Welina mai me ke aloha! Welcome to Honolulu Community College’s Hulili Ke Kukui Hawaiian Center. The Center was established as part of the college’s efforts to make the University of Hawai‘i one of the world’s foremost indigenous-serving institutions and fulfills the college’s kuleana (responsibility) to the Native Hawaiian Community.
- Hawaiian Programs
- Staff
- Services
- Hulili Ke Kukui Programs
- Resources
- Activities
- Scholarship Resources
- Poʻi Nā Nalu
- Kūkalahale Project
- Ola Niuhelewai
- Niuhelewai Scholars
- Hui ‘Ōiwi
Who We Are
The Hawaiian Center was established through a Title III grant in 2001 and officially opened its doors with a public grand opening on October 17, 2002. Hawaiian Language instructor Kumu Kimo Alama Keaulana gifted the Hawaiian Center its name “Hulili Ke Kukui,” which means “blazing torch (of knowledge).” Today the Hawaiian Center is part of the college’s Kulana Hawaiʻi Hawaiian Division, which is a unique organization in the University of Hawaiʻi system that comprises Nā Papa Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian Studies & Hawaiian Language classes) and Hulili Ke Kukui (student support).
We are located in the upstairs makai wing of Building 5 (next to the Hale ʻAina/Cafeteria), just adjacent to the traditional hale at the piko (center) of campus.
Mission
Hulili Ke Kukui Hawaiian Center is committed to actively preserve and perpetuate Hawaiian culture and values. Through an array of comprehensive services, we strengthen the college’s educational programs and enable students of Hawaiian ancestry to succeed in their academic, career and individual endeavors.
Service Area Outcomes
Hulili Ke Kukui fulfills its mission through the following Service Area Outcomes:
SAO 1: Hulili Ke Kukui will foster a Hawaiian place of learning through the integration of language, culture, values, and history into curriculum, campus services, and community engagement.
Hulili Ke Kukui will achieve this by:
- Serving as a model for malama ‘aina/sustainability initiatives on campus,
- Supporting enrollment in the AA Hawaiian Studies program and Hawaiian Studies courses,
- Providing activities and services that support ola kino (holistic health and wellness),
- Strengthening the campus’s partnerships with Hawaiian community organizations,
- Creating a repository of kupuna ‘ike (ancestral knowledge) about the surrounding campus community,
- Increasing the usage of ‘olelo Hawai‘i (Hawaiian language) on campus, and
- Providing opportunities to demonstrate Hawaiian cultural practices and protocol.
SAO 2: Hulili Ke Kukui will serve as a pu‘uhonua (safe space) for all Native Hawaiian students to increase their recruitment, retention, graduation, university transfer, and employment.
Hulili Ke Kukui will achieve this by:
- Identifying the unique needs of non-traditional Native Hawaiian students and providing them with appropriate wrap-around services to foster their success,
- Developing and implementing innovative strategies to support student success,
- Developing strategic partnerships with selected businesses, industry, and training providers to better respond to workforce development and training requirements, and
- Collaborating with campus departments to support student success.
SAO 3: Hulili Ke Kukui will serve as the piko (core) for the institutionalization of Native Hawaiian cultural values across faculty and staff development, leadership, and campus programs.
Hulili Ke Kukui will achieve this by:
- Supporting the development of Hawaiian/Asian/Pacific (HAP) focused courses,
- Integrating Native Hawaiian culture and place in the new employee orientation processes,
- Providing opportunities for professional development in the integration and implementation of Native Hawaiian culture and place-based education,
- Improving efforts to recruit and retain Native Hawaiian faculty, staff, and administrators, and
- Advocating for the institutionalization of programs and positions that support the campus’s Native Hawaiian student population.
Hawaiian Programs at Honolulu Community College
The college’s commitment to the Hawaiian Community is evidenced by the plethora of programs and services available on campus to support Native Hawaiian students and perpetuate the Hawaiian culture. A detailed account of our programs and outcomes is available below.
View Kūlana Hawaiʻi Programs Booklet (PDF)
Hawaiian Center Staff
Kaleialoha Lum-Ho
Hulili Ke Kukui Hawaiian Center Coordinator
808-845-9176
lumho@hawaii.edu
Faith Kahale Saito
Native Hawaiian Counselor
808-845-9112
fsaito@hawaii.edu
Kalani Flores
Hawaiian Culture & Place-Based Education Coordinator
808-845-9489
pflores@hawaii.edu
Services We Offer
Hulili Ke Kukui provides an array of services to support its mission to preserve the Hawaiian Culture and support Native Hawaiian students. As part of an indigenous-serving institution, the Center provides academic, career and transfer advising, co-curricular activities that promote culture-based education and enrichment events. While some programs are specific to Native Hawaiian students, most services are open to everyone.
Hulili Ke Kukui services include:
- Student lounge & study space
- Cultural enrichment workshops
- Academic, career and transfer advising
- Mālama ‘Āina Days (service learning opportunities)
- Computer Lab and printing
Hulili Ke Kukui regularly assesses how we can improve our programs to better support our campus and students. Please complete this survey to provide us with feedback and suggestions.
Outreach
In an effort to fulfill our mission, we regularly conduct outreach in the community and on our campus. We attend community events, conduct presentations in classes, and welcome visitors to the Center. If you are interested in scheduling outreach with us, please email us at hulilik@hawaii.edu. Be sure to include the dates and times you would like to visit, your estimated counts, and what you want to learn about (i.e. services for Native Hawaiian students).
Hālau Space
The Hālau is a space for students, staff, faculty and the community to gather and learn more about the Hawaiian culture. It is a place to make new friends, eat lunch, study, and relax. E komo mai!
Cultural Enrichment Workshops
We also offer a variety of cultural enrichment workshops, bringing in experts from different cultural practices, guest speakers and storytellers, and providing hands-on opportunities to learn more about the Hawaiian culture.
Morning Piko
Starting in Fall 2019, the Kūlana Hawaiʻi Hawaiian Division and Hulili Ke Kukui Hawaiian Center began offering a Morning Piko. The piko is meant to help attendees center themselves at the start of the day and provides a source of daily cultural grounding. Piko begins with the sound of the pū (conch shell) at 8:00 am on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the Building 5 Courtyard. We begin our protocol with a pule, followed by a manaʻo o ka lā (thought of the day), a mele (song), and closing with a pule. Everyone is invited to attend! Contact Kalani Flores for more information.
Native Hawaiian Counselor
The Native Hawaiian Counselor at Hulili Ke Kukui can assist students with:
- Registration
- Career advising
- Academic planning
- Scholarships/financial aid
- Personal problems
- Cultural identity
To make an appointment with the Native Hawaiian Counselor you can ask a peer mentor for help, walk-in, or go to STAR Balance to make an appointment online.
Computer Lab
The Hawaiian Center Computer Lab is open to students, staff and faculty, and the community. It is equipped with 12 MAC computers and includes printing services and scanners for use.
Hours of Operation
Monday – Friday: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Printing Information
Black and white and color printing are available at the following rates:
- $0.10 per page for B&W
- $0.25 per page for Color
Requesting Computer Lab Reservations
The Computer Lab may also be reserved for instructional/classroom use or events. To reserve the Computer Lab, please check the calendar below for availability and then email the Hawaiian Center at hulilik@hawaii.edu. Reservations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Hale Kawelohea & Courtyard
From 2018 to 2020, Honolulu Community College’s faculty, staff, administrators, and students worked with community mentors to erect a hale hālawai (community gathering space) through the support of the US DOE Title III funded Hoʻāla Hou project (2015-2021). The hale is named after the college’s first Hawaiian Language and Hawaiian Studies Professor, Kumu Edith Kawelohea McKinzie, who taught at Honolulu Community College from the 1980s until her retirement in 1996.
Reserving the Hale
Hale Kawelohea may be used for meetings and gatherings. The hale is available to faculty, staff, and students on campus for the following purposes:
- Welcoming special guests
- Cultural presentations and workshops
- Outdoor classroom space
- Meetings
Please note that food and eating are not allowed in the hale. If you would like to reserve the hale, please email Kalani Flores-Hatt, Jr. at pflores@hawaii.edu or Alapaki Luke at markluke@hawaii.edu. If the hale is available, you will need to submit a Facilities Use Request and fill out the “Special Requests” box. If you require tables and chairs, you may indicate how many you need on the Facilities Use Request Form and O&M will provide them for you.
Haʻaheo Niuhelewai Mural
While the hale was in progress, Native Hawaiian Counselor Kahale Saito initiated the effort to install a story mural in our newly renovated campus courtyard. The concept of bringing a mural to campus began in 2017. Building upon the momentum of the “Water Writes” mural led by local artist Estria and Prime on Kokea Street, the hope was to bring forth the images of Niuhelewaiʻs rich history to the forefront of campus. It added another dimension and element in recreating the space of the Building 5 Courtyard, complementing the renovations of the Hulili Ke Kukui Hawaiian Center and the offices of Academic Counseling and Financial Aid, the newly constructed Hale Hālāwai (meeting house), and our Native plant māla (garden).
Kōkua Kalihi Valleyʻs KVIBE (Kalihi Valley Instructional Bike Exchange) Program was a major community contributor to this project, as this was one of three community murals sponsored by the program (one is at the KVIBE offices on Kamehameha IV Rd. and the other at the bike track near the Marine Education Training Center at Mauli Ola (Sand Island). James Davis, an artist with 808 Urban, worked on all three projects. UH Mānoaʻs SEED Inclusion, Diversity, Equity Access, and Success (IDEAS) grant program, and HonCCʻs Hoʻāla Hou Program also contributed financial support for this project.
The main purpose of this project was to create a sense of place for our campus community. Another component of this project was to include the campus in the production from concept design to putting paint on the wall. Kūlana Hawaiʻi, ASUH leadership, administration, and anyone from the campus community were given the opportunity to participate in the concept design process. The manalima (to bring our mana, our lima, and wai) handprinting process included about 150 campus participants ranging from students, administrators, faculty, staff, and community members to provide the foundational layer of the image.
The image of “Haʻaheo Niuhelewai” represents the Olauniu winds blowing through the kumu lāʻau niu (coconut trees), the multitude of loko iʻa (fishponds) existing in our ahupuaʻa, Niuhelewai stream, the representation of our moʻolelo (stories) Lepeamoa, Kaulu and Haumea in the ʻulu tree, and the 45 loʻi that once existed on our campus footprint. The project was completed in the beginning of Spring 2019.
Native Hawaiian Tuition Waiver
Every academic year the UH system distributes tuition waivers intended for Hawaiian students pursuing their academics at all UH Campuses. The Native Hawaiian Tuition Waiver Program was established to support and increase the number of Hawaiian and part-Hawaiian students seeking higher education. The waivers are allocated to each campus based on enrollment data from the previous academic year, and are intended for students who are NEED BASED according to their FAFSA report. In the past few years, HonCC has been allocated a range of 14-20 Tuition Waivers.
This will support students who:
- Have identified as Native Hawaiian on their Admissions Application
- Will be a full-time (up to 15 credits) or part-time (minimum 6 credits)
- Maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher
In collaboration with the Financial Aid office and Hulili Ke Kukui Hawaiian Center, a process of identifying and selecting individuals has been created. There is no application, students will be invited based on the criteria below. In the initial identification process, criteria used by the Financial Aid office are as follows:
- Does not have a Bachelor’s Degree
- Is not on Financial Aid or Academic Probation
- Applied and completed their FAFSA (inclusive of additional documents) by May 1*
- Has an expected family contribution (EFC) of $3,000 or less*
*Subject to change from academic year or semester
The Financial Aid Office will distribute a letter to all identified students, inviting them to submit a Personal Statement based on three set questions. A selection committee created by Hulili Ke Kukui Hawaiian Center will rank, review and select individuals based on their Personal Statement and will be awarded the Tuition Waiver. Students who have accepted the waiver are required each semester to:
- Attend an orientation at the beginning of the semester
- Attend an advising session with the Native Hawaiian Counselor
- Attend one of the scheduled Mālama ʻĀina events
For more information contact the Native Hawaiian Counselor: Faith Kahale Saito, 845-9112, fsaito@hawaii.edu
Hulili Ke Kukui Programs
Po‘i Na Nalu Program
Established in 1995, Po‘i Nā Nalu is Honolulu Community College’s oldest Native Hawaiian-serving program. Its goal is to prepare Native Hawaiian students for employment into high-demand occupations with family-sustaining wages by providing vigorous and culturally appropriate opportunities for academic and professional success. Learn more about the Poʻi Na Nalu program
Kukalahale Program
Kūkalahale: Building an Indigenous-Serving Institution through Professional Development is a U.S. Department of Education Title III grant in collaboration between Honolulu and Kapiʻolani Community Colleges. The overarching theme of this collaborative project is indigenous education frameworks in professional development. Through the proposed goals and activities both HonCC, who will serve as lead, and KapCC hope to build the capacity of their faculty, staff, and administration to develop and sustain culturally appropriate and culturally relevant strategies that kipaipai (encourage) current and future Native Hawaiian students. Learn more about the Kukalahale program.
Ola Niuhelewai Program
“Ola Niuhelewai!” Niuhelewai Lives! Ola Niuhelewai is funded by a US DOE Title III grant from October 1, 2020 thru September 30, 2025. The overarching theme of this project is “mauli ola” and it is inspired by the ʻō noʻ’eau, or proverb: “Ka la i ka Mauliola,” which is translated as “the sun at the source of life” (Pukui, 1983, p. 154). Mauli ola refers to health and well-being and it is described as a holistic approach that balances Native Hawaiians’ traditional concepts of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health (OHA, 2019, Mauli Ola). The goal of this project is to raise HonCC’s Native Hawaiian students’ satisfactory academic progress, retention, and graduation by increasing their health literacy through a culturally relevant curriculum focused on the roles of aina (land) and ola pono (personal health and wellness) in mauli ola (well-being). Through the proposed goals and activities HonCC hopes to build the capacity of its Native Hawaiian students increase educational attainment and improve their personal health and well-being. Learn more about the Ola Niuhelewai program.
Niuhelewai Scholars
The Niuhelewai Scholars Project is part of the UHCC system-wide 13th Year Initiative and is modeled after Kauaʻi Community College’s Waiʻaleʻale Project. Thanks to a generous grant from Kamehameha Schools, Honolulu Community College is able to provide scholarships to Native Hawaiian students to pay for their tuition and fees up to 12 credits. Learn more about the Niuhelewai Scholars program
Hui ʻŌiwi Hawaiian Club
The mission of Hui ʻŌiwi is to perpetuate the Hawaiian culture by providing a co-curricular experience for students to gain knowledge about the Hawaiian culture, while providing an outlet for an enhancing student experience. Members may plan activities to fulfill the club’s mission such as workshops, celebrations, etc. Learn more about the Hui ʻŌiwi Hawaiian Club.
Resources
Ke Ahupuaʻa ʻo Kapālama
Hulili Ke Kukui is proud to be a part of the Niuhelewai ʻIli in the Ahupuaʻa of Kapālama. You can learn more about the culture and history of this ʻāina by watching our webinars below, which were part of the Hawaʻi Papa o ke Ao “He Ukana Kā Kīlauea” series:
- Kapālama i ka wā kahiko: Hear moʻolelo about Niuhelewai and Kapālama before Western contact
- Modern History of Kapālama: Learn about how Niuhelewai and Kapālama have changed since Western contact
- Ke Aliʻi Wahine Kaʻiulani ma Kapālama: Learn about Princess Kaʻiulani’s connections to Kapālama
You can also learn more about the ahupuaʻa of Kapālama by visiting Honolulu Community College Library’s “Hawaiʻi – Researching Place” website.
Community Resources in Kapālama
Kalihi-Kapālama Community Resources
Mālama ʻĀina Resources
Hulili Ke Kukui believes in providing access to information so that students, faculty, and staff can make informed decisions on contemporary ʻāina issues. The following websites provide information on several issues related to ʻāina in Hawaiʻi:
Kapālama
- Sand Island Evictions: Victoria Keith’s documentary and Ed Greevy’s Photos
- Mokauea
- Kapālama Canal Catalytic Project
- Kalihi Neighborhood Transit-Oriented Development Plan
- Kalihi-Pālama Action Plan
- Greening Iwilei and Kapālama (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
- Kamehameha Schools’ Kapālama Kai Plan
- Loʻi Kalo Park
Mauna Kea
- Mauna Kea Science Reserve Master Plan (Office of Mauna Kea Management)
- Mauna Kea Comprehensive Management Plan (Office of Mauna Kea Management)
- Mauna a Wākea Legal Documents (Mauna a Wākea)
- Mauna Kea Resources (Office of Hawaiian Affairs)
- 10 Questions About Mauna Kea Whose Answers Might Surprise You (Kanaeokana)
Community Work Days
If you would like to get more involved in the Mālama ʻĀina movement, there are organizations throughout Oʻahu that host community work days. These work days are a great opportunity to get your hands dirty, learn more about traditional resource management practices, and feel more connected to the ʻāina. Click on the hyperlinks to learn more.
Loʻi Kalo Park
Location: Loʻi Kalo Mini Park, Kalihi
Workdays: Every first Saturday, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
Contact: Robert Silva, 808-842-2578, rsilva1@hawaii.edu
Hoʻoulu ʻĀina, Kōkua Kalihi Valley
Location: Kalihi Valley
Workdays: Every 3rd Saturday of the month, 8:30 am – 12:00 pm; Wednesday community work days, 9:30 am – 12:00 pm; Seed Sharing Workshops every Thursday, 9:30 am – 12:00 pm
Contact: Puni Jackson, 841-7504, aina@kkv.net
Paepae o Heʻeia
Location: Heʻeia Fishpond, Kāneʻohe
Workdays: Saturday Community Workdays, 2nd and 4th Saturdays of most months, 8:30 am – 12:00 pm (RSVP required and lunch is provided).
Contact: 808-236-6178
Papahana Kuaola
Location: Heʻeia, Kāneʻohe
Workdays: 3rd Saturdays, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm; 4th Saturdays 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Contact: 808-447-7694 or info@papahanakuaola.org
Waimānalo Limu Hui
Location: Kaiona Beach Park, Waimānalo
Workdays: Please visit the website for work day information
Contact: WaimanaloLimuHui@gmail.com
MAʻO Organic Farms
Location: 86-148 Pūhāwai Rd. Wai‘anae, Hawaiʻi 96792
Workdays: by appointment only
Contact: 808-696-5569 or info@maoorganicfarms.org
Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi
Location: 46-406 Kamehameha Highway Kāneʻohe HI 96744
Workdays: 2nd Saturday of each month, 8:30am- 12pm
Contact: info@kakoooiwi.org
Hoʻokuaʻāina
Location: 916E Auloa Rd. Kailua, HI 96734
Workdays: contact site for more information
Contact: 808-351-1666 or kalo@hookuaaina.org
Mokauea Fishermen’s Association
Location: 4 Sand Island Access Rd #3
Workdays: contact site for more information
Contact: info@mokauea.org
Mālama Maunalua
Location: Kuliʻouʻou Beach Park
Workdays: contact site for more information
Contact: (808) 395-5050 (x1) or volunteer@malamamaunalua.org
Kahuku Farms
Location: 56-800 Kamehameha Hwy, Kahuku, HI 96731
Workdays: Organic transitioning every Saturday, 9:45 – 11:00 am
Contact: 628-0639
Mālama Pūpūkea-Waimea
Location: Shark’s Cove
Workdays: Saturdays between 8am-4pm (groups of 5 or more require reservations)
Contact: visit website
Kaʻala Farm
Location: 86-088 Farrington Hwy. #107 Wai’anae, HI 96792
Workdays: contact site for more information
Contact: 808.696.4954
Kumuola Foundation
Location: Mānoa
Workdays: contact site for more information
Contact: Kumuolahawaii@gmail.com
Kalaeloa Heritage and Legacy Foundation
Location: Kalaeloa Heritage Park
Workdays: complete the online survey to volunteer
Contact: volunteer@khlfoundation.org
Ka Papa Loʻi o Kānewai
Location: Ka Papa Loʻi o Kānewai Cultural Gardens
Workdays: 1st Saturdays
Contact: 808-956-0640 or kanewai@hawaii.edu
Ka Papa Loʻi o Punaluʻu
Location: 53-270 Kamehameha Highway, Hauula, HI 96717
Workdays: contact site for more information
Contact: 808-956-0640 or kanewai@hawaii.edu
**If you would like to suggest an addition to this list, please email Kalei at lumho@hawaii.edu.
Oli & Mele no ke Kulanui Kaiāulu o Honolulu
Learn the oli and mele that we use in campus cultural protocols.
Hawaiian Culture & ʻĀina-Based Learning Resources
These are culture and place-based learning resources available online or through the Honolulu Community College library.
Episode 1: Birth of a Literate Nation
Episode 3: How to Overthrow a Government
A Brief Overview of Culture-Based Education and Annotated Bibliography by Kanaʻiaupuni, S. (2007)
“A Model for Hawaiian Education,” ʻŌiwi: A Native Hawaiian Journal, Vol. 3 by Kaholokula, N.
“Grounding Hawaiian Learners-and Teachers-in their Indigenous Identity,” Hūlili, Vol.3. by Kaiwi, M.
Hoʻoulu : our time of becoming : collected early writings of Manulani Meyer by Meyer, Manulani
Kumu Honua Mauli Ola: He Kālaimanaʻo Hoʻonaʻauao ʻŌiwi Hawaiʻi
Nā Honua Mauli Ola: Hawaiʻi Guidelines for Culturally Healthy and Responsive Learning Environments
No Nā Mamo: Traditional and Contemporary Hawaiian Beliefs and Practicesby Malcom Naea Chun
ʻŌlelo Noʻeau: Hawaiian Proverbs & Poetical Sayings by Mary Kawena Pukui
“Tēnā: A learning lifestyle” Hūlili, Vol. 6 by Beniamina, J.I.K.
Get in Touch
Hulili Ke Kukui Hawaiian Center
Building 5, Room 203
(second floor, makai wing)
Phone: (808) 844-2345
Hours: M–F, 8:00 am–4:30 pm
Calendar of Events
*Hours are subject to change. On rare occasions the Hawaiian Center is closed for off site activities. Follow our social media accounts and check the Calendar of Events for announcements.
Join today!
Hui ‘Oiwi Hawaiian Club
Hui ʻŌiwi is currently seeking members and officers interested in getting more involved in college and perpetuating the Hawaiian culture. The mission of Hui ʻŌiwi is to perpetuate the Hawaiian culture by providing a co-curricular experience for students to gain knowledge about the Hawaiian culture, while providing an outlet for an enhancing student experience. Members may plan activities to fulfill the club’s mission such as workshops, celebrations, etc.
