Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 40, Number 10, 1 October 2023 — A Home-like Space for Kamali'i in Waimānalo [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A Home-like Space for Kamali'i in Waimānalo

> E 'ONIPA'A KAKOU V ^ BE STEADFAST "

By Amy Gilbert Lili'uokalani Trust's "Tūtū's Hale" program is held in a I space that makes you feel f as if you are walking into ' the home of a treasured kupuna.

From the portraits on the wall to the slippers outside the front door, the program at LT Waimānalo is for youth who live or have 'ohana roots in the area, allowing them the opportunity to gather, eonnect, and learn new things. First piloted in 2022, Tūtū's Hale was a 12-week afterschool program for 10 kamali'i who participated in expressive art and ola kino (physical heahh) activities, creating a holistic approach to wellness. Today, the program has evolved into a nine-month place-based, weekly afterschool program for 18 kamali'i focused on increasing cultural awareness, encouraging self-expression, and strengthening the connection to self, family, and community. "Tūtus Hale not only teaches self-dis-covery but empowers the next generation of kamali'i to carry on the traditions and values of their ancestors, following the Hawaiian proverb 'ka wā ma mua, ka wā ma hope,' standing firmly in the present, eyes fixed on the past, seeking historical answers for present day dilemmas," said

Hi'ipoi Ho, direct service specialist. Youth learn about themselves and their home through modules on the various parts of Waimānalo, including ahupua'a, kānaka, wai, kai, and aina. During their midyear hō'ike in August, the Queen's beneficiaries demonstrated what they learned by introducing themselves: sharing their name, where they're from, and what they want to be when they grow up - all ma ka olelo Hawai'i (in Hawaiian language). Mākua expressed an overall appreciation for the program, with consistent sentiments that it was "a safe, comfortable space" and "a plaee where they learned and grew a lot." In April 2023, LT completed renovations to its Waimānalo space — one of the many projects undertaken to update and expand LT spaces across the pae aina. Tūtū's Hale has reached its participant capacity, but if you'd like to learn more about the program, contact LT's Hi'ipoi Ho (hho@onipaa.org) or Shay Keliiholokai (skeliiholokai@onipaa.org). To get connected to Lili'uokalani Trust resources in your area, please eall the Mālama Line at 808-466-8080. ■ Amy Gilbert is a communications and marketing intern at Lili'uokalani Trust. She is excited to be part of an organization that supports thriving Hawaiian children and upholds the legacy ofQueen Lili'uokalani.

~ MB j it - r» ^ nil iTC ri^lLAgkMfl '• - '-v Waimanalo kamali'i on an excursion. Monona Island is in the background. - Courtesy Photo