Representations of Pacific Life Course culminating event participants.
Students in Hawai‘i Pacific University’s Spring 2026 Representations of Pacific Life course brought classroom learning to life through a culminating talk story and pā‘ina. Held on April 27 at HPU’s Aloha Tower Marketplace, the gathering marked the culmination of a semester-long interview project focused on sustainability and civic engagement.
Guided by their professor, Micheline Soong, Ph.D., students engaged directly with community members across Hawai‘i, building meaningful connections through in-depth interviews.
A number of these community participants joined the students for the culminating event. Attendees included:
- Della Au Belatti, Hawai‘i State House of Representatives member and 2026 candidate for U.S. House of Representatives
- Toni Bissen, Ed.D., J.D., Executive Director of the Pū‘ā Foundation
- Solomon Enos, Artist-in-Residence at Capitol Modern, the Hawai‘i State Art Museum
- Craig Howes, Ph.D., professor of English at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and director of the Center for Biographical Research
- Mehanaokalā Hind, kumu hula and educator
- Shay Kauwe, Hawai‘i Pacific University alumna and published author
- Kealoha, Hawai‘i State Poet Laureate (2012–2022), educator, and artist
- Brandon Maka‘awa‘awa, Vice President of the Nation of Hawai‘i
- Puakea Nogelmeier, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language and Executive Director of Awaiaulu
- Jonathan Kamakawiwo‘ole Osorio, Ph.D., dean of the Hawaiʻinuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
- Jonathan Clark Sypert, dancer, choreographer, and lecturer in dance and drama at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
- Hinaleimoana Wong-Talu (Kumu Hina), kumu hula, filmmaker, and cultural practitioner
- Aiko Yamashiro, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Hawai‘i Council for the Humanities
Together, these voices offered students a wide range of perspectives on sustainability, civic engagement, and cultural responsibility in Hawai‘i.
Students invited their interview subjects, conducted and audio-recorded conversations without the use of AI, and transcribed their discussions for shared learning within the class.
The culminating pā‘ina brought these relationships into a shared space. Students welcomed their guests with a “E Hō Mai” chant, presented lei, and hosted a sit-down meal featuring Hawaiian food and the opportunity to talk story. Each student introduced their guest, sharing insights from their interviews before inviting them to address the group. Guests reflected on the students’ work and encouraged them to remain engaged in their communities and to pursue the positive movement forward of making Hawai‘i a place that can provide for each person’s needs.
The gathering was designed as an intimate class event, creating space for meaningful dialogue and connection. Additional event attendees included HPU’s Acting Dean of the College of Natural and Computational Sciences Carrie Jones, Ph.D., and community members Mary Osorio and Laura Ziehl.
The project and event were made possible through the support of the Trustees’ Faculty Grant Fund, the College of Liberal Arts Department of English and Applied Linguistics, and the College of Natural and Computational Sciences.
Students in the Spring 2026 Representations of Pacific Life course included Bronwyn Almy, Avery Alves, Nicholas Andrade, Layla Brophy, Dallis Cahorshak, Gage Cisneros, Naomi Cummings, Essence Denham-Douglas, Paxton Glenn, Stacy Hanna, Amira Karakaya, Cameron Kline, Grace Osborne, Hayley Pieper, Cameron Prater, Lily Scanlon, and Associate Professor of Comparative Literature Micheline Soong, Ph.D.
