This summer, the University of Hawaii will have the opportunity to showcase its value to the community at the nation’s capitol.
This summer, the University of Hawaii will have the opportunity to showcase its value to the community at the nation’s capitol.
The Association for Public and Land-Grant Universities has invited UH to be one of only 20 universities featured in the highly popular annual Smithsonian APLU Folklife Festival from June 27 to July 8 at the national mall in Washington, D.C.
The UH contingent will feature and celebrate the best in indigenous culture and modern science, and demonstrate that the two worlds can and are being bridged through education and community outreach.
The university is world famous for its excellence in the fields of astronomy, earth and ocean sciences, and marine biology.
It serves as an incubator and teaching resource in perpetuating the Hawaiian culture and is fast becoming the “model indigenous-serving university” in the country, increasing access to higher education for Hawaiians and leading the effort to preserve Hawaiian culture, language and practices, said spokeswoman Megan Saito.
In that spirit, close to 90 delegates from the UH System and the community it serves around the state will travel to the nation’s capitol to showcase the universities’ projects and programs.
More than one million festival visitors can expect engaging exhibits which highlight health and healing with experts Claire Hughes and Gordon “Umi” Kai; astronomy, featuring Kalepa “Chad” Baybayan; plants used for food, medicine and clothing, featuring expert Makahiapo Cashman; and Hawaiian entertainment, led by kumu hula Taupouri Tangaro of Hawaii Community College.
Under the direction of Tangaro, HCC will be represented by 25 Unukupukupu members of faculty, staff, students and administrators who will conduct various workshops and hula auana and kahiko performances throughout the festival.
Some of the workshops include lauhala weaving, lei hulu (feather-lei), kalai (wood carving) demonstrations as well as hands-on workshops for ukeke (stringed instrument), hei (string and chants) and basic hula lessons.
HCC’s Unukupukupu has also been invited to perform at the Library of Congress Coolidge Auditorium on June 26.
“The Smithsonian Folklife Festival will give the university and state of Hawaii invaluable exposure that could boost tourism and business. It also gives the university and its festival participants the unique opportunity to learn from other cultures and people,” said Saito.