Aloha nunui e te hoa!

My name is Kohlby, born and raised in Kamiloiki in the drylands of Maunalua.      I am a proud graduate of Kapiʻolani Community College in Hawaiian Studies and Liberal Arts, as well as the Univeristy of Hawaiʻi at Hilo in Environmental Science. Currently embarking on a Masters Degree Program in Environmental Management at UH Mānoa.

I serve as the Poʻo limahana (lead manager) overseeing, managing, and revitalizing the health of this ʻāina here at Kapiʻolani Community College.  As well as building education surrounding this landscape, utilizing land, our  makua (parent) as the teacher. I get to be the Alakaʻi and Kumu for our awesome hui of haumana below!

I have had my hands in this ʻāina for about 7 years now,  Māla Māunuunu has a special place in my heart. The thing I love most about it is the representation of Hawaiian people, and in people I am talking about the Hawaiian flora, our familial ancestors.  This landscape has been transformed and recolonized back to a Hawaiian space filled with our native Hawaiian species. 

Here at Māla Māunuunu we work with  different courses, programs, and certificate programs that are interested in Aloha ʻĀina, Hawaiian ecological knowledge, sustainability, and even how to cook Hawaiian Style!.

E OLA!

 Aloha! My name is Heather Van Vogt. 

I was born in Spokane, Washington, and spent most of my years between Washington and Alaska.

I currently live in beautiful Kaimuki and have been fortunate to live on Oahu for almost a decade.

I am currently majoring in Natural Biological Science here at KCC and eventually hope to get my Masters in Environmental Science with a focus on Ocean debris and waste management.

One of my favorite parts of the mala is the medicinal plants and all of the knowledge that the staff and the Hawaiian studies teachers have to give about them; my favorite plant is the Uhaloa which was used for respiratory health! There are so many incredible things to learn in this space, but I love working in the Mala because it allows me to give back to the Aina and gives me a chance to get back to myself. The garden itself takes a lot of hard work, but it feels more like a labor of love than work. 

The Māla Māunuunu is such a special place and has taught me so much throughout my time here, so I hope that everyone who comes here can enjoy and partake in the abundance and joy that each lesson, work day, plant, rock, and even the weeds can bring!

Mahalo!

Aloha mai kākou. ʻO wau ʻo Jonah Tamura. No Maunalua mai au. Noho au ma Maunalua. aloha my name is Jonah Tamura. I was born in Maunalua or Hawaiʻi Kai and still reside there. 

Maunalua to me is my safe place. I get plenty for do at home and the surroundings of it as well. I can see the sunset and sunrise from certain locations. When it rains Kohelepelele is beautiful with the greenery. Maunalua is my home land and I proud to say that. 

At KCC, I am studying for my Associates in Liberal Arts: Business. I hope to transfer to UH and go into accounting. I know it’s boring but I am a numbers guy. In the future I want to pass my CPA exam and get certified. 

A major thing that I enjoy about working in the māla is getting dirty. It ties me back to my kūpuna and gives me a relaxing feeling. Pulling weeds is easily my favorite activity to do in the māla. I can get out what ever may be stressing or bothering me. And seeing the difference that just an hour of weeding can do makes me want to do more. To make more of a difference. The māla to me is a special place that our campus is lucky to have. It ties everyone together for a couple hours to beautify the space and in a way where everyone is in a good mood and happy to be there. 

Mahalo! 

Aloha! My name is Cheyenne Gibbs.

I am born & raised on O’ahu in Kahala/ Kaimuki area & Now I live in the beginning of St. Louis area, close to UH Mānoa.

Currently, I am studying Liberal Arts here at Kapiʻolani CC. While I'm still exploring my options and figuring out what major I'd like to pursue when I transfer to a university, I'm excited about the possibilities and eager to discover the path that aligns with my passions and goals.

My future academic plans include graduating from KCC, then transferring to either UH-Mānoa or Chaminade University to earn my bachelor's degree.

What I love about working as a Māla Kākoʻo is the opportunity to help make the Māla a beautiful space for current and future KCC students, while also deepening my knowledge of the plants in the area. Something I think is special about Māla Māunuunu is the abundance of native medicinal plants, which not only adds to the biodiversity but also connects us to traditional healing practices and cultural heritage. 

Mililani, Oʻahualua.

Major: Culinary Arts

"I like working in the māla because it keeps me connected to the ʻāina, which is something I don’t wanna lose even after graduating from Hālau Kū Māna. Maintaining a connection to this ʻāina is important to me because even though I may not have the koko Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian blood), I still have the lolo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian brain or perspective). This is the closest I can get as of right now to my Pacific Islander heritage, even though my ancestors are from the other side of the ocean, I am still connected to both nevertheless."

Keanu is a champion of his heritage and culture of the Chamorro people. Keanu brings his passion of cooking and bringing forth tradional Chamorran and Hawaiian dishes to the table -Kohlby S. 

Māla Kākoʻo

Aloha mai kākou. ʻO Mikayla Wong koʻu inoa. Ua hānai ʻia au ma Mānoa ā no ke Awaawa o Mānoa mai au.

Hi my name is Mikayla Wong. I was raised in Mānoa and still live in Mānoa Valley.

I am currently enrolled in the EMT program at KCC. Once I graduate and pass the NREMT, Iʻll be working as an EMT until I meet my requirements to come back and study in the MICT Program here at KCC. Overall I am just pursuing a career in EMS and possibly more schooling in the future.

Working in the māla, I love the feeling I get from seeing the difference that our efforts make; how just our weeding and watering can help our mea kanu to grow and thrive to such a degree. Itʻs watching all of your hard work come to fruition and bringing so much life into a place. I love how a space like this can perpetuate an environment to live and to grow for a lot of native species and even for us. Working in the Māla has taught me a lot. It connects myself and others back to the ʻāina.