Kamehameha Maui students bring self-published Hawaiian children’s book to life at WIPCE

Teija Wada (from left), Sara Stupplebeen, Vann Siphers, Matilda Stone and Allie Kennedy proudly hold their self-published children’s book on ʻAʻapueo and the Battle of the Owls, representing Kamehameha Schools, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, and their lāhui at the World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education.

Feb. 9, 2026

Contributed by Allie Kennedy, KSM’26

Article contributed by a student author as part of a series highlighting haumana experiences at the 2025 World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education.

Four haumāna from Kamehameha Schools Maui recently traveled more than 4,600 miles to Aotearoa, New Zealand, to share the moʻolelo of ʻAʻapueo and the Battle of the Owls on a global stage. The students — Teija Wada KSM’26, Sara Stupplebeen KSM’26, Vann Siphers KSM’26, and Allie Kennedy KSM’26 — presented their self-published Hawaiian children’s book at the World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education (WIPCE), one of the largest Indigenous education gatherings in the world.

The group is part of Hui Aloha ʻĀina o ʻAʻapueo, an out-of-school program led by advisors Kumu Kēhau Lucas and Kumu Hulali Silva. Together, the haumāna spent a year researching, writing, illustrating and producing a keiki-friendly book that honors an ancient moʻolelo tied to the ʻāina surrounding their campus.

Their purpose in attending the conference was twofold: to share student-created Hawaiian storytelling with a global Indigenous audience, and to uplift student voice in the revitalization of culture through moʻolelo.

While WIPCE is primarily attended by educators, leaders and researchers, the KS Maui haumāna quickly realized their place and kuleana within the space.

“We noticed right away that most of the attendees were adults,” said Wada, “but as we listened, we realized that we are the next generation carrying this work forward. Being there reminded us that this kuleana is being passed down to us.”

The four-day conference brought together Indigenous communities from around the world to share stories of resilience, cultural revitalization and education pathways rooted in ancestral knowledge. Throughout the week, KS Maui students attended sessions that inspired them and helped settle their nerves before their own presentation on Thursday morning.

Their session took place in a large cinema theater, which filled quickly before the presentation began. The haumāna opened with the mele “Ke Ahupuaʻa ʻo ʻAʻapueo,” introduced themselves, and shared the meaning behind their work — their pilina as a hui, their creative process and their responsibility to represent their lāhui with pride.

“All of us felt honored to be surrounded by so many highly regarded leaders who share the same goal of uplifting their people,” said Kennedy. “Being at WIPCE reminded me that we belong in this space and that storytelling is one of the strongest ways we can contribute to our culture.”

Kennedy also spoke during the presentation about the common feeling among youth of “not being Hawaiian enough,” a sentiment the group openly discussed as they worked on their project. Presenting at WIPCE, she said, helped them challenge and overcome that belief.

“We realized that our identity isn’t measured by how we look or what activities we do. We carry our culture in different ways, and for us, it’s through education and storytelling.”

Their message resonated deeply with the audience. A chemistry educator from the Kamehameha Schools Hawaiʻi campus, who integrates Hawaiian practices into their lab instruction, approached the students afterward.

“Mahalo for sharing this moʻolelo,” they told them. “You showed how 21st-century skills — communication, creativity and collaboration — can uplift cultural knowledge and carry it into the future.”

As the students reflected on the conference, they expressed gratitude for the guidance of their kumu and the opportunity to represent their school, their ʻohana, Ke Aliʻi Pauahi, and their lāhui on an international stage.

“This experience helped us grow not only as storytellers, but as young Hawaiians,” said Stupplebeen. “It showed us that our voices matter.”