Kamehameha Schools Maui students honored Princess Pauahi in a Color Run and Princess Fest, closing out the ongoing festivities of the last two weeks. The theme was “for the Princess.”
“I think it honors her legacy because the whole high school and middle school is here, and we are all living what she wanted us to be doing,” junior Mia Matsumoto said.
Last week, students donated to Penny Wars, where they competed by grade levels for the highest number of pennies.
“I think Penny Wars was a good idea because it brings class spirit and gets haumāna engaged,” freshman Kawenaluahoana Celebrado said.
Haumāna also purchased pink “Living Her Legacy” bracelets for $3. The donations both support the legacy of Princess Pauahi and raise breast cancer awareness.
“The bracelet sales provided the haumāna the opportunity to give back to their community by supporting the Kahiau Foundation,” said senior Haven De Silva, student body president and Pauahi Week co-chair.
Bracelet purchases included additional color bombs, bundles of colored corn starch, to use during the Pauahi Walk and permission to wear red on Tuesday and pink on Thursday last week.
“My favorite activity was throwing color bombs up at the [Kahekili] field,” 7th-grader Ravyn Kintaro said.
Haumāna also wrote letters to Pauahi, telling of blessings they received because of her. The letters will be turned into a chain and displayed on campus.
The past two weeks were filled with activities that connected students with their classmates while learning about and honoring Pauahi’s legacy.
If you could ask Princess Pauahi one question, what would it be about?
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At the Pauahi Color Walk, students lined up in the blazing sun after a morning of wind and rain.
“I think the greatest part of the Pauahi Color Walk was getting wet and getting color thrown all over me, and it was cool with all my friends.” sophomore Kuʻumomimakamae Campos said.
Students showed their gratitude for Pauahi while making exciting memories with their friends.
Māhele Luna poʻo, Mr. Lance Cagasan, believes in the strength of the walk as “a culminating event that brings students together.”
He is proud of the way student leaders played a large part in planning this philanthropic event. One reason is that “the funds from this event contribute to the Pauahi Foundation, which lets students give back to her for all she has done.”
Students and teachers alike were thinking about their gratitude for Pauahi.
“Everything that I do now is because I was afforded a great education, and when I was in Kamehameha Schools, it started my Hawaiian journey; I don’t know if I would be this grounded in Hawaiian culture or identity if I didn’t go to Kamehameha,” said Kumu Kuʻulei Alcomindras-Palakiko, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi kumu.
From co-chair Lilinoe Peterson’s perspective, coordinating this event brought her closer to Pauahi. She said that this experience helped her see the different ways she could contribute to Pauahi’s cause.
To close out Pauahi Week, students attended the Princess Fest Carnival on the Kula Kai quad.
“I thought the carnival was a good way for everyone to interact with each other and realize that Pauahi gave so much to us,” said senior Haven De Silva, Pauahi Week co-chair. “Now it’s our turn to give back to each other.”
The carnival was organized by the Associated Students of Kamehameha Schools Maui and staffed by various student clubs.
Junior Mia Matsumoto said her favorite part of the event was “interacting with my friends and other people.”
Several clubs were represented, including the KS Maui HOSA chapter, Manifest the Best Club, the KS Maui band, middle school kumu, and the Papa Lauaʻe senior class government.
“We have a lot of our club leaders giving back to their community,” De Silva said.
Anela Awai-Stewart, leader of the KS Maui Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) chapter, explained the significance of their booth.
“We like to spread awareness about breast cancer, which is how Pauahi, unfortunately, passed away. We’re doing this activity to promote awareness,” she said.
The KS Maui band set up a cup-pong game with fish inside, while the Papa Lauaʻe government organized an activity where students wrote letters to Pauahi.
“It’s a good activity to participate in, reminding ourselves of the challenges others may be facing, and taking time to kākoʻo them by sharing words of encouragement and spreading aloha,” said senior Ceri Zablan, Papa Lauaʻe treasurer.
Students also enjoyed Melona ice cream bars and music during the event.
“My favorite part of all these activities is building pilina with my friends,” junior Alia Romero said. “The fun games are a good way to spend time together and honor Pauahi.”
Each activity was designed to connect students to Pauahi’s legacy.
“I think this honors her legacy by bringing us all together and learning about the different things she’s done in her life,” junior Kamaile Kekahuna said. “In one of the games, you earn candies by answering questions about her.”
Through these activities, students were able to bond with their peers while celebrating the life and legacy of Princess Pauahi.
A lesser-known memorial was an art display of ceramic roses in the garden plots of the arts and communications building courtyard.
The project started when ceramics teacher Kumu Roxy Ragsdale asked her class of 2-3 years ago about “making an art installation that would honor Pauahi.” The roses were initially used for Founderʻs Day that year because red roses were Pauahi’s favorite flower.
“Ceramics 1 and Design 1 also created ceramic roses, and we presented them along with real roses.” Kumu Ragsdale said.
After that ceremony, the roses were not put to use again, but Kumu Ragsdale brainstormed about how to “use these roses that we made.” She started bringing the ceramic roses back.
Last year, her class made pink roses for Maui in the wake of the Lahaina fire. Though that had a different focus, she hopes that the ceramic roses can be a tradition that can be continued for events like Pauahi Week and Founderʻs Day. Later this year, her classes will once again be making red roses to add to the growing collection.
Poʻo Cagasan • Nov 18, 2024 at 8:49 am
Aloha e staff,
Mahalo for your work and putting out an outstanding product. I enjoyed reading it and it really allowed me to reground myself as I look at my work week/year ahead.
Mahalo for putting Pauahi at the forefront and making her the subject of this first edition; very appropriate!