Video: UH Hilo doctoral candidate bridges past and present in mele Hawaiʻi
The spirit of mele Hawaiʻi and language revitalization find new life through the work of Nicholas Kealiʻi Lum, a doctoral candidate at Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language.
At the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, the spirit of mele Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian music) and language revitalization are finding new life through the work of Nicholas Kealiʻi Lum, a doctoral candidate at Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language.
Earlier this month it was announced Lum is the first doctoral recipient of the Daniel and Lydia Makuakāne Endowed Scholarship and Fellowship. Established by the daughters of Daniel and Lydia Makuakāne, the fellowship honors the Makuakānes’ lifelong advocacy of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi and Native Hawaiian cultural education.
- UH Hilo names Kealiʻi Lum as first doctoral candidate to receive Makuakāne Endowed Scholarship and Fellowship (Oct. 7, 2025, UH Hilo Stories)
A musician, Lum is weaving tradition and innovation into his in-depth studies of mele (songs) of old and new. His dissertation, “Pewa: I Ola ke Mele Hawaiʻi i kona Mele ʻia” (“Pewa: The Life of Hawaiian Music in Its Song”), braids traditional Hawaiian mele to modern soundscapes, creating bridges between younger audiences and ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) through experimental musical expression.
“In my dissertation, I define mele as being ʻlogogenic,’ which means that words in a genre of music are more important than the musical treatment,” Lum explains. “And I believe that represents mele Hawaiʻi; it’s always the language within the text that is more important.”
With the fellowship, Lum will also have the opportunity to build on his 2023 debut album “Pewa,” using experimental approaches to mele Hawaiʻi that promote both cultural resilience and linguistic vitality.
Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language
UH Hilo’s College of Hawaiian Language is the only institution worldwide offering a doctoral degree in Indigenous language and culture revitalization. In 2023, it was designated as the first National Native American Language Resource Center, further expanding its role in advancing language revitalization across the U.S.
The Makuakāne Fellowship ensures that students, such as Lum, have the resources to complete their research, while also carrying forward the cultural knowledge and values that make the College of Hawaiian Language a global leader in Indigenous language revitalization.
“The Makuakāne family has been longstanding supporters of our college, ever since their mother (Lydia) played a big role in the movement that started the Hawaiian language revitalization,” says Kaʻiu Kimura, director of the college. “It’s such an honor that the family continues to work with us to forward our purpose.”
Read full story at UH System News. See also UH Foundation release.
