Go to homepage

English by Ellise Fujii, 'Ōlelo Hawaiʻi by Justin Santos

All kamaliʻi are destined for great things. For one young ʻŌiwi girl who was raised in Kailua, Oʻahu, her future would include serving the lāhui in ways she could never have imagined.

By Kinohi Malani

Queen Liliʻuokalani was born Lydia Liliʻu Loloku Walania Wewehi Kamakaʻeha to high Chiefess Analeʻa Keohokālole and Caesar Kapaʻakea. On Sept. 2, 2022, we celebrate the queen’s 184th lā hānau.

By Trenton Manson

Learning the skills we need as adults – such as managing our time, setting goals, and understanding our own emotions – can be difficult.

Liliʻuokalani Trust (LT) has developed an exciting new phone app called Kupukupu to help kamaliʻi do this.

By Andrew Frias

“Mālama ʻia nā pono o ka ʻāina e nā ʻōpio;
The traditions of the land are perpetuated by its young people.”

Liliʻuokalani Trust (LT) has been hard at work on its 2045 Strategic Plan, spanning Early Childhood (ages 0-5), Youth Development (ages 6-18), and Opportunity Youth Services (ages 16-26).

By Sonny Ferreira

“Through the collective, kamaliʻi and ʻohana will thrive.” – Richard Likeke Paglinawan

Native Hawaiian (NH) kamaliʻi are disproportionately represented in the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Systems. They are also overrepresented in terms of chronic absenteeism from public schools. However, we know that our kamaliʻi have the inherent mana and potential to thrive – they just need support from caring community members.

By Chris Molina

“Mōhala i ka wai ka maka o ka pua; Unfolded by the water are the faces of the flowers.”

Thriving kamaliʻi emerge from the aloha and mālama provided by their ʻohana and kaiāulu.

By Leialoha Benson and Nikki Roimata Mozo

Hoʻāmana means to turn on, to ignite mana. Liliʻuokalani Trust (LT) has created the Hoʻāmana program to help kamaliʻi realize, ignite, and grow their mana.

By Staci Hanashiro

“I ulu no ka lālā i ke kumu; The branches grow because of the trunk.”
Without our ancestors, we would not be here.
– ʻŌlelo Noʻeau #1261

By Makalauna Feliciano

Greetings with love distinguished descendants of Hawaiʻi.

Liliʻuokalani Trust (LT)’s Strategic Vision 2045 and LT’s Cultural Practice Framework provides a foundation for LT services that are Hawaiian culture-based. Our services are firmly grounded in the cultural context of our Queen’s legacy, our history as a people, and the values and traditions of our ancestors.

Na Makalauna Feliciano

Ano ʻai me ke aloha e nā pua kaulana aʻo Hawaiʻi.

E hoʻolako ʻo kō LT Nuʻukia Hoʻolālā 2045 a me kō LT Kumuhana Hoʻomaʻamaʻa Moʻomeheu he kumu kēia i nā hana i meheu Hawaiʻi. Paʻa nō kēia i ka pōʻaiapili meheu o ka hoʻoilina o kō mākou Mōʻī Liliʻuokalani, i nā moʻolelo, i nā waiwai, a i nā hana a ko kākou kūpuna.

By Trenton Manson

Over the past few years, we have increased the use of data in our decision-making and planning. Data on key indicators allow us to deepen our understanding of the conditons of kamaliʻi across the pae ʻāina.

By Joan Kaʻaiʻai Paglinawan

Historically, ʻike kūpuna (ancestral wisdom) was passed down generationally to share and practice for community wellbeing. With assimilation to western ways, systemic losses were experienced by Hawaiians as they were stripped of their language, self-identity, practices, and beliefs.

By Sharon Ehia

Na wai ke kama ʻo ʻoe (whose child are you)? No hea mai ʻoe (what place claims you)?

These provocative questions are displayed alongside a powerful mural of trauma and healing by Meleanna Meyer. Due to our history of colonial oppression, Hawaiians may have experienced cultural disconnection. 

By Pālama Lee, Ph.D.

Liliʻuokalani Trust (LT) believes every Hawaiian child has the inherent right to live an abundant and culturally informed life which is poetically captured in our Strategic Plan’s vision, e nā kamalei lupalupa, or thriving Hawaiian children.

By Pālama Lee, Ph.D.

Queen Liliʻuokalani’s 183rd birthday is on Sept. 2, 2021. Lydia Liliʻu Loloku Walania Wewehi Kamakaʻeha was born in 1838 as one of six kamaliʻi to high ranking Aliʻi Analea Keohokālole and Caesar Kapaʻakea. At birth, Lydia was lawe hānai to high Chiefess Laura Kōnia and Abner Pākī and grew up as the younger sister to Ke Aliʻi Pauahi.

By Pālama Lee, Ph.D.

Child sex trafficking is a very real problem in Hawaiʻi. Hawaiʻi law defines child sex trafficking as the commercial sexual exploitation of anyone under 18 years old for the exchange or promise of anything of value including cash, shelter, and food.

By Deann Thornton

This past fall, Kealakehe High School (KHS) and the Hawaiʻi Department of Education partnered with Liliʻuokalani Trust (LT) to offer an ʻāina-based Alternative Learning Opportunity (ALO).

By Lokelani Kalama

Have you ever wondered what services Liliʻuokalani Trust (LT) provides and how to access them?

By Andreana Dudoit Reyes

“I ola no ke kino, i ka māʻona o ka ʻōpū: The body enjoys health when the stomach is well filled.” – ʻŌlelo Noʻeau

Hui, how you?” “Eh, come inside, go eat!” is the usual exchange of greetings when visiting a home in Hawaiʻi. Sharing food is an important part of our culture, playing a key role in connecting ʻohana and communities.

Invoking abundance in contemporary times

By Chris Molina

Today, a disproportionate number of Native Hawaiian kamaliʻi are in foster care. Recent data (2014-2018) reveal Native Hawaiian kamaliʻi comprise almost half of all children in care. Sadly, the experience of foster care may cause further damage to kamaliʻi, mākua, and their relationships with each other.

By Pālama Lee, Ph.D.

The current system reinforces injustices perpetuated against Native Hawaiians, disconnects them from their culture, and limits opportunities for their families to thrive.

Na Moon Kauakahi

ʻE hoʻolohe i nā leo o nā ʻōpio, no ka mea, ʻo lākou nō nā alakaʻi mua aku o Hawaii nei.”

I kō kākou mau makahiki ʻōpiopio, mau nō ka haʻina o nā mākua, “Paʻa ka waha a hoʻolohe ka pepeiao wale nō,” no ka mea, i kēlā wā aku nei, ʻaʻohe kahi ka manaʻo o nā ʻōpio i ke au o nā mākua.

By Moon Kauakahi

“Listen to the voices of our youth for they are the future leaders of Hawaiʻi.”

In our adolescent years in Hawaiʻi, we were always told by our parents that we should only listen and not say a word; our thoughts had no place in the adult world.

By Melinda Lloyd

Unpublished data from Hawaiʻi’s Child Welfare Services show that Native Hawaiian (NH) kamaliʻi are over-represented in the child welfare system in Hawaiʻi and spend significantly longer time in foster care compared to non-Hawaiians.