“Auē nō hoʻi, e Keaʻau. Ua lilo kāu leho ʻeā? Mai noho ʻoe a hopo iki, naʻu kēlā e hoʻihoʻi hou. E noho mālie ʻoe ma ka ihu waʻa, e kiʻi aku au i kaʻu hoe ʻo Kāpahi. Mai ke one nei Kākuhihewa, e holo kākou i Hawaiʻi ala. Aia i laila kāu leho makamae. “Oh no, Keaʻau. Your lehoʻs been stolen, huh? No worry, I’ll get it back for you. You can take it easy at the front of the canoe. Let me get my paddle. I named it Kāpahi. We need to leave Kākuhihewa's island and sail to Hawaiʻi. That’s where we'll find your precious leho.

KĀPAHI KA MOANA I KAI E ʻIWA Ē! ʻO Kauaʻi nō kā! Oh! That’s Kauaʻi!

KĀPAHI KA MOANA I KAI E ʻIWA Ē! ʻO Oʻahualua nō hoʻi!  I know that island. That’s Oʻahu!

KĀPAHI KA MOANA I KAI E ʻIWA Ē! ʻO Mauiakama aʻe! Coming up to Maui!

KĀPAHI KA MOANA I KAI E ʻIWA Ē! Ua hiki ē!” We made it!”

Ua ʻaneʻane lilo pau loa ka waiwai makamae ʻo ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, mai ka waha aku o nā hanauna ma mua. ʻAʻohe naʻe e hopohopo iki, e nā kūpuna. E noho mālie iho. Na ka haunauna hou e holo aku e kiʻi, a loaʻa hou. E nā keiki hoe waʻa, i ke kaupē ʻana o ka hoe, a kō mai, e hōʻea aku kākou i kēlā pahuhope mamao ma ka ʻalihilani, no ka mea, aia i laila ka makamae ke noho maila. ʻAʻole e hōʻapaʻapa! E hoʻāmana ʻia kā kākou hoe kamahaʻo e ʻāwiki ai ka niau palanehe ʻana o ka waʻa nei o kākou! Kāpahi ka moana i kai! Nānā i ʻō!! Our treasured language was stolen from the mouths of the generations who came before us. But don’t worry, Tūtū. You can relax. This new generation will sail out and bring it back to you. Paddlers, stretch out your paddle and pull it back; we are aiming for that distant destination on the horizon, because that is where our treasure awaits. Don’t waste any time! Let us speak power into our magnificent paddles so that our voyage is smooth, direct, and fast! Kāpahi ka moana i kai! I can see it!!      

Na Pāʻani Kelson

Mahalo a nui loa i nā paʻoihana a me nā kānaka i hāʻawi manawaleʻa mai i ke kūkālā no Pūlama i kēia makahiki 2025

Thank you to all who donated to our 2025 Pūlama online auction!

Lyman Museum

Body Glove Ocean Adventure

Big Island Delights

Abundant Beauty

The Locavore Store

HPM Building Supply

Grand Naniloa Hotel

Kaulana Mahina

Ko Kākou ʻĀina

Kākou Collective

ʻImiloa Astronomy Center

Hūpēkole

Hairitage Collective

Hoʻohauʻoli Total Wellness (ʻohana Lapan)

Hilo Bike Hub (ʻOhana Seymour)

Kahua ʻĀina

Still Life Books & Vinyl (ʻohana Cabanilla)

Rize Hawaiʻi Fitness

Laxmi Lani (ʻOhana Hunter-Morning)

ʻŌlelo With Me (ʻOhana Freitas)

Nālani Farm Store

Hale Kuamoʻo

PōMahina Designs (ʻOhana Chin)

Maui Ocean Center

Sea Quest Hawaiʻi

Keha Hawaiʻi

Kaleimamo Hawaiʻi

Crib Children's Boutique

Mana Ceramics Hawaiʻi (ʻOhana Jugoz)

Ka ʻohana Rawlins

Ka ʻohana Santiago

Big Island Candies

Moon Kine Tingz