2026 AOHCC Convention Merchandise

“Kahe Ka Wai I Hoʻokahi Pilina” Provided by Nā Lei Makalapua, Mainland Council of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs.

Kahe ka wai – the water flows

i ho’okahi pilina – into/within one relationship, one interconnected bond.

The phrase carries a deeper, poetic meaning beyond literal translation, pointing to the idea that water is the medium through which relationships are formed, sustained, and unified. Mana’o: This phrase reflects the understanding that water is a living pathway that connects people, lands, and generations. From the rivers and rain of the Pacific Northwest to the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean that reaches Hawai’i, water carries memory, movement, and genealogy. Like strands woven together in a braid, these waters symbolize the enduring relationships among our people, those rooted in Hawai’i and those living across Turtle Island. Water often symbolizes the movement of life, knowledge, and connection between people and place. Through the flow of water, our mo’okū’auhau, stories, and ‘ike continue to travel, reminding us that distance does not sever connection. Instead, the waters that move between our homelands and the places we now live intertwine our past, present, and future, strengthening the bonds of our lohui. In this way, the water becomes both a physical and spiritual thread, weaving together our shared identity, responsibility, and aloha for one another.