The coming of the Lā Kūʻokoʻa Holiday At Kamehameha Schools Upper Division grades 6th - 8th starts with our tradition of Tee-shirt making. It’s time to mobilize our efforts in sharing our celebration and love of Lā Kūʻokoʻa. 

Tables lined with colored paints and various screens sit outside kumu Eva’s office. Returning haumāna and staff smile as they know what’s coming. It’s November and Lā Kūʻokoʻa is upon us!  If you been here during previous Lā Kūʻokoʻa celebrations you understand the excitement which is about to descend on our campus. 

The annual Lā Kūʻokoʻa T-Shirt making started as a Hawaiian History project for Kumu Kui. Haumāna made designs to celebrate and educate our lāhui of the importance of celebrating Hawaiian Independence Day, Lā Kūʻokoʻa. Three years later and this lesson plan has educated and excited a movement in more than just our haumāna. It has the campus and our lāhui participating in the celebration as our haumāna share the message of Lā Kūʻokoʻa by wearing their t-shirts in honor of our important holiday.

When Kumu Eva was asked about what positive impact the Lā Kūʻokoʻa t-shirts have she replied, “The shirts are a great idea! Our message can be shared anytime, anywhere.” Kumu Eva runs the printing tables and sees the excitement our students have in making the shirt. For most students, this is the first time they are printing a message they can wear. Many have created posters for sign-waving, but now they get to wear their message and our students have come to enjoy communicating through wearable fashion.

We applaud our kumus for thinking of new creative ways to educate our haumāna and engage them in their culture and history. This once simple lesson plan has helped spark a movement on our campus which is celebrated proudly each year in November. Great work to Kumu Eva and Kumu Kui. Ku’upau Kamehameha Schools Maui!

TAGS

CATEGORIES
Kaipuolono Article, Maui Newsroom, Maui Middle School, Maui campus

Print with photos Print text only