Presentation Session I

This thesis study explores the continuation of ancestral teaching practices through the reclamation and application of ʻike kūpuna within contemporary education. Grounded in my the researcher’s moʻokūʻauhau as a descendant of educators, this study examines mele and moʻolelo composed by by the researcher’s kūpuna as primary sources of knowledge. Through processes of ʻike gathering, analysis, and interpretation, these ancestral expressions were utilized into culturally grounded curriculum. This work positions ʻike kūpuna as both foundation and framework for ʻike transmission, emphasizing the role of education in sustaining cultural identity and continuity. By bringing ancestral voices into present-day learning spaces, this study contributes to the perpetuation of ʻike Hawaiʻi and affirms the enduring relevance of kūpuna knowledge in shaping future generations.