HĀ Ko‘olau Summit
n March 9th, 2017, we were lucky enough to spend the day with high school haumāna from Kamakau’s, Kailua’s, and Kalāheo’s media programs. We all attended the HĀ summit at Windward Community College put on by the Hawaii State Department of Education‘s Office of Hawaiian Education and went on huakaʻi to 11 different sites around Koʻolaupoko and Ko‘olauloa to really see HĀ in action.
The students were sent out in small, independent teams, and they shot video and stills and conducted interviews with community leaders and summit participants to get a sense of what HĀ means in practice. Hundreds of gigabytes and several hours later, the footage taken by the 13 students and 7 kumu was edited into a 7-minute video. From the time the first shot was taken to the time the video was completed was 13 hours. Hō ka ʻeleu o ka poʻe a pau!
The students’ work was shown the very next morning at day 2 of the summit, and everyone was moved by the depth and beauty of what everyone was able accomplish in such a short time. So much done, but still so much more to do.
Mahalo nui loa to all the kula, kumu, and haumāna for their hard work and creativity:
Kailua High School:
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Students: Keana Soda, Shairalyn Arellano, Kaelyn Kuhns, Kelsey Sylva, Shyann Macariola, Alex Takamori
Staff: Heidi Rezentes, Kehau Agena, Malu Afong
Ke Kula ‘o Samuel M. Kamakau:
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Students: Kekai Mossman-Perreira, Aalii Kelling, Kanoelani Holt, Kalehuakea Kelling, Nahe Bailon
Staff: Meahilahila Kelling, Nancy Peterson-Holt, Samantha Ai
Kalaheo High School:
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Students: Hope Kanoa, Alexandre Lacoste-Servian
Staff: Kathy Shigemura
Mahalo nui loa:
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Bonnie Kahapea, Kānehūnāmoku Voyaging Academy
Dean & Michele Wilhelm, Hoʻokuaʻāina
Kaʻanohi Kalama-Macomber, Waimānalo Ahupuaʻa
Tiana Henderson, Hale Building
Kara Tukuafu, Hale Building
Hiʻilei Kawelo, Paepae O Heʻeia
Keoni Kuoha, Papahana Kuaola
Pueo Pata, Papahana Kuaola
Kaleo Wong, Ulupō Heiau
Kahiau Wallace, Kāko‘o ‘Ōiwi
Malia Rivera, HIMB
Kihei de Silva
Lilinoe Sterling
Ed Noh
Windward Community College
“ If we’re going to be able to understand the stories, we need to be taught first. And it’s something more than just curriculum.”
