Aloha Kākou!

To continuously strengthen our collective identity as a Kamehameha Schools Kapālama ʻohana - we return to our kahua — the foundations built through the vision, sacrifice, and aloha of Ke Aliʻi Bernice Pauahi Bishop. Her life’s legacy calls us to kū i ka pono: to stand in what is just and true, to uplift our people, and to ensure that the ʻike and mana of our kūpuna continue to thrive through our haumāna.

This collection of resources is intended to ground us in Pauahi’s vision and the ʻike of our kūpuna, providing context for the current legal challenges to the Kamehameha Schools admissions policy. By anchoring ourselves in Pauahi’s moʻokūʻauhau and moʻolelo, and unifying in mele and the collective voice of our lāhui, we strengthen the pilina between past, present, and future. In doing so, we affirm that our work as kumu and limahana includes cultivating identity, resilience, and aloha ʻāina within ourselves and our haumāna. 

Moʻokūʻauhau & Moʻolelo

Moʻokūʻauhau situates each individual within a lineage of intergenerational relationships. It embodies genealogy, pilina to ʻohana, people, and place, and reflects the mana, ʻike, values, kuleana, and gifts passed down through these ties. Moʻolelo are continuous narratives that weave together timelines and language, serving as vessels of history, culture, and identity. They preserve values and traditions, guiding present and future actions, ensuring that ʻōiwi perspectives remain alive for generations. With each telling and retelling, moʻolelo generates mana, fueling cultural vibrancy within our communities.  

• Ola Pauahi, Ola Hawaiʻi - CEO message, Pauahi’s will, petition, and Hawaiian Kingdom history timeline

  • With the Stroke of Her Pen: A Tribute to Ke Ali‘i Pauahi - Video tribute to Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop and the legacy of her will

  • Ke Kauoha a Pauahi:  Pauahi’s Will shared by Kanaeokana

• Pauahiʻs Letters, Papers, and Diaries - Writings on perseverance and ʻāina

• Aupuni Constitution - In 1839, Hawaiʻi was formally established as a constitutional monarchy under the leadership of ka Mōʻī Kamehameha lll, Kauikeouli.  Governed by the principles of this constitution, Charles Reed Bishop fulfilled the wishes outlined in the will of his late wife, Kamaliʻi Wahine ʻo Bernice Pauahi Bishop, following her passing in 1884. In 1887, the Kamehameha School for Boys was founded to advance her vision of educational opportunity for Native Hawaiian youth. In 1893, the Hawaiian Kingdomʻs constitution and sovereign government were illegally overthrown by those opposed to the monarch.   

• Kamehameha Nui: A Great Hawaiian Leader Produced by Kamehameha Schools Curriculum Support & Dissemination Branch, 2008

• Resources: Historical Context of KS Preference Policy - Curated by Kamehameha Schools Maui Head Librarian Kalena Laepaʻa & Librarian Assistant Kauʻi Podlewski, these resources detail the previous preference policy challenges that KS has faced. 

• Kanaeokana:  Moʻolelo of resistance - Moʻolelo of cultural grounding, community, and collective success generating mana throughout our pae ʻāina.

• EA - Hosted on Waihona, a collection of videos, films, and readings that ea-ducate on the political status and history of the Hawaiian Kingdom, inviting reflection on ea, sovereignty, and our shared responsibility for the future.

Mele

Mele, including oli and pule, are profound expressions of knowledge, identity, and tradition. They affirm stories of ʻāina and kanaka, carry mana and emotion, and perpetuate ʻōlelo and cultural heritage. As spiritual and collective resources, mele foster unity, prepare us spiritually, and connect us to our lineage. Through mele, we find voice, embody learning, and strengthen our identity—fueling a thriving lāhui. 

• I Kū Mau Mau - Chant inspired by historian Davida Malo; used in modern times for political solidarity.

• Ka Naʻi Aupuni- It is said that on his deathbed in 1819, Kamehameha proclaimed, “E ʻoni wale nō ʻoukou i kuʻu pono ʻaʻole pau,” a phrase interpreted by many as a call to continue his righteous efforts, as they remained unfinished.  This particular line, though subject to varied interpretations, is deeply significant in honoring Kamehameha l as the naʻi, unifier and conqueror of the Hawaiian Kingdom.  The inoa Kanaʻiaupuni is a direct reference to his enduring legacy.  

• Hawai’i Aloha - written by Reverend Lorenzo Lyons, also known as Makua Laiana, in the 19th century.  He composed the Hawaiian lyrics to express love and devotion to Hawaii, adapting  to a Christian hymn tune by James McGranahan, “I Left It All With Jesus.”  The mele has since become a cherished anthem of unity, aloha, and Hawaiian cultural pride.

• Imua Kamehameha - Our very own Kamehameha fight song was composed by Charles E. King, a member of the Kamehameha class of 1891.  The meleʻs purpose has been to serve as a rallying anthem that instills pride, unity, and school spirit among students, staff, and alumni.  The mele honors the legacy of King Kamehameha and encourages students to imua with strength, courage, and aloha.   

• Kaulana Nā Pua Lyrics written by Eleanor Kehoʻohiwaokalani Wright Prendergast in 1893, originally under the title Mele ʻAi Pōhaku (The Stone-Eating Song). The song was composed as a powerful expression of the Royal Hawaiian Band's protest against the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom and the subsequent push for U.S. annexation. Here, Kumu Kalei Aarona-Lorenzo, from Kamehameha Maui campus, gives an in-depth analysis of this beautiful mele.   

• Waiwai Kapālama - This mele welcomes listeners to recognize Kapālama as a living ahupuaʻa, stretching from the kilohana of Napuʻumaiʻa to the ocean depths of Keʻehi. Composed by students in the 2018-2019 Project Kuleana class, the mele follows the flow of wai through five distinct sections - Napuʻumaiʻa, Keanakamanō, Niuhelewai, Kaiwiʻula, and the three islands of Keʻehi: Mokauea, Mokuoʻeo, and Kahakaʻaulana. This mele reflects a yearlong journey of learning and the abundance and significance of Kapālama.  

• Eō e ka Lāhui - Composed by Kumu Frank Kawaikapuokalani Hewett, this mele was written for the Kū Kiaʻi Mauna movement to evoke unity and solidarity. The mele and hula is used by our faculty and haumāna in the Onipaʻa Peace march.  

• Kū Ha’aheo -Written by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, this mele was created to empower her students to express themselves as modern-day kānaka maoli, and to honor their kuleana to aloha ʻāina.  It has since become a powerful anthem for the lāhui, especially during the Kū Kiaʻi Mauna movement, symbolizing pride, unity, and resistance in defense of Hawaiian lands and sovereignty.   

• Auē ke aloha ʻāina - Composed by Chad Takatsugi and Zachary Lum during the Kū Kiaʻi Mauna movement, this mele calls the lāhui to unite in voice and action.  Through its simplicity and repetition, the mele affirms our collective aloha for one another, and for ko Hawaiʻi Pae ʻĀina. 

As we set this cultural foundation for ourselves as a Kapālama ʻohana, we create collective mana ensuring that the voices of our ancestors endure and illuminate our path - a lamakū for our haumāna, a lamakū for generations to come.

Me ke aloha, 

Shawna Medeiros

Director

Kamehameha Schools - Kapālama 

The Office of Teaching and Learning Innovations