Hālau Unuokeahi

Niu Forever 2026

Levitate

In this clip from the 1991 documentary "Listen to the Forest," Pualani Kanahele talks about teaching her students how to pick plants, in this case, palapalai. She explains the essential things to consider when picking them, such as watching out for young ferns, selecting specific areas, and only picking enough for what you need. She also talks about only having a few patches of palapalai left, and we should mālama the ʻāina so there can be more for future generations to use. The clip continues with Pualani chanting and her students dancing hula in the forest with palapalai lei and haku that they made. Then, Pualani talks about leaving the palapalai lei in the forest because the spores on them allow for new plants to grow. The clip ends with her student chanting and leaving their palapalai in the forest.

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Our hālau auction is now open. Help get us to Aotearoa!

Unu Goes to WIPCE

Aloha Nūhou Monday! In this week’s blog post, we share an article about modern-day kūkini, Antone Kaoo. Kūkini were traditionally messengers employed by chiefs, selected for their speed and intellect.

Antone Kaoo, aka Akoni Kaoo (d. January 7, 1928), was born and raised in Waialua, and educated at Lahainaluna Seminary, where he received the nickname, “Lio Heihei o Waialua,” or “Racing Horse of Waialua.” He was married to Keoua Hoopii. In his later years, he taught hula, and it was Kaoo who altered the mele for Kīnaʻu, the son of Keʻelikōlani and Leleiōhoku, to the more familiar “Liliʻu ē” that we know today.

Read our blog and the rest of today's story, plus view images of the original newspapers at: blog.bishopmuseum.org/nupepa. Mahalo nui loa to the Hawaii Tourism Authority for their support of our project, "He Aupuni Palapala: Preserving and Digitizing the Hawaiian Language Newspapers."

Image: Studio portrait of kūkini, Antone Kaoo. Bishop Museum Archives, SP 223192.

Image sharing on social media is welcome. For all other uses please contact Archives [at] BishopMuseum [dot] org.

Nauane!

[nau·ane!] interj. on the way! Moving along! This exclamation is reported to have been said by priests as they carried the akua images.

This exclamation reminds us today to keep pushing forward and bring our best selves as we nauane! nauane!

All hat proceeds to fund our ‘ōlapa as they make preparations for their pāmaomao to Aotearoa in 2025.
4 pāpale styles to choose from.

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He leo mahalo kēia @kaauawahine @unuokeahi This spring, one of our talented and treasured community members, Kumu Hula Stacey Kapuaikapoliopele Kaʻauʻa, offered a 12-week Papa Hula focusing on exploring māhū and other q***r ‘ōiwi identities. It was not a hālau hula, but rather a chance for both beginner and experienced dancers to dive into oli, mo‘olelo, and movement. He ʻŌpū Aliʻi encouraged learners to reflect on the leadership qualities and characteristics of our aliʻi and honor their stories through hula. Learners created their own hula implements and performed for their ʻohana in a culminating hōʻike hula. This experience allowed learners to get a glimpse of how to become a cultural steward of hula as it is a crictical and foundational practice for our community. . . . #kūānuenue #kuanuenue #māhū #mahu #māhūi #mahui #LGBTQIA2s+ #LGBT #LGBTQ #LGBTQIA #pride #hilo #hawaii #nonprofit #kaiaulu #lāhui #lahui #community #ohana #family #q***r #hooulumahui #papahula #hula

Hoa nā wa’a kini kuapapa
Kau a’e kini o ke akua
A lau hoe lau hoe ho’i kā
‘O Honuaiākea
‘O Kaumai’eli’eli
‘O nā wa’a kūpuna i holo aku ai
Na Kana
Na Kānekālaihonua
No Kamohoali’i
‘O nā hoali’i kai holo moana
ʻO nā kānaka waʻa honua
I kahi a kākou e lauhoe aku nei
E kaupē aku nō i ka hoe a kō mai!

Kīpaepae Heihei Waʻapā Honua

Akaunu x Unuokeahi

2024 IVF World Sprints - Kīpaepae (Welcoming Protocol) Opening CeremonyHilo, Hawai'i