Honoring Inoa ʻĀina: Hawai‘i CC Expands Traditional Hawaiian Place Name Mapping Efforts

Na Ahapua'a o Puna

Kapp and Ells-Hoʻokano presented the first map in their series, Puna, at a geography conference.

Hakalau-Kama'e'e in the moku of Hilo.

Waiākea, Kaumaui-Waiʻōlena in the moku of Hilo.

Drew Kapp, Kaylyn Ells-Hoʻokano, and Yuna Inoue at Laupāhoehoe.

Yuna Inoue at Laupāhoehoe

Hawai‘i Community College faculty, staff and students are helping revive the traditional place names of Hawai‘i Island through a growing series of bilingual geographic maps that honor ancestral knowledge and strengthen community connection to the ʻāina (land).

The project began several years ago when assistant professor of geography Drew Kapp and his student Kaylyn Ells-Hoʻokano combined their shared passion for mapping and inoa ʻāina (traditional Hawaiian place names) to produce a community map of the ahupuaʻa (land divisions) of Puna. This year, the pair were joined by Hawaiian studies student Yuna Inoue to create a second map of the ahupua‘a of Hilo.  “I view this work as a means to highlight the significance of place names and their role in indicating how to interact with the environment, to honor the stories that are embedded within them, and to contribute in ensuring their regular use and vibrancy,” said Kapp.

The new Hilo map, completed in spring 2025, features ahupuaʻa across Hilo and is fully bilingual in Hawaiian and English. Ells-Hoʻokano served as mapmaker using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), while Inoue and Kapp researched inoa ʻāina, historic land divisions, and cartographic considerations. “One challenge we had was to figure out how to best fit a large moku (district) like Hilo with its approximately one hundred ahupuaʻa, on a single sheet,” said Kapp.

Their research drew on Mary Kawena Pūkuʻi’s scholarship, historic maps, kaʻao of Pele, Hiʻiakaikapoliopele and Kamiki, and old nūpepa. Community members, faculty experts and librarians—including Hawaii CC assistant professor of Hawaiian language and studies Ākeamakamae Kiyuna, assistant professor of Hawaiian language and studies Kuʻulei Kanahele, Edith Kanakaʻole Hawaiian Collection Librarian, (Mo‘okini Library) Annemarie Paikai, and former Hawaii Lifestyles lecturers Lokelani Brandt and Manaiakalani Kalua.

Kapp said one of the biggest challenges was navigating the many variations of ahupuaʻa names. “We encounter so many variations of names in our research, many of which are incredibly compelling, meaningful and deeply sourced,” he noted. “We hope people will use these maps as resources to strengthen connections with their moku, ahupuaʻa and ʻāina.”

Kiyuna emphasizes the broader cultural importance of this work. “Inoa ʻāina are far more than simple labels; they are informative narratives that embody the mana and unique character of a place,” Kiyuna explained. “Their restoration and presence on updated geographic maps are crucial for cultural preservation, historical accuracy, and honoring Indigenous identity and sovereignty.”