He Ali'i Ka 'Āina Educator Conference 2026

Join us this October for another transformative 2-day professional development conference dedicated to integrating the principles of aloha ‘āina and ea into educational practices. Held at Kamehameha Schools Kapālama Middle School on October 8 and 9, 2026 from 8:15 am to 3:00 pm, the 3rd Annual He Aliʻi Ka ʻĀina Educator Conference is designed to empower kumu with the tools, resources, and networks you need to incorporate place-based and Hawaiian Culture-Based Education (HCBE) in classrooms. Our hui of educators, community leaders, and cultural practitioners is committed to fostering a deeper connection between haumāna, ʻāina, ʻike kūpuna, and community. Daily breakfast and lunch as well as conference makana are included in your $100 registration fee. Conference Theme: Commemorating 1976 and the Hawaiian Renaissance In 1976, the Hawaiian Renaissance peaked with the historic maiden voyage of the Hōkūleʻa to Tahiti, alongside the "Kahoʻolawe Nine’s" occupation to protest U.S. Navy bombing, sparking the Protect Kahoʻolawe ʻOhana (PKO) movement and the long fight to return the island to Native stewardship. It was a pivotal year of cultural revival, land activism, and the first inclusion of men's hula in the Merrie Monarch Festival. Additionally, the University of Hawaiʻi established its first B.A. programs in Hawaiian Language and Studies, and Hale Nauā III was established to perpetuate and revitalize traditional Hawaiian arts and crafts. The events of 1976 were part of a broader, decade-long movement that began with the Kalama Valley protests (1970–1971) and culminated in the creation of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) in 1978. Together, these defining moments of 1976 illuminate a powerful resurgence of Hawaiian identity, activism, and cultural pride that continues to inspire and shape Hawaiʻi today. This conference encourages educators to prepare all students to be informed, respectful, and responsible members of this place, grounded in Hawaiian values, history, and ways of knowing—while still honoring the diversity each student brings. Strands: Strand 1: ʻO kēia ʻuʻuku e nui ana: Small Beginnings, Enduring Futures “O kēia ʻuʻuku e nui ana” This ʻōlelo noʻeau, which translates to “This smallness will be big later,” reminds us that small beginnings can grow into something great. Said of a small child who will grow into adulthood, the proverb reflects the importance of nurturing keiki from their earliest years. Mary Kawena Pukui recorded this proverb as ʻŌlelo Noʻeau #2458, describing how something small may later develop into something large or significant. In this strand, we explore how early learning environments—from birth through the early grades—can intentionally nurture identity, culture, and connection to ʻāina through ʻike kūpuna, ʻohana engagement, and culture-based practices. Together, we will reflect on how the small moments of early learning can help cultivate future generations who carry forward ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, ʻike kūpuna, and aloha ʻāina. Strand 2: Ea: Civics, Political Engagement, & Activism “Our ancestors are always with us as long as we think of them, talk to them, engage them in our thinking and planning and beliefs and actions.” - Kekuni Blaisdell One of the foundations of Hawaiian education is the cultivation of active participation in nationhood. In this strand, we explore how to integrate civics, social justice, and lāhui into the curriculum, and reflect on their outcomes for individuals and community. Strand 3: Hawaiian Histories, Hawaiian Futures “I Ka Wā Ma Mua, Ka Wā Ma Hope” Meaningful inquiry, lifelong learning, and interest in perpetuating Hawaiian language and culture can be born in the classroom. The repositories of knowledge present in nūpepa, ʻāina (names, winds, rains, etc.), oli, mele, and ʻōlelo noʻeau can help inspire curriculum, scaffold learning, guide reflection, and craft exploratory questions. In this strand, we will explore the wealth of primary and secondary historical resources available to us and reflect on their use in and outside of the classroom. Strand 4: Hana Noʻeau: Honoring Intellectual Rigor Through Aesthetic and Artistic Practice “ʻAʻohe pau ka ʻike i ka hālau hoʻokahi” A fundamental pillar of Hawaiian ʻike has always been the practice of the aesthetic arts. Weaving, printing, carving, oli, hula: all artistic practices that can allow students to demonstrate their learning in multiple ways. In this strand, you will have the opportunity to hear from artists in various disciplines and explore ways to bring these practices into your classroom. Strand5: Aloha ‘Āina: Nurturing Future Protectors of Hawai‘i “The danger with aloha ‘āina was that it was becoming something like Christmas or Easter, where aloha ‘āina became, ‘Let’s go down to the beach and pick up rubbish.’ For us, aloha ‘āina means you were going to give up your life in order to protect that island. Our aloha ʻāina was militant in its approach because we had nothing.” - Walter Ritte This strand focuses on fostering a deep connection to Hawaiʻi’s land and natural resources through ʻāina-based practices. Strand 6: Hawaiian Culture-Based Education (HCBE) Pedagogy: Translating Theory to Practice “We help each other, we listen more, and we trust in one another again. We find our Hawaiian essence reflected in both the process and product of our efforts. That is Hawaiian education, and understanding our Hawaiian epistemology is our foundation, our kumupaʻa. So, let it be said and let it be known: We have what we need. We are who we need.” - Dr. Manulani Meyer. As educators consider how to carry the movement of Hawaiian teaching and learning into the future, it is worthwhile to reflect on and explore the pedagogies, philosophies, and practices that help center Hawaiian epistemology and reinforce ancestral systems of learning. Strand7: Evolution of ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi: From Renaissance to Regeneration “Ua ola loko i ke aloha” Becoming an ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi speaker is one of the most profound acts of liberation to emerge from the Hawaiian Renaissance of the 1970s. What began as a cultural awakening has grown into a multigenerational movement to reclaim and regenerate a language once pushed to the brink of extinction. As ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi education has expanded, kumu across Hawaiʻi have carried the enormous responsibility of rebuilding a living language—often with limited models, resources, or precedents. While many learners have thrived, others have experienced moments of shame or discouragement along the way. These experiences remind us that our approaches must continue evolving, guided by both research on natural language acquisition and the lived realities of our communities. This session invites participants to reflect on how we nurture ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, from keiki to kūpuna, with compassion, cultural grounding, and a commitment to ongoing improvement. Presenters will explore diverse pathways to fluency, strategies to normalize Hawaiian in daily life, and the innovative, strengths‑based pedagogies that kumu and kula are developing and adapting today to amplify ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi across our lāhui.