KAI NOA Scholarship Fund
About the Honoree
Noelle Bali is the owner and designer of KAI NOA Swimwear. KAI NOA’s mission is to educate people about native cultures worldwide by creating unique swimwear that combine fashion, functionality, and culturally inspired patterns. They provide an opportunity for their consumers to bridge the gap between fashion and humanitarianism by donating to research, sustainability, educational projects and/or charities within each particular culture.
The first swim collection was released for Hawai‘i. According to Noelle, “This collection is inspired by kalo, the root of Hawaiian culture; our ancestor, eldest brother, and only staple that fed and supported the Hawaiian people from the beginning of their existence. For many native cultures, the land is the provider. If we as children take care of the land, it will nurture and in return, take care of us. Thus, our journey begins in the native Hawaiian Islands, where we believe kalo carries the spirit of the Hawaiian people and where we believe our ancestors have instilled in us the relationship between Man and Earth; the concept that we are dependent on the crops the land produce; the concept of Aloha ‘Āina. Kalo is indeed a great reminder to persist to grow roots upon the foundation our ancestors have set for us.”
Since its existence, the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo’s Ka Haka ‘Ula O Ke‘elikōlani College of Hawaiian Language has been known for doing exactly this and beyond. The College is known for having an exceptional Hawaiian Studies program that is the leader in indigenous language revitalization in the United States as well as the first college in the world to educate through the medium of Hawaiian.
Reason for the Gift
Those at KAI NOA Swimwear have long admired the College’s ethos and are honored to create this scholarship fund to students of Ka Haka ‘Ula O Ke‘elikōlani. The KAI NOA Scholarship is committed to supporting those who are dedicated to researching and revitalizing all areas and forms of Hawaiian knowledge.
Scholarship Eligibility Criteria
- Full-time or part-time undergraduate student pursuing a degree in Hawaiian language at UH Hilo’s Ka Haka ‘Ula O Ke‘elikōlani College of Hawaiian Language
- Minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0
- Show financial need
To Apply
You can download the English-language form-fillable PDF (which will be available around the end of the fall 2016 semester) to start the application for this scholarship. Remember the deadline is April 7, 2017.