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Join in the launch ceremony of Ka‘iwakīloumoku’s vibrant new website held on Sept. 28 at 12:00 noon. The revamped website at http://www.ksbe.edu/kaiwa shares a wealth of digital cultural resources with the world.

New Ka'iwakīloumoku website: A portal to ancestral knowledge and indigenous cultures of the Pacific

Sept. 28, 2020

Contributed by Nadine Lagaso

For nearly a decade, the Kamehameha Schools Ka‘iwakīloumoku Hawaiian Cultural Center at KS Kapālama has provided onsite cultural programming for our haumāna, kumu, ‘ohana and the community. Today, the emerging pacific indigenous institute launched a vibrant new website that shares a wealth of digital cultural resources with the world.

“Being able to connect with native and indigenous communities throughout the Pacific without having to travel there is so crucial in this time,” said Melehina Groves KSK’95, KS Nohona Hawai‘i Cultural Engagement director. “For a while now, the world has been using technology to virtually connect classrooms to one another, but now even classrooms as we know them have changed. This updated website will allow for self-directed connection and learning among our kumu, haumāna, and mākua in non-traditional classroom settings to connect with real people around the world.”

Groves and KS Cultural Specialist Kapalai‘ula de Silva KSK’01 provided oversight of the website redesign under the guidance of KS Executive Culture Officer Randie Fong KSK’78 and Ka‘iwakīloumoku Manager Jamie Fong KSK’78.

“Although the process to bring new life to our old website first began back in late 2018, the current version and direction took shape in early April of 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit,” de Silva said. “It was at that moment our core team realized there was an amazing opportunity to use this website in a different way – a way that would immediately respond to the needs of our community, both locally and globally.”
 

NAVIGATING THE NEW WEBSITE

Discover the cultural treasures that await you at kaiwakiloumoku.ksbe.edu. The engaging website was designed for enjoyable, self-directed Hawaiian cultural learning and Pacific exploration. The site is easily navigated across four sections:

Kaʻiwakīloumoku
This section invites users to learn about the history and features of the cultural center based at KS Kapālama, and provides a window into the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Heritage Center which houses the personal items of the princess.

Hoʻoilina
This section honors Pauahi’s vision and legacy for a vibrant, thriving Lāhui.

Collections
This section features 12 buttons, each leading to a unique and intriguing repository of Hawaiian knowledge. Topics include:  traditional moʻolelo, historical accounts, kūpuna recollections, essays, recipes and video documentaries – all designed to allow ample opportunities for in-depth research and impulsive meandering for all ages.

Moananuiākea
This section is the thematic focal point of the website and serves as the digital home of the ʻAha Moananuiākea Pacific Consortium. Since its inception in 2018, the consortium has established a series of cultural, educational and environmental partnerships across four Pacific regions: French Polynesia, Aotearoa, Alaska and indigenous Taiwan. Each has its own digital showcase in the section with vibrant images, rich information and native voices.


The Ka‘iwakīloumoku website shares a wealth of treasured resources that will connect us to our kūpuna and other indigenous cultures throughout the Pacific.



TAGS
kaiwakiloumoku,aha moananuiākea pacific consortium,website,hawaiian culture,indigenous

CATEGORIES
Kaipuolono Article, Regions, Themes, Culture, Community, Leadership, Hawaii Newsroom, KS Hawaii Home, Kapalama Newsroom, Kapalama Home, Maui Newsroom, KS Maui Home, Newsroom, Campus Programs, Hawaii, Kapalama, Maui, Community Education, Department News

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