Aloha, It’s More Than Hello | Noelani Kamalu | TEDxBYU

The Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS) is proud to share the following presentation by crewmember Noelani Kamalu who graced the stage at TEDxBYU. Noelani has been a PVS crewmember since 2009. She currently works for Kanu o Ka ʻĀina Charter School’s Ka Oha program and is very passionate about education. During the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage, she served as an educational specialist, and an apprentice navigator.

When presented with the opportunity to speak at TEDxBYU, Noelani embraced the opportunity to speak at her one hanau, about her heritage, and especially appreciated the support of her family both from Hawaiʻi and Utah. It took several drafts and trial runs to create the final product that Noelani said “ultimately came from the heart.”

The following comes fromTEDx:

Prior to the Hawaiian Renaissance in the 1970’s, Hawaiians were prohibited from speaking their language and participating in cultural traditions.

Noelani discusses the benefits that arise when individuals and communities embrace their heritage—for Hawaiians it means seizing the spirit of Aloha. Noelani Kamalu is a crew member of the historic voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa. The canoe was built as a replica of an ancient Polynesian vessel during the second Hawaiian Renaissance-a time that saw the revitalization of Hawaiian culture and pride after decades of negative stereotypes.

Hōkūleʻa’s successful voyage to Tahiti in 1976 played a major role in reigniting cultural identity. Kamalu received her bachelor’s in Hawaiian language and has spent the last decade teaching at Hawaiian-focused charter schools. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx