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Hawaiian Culture

Hawaiian culture stories from Molokai

E Ola Ka ‘Olelo Hawaii 

Thursday, February 13th, 2025

E Ola Ka ‘Olelo Hawaii 

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor 

“If a culture has its language, the culture will live on. Once the language dies, the culture dies,” explained Kilia Purdy-Avelino. As a longtime kumu of ‘Olelo Hawaii currently teaching ‘olelo in a Hawaiian focused charter school, Purdy-Avelino has helped many students participate in this lifeline of language. Last week though, she sat in a slightly different role as a judge at the annual ‘Aha Ho’okuku ‘Olelo Hawaiian Language Competition. 

Molokai students of the Hawaiian language from preschoolers at Punana Leo to high schoolers and even some post-grad young adults gathered at Kulana ‘Oiwi Halau on Tuesday, Feb.…

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Lonoikamakahiki

Friday, January 31st, 2025

Lonoikamakahiki

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor

Last week, Molokai residents made their way to Kaunakakai Ball Park to celebrate the end of Makahiki season. Makahiki, a four-month period starting in late October or early November and ending in January, represents the season of Lono, and the bounty of the rain and harvest. The Hawaiian tradition of competing in games to honor this time of year was revived on Molokai over four decades ago.

“Forty-four years ago, we started the Makahiki games playing baseball and basketball because that’s all we knew,” explained Walter Ritte, one of the founders of Ka Molokai Makahiki’s revival of the ancient tradition.…

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Lonoikamakahiki

Thursday, January 16th, 2025

Lonoikamakahiki

Mo’oLono o Molokai News Release

Throughout time, our kupuna have marked the transition of Makahiki season with observations, ceremonies, competitions and festivities. Today, we continue to evolve and pull forward the most meaningful and appropriate traditions of the generations before us, while ensuring we remain relevant, inspiring and profoundly grounded as kanaka to honor our pilina to our kupuna, akua and Molokai.

In that spirit, the Mo’oLono of Molokai will once again commence a ka’ahele across the island, carrying the ki’i of Lonomakua from Halawa to Kaluako’i, and all are invited to join in.

Our goal is to recognize the abundance of blessings in our community, to honor the health of the land, ocean, air and water, to assess the needs that require political, social or physical interventions or remedies, to build aloha between people in our community, and to celebrate Molokai Nui a Hina.…

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Prince Kuhio Play Brings History to Life 

Thursday, November 21st, 2024

Prince Kuhio Play Brings History to Life 

As part of the Hawaii Pono’i Coalition, a play honoring the late Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana’ole Pi’ikoi came to Molokai for a special performance at Kulana ‘Oiwi. In collaboration with the Ho’olehua Homesteaders Association, the play sought to educate audiences on the biography and character of one of Hawaii’s most famous leaders. 

 

Written by Victoria Nalani Kneubuhl and directed by Sammie Choy, the play covers the life of Prince Kuhio. Starting with his early years in Hawaii and adoption by his aunt and uncle Queen Kapi’olani and King Kalakaua, the play follows Kuhio’s journey throughout the turbulent years of the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii, subsequent rebellion, imprisonment, and eventual career as Hawaii’s delegate to the U.S.…

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Play Honoring Prince Kuhio Coming to Molokai

Thursday, November 7th, 2024

Play Honoring Prince Kuhio Coming to Molokai

Hawaii Pono’i Coalition News Release

The Hawaii Ponoʻi Coalition proudly presents Ke Kaua o Ka Lahui: The Life of Prince
Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana‘ole Pi‘ikoi, a compelling living history play that captures the essence and
accomplishments of Prince Kuhio. Written by acclaimed playwright Victoria Nalani Kneubuhl and
directed by Sammie Choy, this moving production brings to life the impactful legacy of one of
Hawaii’s most significant leaders and cultural advocates. Originally debuted at ‘Iolani Palace in
September 2022 as part of Hawaiian History Month, this performance returns to deepen
connections to Kuhio’s enduring influence on Hawaiian identity, leadership, and civic
responsibility.
Ke Kaua o Ka Lahui traces the journey of Prince Kuhio from his early years as a young royal to
his lifelong dedication to Hawaii’s people.…

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Hawaiian Halloween 

Thursday, November 7th, 2024

Hawaiian Halloween 

With roots in the nearly 2,000-year-old Celtic Samhain festival, Halloween celebrates the strange and inexplicable, the hidden and mysterious. For Hawaii, one legend in particular fits this intersection of the historic and the supernatural: night marchers. 

 

Night marchers are believed to be the spirits of royal warriors, said to walk in procession through certain locations at night. This spectral phenomenon is well known throughout Hawaii.

 

Hawaiian cultural practitioner Kanoe Davis said she’s had first-hand experiences with them. 

 

“I’ve had several encounters,” Davis explained, both in Pala’au State Park and Kawela. Her grandmother also told Davis about her own meetings with night marchers in Kalamaula.…

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Stories of Queen Lili’uokalani

Thursday, September 19th, 2024

Stories of Queen Lili’uokalani

In honor of Queen Lili’uokalani’s birthday, Molokai residents were treated to a historical discussion on Hawaii’s last monarch on Saturday, Sept 7. The talk was held by the Molokai History Project and led by Gaellen Quinn, author and researcher of “The Last Aloha,” which tells the story of the last days of the Hawaiian Kingdom.

For her research, Quinn leaned on her archival work studying the queen’s diaries as well as stories from Molokai families. She related one specific story about Queen Lili’uokalani’s visit to Puko’o, where she stayed at an inn run by the Duvauchelle family.

Throughout the talk, which featured songs authored by Queen Lili’uokalani, Quinn focused primarily on the resounding character of the queen.…

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Molokai Singer Wins Big at Na Hoku Hanohano Awards

Thursday, August 15th, 2024

Molokai Singer Wins Big at Na Hoku Hanohano Awards

Molokai singer Raiatea Helm took home seven victories at the annual Na Hoku Hanohano awards last week, including Album of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year and Hawaiian Language Performance.

Helm’s album, her seventh studio project, is called “A Legacy of Hawaiian String and Song, Volume One” and focuses on more traditional aspects of Hawaiian music.

“This was quite a surprise,” said Helm about the plentitude of awards. “I’m so grateful for the support from my peers.”

For Helm, Hawaiian music, history and identity all are interwoven. This newest album “really highlights a chapter of [Hawaiian] history that I never really knew about,” she said.…

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Keiki and Kupuna Mo’olelo Project

Friday, July 12th, 2024

Keiki and Kupuna Mo’olelo Project

Kalia Purdy-Avelino showed the circle of keiki and kupuna gathered at Home Pumehana some of Molokai’s most famous books of mo’olelo, including “Tales from the Night Rainbow” and “Tales of Molokai: the Voice of Harriet Ne.” As she flipped through the books, Purdy-Avelino described what they all had in common: stories of Molokai’s past heroes, descriptions of natural phenomenon and historic events, and not many pictures for kids to enjoy.

Part of the goal of Hokulani Children’s Theater of Molokai’s Keiki and Kupuna Writing Project is to engage young people in the telling and recording of mo’olelo. Taught by Purdy-Avelino, the program aspires to bridge the gap between older history and today’s stories of Molokai, as well as reinforce stylistic aspects of Hawaiian storytelling.…

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The King’s Gala

Thursday, June 13th, 2024

The King’s Gala

Molokai celebrated King Kamehameha I Day early this year with the King’s Gala. On Friday June 7, Molokai community members gathered at Hiro’s Ohana Grill to commemorate the third annual King’s Gala, organized by nonprofit Ho’omohala O Molokai.

Kamehameha Day has been celebrated since 1872, when King Kamehameha V established it in honor of his grandfather, Kamehameha I. This year’s celebration included a fashion show by Kalae Tangonan’s Kupu A’e Molokai, amongst musical and hula performances.

To the backdrop of Keaka Kaiama’s singing, Molokai wahine modeled Tangonan’s batik and silk screen designs.

“Every piece is original. You can’t duplicate it,” said Tangonan.…

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