51ºÚÁÏ

• Hawaiian Programs
• Staff
• Services
• Hulili Ke Kukui Programs
• Resources
• Activities
• Scholarship Resources
• Po?i N¨¡ Nalu
• Hawaiian Culture & Place-Based Education
• Ola Niuhelewai
• Niuhelewai Scholars
• Ka Ipu Ho?okele Wa?a
• Native Hawaiian Tuition Waiver
• Hui ¡®?iwi

Who We Are

We are located in the upstairs makai wing of Building 5 (next to the Hale ?Aina/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 K¨±lana Hawai?i Programs Booklet (PDF)

Hawaiian Center Staff

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
• M¨¡lama ¡®?ina 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 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).

H¨¡lau Space

The H¨¡lau 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 K¨±lana Hawai?i 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 p¨± (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 mana?o o ka l¨¡ (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 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. 

Hawaiian Culture & Place-Based Professional Development

The Hulili Ke Kukui Hawaiian Center regularly offers opportunities for faculty, staff, and administrators to learn about and embed Hawaiian culture and place-based strategies in their work. Learn more about training opportunities.

Hale Kawelohea & Courtyard

From 2018 to 2020, Honolulu Community College¡¯s faculty, staff, administrators, and students worked with community mentors to erect a hale h¨¡lawai (community gathering space) through the support of the US DOE Title III funded Ho?¨¡la 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. 

Ha?aheo 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 ¡°¡± mural led by local artist Estria and Prime on Kokea Street, the hope was to bring forth the images of Niuhelewai?s 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 H¨¡l¨¡wai (meeting house), and our Native plant m¨¡la (garden). 

(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 , worked on all three projects. UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹?s SEED Office, and 51ºÚÁÏ?s Ho?¨¡la 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. K¨±lana Hawai?i, 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 ¡°Ha?aheo Niuhelewai¡± represents the Olauniu winds blowing through the kumu l¨¡?au niu (coconut trees), the multitude of loko i?a (fishponds) existing in our ahupua?a, Niuhelewai stream, the representation of our mo?olelo (stories) Lepeamoa, Kaulu and Haumea in the ?ulu tree, and the 45 lo?i that once existed on our campus footprint. The project was completed in the beginning of Spring 2019.

Hulili Ke Kukui Programs

Po¡®i Na Nalu Project

Established in 1995, Po¡®i N¨¡ 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 Po?i Na Nalu project.

Ola Niuhelewai Project

¡°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 ?¨­ no?’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 51ºÚÁÏ¡¯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 51ºÚÁÏ 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 project.

Ka Ipu Ho?okele Wa?a

Ka Ipu Ho?okele Wa?a is a five-year project (10/1/2024 to 9/30/2029) entirely funded by a U.S. DOE Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Program Title III Grant. The project is a collaborative initiative between Honolulu Community College and Windward Community College that seeks to improve Native Hawaiian student engagement, achievement, and employability by increasing students¡¯ digital literacy through a strengths-based, culturally relevant curriculum focused on digital storytelling from an indigenous lens. Learn more about the Ka Ipu Ho?okele Wa?a project.

Niuhelewai Scholars

The Niuhelewai Scholars Project is part of the UHCC system-wide 13th Year Initiative and is modeled after Kaua?i Community College¡¯s Wai?ale?ale 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 ??iwi Hawaiian Club

The mission of Hui ??iwi 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 ??iwi Hawaiian Club.

Resources

Ke Ahupua?a ?o °­²¹±è¨¡±ô²¹³¾²¹

Hulili Ke Kukui is proud to be a part of the Niuhelewai ?Ili in the Ahupua?a of °­²¹±è¨¡±ô²¹³¾²¹. You can learn more about the culture and history of this ?¨¡ina by watching our webinars below, which were part of the Hawa?i Papa o ke Ao ¡°He Ukana K¨¡ K¨©lauea¡± series: 

• : Hear mo?olelo about Niuhelewai and °­²¹±è¨¡±ô²¹³¾²¹ before Western contact
• : Learn about how Niuhelewai and °­²¹±è¨¡±ô²¹³¾²¹ have changed since Western contact
• : Learn about Princess Ka?iulani¡¯s connections to °­²¹±è¨¡±ô²¹³¾²¹

You can also learn more about the ahupua?a of °­²¹±è¨¡±ô²¹³¾²¹ by visiting Honolulu Community College Library¡¯s . 

Community Resources in °­²¹±è¨¡±ô²¹³¾²¹

M¨¡lama ??ina Resources

Hulili Ke Kukui believes in providing access to information so that students, faculty, and staff can make informed decisions on contemporary ?¨¡ina issues. The following websites provide information on several issues related to ?¨¡ina in Hawai?i:

°­²¹±è¨¡±ô²¹³¾²¹

• Sand Island Evictions: and
• (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)

Mauna Kea

• (Office of Mauna Kea Management)
• (Office of Mauna Kea Management)
• (Mauna a W¨¡kea)
• (Office of Hawaiian Affairs)
• (Kanaeokana) 

Community Work Days 

If you would like to get more involved in the M¨¡lama ??ina movement, there are organizations throughout O?ahu 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 ?¨¡ina. Click on the hyperlinks to learn more. 

Lo?i Kalo Park
Location:
Workdays: Every first Saturday, 8:00 am ¨C 12:00 pm
Contact: Robert Silva, 808-842-2578, rsilva1@hawaii.edu 

Location:
Workdays: Every 3rd Saturday of the month, 8:30 am ¨C 12:00 pm; Wednesday community work days, 9:30 am ¨C 12:00 pm; Seed Sharing Workshops every Thursday, 9:30 am ¨C 12:00 pm
Contact: Puni Jackson, 841-7504, aina@kkv.net 

Location:
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  

Location:
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  

Location:
Workdays: Please visit the website for work day information
Contact: WaimanaloLimuHui@gmail.com

Location:
Workdays: by appointment only
Contact: 808-696-5569 or info@maoorganicfarms.org  

Location:  
Workdays: 2nd Saturday of each month, 8:30am- 12pm
Contact: info@kakoooiwi.org  

Location:
Workdays: contact site for more information
Contact:  808-351-1666 or kalo@hookuaaina.org 

Location:
Workdays: contact site for more information
Contact: info@mokauea.org  

Location:
Workdays: contact site for more information
Contact: (808) 395-5050 (x1) or volunteer@malamamaunalua.org  

Location:
Workdays: Organic transitioning every Saturday, 9:45 – 11:00 am
Contact: 628-0639

Location:
Workdays: Saturdays between 8am-4pm (groups of 5 or more require reservations)
Contact: visit website

Location:
Workdays: contact site for more information
Contact: 808.696.4954

Location:
Workdays: contact site for more information
Contact: Kumuolahawaii@gmail.com   

Location:
Workdays: complete the to volunteer
Contact:  volunteer@khlfoundation.org 

Location:
Workdays: 1st Saturdays
Contact: 808-956-0640 or kanewai@hawaii.edu  

Location:
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 us at hulilik@hawaii.edu.

Oli & Mele no ke Kulanui Kai¨¡ulu o Honolulu

Learn the oli and mele that we use in campus cultural protocols.