ʻO Ke kahua mamua, mahope ke kūkulu.

The foundation first, and then the building. (Pukui 1983:268)

 

“ʻO Ke Kahua Mamua, Mahope Ke Kūkulu” speaks to developing a strong foundation first, before constructing the hale or building on top of it. We relate this ʻōlelo noʻeau to our educational internship programs in which we strive to develop a strong foundation of Native Hawaiian and kamaʻāina Wahi Kūpuna Stewards in order to huli, or transform, the fields of archaeolgoy and cultural resource management in Hawaiʻi. Huliauapaʻa’s internship programs incorporate various dimensions of Wahi Kūpuna Stewardship by utilizing a multidisciplinary approach in our curriculum. As the weaving of different knowledge systems and techniques aligns with the holistic beliefs and practices of our kūpuna and is an essential aspect of our culturally-grounded approach.