He Au Hou 2018

It’s pretty old news that Hawaiʻi had one of the highest rates of literacy in the world in the nineteenth century. But what we tend to forget is how new of a technology the printing presses were when they were introduced here. It was like the internet of its time, so Hawaiians achieving near universal literacy within two generations would be like everyone you know, including your grandparents, becoming highly skilled web designers within twenty years of first logging on to the web.

Hawaiians have always been quick to embrace new media to tell our stories. We added newspapers and books to hula and haʻi moʻolelo, then we added radio and film to the list. Now the digital realm is the new ʻāina we are cultivating, so apply to join us this summer at our second annual He Au Hou: Telling Moʻolelo through Video Games workshop held in partnership with the Montreal-based Initiative for Indigenous Futures.

He Au Hou is a free, intensive three-week workshop where you will learn about all aspects of video game design, from story and worldbuilding to creating art assets and soundscapes. You do not have to have any prior video game or computer experience to apply, but the application process is very competitive.

Where: Hālau ʻĪnana, 2438 S Beretania St
When: 8am-5pm, M-F, July 5-28
Who can apply: 18 and older. We also encourage wāhine and other folks underrepresented in the gaming industry to apply

Are you game?