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History

Stories about Molokai’s rich cultural history.

Grant Will Kickstart Historical Archive

Friday, January 16th, 2026

Grant Will Kickstart Historical Archive

By Léo Azambuja

A nonprofit organization on Molokai recently received a large grant that will allow it to support the establishment of the first permanent physical historical archive dedicated to the island.

“This grant was through the Institute of Museum and Library Services, but specifically for Native Hawaiian libraries,” said Pulama Lima, executive director of the nonprofit Ka Ipu Makani Cultural Heritage Center.

She said the nonprofit has a working relationship history with IMLS, and was familiar with the grant application process. But aside from being a competitive grant worth about $100,000, what really made it difficult was an uncertainty whether the grant would be released because of the current administration’s policies.…

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Princess Kaʻiulani, the Island Rose

Thursday, November 6th, 2025

Princess Kaʻiulani, the Island Rose

By Léo Azambuja

She was a surfer, an artist and a writer. She spoke four languages. She was a princess and the heir to the throne of the Hawaiian Kingdom, a nation stolen by the descendants of the people the Hawaiians had welcomed with their aloha.  

“The missionaries came here to us and taught us to look to Heaven for happiness, and while our eyes were on the skies they have taken our land from under our feet,” Princess Kaʻiulani said in an interview to The San Francisco Call newspaper Aug. 7, 1898.

Awaiulu head researcher Kalei Roberts highlighted the life of Princess Victoria Kaʻiulani Kawēkiu i Lunalilo Kalaninuiahilapalapa Cleghorn during October’s E Hoʻomanaʻo series event at Molokai Public Library Oct.…

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Keeping Molokai’s History Alive and Accessible

Thursday, August 28th, 2025

Keeping Molokai’s History Alive and Accessible

By Léo Azambuja
The Molokai History Project offers a unique experience for locals and visitors. The nonprofit organization is a small museum in Kaunakakai, providing both a window to the past and a bridge that helps to keep the island’s rich history alive.
“When we started, we didn’t classify ourselves as a true museum, so we just called ourselves a history project, a beginning,” board member Judy Mertens said.
The History Project opened almost two years ago, in October 2023. Its first location was in a tiny shop next to Ho‘ala Café at Ala Malama Avenue. Last May, they moved to their current location, a bigger space across the street from the iconic Mid Nite Inn.…

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Ho‘aka Mana’s Program Strengthens Laka Connection

Thursday, July 17th, 2025

Ho‘aka Mana’s Program Strengthens Laka Connection

By Léo Azambuja
More than a dozen children spent two days at Molokai Public Library last week, planting several Native Hawaiian plant species around the property. But the purpose wasn’t to beautify the 88-year-old historic building; it was part of Ola O Laka, a program to strengthen Native Hawaiian identity.
“It’s a program that we created to honor Laka. Laka is the native forest. As Native Hawaiians, we are just trying to revitalize it, bring more education around it, but specifically the connection to Laka,” Ho‘aka Mana executive director Kanoe Davis said. “She is all things hula, and she is all things forest.”…

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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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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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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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