Nānā I Ke Kumu: Perpetuating the Legacy of Mary Kawena Pukui | Mary Kawena Pukui Cultural Preservation Society

This project is a free community event in Koʻolauloa that honors the legacy of Mary Kawena Pukui. It will connect community members to Pukui’s contributions to the perpetuation of Hawaiian language and culture through talk-story sessions with local kupuna, hula performances by Koʻolauloa hālau, and a mele and hula workshop led by members of her ʻohana.

Designed as a multigenerational learning space, the event will engage Pūnana Leo, Kula Kaiapuni Hawaiʻi, Hawaiian organizations, families, and the broader community. Participants will experience ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi as a living practice heard in moʻolelo by kupuna who knew Pukui, embodied through hula, and reinforced through hands-on cultural learning.

This event advances Mary Kawena Pukui’s lifelong commitment to ensuring Hawaiian language and cultural knowledge are actively practiced, shared, and sustained within the community.