Kapa: More to Learn
See all eleven kapa Pua Van Dorpe created to honor ancient Maui chiefs, and read their stories.
Shades of the Past
More than any other Polynesian people, Hawaiians excelled in the use of color, coaxing incredible hues from the natural world around them.
Giving Voice to a Culture
For more than a millennium, Hawaii relied on was an oral culture. It’s not mere chance that the spoken word has regained its importance today.
Kapa: Fabric of a Culture
Pua Van Dorpe has spent a lifetime pursuing her passion—reclaiming this ancient and lost Hawaiian art
Cultivating an Ancient Wisdom
How food is grown, prepared, and used is arguably as important in defining a culture as lineage, language and lore.
What Does a Hawaiian Look Like?
Through their portraits, handprints and signatures, Jordan Murph is helping native Hawaiians create an indelible legacy.
In Praise of Wāhine
From the very beginning, Hawaiian culture has celebrated women’s power, passion and intellect. We dig into Hawaiian wāhine culture to learn more.
Kaho‘olawe’s Legacy
Now that federal funds to restore "the Target Island" have dried up, Kaho‘olawe's caretakers are scrambling to maintain the work of healing this sacred place.
Olowalu’s Gift
This West Maui valley witnessed some of the island's most turbulent history. Now it's helping to redeem the past.
Into the House of the Sun
A millennium before Haleakala became a national park, Hawaiians traversed its moonscape crater. On the park’s centennial, we reprise that journey.
Lessons from the Past
What can the ancient Hawaiians teach us about preserving today's resources for tomorrow?
The Lure of Limu
The study of seaweed has enabled Hawaiian women—past and present—to sharpen their scientific eye, flavor bland meals, and exercise the art of metaphor.
Hale Pa’i
One hundred seventy-four years ago, Maui's first print shop published the first Hawaiian-language newspaper...and launched a small revolution.
The Weapon Maker’s Art
Wood and cordage, tooth and bone are used to recreate the ancient Hawaiian instruments of war. A modern weapons maker finds connection to a culture.
Keeping Culture Afloat
Maui's winningest canoe club is borrowing lessons from the past to surge ahead.
An Ancient Fishpond Resurfaces
Lānaʻi Waiaʻōpae fishpond once helped feed the island's people. Today it's feeding a hunger for culture.
A New Wave for Wood
Nearly a century after solid wooden surfboards started slipping from favor, there is a renewed swell of interest in this ancient Hawaiian craft.
What is a Hawaiian Education?
We ask three maoli (native) educators to consider what it means to be an educated Hawaiian in the twenty-first century—and why it matters.
The Tree of Light
The magnificent kukui, the state tree of Hawai‘i, has brought food, medicine, and both actual and spiritual illumination to generations of Maui residents.
To Know Lāna‘i Once Again
Kepā Maly is restoring authenticity to the stories of the island he loves.
Defining Identity
When your name includes twelve syllables and nearly as many letters as the alphabet, you often have some explaining to do.
Kipahulu Kitchen
From the beginning, the idea was that “it would become an anchor for the whole community.”
The Sacred Spine
Ancient Hawaiian mythology tells of the sacred shapeshifting dragons, or moo, which holds supernatural powers. Their presence is still felt by many.
The Thousand-year-old Gift
Hawaiian culture evolved over millennia, then almost disappeared after Western contact. Maui's cultural advisors are committed to bringing it back.
The Rebirth of Makahiki
Maui and her sister islands are reviving one of the most important spiritual times of ancient Hawai‘i: Makahiki.