LAHAINA-The rain did not stop Papa ‘Ōlelo Hawaiʻi from traveling to Lahaina to share manaʻo with one another and Lahainaluna students on Thursday, Dec. 1.

For the Kamehameha Maui Hawaiian language students, the day started with breaking into groups to make small, previously prepared presentations about Lahaina to one another.

Feet quickly shuffled to avoid the rain as the groups separated, and each hui reported to the specific locations they were to present at. The locations were Kamehameha Iki Park, Waiola Congregational Church, and a lot near Front Street.

At Kamehameha Iki Park, Kumu Kalei Aarona-Lorenzo’s class shared ʻike on the hale they were standing under.

In the lot, Kumu Henohea Kane’s hui listened to a presentation about the four major Hawaiian gods and life and death. Kumu Henohea said, “It is too much of a burden to place on you so we need to balance it out,” when talking about death. Also, her class preformed a hula.

The Waiola group was with Kumu Kuʻulei Alcomindras-Palakiko, and her class chanted about the rain. After the chant, the students walked among the gravestones to pay their respects to the kupuna buried there.

After, all of the groups boarded the buses and were driven to Lahainaluna High School where the school’s Papa ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi greeted them.

At the school, there was a quick history lesson on the start of Lahainaluna in the library, and then the Lunas sang their alma mater.

Sophomore Seana Lanias said, “The students were so welcoming…I feel I got a better understanding of a significant place on Maui.”

Then student volunteers gave KS Maui students a campus tour, where they pointed out culturally significant buildings.

At the end of the day, the students once again piled into the buses and headed back to the Kamehameha campus.

However, the exhausted students had to sit in the Lahaina traffic due to a road blockage resulting in the students arriving a half hour after school had finished.

Sophomore Jayden Tanaka said, “I’m just glad we made it back to school and didn’t get stuck out there.”

Gallery • 6 Photos

Photo by Deven Aruda

Sophomores Dane Abarra, Dana Bui, and Jaden Tanaka look at the open lot after being dropped off by the bus.