Ke Kula Nā ʻAʻaliʻi Kū Makani o Kaʻū
Hawaiian language immersion education | ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi O Kaʻū
Ke Kula Nā ʻAʻaliʻi Kū Makani o Kaʻū (NAKM) is a place based aloha ʻāina educational experience grounded in Hawaiian language, culture, values and foundation that honor our past while nurturing community contributors and stewards of the future.
Hawaiian Immersion Education
Ke Kula Nā ʻAʻaliʻi Kū Makani o Kaʻū, is located in the ʻili of Kaʻū the largest and southern most district of Hawai’i, in the ahupuaʻa of Waiʻōhinu. Kaʻū is steeped in a rich history and legacy, as it is where the first Polynesian voyagers arrived in the Hawaiian archipelago; a wahi pana of Native Hawaiian Aliʻi, and home of the largest nature preserve with the most intact expanse of native forest in the state, and undeveloped coastline.
Ke Kula Nā ʻAʻaliʻi Kū Makani o Kaʻū is a program of ʻO Kaʻū Kākou a non-profit 501(c)(3) community based organization that serves the people of Kaʻū since 2006.
Vision
Ke Kula Nā ʻAʻaliʻi Kū Makani o Kaʻū is an inclusive center of knowledge, beginning with a preschool, where students learn ʻŌlelo Hawai’i and expand by grade level in increments each year. Where ancient practices meet modern technology and integrate computer science as a tool that will connect kanaka maoli globally and preserve our traditions and cultural practices well through the 21st century and beyond.
Alaka'i
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Kuhikuhina
Raylene Auliʻi (Fujikawa) Moses
Graduate of Na’alehu School, Ka’ū High School, Hawaiʻi Community College, and the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, Raylene has been on a mission to improve the quality of life for our community through business, education, health care, and affordable housing.In her various roles within the community, she has worked in providing opportunities for employment, in teaching social emotional learning to youth who struggle with traditional classroom settings, in striving diligently with O Ka’u Kakou to secure an affordable senior housing site for the elderly, our kupuna, and in obtaining Keiki Scholarships for our children, lifesaving equipment for our local hospital, as well as transportation for residents who lack the necessary means. Currently, Raylene is collaborating with several organizations in creating and establishing a Hawaiian Immersion school in Kaʻū where our keiki and kupuna are able to thrive in place-based education.
Advisors & Parent Advocates
Advisors
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Kehau Mauga
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Louisa Lee
Parent Advocates
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Waiʻala Ahn
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Cadence Feeley
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Miki Moses
Berkeley Yoshida
Born and raised in Ka’ū, Berkeley Yoshida traces his family lineage to Hilea Iki and Kehena, Puna. After graduating from Ka’ū High School, he attended Brigham Young University – Hawaii and is a graduate of the Executive Leadership program from Graduate Schools based in Washington D.C. Berkeley currently works for the Department of the Interior-National Park Service with 34 years of service. He also serves as the Pelekikena (President) for the Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka’ū. Currently residing in Pahala with his wife, Leanette, in his spare time, Berkeley helps on the family farm and spends time with mo’opuna.
NoheA Kaʻawa
Nohea is a lineal descendant of Ka’ū, where she was born and lives with her Husband and two Keiki. As a life-long cultural practitioner and Kumu Hula under the traditions of Unukupukupu and Hālau o Kekuhi, she is an advocate for respectful resource management. Having followed an educational background in Hawaiian Studies and Social Science at the University of Hawaiʻi in Hilo, Nohea is employed with the Ka’ū branch of The Nature Conservancy as the Hawai’i Island Forest Program Coordinator, works part-time with Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund and is the President of Ka ‘Ohana o Honu’apo and the founder of ‘Iewe Hānau o ka ‘Āina. Nohea appreciates the opportunity to host interpretive hikes as she loves to share mo’olelo wahi pana (stories of her home) but most importantly, she takes pride in being able to connect and assist others in sharing the practice of Aloha ʻĀina (love of the land).