University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo doctoral candidate Nicholas “Kealiʻi” Lum is turning social media into a classroom for cultural deepening just in time for Mahina ‘Ōlelo Hawaiʻi, or Hawaiian Language Month.
“Hiʻona Haku Mele,” Lum’s new Instagram video series, invites people to explore the poetic soul of Hawaiian music, going beyond conversational speech to discover the unique lexical phrases that distinguish mele, or songs.
Can watch the first video now on Instagram.
“There are specific pieces of language and forms of expression that make mele unique and separate it from common speech,” Lum explained, adding that she was inspired by Kahikina De Silva, an assistant professor at the Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, who recommended she document these poetic devices in her dissertation.
“Hiʻona Haku Mele” was released on February 1 @pewamusic and @kanaeokana on Instagram. New episodes were released every Monday and Thursday throughout the month.
Each one-minute video highlights a specific term, explains its function, and provides examples of recorded albums.
Lum notes that while spoken Hawaiian and the “Mele language” share a foundation, Hawaiian haku mele, or composers, use musical slang to convey ideas in a more descriptive or poetic way.
“Our kūpuna had ways of expressing emotions in a much more beautiful way than saying something so literal,” he said.
“Hiʻona Haku Mele” aims to educate both aspiring haku mele and music lovers by highlighting these linguistic resources and going beyond literal translations to embrace the metaphorical richness of Hawaiian culture and ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi.
The initiative is just one part of Lum’s broader academic and creative journey.
As a doctoral student at the Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language, he was recently named the first recipient of the award. Scholarship and scholarship awarded by Daniel and Lydia Makuakāne.
This award honors the Makuakāne family’s lifelong advocacy for ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi and supports scholars dedicated to the revitalization of indigenous languages.
The scholarship supports Lum’s dissertation “Pewa: I Ola ka ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi i Kona Mele ʻia” – “Pewa: To Let the Hawaiian Language Live Through Its Song” – and her album “Pewa.”
Lum believes that mele is “logogenic”, meaning that the words carry more weight than the musical treatment. His work bridges the gap between younger generations and demonstrates that traditional language can thrive in modern soundscapes.
With the support of a non-profit organization. Kāhuli Leo Le’a and Kanaeokana Online, “Hiʻona Haku Mele” is more than just a musical or lexical lesson, it is an active rejuvenation practice.
“We wanted to publish more content that was accurate and closely related to the vision we have for revitalization,” Lum said.
Follow the series on Instagram @pewamusic to watch the latest episodes.
E aʻo like kākou: let’s learn together.
February is Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, Hawaiian Language Month, which aims to draw attention to the growing vitality of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. This story was produced by University of Hawai’i News and shared by Big Island Now. You can read the original story here.