Nānā I Ke Kumu

Nānā I Ke Kumu is dedicated to the families and children of Hawaiʻi

- From the Foreword of Nānā I Ke Kumu Helu ʻEkahi

Nānā I Ke Kumu

Nānā I Ke Kumu (Look to The Source) is a landmark series of books developed and published by Liliʻuokalani Trust in partnership with our auxiliary organization Hui Hanai.

Described in the foreword to Helu ʻEkahi (Volume One) as “a source book of Hawaiian cultural practices, concepts and beliefs which illustrate the wisdom and dignity contained in the cultural roots of every Hawaiian child,” the book is an essential reference for those in “helping professions who work with Hawaiians.”

Helu ʻEkahi

The first edition of Nānā I Ke Kumu, Helu ʻEkahi” (Volume 1) was the product of seven years of weekly meetings of the Trust’s Hawaiian Culture Study Committee, composed of:

Betty A. Rocha, MSW, ACSW, Chairman
William Apaka, Jr., MSW, ACSW
Marian C. Haertig, M.A.
Grace C. Oness, MSW, ACSW
Richard Paglinawan, MSW, ACSW

Tūtū Mary Kawena Pukuʻi served as kumu for this first-of-its-kind project.

Additionally, Catherine A. Lee “undertook the difficult task of culling out and condensing the reams of material collected,” adding her own insights to the manuscript as well.

The initial volume of Nānā I Ke Kumu (Helu ʻEkahi) was published in 1979.

Helu ʻEkahi may be purchased from:

Native Books

The University of Hawaiʻi Press

Helu ʻElua

Ka Manaʻo, Ka ʻIʻini, a Me Ka Mākia

The Thought, The Wish, The Purpose

Mamuli o ke aloha,
a mamuli he mea pono i nā Hawaiʻi e ʻike
i nā mea maika’i o hope,
ka nani o nā mele,
a me ke aloha o nā kūpuna
ua kākau ʻia kēia buke.

Because of love,
and because it is well for Hawaiians to know
the good things of the past,
the beauty of the chants,
and the love of the ancestors,
this book was written.

-Tūtū Mary Kawena Pukuʻi

Helu ʻElua (Volume 2) was published in 1972.

Catherine A. Lee notes that "The format of this book is somewhat different from that of Volume 1. The first volume defined specific Hawaiian words or phrases and discussed their implications. This volume, as its table of contents indicates, groups Hawaiian beliefs and practices under major topics of physical, emotional and cultural importance."

These books are for Hawaiians, those who work with Hawaiian individuals and families...and those who seek to integrate a more meaningful understanding of Hawaiian beliefs into their own lives

Nānā I Ke Kumu Helu ʻEkahi, Page XVI

Helu ʻEkolu

Helu ʻEkolu (Volume 3) was published in 2020.

The contributors to this volume include:

Lynette Paglinawan
Likeke Paglinawan
Dennis Kauahi
Val Kalei Kanuha
Imaikalani Kalahele

Collectively, this group is carrying forward the ʻike of kūpuna for the benefit of current and future generations.

In the Fall of 2020, LT hosted a virtual launch to mark the publication of Helu ʻEkolu.

The authors also participated in the 16th Annual Hawaiʻi Book Music & Festival in October 2021. Click here for a highlight video of their insights.

"Nānā i ke Kumu, Helu ʻEkolu is our gentle reminder from kūpuna, of what we should never forget, knowledge seated in our naʻau. Hawaiian ways, nohona hawaiʻi, that affirm our place in this place. He Hawaiʻi au, mau a mau."

Maile Meyer, Nā Mea Hawaiʻi/Native Books Inc.

“The book is intended for Hawaiian families, and those who work closely with Hawaiian families and communities, and underscores that the integration of Hawaiian and Western ways is both possible and essential for the health and wellbeing of families today, both in the islands and around the world. Most importantly, this volume sets forth the tradition and practice of hoʻoponopono as a distinctly Hawaiian tradition of healing that engages family members in setting things right and has the ability to restore balanced interpersonal relations.”

Barbara Pope, Barbara Pope Book Design