October 12, 2025
At ʻIolani Palace, our participants came together to share their knowledge, stories, and traditions with community members in a meaningful celebration of heritage. This gathering provided a unique space where history, culture, and community intersected — honoring the past while inspiring the present. Through demonstrations, storytelling, and hands-on activities, attendees connected deeply with the richness of their shared cultural roots. Events like these highlight the importance of preserving and passing down traditions, ensuring that culture continues to thrive for generations to come.
September 13, 2025
New skills, new stories, and a new community — As a final session our participants gathered for their last time together for a camping trip was more than just an outdoor experience; it was a celebration of learning and connection. Throughout the weekend, participants had the opportunity to showcase their cultural skills, share traditions, and learn from one another. Our time spent together throughout these past years fostered meaningful relationships and strengthened our sense of belonging. Surrounded by the natural beauty of Papahana, we discovered how collaboration and diversity enrich every experience. This journey reminded us that community grows strongest when we learn, share, and explore together.
August 9, 2025
Guided by cultural knowledge and the wisdom of community mentors, each lash and knot brought the canoe together piece by piece, reflecting how people, too, are strengthened when they come together with purpose. The process required patience, teamwork, and respect — values deeply rooted in cultural teachings. As the canoe took shape, so did new relationships, built on shared learning and mutual understanding. This experience reminded everyone that, much like the ropes that hold a canoe steady, culture and collaboration bind communities together across time and place.”
July 12, 2025
Each knot tied was more than technique — it was a link to cultural wisdom, shared learning, and the strength of community
June 14, 2025
Blending tradition with teamwork, participants come together to continue learning the art of canoe lashing — a skill rooted in cultural knowledge and shared heritage. Guided by Junior Colman and his ʻohana, they practiced techniques passed down through generations, discovering the importance of precision, patience, and cooperation. This experience not only strengthened practical skills but also deepened respect for the traditions that continue to guide us today.
May 10, 2025
As we begin our final module, Junior Coleman and his ʻohana lead us in our journey of waʻa,lashing, knot tying and model building. Mākua and keiki all try their hand at tying beginner knots and begin to navigate the complexities and importance of tension and slack. We are very excited to close out this chapter as one hui, in one waʻa bound together with skill, pride and resilience. As Junior likes to say: “One waʻa in every ahupuaʻa!”
April 12, 2025
No words can express how much we have enjoyed each other’s company, sense of community and willingness to learn throughout the years here at Papahana. We began our final module with a special guest to share with us her manaʻo on the art of lei making. Like a lei made of many flowers, Aunty Penny Martin brings us together to kui our own stories and pua in a beautiful lei which is Pili Ka Moʻo. Our ʻohana learn alongside their keiki different lei styles and techniques, as well as shared in a buffet of colors, flowers, materials and memories. Make a lei, give a lei, wear a lei everyday!