Her carefully crafted module exploring kalo (taro) offers educators a profound window into Hawaiian culture, guided by the Hawaiian principle “He aliʻi ka ʻāina, he kauwā ke kanaka” – Land is chief and man is its servant. This foundational concept shapes how Pua teaches about kalo, which represents far more than just sustenance—it embodies the deep connection between land, people, and tradition. 

As both an educator and the author of the children’s book “My Kalo Has Lau, Big and Green,” Pua weaves together the parts of a kalo with the symbolism within our ʻike Hawaiʻi (cultural wisdom). Her lesson plan reveals how the very structure of the Hawaiian word ʻohana (family) comes from ʻohā, the kalo’s offspring buds bundled with the mature hā (stalks), illustrating how deeply this plant is intertwined with Hawaiian cultural concepts of family and community. 

The module provides educators with rich, hands-on activities that help students explore these connections while learning about sustainable agricultural practices that have sustained Hawaiian communities for generations. Through Pua’s guidance, students discover how traditional Hawaiian farming systems maximized efficiency and minimized waste, offering valuable lessons for contemporary environmental stewardship. 

Pua’s kalo module is part of a broader educational resource titled “Celebrating Cultural Inclusion in the School Garden” available through Kids Gardening. This module is great for K-5 educators who are looking to effectively center cultural learning in their school garden program. Educators and parents can access this comprehensive teaching resource, along with other valuable garden-based learning materials, by visiting KidsGardening.org. As a nonprofit educational organization, KidsGardening.org relies on sponsors and donors to provide these free garden-based resources to parents and educators, ensuring that cultural knowledge and garden education remain accessible to all who wish to learn and teach. 

From the first year of the Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards in 1978, recognition has been given to individuals whose lifetime achievements and contributions to Hawaiian music and Hawaiʻi’s recording industry set them apart from their peers and colleagues. Alongside Aaron Mahi who received the Lifetime Achievement Awards were Jeff Apaka, Patience Namaka Bacon, Jay Larrin, and Dr. Puakea Nogelmeir.

Throughout his time with PIDF, ʻAnakala Aaron is sure to be seen with his ukulele. He has produced music for read-along CDs in PIDF books like My Kalo has Lau, Big and Green and Noa the Puhi Learns to Let Go. His ʻike in Hawaiian culture during staff professional development trainings or program huakaʻi shares the charisma of people and place through mele, oli, and moʻolelo.

“Aaron Mahi is a man for all seasons and all reasons,” said Billy Richards, Hui Nohona Manager. “I have known him for more than a few years, but even before we made our acquaintance I knew “of him” as he rose to prominence in the early 1980’s as the Royal Hawaiian Band Master. We at Partners in Development Foundation have a living treasure in our midst; a talented individual in many aspects of music, theology, and Hawaiian Culture. We are blessed to have him as a part of our PIDF ‘Ohana.”

Congratulations Aaron! This latest of your many awards and recognitions is well deserved— Eo!

Read more about Aaron Mahi shared by the Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts.

From a very humble beginning, a young Hawaiian rose to become a linguist, a composer, a kahu and one of Hawaiʻi’s foremost conductors.

Aaron David Mahi was born on July 9, 1953, and from early on gravitated to music. At age 14, Aaron was selected as one of only 37 students to receive a Honolulu Symphony Orchestra mentored scholarship. He graduated from Kamehameha Schools in 1971, and from Connecticut’s Hartt School of Music in 1975. He also studied at the Herbert Bloomsted Institute of Conducting in California.

By 1976 Aaron was headlining concert billings with the new Windward Symphony Orchestra and as a jazz and rock bass guitarist. But he also focused on cultural perspectives in music sparked by the Hawaiian Renaissance of the time. As a member of Hui Aloha ʻAina Tuahine, UH Mānoa’s Hawaiian club he appeared on the Nani Award winning album Ka Leo Hawaiʻi released in 1977. At that time he joined the group Kaimana – Haunani Apoliona, Haunani Bernadino, and Eldon Akamine – on their second album Nalani – Nālani Olds with Kaimana (Pumehana Records). In 1978 Aaron was commissioned to create string arrangements for Kanaka – Captain Cook, A Bicentennial Tribute 1778 – 1978 (Pumehana Records) a recording commemorating the bicentennial arrival of Captain Cook.

By 1979 Aaron joined the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra as a bassist and began a stint conducting. Newly elected Honolulu mayor Aileen Anderson appointed Aaron bandmaster of the Royal Hawaiian Band in 1981, the first native Hawaiian bandmaster since Charles E King in 1933. His tenure would continue for the next 24 years.

Under Aaron’s direction highlights of the Band included a seven-nation European tour in 1983. The Royal Hawaiian Band was presented a shellenbaum, a band instrument, and a replica of one presented to King Kalākaua in 1881. Aaron was awarded the Golden Ring of Honor by the Association of German Musicians. Another milestone was a Carnegie Hall concert in 1988. The Friends of the Royal Hawaiian Band released The Royal Hawaiian Band Live at Carnegie Hall to commemorate the concert Part I (FRB 002) and Part II (FRB 003).

Over the years Aaron has participated in more than 20 recording projects performing and contributing liner notes. He continues to chart new musical arrangements for the Royal Hawaiian Band and for the Kamehameha Schools annual song contests. Aaron was awarded the German Order of Merit in 2003 and given the title, “Bundesverdienstkreuz.”

His service to the community includes his work as a kahu. Aaron has served as the kahu of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs and currently serves as head kahu of the Makiki Community of Christ Church. From 2009 to present, Kahu Aaron Mahi is a part of the Hui Nohona culture team for Partners in Development Foundation.

One definition of mahi is to cultivate; Aaron Mahi has cultivated much in the music annals of Hawaiʻi. For his outstanding work as a maestro, for his contributions to Hawaiʻi’s recording arts industry and for his unwavering dedication in community service, the Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts presents its Highest Award, the Lifetime Achievement Award to Maestro and Kahu Aaron David Mahi.

Since 2009, Aaron Mahi has been a part of the Partners in Development Foundation (PIDF) Hui Nohona culture team. He helps to bring Hawaiian cultural practices and traditions to our staff and program families through his wisdom and gift for music.

‘Uncle’ Aaron is arguably most well-known throughout Hawaiʻi nei as Band Master for the Royal Hawaiian Band, a position he held from 1981 to 2005. Through his tenure there, he conducted the Band’s first appearance at the famed Carnegie Hall, the Peace Park in Hiroshima, and in 2003 earned the Medal of Merit from Germany.

Outside of his work at PIDF, Aaron is currently the Second Vice Chair of the Land Use Commission, the Director of the Kamehameha Alumni Glee Club, and is the pastor of the Makiki Community of Christ Church, among many other hats.

Aaron is a Hawaiian Renaissance soul says long-time friend and colleague Nola A. Nāhulu.

Nola is a Hawaiian choral conductor, currently the Artistic Director of the Hawaiʻi Youth Opera Chorus (HYOC) and others. She has known Aaron since their seventh grade year at Kamehameha Schools. “He understands our Hawaiian history and where he’s from, he understands Hawaiian music.”

Nola recounts a few anecdotes of her long working history with Aaron, citing many of his former and current positions. But she explains that through it all, he’s remained humble, hard working, and “very ʻoluʻolu.”

“He’s a very deep soul. He sees more than the person in front of him. He looks into the entire situation and what people contribute to each other. And always in the most positive of ways.”

Peter Young, president of the Board of Trustees for the Hawaiian Mission Houses, worked with Aaron in 2018 for a combined high school choir project. After hearing numerous people tell him the project could not be done, Peter knew he had to get the right person to conduct.

When asked, Aaron said ‘yes’ immediately and the four-school choir was a resounding success. Peter says he hopes it can be repeated in the coming years, and help students across the Islands to understand the history that connects them — something Aaron helped to organize through his efforts

“Aaron is a special person that doesn’t mind who gets the credit. He’ll do things because it’s the right thing to do.”

It’s a sentiment repeated by many who know Aaron, including his colleague Malia Scanlan. Malia is also a Hawaiian Cultural Specialist Assistant with Hui Nohona and has been working with Aaron at PIDF for almost five years.

“He doesn’t just talk about things,” explains Malia. “If he believes in something, he’ll stand up and go and do it. Malia works closely with Aaron in the Hui Nohona team, and they come up with cultural lessons for PIDF staff and program participants.

From Aaron’s regular “Hawaiian Words of the Week” segments to their recent “ʻAi Akua” series, the work of Hui Nohona embodies part of our mission and helps people to better understand and find relevance for Native Hawaiian traditions.

“Uncle Aaron is a treasure to the Hawaiian community. He opens his mouth and pearls drop,” says Malia. Malia talks about Aaron’s innate ability to explain things in a way that every individual can understand, “because it’s coming from that viewpoint of aloha, which is at his core.”

Described as an enthusiastic and engaging teacher, Aaron brings this “viewpoint of aloha” into all of his work and personal interactions.

Mahalo nui loa, Uncle Aaron, for all the incredible work you do here at Partners in Development Foundation, and in our communities!

The trainings were with our Ka Paʻalana program, first piloting the lessons with our program caregivers at Ka Paʻalana’s parenting class. The next day the lessons were conducted with our Ka Paʻalana staff. The trainings involved our value of pono, or goodness, morality — the idea of doing the right thing at the right time and for the right reasons.

Each lesson is half storytelling or myth, and half hands-on activity, and embeds Hawaiian cultural traditions in modern-day practices. Hui Nohona is constantly striving to bring the best practices to our staff and program families. After each training or webinar, participants complete evaluation forms. Our culture team uses these to ensure that what they are teaching is interesting, practical, and fun!

One important element of Hui Nohona’s work is to ensure that the cultural lessons are transferable to keiki. “We make sure that caregivers and teachers can take our lessons and translate them down to keiki,” says Hawaiian Cultural Specialist Assistant Malia Scanlan. “These activities are made for them to use with the kids.”

Hui Nohona has also been working with our Tūtū and Me program staff developing a curriculum based on PIDF’s five core values: aloha, lōkahi, mālama, pono, and poʻokela. The curriculum is being presented in a series of webinars in order to reach our outer island

Besides the internal webinars and classes for program families, Hui Nohona frequently has a presence at different PIDF events. At Ka Paʻalana’s annual health fair in October, Malia discussed some traditional Hawaiian medicine through ʻhealingʻ herbal teas: māmaki (a nettle), ʻōlena (turmeric), and koʻokoʻolau, a critically endangered plant native only to the island of Molokaʻi.

Health Fair participants were invited to make their own juice from freshly pulled ʻōlena, and sample the different teas. The juice was so potent, many participants said it burned almost like alcohol! Malia explained how according to Hawaiian tradition, the best time to pick herbal medicines is when the moon is fullest.

The Hui Nohona team has been a vital resource for both the staff at PIDF and our program families, as we seek to further our mission of serving Hawaiian families through timeless Hawaiian values.

Nine years ago, when Dill was approached by the Hawai‘i Department of Human Services (DHS) to collaborate on foster care, he realized that foster care was an integral part of the Hawaiian culture (hānai). “I remember my mother letting people in need stay with us until they were able to leave, and I did the same with my children and their friends,” said Dill. Because majority of the children in foster care are Hawaiian, Dill was motivated to look at ways to create transformational change within Child Welfare Services (CWS).

Since PIDF started working with DHS, their program, Hui Ho‘omalu, has worked with over 17,000 families in the foster care system. In 2015, PIDF served over 11,500 people and since its inception, it has served over 55,000 people, managing over $90M in grants. Hui Ho‘omalu is a program that specializes in recruiting and training individuals to become resource caregivers for foster youth living in Hawaii. The Hui Ho‘omalu staff focuses on providing training on Hawaiian culture, values and protocol while bridging DHS and the Hawaiian Community by assisting in building trusting relationships with communities, community leaders, and other organizations; connections that support the direction and mission of the program, giving relatives priority in child placement.

Although Dill was unable to receive the award (in person) at the Annual Angels in Adoption Gala in Washington D.C., he was surprised when U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono paid him an unexpected visit to present him with his Angel in Adoption award as well as a Special Congressional Recognition certificate.

Over the course of two days, ASB managers and executives experienced a variety of cultural traditions including preparing the imu, cooking traditional foods, coconut palm weaving, chanting, and listening to Hawaiian legends. The story of ‘Umi and the concept of servant-leadership resonated with the group as they watched Rich Wacker, ASB President and CEO, step into the pit to set the pohaku (stones) and light the ahi (fire).

A major concept behind the practice of imu is Laulima – many hands coming together in unity. Alone, creating an imu would be a daunting task, but with the help of many friends the work goes quickly. The leaders of ASB were naturals at working together and made it through the variety of new challenges presented with ease.

As part of this traditional Hawaiian experience, participants prepared and cooked a 135 pound pig, 4 trays of lau lau, sweet potatoes, lomi salmon, luau stew, chicken long rice, kulolo, and haupia. After a feast at the end of the event, the excess food was donated to PIDF’s Ka Pa‘alana Homeless Family Education program for our many clients along the leeward coast of O‘ahu.

Many mahalos to American Savings Bank, the Hawaii Tourism Authority, and Hui Nohona (the culture team) at the Partners in Development Foundation for making this wonderful event possible.

The cultural team leaders heading this project are, ʻIokepa De Santos and Aaron Mahi (pictured above) who are well-established members of the Hawaiian community as culture consultants and teachers for over 20 years. You may also recognize Aaron from when he served as the Bandmaster of the Royal Hawaiian Band from 1981 to 2005. Together, these two regularly lead imu events for PIDF programs that serve at-risk youth and families on the Waiʻanae coast and their dedication to the perpetuation of the Hawaiian culture can bee seen through every aspect of their work.

In Hawaiian culture, mana is a spiritual quality that is considered to have supernatural origin, a sacred force. It is a form of a spiritual energy in addition to healing power, which can be found in places, objects as well as within people. Mana can be found in just about everything in existence and may either be good or evil, beneficial or dangerous.

Our kūpuna have taught us that there is a chance for us to gain or lose mana in everything that we do. Hopefully for us who work at PIDF, mana is often possessed or gained through our pono thoughts, words and actions, respecting the balance that exists in our lives and our kuleana to find and maintain that balance, being mindful that there is a proper time and place for everything.

Historically in Hawai‘i, there have been two paths to mana. Some have found that delicate balance between Kū and Hina; others have found it between Kū and Lono.

Figuratively speaking in English, using “kai nō” in this manner can be seen as a colloquial way of saying something like, “I thought we were supposed to work on Friday, but it was a holiday,” as compared to the more formal example, “I had no prior knowledge that there was a holiday last week.”

Our kūpuna had a way with words and idioms. If you looked deep enough, you could find a response, which created balance in such a conversation in Hawaiian. An appropriate response to “kai nō” would be “eia kā” (“At last!” or “There it is!”). These phrases may also present themselves in situations other than verbally. You might even see it in action at work with keiki or caregivers. There may be some times that they don’t quite give a correct answer to a question or they thought they found the right solution but didn’t succeed, you know that they’re still trying to figure it out. That can be seen as an example of the term, “kai nō.”

When they do finally figure it out and that ‘light bulb’ goes on, that could be seen as an example of “eia kā.”

In the time of our kūpuna (ancestors), their only source of communication was through the oral language. There was no written language in Hawaiʻi prior to the 1800ʻs. All our moʻolelo (stories), genealogies, commemoration of births or deaths, remembrance of historical events and all-important information was shared through the ʻōlelo, the oral language.

With this in mind we need to understand how important their chosen words were for our ancestors when they were communicating. A genealogical chant or the history of an important event could be altered if the ʻōlelo was misunderstood, misinterpreted or spoken (or chanted) incorrectly.

If a piece of information was to be passed on to ten people separately, it would not be uncommon to have the original message change at least five times if it went to ten different people on separate occasions (depending on each individual’s interpretation of what was heard). In today’s society, when a piece of information is passed verbally to someone, who passes it on to another, who then passes it on to someone else, it may possibly be referred to as gossip.

Although we may have many forms of communication in addition to oral language, such as text and email, which is very common now, the principle of ʻōlelo still remains the same. We must choose our words carefully whether spoken or written because misinterpretation, misunderstanding and incorrectly passing on information (written or oral) could “make or break” a situation.

Honi ihu (the touching of nose to nose) is a traditional form of greeting one another. It is the practice of hanu, taking in the essence of another, and respectfully acknowledging the presence of his/her ancestors.

Hanu can also be used as a technique to calm one self. Inhale and take in the “great breath,” then exhale. Practicing this can help us to become grounded and to center ourselves in times of adversity, aggravation, impatience and intolerance; especially those times when things just aren’t going your way.