The College of Education (COE) Dean’s Office and the Hui Kaulua hosted a Pilina salad potluck to celebrate Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian Language month) with games and prizes on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 in the Wist Hall College Collaboration Center (CCC) from 12:30–2:30pm.
The Hui Kaulua is spearheading the creation of a five-year NHPoL Strategic Action Plan that will move the college closer to becoming a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning. The Cohort Kaulua emphasizes that pilina (connection, reciprocal relationships) is the foundation for this work, and the initial focus as a hui is (re)building pilina with food and face-to-face events.
More than 30 COE students, faculty, staff, and administrators came together to share a meal together and to celebrate Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi. Salad greens were provided, and participants were invited to bring their favorite salad toppings to share. Attendees were encouraged to learn ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi through the Keola bingo game. Associate Dean Cecily Ornelles thanked the organizers and participants for making the salad potluck a successful and memorable event.
I ka Pōʻakolu o kēia pule nei ma kahi o kanakolukumamālima o mākou COE i hui pū ai ma ka CCC no ka mahina ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. Ua pū paʻakai mākou a pāʻani kekahi i KEOLA i mea e maʻa ai i ka lohe a noʻonoʻo i nā manaʻo waiwai o ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. Nui ka leʻaleʻa a hauʻoli i ke kūkākūkā a walaʻau pū ʻana mai i kekahi i kekahi. Na Cecily Ornelles i mahalo aku i nā mea kūpaʻa i ka mālama ʻana i ke kuleana o ka ʻike kuʻuna a me ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi ma ka COE a me ka po’e i hiki mai me ka manaʻo e hoʻonui i ko lākou ʻike e kākoʻo i ka ulu ʻana o ka COE i ka NHPoL. (credit: Assistant Professor ‘Alohilani HN Okamura)
Check out this video recap (credit: Truc Nguyen): https://go.hawaii.edu/3tD
