Resurrecting Moku‘ula
Bit by bit, archeologists are uncovering a forgotten island where kings once ruled and a sacred lizard kept watch.
Fire Goddess
How could we dedicate an issue to all things hot about Hawai‘i and not include Pele? The volcano goddess is as renowned for her fiery passions as for the molten lava with which she creates new land.
Beauty in the Bark
Among Polynesians, the Hawaiians of old excelled in the making of kapa. Their distant daughters have begun to reclaim this once-lost ancient art.
Maui Ocean Center
Hawaiian Culture and Plant Tour
By Serene Gunnison
At the Maui Ocean Center, visitors might hardly notice the plants that line the aquarium’s outdoor walkways. After...
Pohaku
You and I are older than the stones along the Puna shoreline. These stones started just a few years ago as gobs of lava from Pele’s current eruption, gobs that dripped into the sea only to be tumbled and polished then lobbed back onto the shore.
Hawaii’s Spirit Guardians
Animal, plant, elemental force, even the substance of dreams-in their different forms, ancestral guides helped to shape the Islands' first culture.
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.
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.
Island Royalty
Kumu hula and lei maker, Gordean Bailey has spent a lifetime sharing the culture of aloha.
What Does a Hawaiian Look Like?
Through their portraits, handprints and signatures, Jordan Murph is helping native Hawaiians create an indelible legacy.
VIDEO: Papa Kuʻiʻai (Poi Board) Making
Watch as we transform a piece of monkey pod into a papa kuʻiʻai (poi board) during this workshop on Maui, hosted by the Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United.
Wrapped in Tradition
This story straddles centuries to look at authentic Hawaiian clothing prior to Western contact, and how three young Hawaiian entrepreneurs are incorporating ancient meanings, patterns, and knowledge into their contemporary apparel.
The Feather Lei
An ancient art, as delicate as it is beautiful, has outlived the kings who once claimed it as their own.
Sustaining Culture in Hāna
Hāna’s families teach acclaimed chefs about living off the land—and remind themselves what it means to be Hawaiian.
Waihou Spring Trail
Upcountry hike traces history of reforestation, preservation efforts.
By Kyle Ellison
There’s a saying that inventors and entrepreneurs are mildly hallucinogenic because they often see things...
Old Lāhainā Lūʻau
Dance and music take audiences on a journey through time.
Story by Serene Gunnison
Photographs by Joshua Hardin & Azelan Amundson
A pair of torches scarcely illuminates...
An Appetite for Culture + VIDEO
How Maui farmers are cultivating ancient wisdom to feed a population—and a hunger for culture.
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.
Links of Gold
“As Hawaiians, our mo‘olelo [stories] are so important,” says Maelia. “With heirloom jewelry, the mo‘olelo live on in each piece.”
The Fisherman’s Net
From ancient times, Hawaiians have used this handwoven tool to gather an ocean harvest. For one Maui fisherman, it still holds a way of life and a sense of identity.
Wayfinders
Polynesians navigate Earth's largest ocean by celestial bodies and seabirds, winds and ocean swells.
Fencing Haleakalā
Battling the elements, goats, and bureaucracy to protect the ecosystems at the top of Maui Koa trees and other native species are returning to...
Who Are Na Kupuna?
Like the rest of us, Hawaiian mature, age and die. And there the similarity ends.
