Where it all started.
Ka'iulani Kauihou started her teaching career in the Hawaiian Language Immersion schools. One of her biggest concerns were that the story books from which the students had to choose from were not only limited in variety, but that they also portrayed world views contradictory to those of our kupuna, the ancient Hawaiians. One example of a book that was particularly disturbing was one where the books' main character took all he could from a certain tree (that gave and gave and gave to the boy throughout his life) and yet the boy never gave back anything in return. In a more Hawaiian version of this book, there would have been much more respect given to that tree as well as a taking on of the responsibility to plant seedlings of the same tree, thus ensuring its survival through its posterity.
The solution? Use the stories that we already have! Using the book Sites of O'ahu as a guide, Ka'iulani began researching stories specifically from her 'ahupua'a, or district, of Wai'anae which is on the leeward side of O'ahu, Hawai'i. In the late 1800's through the early 1900's, Hawai'i was publishing hundreds of Hawaiian language newspapers, making sure to record even their precious histories and ancient legends upon those pages. Eight not-so-well-known stories that took place specifically in Wai'anae were chosen. Soon after, this organization was formed and a board of directors was created to bring these mo'olelo to life.
After two years, 6 directors, 8 photographers, 100+ models, and the support of countless other volunteers, plus an angel investor, we pulled off our first project, The Ka'ena Aloha Series. This series consists of eight Hawaiian legends each re-enacted and published in its own hard cover book. These were stories that were nearly forgotten, until we breathed life into them again.
These are our stories. They are the gifts from our ancestors. We're now ready to share them with the world.
The solution? Use the stories that we already have! Using the book Sites of O'ahu as a guide, Ka'iulani began researching stories specifically from her 'ahupua'a, or district, of Wai'anae which is on the leeward side of O'ahu, Hawai'i. In the late 1800's through the early 1900's, Hawai'i was publishing hundreds of Hawaiian language newspapers, making sure to record even their precious histories and ancient legends upon those pages. Eight not-so-well-known stories that took place specifically in Wai'anae were chosen. Soon after, this organization was formed and a board of directors was created to bring these mo'olelo to life.
After two years, 6 directors, 8 photographers, 100+ models, and the support of countless other volunteers, plus an angel investor, we pulled off our first project, The Ka'ena Aloha Series. This series consists of eight Hawaiian legends each re-enacted and published in its own hard cover book. These were stories that were nearly forgotten, until we breathed life into them again.
These are our stories. They are the gifts from our ancestors. We're now ready to share them with the world.
