Huliau: A turning point
When it comes to people’s relationship with their environment Hawai`i and the rest of the world are at a turning point. This coming generation will face many changes and challenges that past generations did not face. However, they could also face them with the tools, skills and global perspective that past generations never had. Our responsibility as members of the community is to help them develop these things.
Huliau: A time of change
The main focus of our programs is on ages 12-18. These teenage years are a crucial time of change for young people. During this time young people start to question their identity, their place in social circles, and even (uh-oh!) their parents.
In our society, this developmental stage is often dreaded as a time of rebellion, and dangerous experimentation. Yet cultures throughout history have embraced it as time for the community to step in, give direction to this youthful energy and help young people find their place in the community.
Huliau: To recall the past
When used as a verb, huliau means “to recall the past”. In planning where we are going, we must first reflect on where we came from.
Reflecting on Hawai`i’s unique history allows students to better understand present day issues and to help plan for the future. Students are encouraged to look beyond textbooks to community members who provide living connections to our past. Hawaiian cultural values and traditional practices provide students with models for how to build a strong community and manage natural resources sustainably.
Though Hawai`i has undergone decades of change, these values and practices have been kept alive by members of our community. In a modern day Hawai`i very dependent on outside resources for survival, these sustainable models from our past can be built upon to create a sustainable future for our islands.