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Indigenous Peoples' Day

Audio Tour

Tour Stop 1
Ka Mo‘olelo o Kamō‘ili‘ili

Learn all about the moʻolelo, or story, of the famous goddess Hiʻiaka and a giant moʻo, or lizard, named Kamō‘ili‘ili, for which this place was named.

Tour Stop 2
Mele Hawaiʻi Kahiko

On this audio tour stop, let us begin on a knowledge-seeking journey of ancient Hawaiian music (mele) and chants (oli). Mele and oli have been an important part of Hawaiian history for over a thousand years.

Tour Stop 3
Lāʻau Scavenger Hunt

Discover all the lāʻau or indigenous plants that line the walkway between Sullivan Center and the Upper Gym.

Tour Stop 4
The Waikīkī Ahupuaʻa

At this stop, learn about the ahupuaʻa of Waikīkī, a land division created to properly manage resources across the land, such as water and plants.


Lower School mural project -- "Mōhala i ka wai ka maka o ka pua"

With the help of the Estria Foundation, co-founded by Estria Miyashiro '86, Lower School students conceived of a wonderful mural through meditation, research and hands-on experiences. The end result on the wall the new Ai Family Learning Center is entitled "Mōhala i ka wai ka maka o ka pua," which is a Hawaiian proverb that translates to "Unfolded by the water are the faces of the flowers."

Layers of meaning can be found within the beautiful “Mele Mural.” Water, of course, is a fundamental resource that gives life to the land and its people, but it also is a figurative allusion to other sources of health and wellness. The flowers also represent children, as they too bloom when there are good resources and healthful conditions.

In addition, the students learned that the ‘ahupua‘a in which the current ‘Iolani School campus sits was previously the kalo-basket of O‘ahu. This was made possible by several streams and springs in the Manoa and Waikiki watersheds, which fed the kalo and in turn fed the people.

The challenge for the future is to care properly for the land, the school and its resources to ensure that children continue to thrive and bloom long into the future.