ʻAha ʻĀina Aloha, a colloquium bringing together colleagues, storytellers, cultural practitioners, educators and community members to discuss land-based relationships, will be held at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu on Friday, January 4, 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m.

The conference involves sharing stories of ʻEwa and Honouliuli, while exploring cultural approaches to landscaping and witnessing how ʻāina (land) educates, inspires and instructs.

Attendees can chose to sit in on one of three tracks.

Welina Honouliuli–Stories of our beloved ʻEwa

Moʻolelo (story) is a tool for continuity, bringing people into their shared and intersecting histories. They can thrill, guide and shape a mutually emergent future that everyone will participate in. Welina Honouliuli will feature cultural practitioners, language scholars, digital storytellers and kahuʻāina stewards who are passionate about the role and purpose of story.

Cultural landscaping–Ecological rehabilitation practices

Creating authentic and loving relationships with the earth, sky and water can be practiced anywhere. There will be cultural landscaping sessions with kupuna, cultural practitioners, ethnobotanists, landscaping practitioners and community members who are dedicated to these ideas in unique ways.

ʻĀina-based education–Learning from land

Hear how experienced educators keep love and care of the land as central operating principles of their teaching and learning. A master’s cohort in land-based indigenous education from the University of Saskatchewan will detail and summarize their final projects in land-based learning.

The ʻaha organized by Manulani Aluli-Meyer, UH West Oʻahu’s Konohiki of Kūlana o Kapolei, will feature participants and speakers from UH West Oʻahu, Kumu Pono Associates, Cultural Surveys Hawaiʻi, Volcanoes National Park, Mālama Learning Center, Palehua, Kamehameha Schools, Purple Maiʻa, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, HART , the University of Saskatchewan and others.

The conference is free to attend, but participants are asked to RSVP by December 21.

Light refreshments and lunch will be provided. For more information, contact Manulani Aluli-Meyer at manulani@hawaii.edu.

—By Greg Wiles