Nānā I Ke Kumu: Honoring the Legacy of Mary Kawena Pukui - Event Details
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Nānā I Ke Kumu: Honoring the Legacy of Mary Kawena Pukui
Location: Mookini Library (panel) Library Lanai (kanikapila)
The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo will honor legendary Native Hawaiian scholar Mary Kawena Pukui with a panel and music celebration on Friday, March 28. The event celebrates Women’s History Month and Pukui’s selection as the 2025 honoree for the U.S. Mint’s Native American $1 coin.
Please join us for a panel discussion entitled: Nānā I Ke Kumu: Honoring the Legacy of Mary Kawena Pukui on Friday, March 28, from 3:00-4:00pm at the Mookini Library. Pukui (1895–1986) is best known for preserving ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) and culture.
She is renowned for her groundbreaking work at the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, where she contributed to foundational resources such as the Hawaiian Dictionary, Native Planters in Old Hawaii and ʻŌlelo Noʻeau: Hawaiian Proverbs and Poetical Sayings. Her book series Nānā I Ke Kumu, featured on the new coin, explores Hawaiian beliefs and customs.
Moderator Amy Kalili will speak with ethnographers and scholars: Dr. Larry Kimura, Kepā Maly, and Hālena Kapuni-Reynolds about the impact of Pukui's work on their fields of study. Some themes in this discussion address differences between Hawaiian and Western methods of studying communities.
Kanikapila will follow at 4:15 p.m, on the library lānai, with UH Hilo faculty, staff and alumni leading participants in performing musical compositions by Pukui. Hula will also be shared by hālau and Hawaiian language students. Bring your pila (ʻukulele, guitar, bass) and your voice as we honor the legacy of Mary Kawena Pukui in song and dance. No experience necessary to join in.
View complete event schedule
For more information, contact: pelehonu@hawaii.edu (808) 932-7883
Tags: Kanikapila Hula Pukui Olelo Hawaiian Hawaii ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi Mahina ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi
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