Aua ia: Holding On

Set in 2019, four haumana (students) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa embark on a research project that takes them into the repository of 19th century Hawaiian language archival materials. Delving into the archives, the haumana begin to interrogate the histories of Ko Hawaii Pae Aina (the Hawaiian archipelago). They seek the meaning of mana (divine power/authority) and an understanding of lahui (nation) as they reframe the narrative of Kanaka Maoli. In connecting with their kupuna (ancestors) and affirming their foundation as Kanaka Maoli, they discover their mana in the resilience of their kupuna to retain their heritage.