaiian Perspectives on Video Games: Oppression, Trauma, Politics, Pedagogy
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2018-05) Mahi, Daniel K.; Hawaiian Studies
This thesis deals primarily with imag(in)ing Hawaiʻi in video games. The displacement of our people, natural resources, language, culture, religion, history, sounds, values and practices have become so normalized that it seeps into various aspects of modern pop-culture of Westerners and Japanese alike. These people and their structures have continued to be infatuated with the brochure version of Hawaiʻi while making efforts to prostitute our culture leaving lasting impacts on the cognition of Hawaiʻi. Recently, video-games have become participatory in this form of oppression and have attempted to, on multiple occasions, strip us of our power and authority to self-determination because foreigners’ depictions of Hawaiʻi have become the foreground image. However, acknowledging that the highest form of critique is creation, this piece focuses on de-constructing foreign imag(in)ings as well as re-constructing appropriate cultural protocol for depiction of this place, Hawaiʻi.
Ka Waimaka Lehua: Menstruation Through A Hawaiian Epistemology
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2018-05) Kuahiwinui, Makanaalohamaikalani; Hawaiian Studies
Within Western patriarchal discourse, menstruation has been stigmatized to be defiled, gross, and lewd. However, menstruation in a Hawaiian epistemology is sacred and should be fostered within the modern ʻohana Hawaiʻi. To promote Hawaiian well-being, this thesis explores the Hawaiian epistemology of menstruation, blood, and the purpose, function, and meaning of the hale peʻa: menstrual house. This thesis contextualizes menstruation through a Hawaiian epistemology and outlines the importance and difference of said epistemology to dominant Western patriarchal discourse on this subject. This thesis analyzes the literature and discourse of both Hawaiian language and English language primary and secondary resources. The research for this thesis also includes a focus group with a ‘ohana Hawaiʻi who conduct their own menarche ceremony. The findings of this research will inform families and young women on traditions and practices, both new and old, that may be utilized to honor and care for menstruation.
The Hula Industry: Understanding the Commodification of Hula in Japan and Culturally Grounded Hula
(University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2016-05) Tanigawa, Anela

Browse

Recent Submissions