Hawaiian Culture

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.

Kepā Maly is restoring authenticity to the stories of the island he loves.

If Hawaiian kalo (taro) is in danger, is genetic modification the answer?

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.

Children of Hawaii play traditional island games in the spirit of Makahiki. Ancient cultural competitions in connection with the festival and its meaning.

Discovering culture through dance.

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.

Hawaiian lore finds the spirit of the divine in the ordinary world.

Using ancient navigation techniques as a guide, master woodworker Keola Sequeira breathes new life into the ancient art of canoe building right here on Maui.

More than skin deep, traditional tattoos link modern Hawaiians to their ancestors.

In contrast to modern hula, ancient hula is purely percussive.

Ancient Hawaiian mythology tells of the sacred shapeshifting dragons, or moo, which holds supernatural powers. Their presence is still felt by many.

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.

The annual East Maui Taro Festival in Hana is the perfect opportunity to learn about—and taste—this delicacy.

Words and Photography by Zach Pezzillo

A race of Polynesian seafarers managed to carry with them food for the rest of their lives in Hawai‘i.

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...

“As Hawaiians, our mo‘olelo [stories] are so important,” says Maelia. “With heirloom jewelry, the mo‘olelo live on in each piece.”

In rural East Maui, two communities are taking a stand to conserve a weird wild food — and with it, a part of their culture.

Get the translation of Hawai'i Pono'i.

'Ukulele entertainer and master teacher Walter Kawa'i'aea keeps the beat of Hawaiian music.

Kalo, a legendary plant, has deep roots in Hawaiian 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.

Purchase rare varieties of taro while supporting Maui Nui Botanical Gardens.

Animal, plant, elemental force, even the substance of dreams-in their different forms, ancestral guides helped to shape the Islands' first culture.

A millennium before Haleakala became a national park, Hawaiians traversed its moonscape crater. On the park’s centennial, we reprise that journey.

By reviving ancient Hawaiian practices, modern conservationists hope to save the forests and the seas of the future.