Kūkulu is a Hawaiian model of education based on ancestral ecological knowledge. The model is valuable now as it was for generations in Hawaii.
In 1991, as a way to create a more balanced educational approach to the current educational systems in Hawaiʻi, as well as to fulfill a need for community-based educational programs, a collective of concerned Native Hawaiian educators created an educational organization called Kūkulu Kumuhana. Founded in Waipi‘o valley, Kohala, Hawai‘i, in the summer of 1991.
The mission of Kukulu Kumuhana is to continue the practices of the indigenous culture of Hawaiʻi and to advocate for the well-being and the future of Hawai‘i’s ‘Ōpio (youth) and the Hawaiʻi landscape.
Kūkulu Kumuhana stands on the foundation of ‘ohana (family) and mālama ʻāina (care of the Hawaii land and water resources (through proper resource management). Kukulu Kumuhana is also dedicated to the preservation of Hawaiian heritage.
Kūkulu Kumuhana o Puna (KKOP)
At the end of the five-year pilot program in Waipiʻo, the collective of Native Hawaiian Educators returned to their respective communities and established their own programs. Kūkulu Kumuhana o Puna was formed in 1997 using the model of education established in Waipiʻo Valley. The program encourages and supports cultural learning that builds capacity in an indigenous knowing of land, ocean, and sky through lifestyle practices.
Kūkulu Kumuhana o Puna is committed to developing strong and well-informed ʻāina (land) stewards to become change agents that can advocate for environmental wellness in Hawaiʻi and beyond.
In contribution to Puna Strong, we will provide Hawaiian cultural learning experiences for youth and families to build relationships and practical skills in Hawaiian fishing and farming techniques.
Puna Rising wants to network, connect, and collaborate with all of our Puna neighbors and businesses. Interested in connecting with us? Contact us at punarising.com/contact
