Kuliamai Aveiro-Kalaniopio, Native Hawaiian, is from rural district of Kohala in a small town known as Waimea. He is a graduate University of Hawaii at Hilo, having studied Hawaiian Studies, and is a middle school teacher, youth volleyball coach, and mentor.

Kapuna and The Spirit of Aloha

Located on the northern tip of the Island of Hawaii, North Kohala is large in land area (133 square miles) and small in population (6,500 residents with 1,500 under the age of 18) with two main villages, Hawi, and Kapa’au. In the town of Hawi, where Kohala Schools Complex is located, 24% of households with children are living below poverty level. High rates of substance use leave many students being raised by grandparents, foster families, and single parent households. Although Kohala schools include some aspects of Hawaiian arts and culture, exposure is limited, and schools cannot devote sufficient time or resources for hands-on programs with a local and meaningful focus.

“These communities are isolated, rural, agricultural and have a rich history of traditional cultural practices. But our treasured kupuna (elders) are passing and taking with them the unique traditions, stories, and practices. Ancient Hawaiian people wrote chants, songs and dances that share stories of places and people of Hawaii. This was the life my ancestors lived, and I want to keep the history of Kohala alive and celebrate the beauty of my Hawaiian people and their culture.”