(Re) Learning Waihoʻoluʻu: An Online Module on Hawaiian Color Theory

Abstract

Hawaiian color theory requires a familiarity with the natural Hawaiian environment, along with an understanding of Hawaiian language, culture, and history. Current education on Hawaiian concepts of color is incomplete, inconsistent, and centers on foreign perspectives, while resources are limited and inaccessible. These gaps are evident in conversations with Hawaiian Studies undergraduates at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, who often struggle to understand color from a traditional perspective. To address these inadequacies, an online module, (Re) Learning Waihoʻoluʻu , was designed and developed. Subsequently, a learning assessment was conducted to investigate the impact of (Re) Learning Waihoʻoluʻu on undergraduate Hawaiian Studies majors’ perception and interpretation of color. Ten Hawaiian Studies undergraduates (N=10) participated in this study. Results of this research confirmed a demand for more instruction and accessible resources on Hawaiian color theory, revealed an interest for online learning, and promoted (Re) Learning Waihoʻoluʻu as an effective and engaging tool to (re)center perception and interpretation of color within Hawaiian knowledge systems.