He Hulu Makua is an open-access educational resource for Hawaiian language students. This resource provides a foundation for students interested in learning how to access, research, and translate materials from the Hawaiian language repository from the 19th and early 20th centuries. The concept for this resource was driven because our elders are seen as the keepers of history and culture. Their loss can and will permanently harm our community’s ability to share traditional knowledge and history. Three of our kumu have collectively served for over 85 years as mentors for students dedicated to learning translation: Lalepa Koga, Kapali Lyon, and Puakea Nogelmeier. The purpose of He Hulu Makua is to document the mentoring process used by these three experienced translators.

This resource’s planning and initial work were first funded through the generosity of the 2022 University of Hawaiʻi Provost Strategic Investment Initiative. During this time, seeds were planted and ideas became deeply rooted. As our work blossomed, we saw how it yielded the promise of having a broader impact on our community. In April 2025, IHLRT received a $400,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation, the largest supporter of the arts and humanities in the U.S., dedicated to advancing social justice and fostering cultural knowledge. This funding allowed IHLRT to bring this vision to fruition, providing an interactive and engaging resource representing decades of work by students and kumu. We could not have completed this work without the support from Mellon and the University of Hawaiʻi.