We honor the weavers and gatherers of the Marshall Islands who are known for the beautiful kili bags that are crafted with the finest, white outer skin of the coconut frond. The kili bag was originally made by Bikini islanders who relocated to Kili atoll during the 1950s. The purse is plaited over Monakjans (wooden molds) using pandanus leaves for the inside of the bag and finely split coconut fibres for the exterior. Hibiscus fibres are sometimes woven in on the outside as a design element.

Donated by Malia Nobrega-Olivera, faculty specialist at Hawaiinuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Community Engagement.  Malia purchased these items on one of her trips to the Marshall islands as a part of a teacher training project called Pacific Voices.

Kamakakuokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies offers a few courses that examine the Pacific from different perspectives.  Here are a few courses that are available through our program-

HWST 107- Hawai‘i: Center of the Pacific
An introduction to the unique aspects of the native point of view in Hawai‘i and in the larger Pacific with regards to origins, language, religion, land, art, history, and modern issues.

HWST 281 Ho‘okele I: Hawaiian Astronomy
Introduction to Hawaiian views of astronomy and the stars used by Polynesian Voyaging Society navigators. Introduction and comparison to various Pacific island non-instrument navigation systems and star names.

HWST 671- Kumu Kahiki: Pacific Life Narratives in Mixed Media and Literature
Research seminar in relevant literary traditions, histories of interaction, colonization, and literary politics in the Pacific region through the examination of life narratives in mixed media and literature.