Papaʻā Hale

Papa ʻĀ (The Glowing House) is an ancient reference to a heiau in one of our creation chants. The chant describes Papa ʻĀ at a place called Kapakapaka Ua (Patter of Rain) in Kahiki (beyond the horizon), a place used for revitalizing life. The house (lānai) and the malae (ceremonial yard) are named after this reference. This Piko of Hawaii Life Styles is a place of revitalization and grounding for our learners and all those in our Kauhale.

The design of Papaʻā Hale used rough lava stones (ʻaʻā) from Pālamanui with the intention of transporting the mana of enlightenment encoded in the name/place of Pālamanui (Foundation of Enlightenment) to the Manono Campus. Another reason for using the ʻaʻā was to create the atmosphere of a cave. Giving the idea of returning to the cave for deep knowledge. This is a metaphor used worldwide in indigenous cultures. Lastly, the ʻaʻā is a body of Pele (lava), so to enter the house is to enter into the lava itself, a ritual to bring forward the spirit of those who enter.

Papaʻā Hale is orientated to greet visitors and faces both Mauna Kea and Loa, our ancestral mountains. The mountains refer to the foundation of our kīpaepae* message. This orientation also establishes the importance of our mountains as water catchers to be incorporated into the welcoming.

*Kīpaepae: a ceremony to welcome guests, although meaningful to visitors, is designed like all welcoming ceremonies to remind the host of the significance of our culture. So, the message of kīpaepae is not delivered solely to the guest but also for the host.