Kauwela 2023

Kauwela (SUMMER) PROGRAM:

Community Cultural Education

June 5 - July 7, 2023

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students will experience various Wahi Pana in Puna Makai in ʻāina-based service learning projects with a variety of cultural experts and community leaders in a 5-week program through Pāhoa High & Intermediate Summer School Program. Students will be able earn high school credits. Program participants that graduated in 2023 will be eligible to apply for paid internships as alakaʻi for the ALO Summer program.

PARTNERS: Pōhaku Pelemaka, Men of PAʻA, Ulu Aʻe, I Ola Hāloa, Kīpuka Farmacy, UH Hilo Geography Dept, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Kealoha Estate

BUILDING PILINA WITH THE AHUPUA'A OF PUNA MAKAI

Students...

BReaking ground with PROJECT HO'ONANI

Students worked hard planting hundreds of native and culturally-useful plants in our Campus Beautification project!

Servant Leadership with Uncle Iopa

Students met with Iopa Maunakea, Founder/Director of Men of Pa’a, a culturally-based housing, service, and job preparation program for formerly incarcerated Kanaka Maoli. Uncle Iopa shared his story and spoke on the importance of community service, preserving cultural values and traditions, and knowing one’s identity. Students joined Uncle on Huaka’i to Kumukahi, Kula & Kalaemanu, Kahuwai to remove rubbish and discover additional ways to protect and steward those sites.

Uncle Iopa Shares About Kumukahi

Stewarding ‘Āina at Kauhale a Kanaka o Puna

Talking Story with Uncle Iopa

Taking Time to Kilo at Kalaemanu Point

Exploring Kahuwai

Connecting with ‘Āina at Kalaemanu Point

Traversing the Hau Forests on Our Way to Kalaemanu

Learning Life Lessons (See Below)

Laʻau Lapaʻau at kīpuka farmacy

Students joined Aunty Luana Jones at Kīpuka Farmacy, a medicinal herb garden that will be an integral component of the future Native Hawaiian Health Center planned for the Puna community. A source of Hawaiian plants for medicine and food, Kīpuka gardens serve as a nursery and living classroom for ‘ohana and kupuna, providing herbal remedies for community and self-care. Students learned about the traditional use of Hawaiian medicinal plants and spent time tending the gardens.