Island Royalty
Kumu hula and lei maker, Gordean Bailey has spent a lifetime sharing the culture of aloha.
The Rebirth of Makahiki
Maui and her sister islands are reviving one of the most important spiritual times of ancient Hawai‘i: Makahiki.
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.
An Appetite for Culture + VIDEO
How Maui farmers are cultivating ancient wisdom to feed a population—and a hunger for culture.
Kapa: Fabric of a Culture
Pua Van Dorpe has spent a lifetime pursuing her passion—reclaiming this ancient and lost Hawaiian art
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.
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.
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.
Breadfruit
As it turns out, one breadfruit can feed a family, and one variety a people. Packed in coconut-husk fiber and dry leaves, ‘ulu accompanied the Polynesian voyagers in their canoes bound for Hawai‘i.
Keeping Culture Afloat
Maui's winningest canoe club is borrowing lessons from the past to surge ahead.
Watch out for Wedgies!
Wedge-tailed shearwaters spend the majority of their lives at sea, where they feed on baitfish and squid. They return to Hawai'i each spring to nest.
Grounded in Culture
The culture of ancient Hawaiʻi was deeply rooted in nature. It still is—thanks to places like Maui Nui Botanical Gardens.
All in the Family
There’s a saying in English that you can’t choose your family. But with an ancient and enduring Hawaiian tradition called hānai, sometimes you can.
Lono’s Season
Teya Penniman explores the cultural significance and modern practices of Makahiki season in Hawaii. Learn about this sacred celebration in honor of Lono.
Now, Voyager
Seventeen years in the making, the Hawaiian modern day voyaging canoe Mo‘okiha O Piilani will set sail on December 21 during the winter solstice.
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 Heartbeat of Hula
In contrast to modern hula (which is typically accompanied by Western-derived stringed instruments, such as the slack-key guitar or ‘ukulele), ancient hula is purely percussive.
Open Mind
See what happens when ancient Hawaiian culture meets modern art techniques at Maui's annual Celebration of Hawaii exhibit at Viewpoints Gallery in Makawao.
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.
Lessons from the Past
What can the ancient Hawaiians teach us about preserving today's resources for tomorrow?
Cultivating an Ancient Wisdom
How food is grown, prepared, and used is arguably as important in defining a culture as lineage, language and lore.
Behold the Lobelia
The Lobelia Grayana is an endangered lavender flower that grows in Waikamoi Preserve on Maui. Ancient Hawaiians called this plant opelu.
Kapa: More to Learn
See all eleven kapa Pua Van Dorpe created to honor ancient Maui chiefs, and read their stories.
Hawaiian Moon Calendar
In its wax and wane, Hawaiians of old found the secrets to sustainable living.
Jumping Flea
'Ukulele entertainer and master teacher Walter Kawa'i'aea keeps the beat of Hawaiian music.
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