As the Kamehameha Schools Maui campus celebrates its 20th anniversary this school year, all kumu and keiki, grades kindergarten through 12, came together on Friday, February 19, to celebrate the 20 years as part of the annual Pō‘alima ‘Ulu‘ula (Red Friday) festivities.
But unlike the Red Fridays in the past, this year’s celebration took on a different look. Whereas every other Pō‘alima ‘Ulu‘ula called on students and staff to wear red to show solidarity as Hawaiians, this year’s event had everyone come together as one campus in their blue 20th anniversary shirts.
This year’s Pō‘alima ‘Ulu‘ula started with an all-campus chapel service at the Kahekili Gymnasium on the middle school campus. Along with Kahu Kalani Wong, Interim Po‘o Kula (Head of School) Kaleo Pahukula and KS Ke Po‘o o Nā Kula (Head of Schools) Dr. Rod Chamberlain, who was also the first po‘o kula at KS Maui, spoke about the campus’ history. Students and staff also performed mele and hula at the chapel service, while beginning the day with a sense of togetherness for the entire campus.
In the second part of the day, the haumāna went back to their respective campuses to watch films and videos about Hawaiian navigation, including a showing for the middle and high school students of “Voyage: Into the Depths of Kanaloa.” The film chronicled the first cohort of “Halau Holomoana,” a group of 14 high school students who sailed to Mokumanamana, in the Northwest Hawaiian islands, and back in 10 days. The film’s producer and director, Dawn Kaniaupio and Ruben Carrillo, along with Bonnie Kahape‘a Tanner - executive director of the Kānehūnāmoku Voyaging Academy, and Loyal Kekahuna-Baisa - program director of Kānehūnāmoku Voyaging Academy, were on hand to answer questions from students. Also there were four members of the 2014 cohort that were featured: Hina Keala, Luka Na‘eole, Kaimana Gomes and Gyle McGurn, a KS Maui graduate.
The film was also shown to an audience of people in the community the night before as part of KS Maui’s Huliau Film & Speaker series. A group of nearly 100 people attended, and was also able to interact with those involved in the film.
“Pōʻalima ʻUlaʻula is a day to celebrate who we are as Kanaka ʻŌiwi,” said KS Maui Hawaiian protocol coordinator Ekela Kaniaupio-Crozier. “The film was shown to all of our haumāna, even those in ke kula haʻahaʻa (elementary school) were able to view a six-minute version along with a video of the Hokuleʻaʻs arrival in South Africa. The message delivered emphasized the value of knowing your moʻokūʻauhau (genealogy) and making connections to kūpuna through as many opportunities that are offered. Our haumāna were able to witness the successful journey of one of their very own, 2014 graduate, Gyle McGurn, and the impact the experience had on his career choice. Hopefully, our haumāna felt empowered and could also see themselves pushing beyond their own perceived limitations towards a successful future and contributing to a stronger lāhui.”
As part of the 20th anniversary celebration, the entire student body did 1,300 acts of kindness, which each student conveyed on index cards that were put together by class and displayed at the Pauahilani High School Counseling Center. The acts of kindness ranged from an elementary student sending a letter to an injured friend to high school students donating clothes for the homeless.
The day of celebration ended with a large lū‘au on the kula ki‘eki‘e (high school) quad field, with a large tent that provided shade for nearly the entire student body.
“At one of our planning meetings the idea came up that if it was going to be too hard to get the entire campus together for lunch, we could just let each campus go the their respective dining halls,” recalled Curriculum and Technology Analyst Linda Shibano, who headed up the 20th anniversary planning committee. “But I remembered something that (former po‘o kula) Lee Ann Delima said. ‘When I joined Kamehameha Maui in October, 1999, the new elementary school had been opened to students in grades K-6 for barely two months. The classrooms and Paiea Learning Center were in full operation. Namahana was used primarily for student assemblies and chapel services. It would not be until the fall of 2000 that the kitchen area of Namahana was ready for meal preparation. I remember how special it was for our entire school and all staff to take a break from our duties and eat lunch together, as the Kamehameha Maui ‘ohana. Everyone agreed that getting the entire campus together was a priority.”
During the lū‘au, the KSM ‘ohana listened to live Hawaiian music from Leo Hone (Ikaika Blackburn, Kamakoa Lindsey-Asing and Pi‘ilani Arias), ate ‘ono Hawaiian food, while having time to launa as an entire campus. Other activities at the lū‘au including getting temporary tattoos, hula and mele from all grade levels and a special performance ny kumu.
In the end, the entire KS Maui ‘ohana joined hands in one giant circle to sing “I Mua Kamehameha,” and close the day with pule, just as Po‘o Kula Lee Ann Delima, who had been such a big part of the campus’ first 20 years, would have wanted it.
The entire student body got together in Kahekili Gymnasium for an all-campus chapel to start the day.
Students and staff performed at the chapel service to start the day at Kahekili Gymnasium.
Hula was a part of the program during the all-school chapel service.
Students were encouraged to bring their own mats to sit on under the large tent for the lū‘au on the kula ki‘eki‘e quad field.
Even the preschool students joined in the lū‘au on the kula ki‘eki‘e quad field, getting their fill of Hawaiian food.
Kula ki‘eki‘e students gave students of all ages temporary tattoos for the day.
On display in front of the Pauahilani Counseling Center were all 1,300 acts of kindness.
All of the students and staff came together at the end of the day for a lū‘au on the kula ki‘eki‘e quad field.
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