How do we tell our stories? How do we tell the stories of our kūpuna? How do we ensure that the next generations will remember our stories? How do we apply the lessons of these moʻolelo to the modern world? Join the James and Abigail Campbell Library for the Moʻo ʻŌlelo presentation series, where we will explore and celebrate how the people of today tell stories and apply knowledge through different mediums like the written or spoken word, visual arts, practice, and the environment. 

The series title, Moʻo ʻŌlelo, has multiple meanings – moʻo can be story or legend, but also succession, in genealogical terms. ʻŌlelo is language, words, or to talk. Combined, Moʻo ʻŌlelo can mean the succession of stories.

Moʻo ʻŌlelo is part of The Big Read Hawaiʻi, a collaborative effort between the University of Hawaiʻi – West Oʻahu, Kapiʻolani Community College, Windward Community College, and the Hawaiʻi State Public Library System, to broaden our understanding of the world and the people who inhabit it through reading, conversations, art, and connections. The selected book of The Big Read Hawaiʻi is An American Sunrise by Joy Harjo and UHWO has selected Nānā i ke Kumu, Vol. III and Living Nations, Living Words: An Anthology of First Peoples’ Poetry as companionship books.

Moʻolelo Kai with Uncle Kaipo Pomaikai

Tuesday, 3/22/2022, 1 PM

Uncle Paul “Kaipo” Pomaikai SR. (Nānākuli, Oʻahu), a retired Merchant Marine Officer, Tug boat Master, will share his mo’olelo and lessons learned from growing up as a keiki o ke kai, ʻōpio, and makua on the beaches of Nānākuli on the island of Oʻahu. He will also share how Ke Kai has shaped his personal, social and professional career life, allowing and opening so many doors of opportunity throughout his professional career, and life, as a Native Hawaiian tugboat Captain.

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Moʻolelo Hoʻoponopono with Aunty Lynette and Kaʻaiʻai Paglinawan

Thursday, 3/24/2022, 1 PM

Loea hoʻoponopono, Aunty Lynette Paglinawan and Kaʻaiʻai Paglinawan (Kahaluʻu, Oʻahu), will share their moʻolelo as hoʻoponopono practitioners.

Kaʻaiʻai Paglinawan is a second generation Native Hawaiian Social Worker for the past 13 years at Liliʻuokalani Trust.

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Creating Local Superheroes with Chris Caravalho (Mana Comics)

Thursday, 3/31/2022, 1 PM

Join Chris (Oʻahu) from Mana Comics as he discusses the journey to becoming a self published comic book creator and how to create your own superheroes!

Christopher Caravalho is a local comic book creator, writer, co-artist and founder of Mana Comics. Chris always had an obsession with Comic Books, loved to write stories, and would often draw his classmates into superheroes. Little did he know at the time he would be laying the future foundation of an idea to create a team of heroes from Hawaiʻi.

In 2014 with the help of family, friends, and online Kickstarter supporters he was able to achieve a life long dream by creating Issue one of the ‘Aumākua Guardians of Hawaiʻi, which showcased a team of present day local style superheroes saving the day. Since then, Chris Caravalho has self published several other ‘Aumākua books including several spin off series such as Mana Double Feature, Sistah Shark, and the ʻĀnuenue Warriors.

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Ola (i) ka moʻolelo: Living (because of) Moʻolelo | Navigating Pacific Culture Through Poetry with Brandy Nālani McDougall and Craig Santos Perez

Thursday, 4/7/2022, 1 PM

Brandy Nālani McDougall (Aʻapueo, Kula, Maui) will focus on ancestral moʻolelo as life-giving and life-saving. As part of that, McDougall will share moʻolelo of being an ʻŌiwi poet and scholar as well as the ways she incorporates moʻolelo into her work while Craig Santos Perez (Guam) will explore how poetry can help us navigate the complexities of Pacific culture, identity, and politics.

From Kula, Maui, Brandy Nālani McDougall (Kanaka ʻŌiwi) is the author of a poetry collection, The Salt-Wind, Ka Makani Paʻakai (2008), the co-founder of Ala Press, and the co-star of a poetry album, Undercurrent (2011). Her book Finding Meaning: Kaona and Contemporary Hawaiian Literature (University of Arizona Press, 2016) is the first extensive study of contemporary Hawaiian literature and the 2017 winner of the Beatrice Medicine Award. She is the director of the Mānoa Center for Humanities and Civic Engagement and an Associate Professor of American Studies (specializing in Indigenous studies) at UH Mānoa. Her second poetry collection, ʻĀina Hānau, Birth Lands, is forthcoming in 2023. She lives with her ʻohana in the ahupuaʻa of ʻAiea on Oʻahu.

Craig Santos Perez is an indigenous Chamoru from the Pacific Island of Guåhan (Guam). He is the co-editor of five anthologies and the author of five books of poetry and the monograph Navigating Chamoru Poetry: Indigeneity, Aesthetics, and Decolonization (2022). He is Professor in the English department at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where he teaches Pacific Islander literature, creative writing, and eco-poetry.

Cancelled

Moʻolelo Honouliuli with Uncle Shad Kane

Thursday, 4/14/2022, 1 PM

Join Uncle Shad Kane (Mānana, Oʻahu) as he shares some of his favorite moʻolelo of the ʻEwa moku with special focus on the ahupuaʻa of Honouliuli!

Uncle Shad Kane was born in Honolulu but spent his early childhood years in the Pearl City Peninsula, Mānana. He graduated from Kamehameha in 1964 and went on to Utah State University for two years. Uncle Shad served in the Navy from 1966 to 1970 serving on the USS St. Paul and River Divisions on the Van Co Tay River. He then graduated from the University of Hawaii in 1972 and got a Masters Degree from Central Michigan University in 1976. Uncle Shad served in HPD from 1970 and retired as a Lieutenant in 2000.  He has served in many community organizations including the Oʻahu Island Burial Council, the Makakilo-Kapolei-Honokai Hale Neighborhood Board, Western Advisory Council to NOAA, and was a cultural writer for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and Go Kapolei Magazine. Uncle Shad also authored the book, Cultural Kapolei.  

He is currently a board member on Ka Papa O Kākuhihewa and the Kalaeloa Heritage and Legacy Foundation, a coalition member to the Kapolei High School E Ola Pono Ma Kapolei and Ali’i ʻAi Moku of the Kapuāiwa Chapter of the Royal Order of Kamehameha, and many other organizations.

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Hana Noʻeau with Kaiʻili Kaulukukui

Thursday, 4/21/2022, 1 PM

A talk story with Kanaka Maoli artist, Kai’ili Kaulukukui (Hilo, Hawaiʻi), about working to navigate the waters of the contemporary art world, while keeping one foot on the ancestral homeland.

Kaiili Kaulukukui was born on the Big Island of Hawaii in September of 1981. As a young child, Kai had a great interest in creating art and began drawing at a very young age inspired by Hawaii’s natural beauty, rich native culture, abundant ocean life, and of course, cartoons and comic books. An adolescence spent chasing the perceived contemporary art scene of the ’80s, and ’90s led to a stint in graffiti, and the desire to paint on walls and eventually mural painting. A classically trained oil painter, Kai studied fine art at Windward Community College and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Today, he is based out of his private studio in Keaau, and Lana Lane Studios in Kaka’ako, Honolulu. Kai holds a volunteer position as Ground Operations Manager for the ‘Seawalls: Artists for Oceans’ event, an international mural festival by PangeaSeed Foundation, a marine conservation organization that utilizes artivism (art+activism) to inspire ocean stewardship.

Kai draws often and enjoys painting in watercolor, acrylic, aerosol and oil. As a muralist, his work can be seen in Hawai’i, California, St. Croix USVI, Mexico, Canada, New Zealand, Nepal, China, Hungary and The Bahamas.

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