Hoʻonaʻauao
Educational
Programs
Recognizing that education is a key component to the growth of our lāhui and kaiaulu, our mission is to promote and increase the visibility of our Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders here in Oregon and SW Washington. Prince Kūhiō knew the importance of education and believed in the fundamentals we would gain as a lahui. With that being said, here in the state of Oregon, although limited, we have a very unique opportunity to engage in high education so that we are able to give back to the community that raised us.
As much as we recognize Hawaiʻi as having so much to offer, the lack of education about Hawaiʻi, or the Pacific for that matter, is one of the key reasons we see the misrepresentation of our students in the education system. Unlike Hawaiʻi, our students represent less than 10% of the student demographic. Although low, those numbers are high when we are able to desegregate the data and show the increasing disproportionate support our community received in the education system here in Oregon.
Hiʻikua – ‘Ōlelo Hawaiʻi Immersion
Our education programs centers language, literacy, and building skills from the kitchen to the professional world. In the Fall of 2025, Kumu Haia shared ʻōlelo with 14 haumāna, who gained confidence in using ʻōlelo during recipe and māla workdays. In 2026, we will be building our language and immersion offerings, through our Hiʻikua program.
Hiʻikua means carried on the shoulders, as a beloved child. Hiʻi means to cherish and kua means our backbone or lawakua. In envisioning an ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi immersion and language program in Oregon, Hiʻi kua means a place to uplift, cultivate, exchange, and develop from the piko - our keiki - relating to Haloa - Maikaʻi Ke Kalo I Ka ʻOha. The piko in which we raise tomorrow’s leaders and develop our identities - from the piko.
