Why did you choose Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani?

I chose to get an education at Ka Haka ʻUla because of my initial goal to become fluent in Hawaiian language and it was apparent that I could achieve this because of the emphasis of the college on student's achieving language fluency. Also when seeing the motto of the college, "language is the fiber that binds us to our cultural identity", my perspective of life fully changed and I realized the importance of Hawaiian language acquisition as a means for the Hawaiian identity to thrive.

What is the value of Ka Haka ʻUla to you?

Obtaining an education here is valuable because of the linguistic foundation and the educational fostering philosophy–the Kumu Honua Mauli Ola– that is woven into all lessons of all Ka Haka ʻUla classes from the Bachelor's level all the way to the Doctorate's. These aspects are indeed an immovable foundation for a contemporary Hawaiʻi lifestyle and an exemplary example cultivating new Hawaiian leaders in the generations to come.

How did you grow as a person and how was your life impacted because of your time at Ka Haka ʻUla?

This program shaped and cultivated my goals in ways I could not have conceptualized at the start. Through the Master's program in Hawaiian language and literature, I was able to research and deduce that identity-rich, Hawaiʻi music is really an avenue to showcase the vitality of the Hawaiian nation. Now, I am a Hawaiian language resource coordinator at the Hale Kuamoʻo and a doctoral student in the Hawaiian and Indigenous Performance Studies program at UH Mānoa, revitalizing Hawaiian identity through music and multimedia education. My perspective has greatly grown in my academic journey at Ka Haka ʻUla.