Hawaiian Culture

Maui and her sister islands are reviving one of the most important spiritual times of ancient Hawai‘i: Makahiki.

Dedicated volunteers are restoring the remains of a once-thriving Native Hawaiian village in Honokowai Valley—from the sticks to the stones.

Pua Van Dorpe has spent a lifetime pursuing her passion—reclaiming this ancient and lost Hawaiian art

See what happens when ancient Hawaiian culture meets modern art techniques at Maui's annual Celebration of Hawaii exhibit at Viewpoints Gallery in Makawao.

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

The Lobelia Grayana is an endangered lavender flower that grows in Waikamoi Preserve on Maui. Ancient Hawaiians called this plant opelu.

Discover how the nonprofit Maui Nui Botanical Gardens is planting the seeds of today and working to preserve Hawaiian culture for the future.

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.

Li hing mui is a favorite Hawaii snack. Lehia shares her top 10 ways to eat this salty sweet treat.

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.

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.

Hawaiian pa'u riders carry on an exuberant tradition, bedecking both horse and rider with flowers and fine fabrics.

In its wax and wane, Hawaiians of old found the secrets to sustainable living.

Hāna’s families teach acclaimed chefs about living off the land—and remind themselves what it means to be Hawaiian.

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

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

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

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.

A race of Polynesian seafarers in double-hulled canoes managed to carry with them food for the rest of their lives in Hawai‘i, along with their medicine, clothing, handicrafts, and the essence of their religion.

In its twenty-five years, Po‘okela has influenced the community beyond Kaanapali Beach Hotel.

Among Polynesians, the Hawaiians of old excelled in the making of kapa. Their distant daughters have begun to reclaim this once-lost ancient art.

Kumu hula and lei maker, Gordean Bailey has spent a lifetime sharing the culture of aloha.

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.

Bit by bit, archeologists are uncovering a forgotten island where kings once ruled and a sacred lizard kept watch.

Learn the traditional uses for native plants nurtured by Anna Palomino at Ho‘olawa Farms in Haiku.

Finding the science behind an ancient, indigenous practice.

Lānaʻi Waiaʻōpae fishpond once helped feed the island's people. Today it's feeding a hunger for culture.