At the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, the spirit of mele Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian music) and language revitalization are finding new life through the work of Nicholas Kealiʻi Lum, a PhD candidate at Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language.
Lum has been named the first doctoral recipient of the Daniel and Lydia Makuakāne Endowed Scholarship and Fellowship. Established by the daughters of Daniel and Lydia Makuakāne, the fellowship honors the Makuakānes’ lifelong advocacy of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi and Native Hawaiian cultural education.
Lum is weaving tradition and innovation into his in-depth studies of mele (songs) of old and new. His dissertation, “Pewa: I Ola ke Mele Hawaiʻi i kona Mele ʻia” (“Pewa: The Life of Hawaiian Music in Its Song”), braids traditional Hawaiian mele to modern soundscapes, creating bridges between younger audiences and ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) through experimental musical expression.
“In my dissertation, I define mele as being ‘logogenic,’ which means that words in a genre of music are more important than the musical treatment,” Lum explained. “And I believe that represents mele Hawaiʻi; it’s always the language within the text that is more important.”
With the fellowship, Lum will also have the opportunity to build on his 2023 debut album “Pewa,” using experimental approaches to mele Hawaiʻi that promote both cultural resilience and linguistic vitality.
Uplifting future generations
“Our parents did not have formal educational opportunities beyond the ninth grade in Puna,” said Teresa Makuakāne-Drechsel, a kanaka ʻōiwi (Native Hawaiian) linguist and UH Mānoa alumna. “Therefore, seeing this fellowship support Kealiʻi’s doctoral journey is a powerful reminder that their legacy continues to uplift future generations of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi leaders.”
UH Hilo’s College of Hawaiian Language is uniquely positioned as the only institution worldwide offering a PhD in Indigenous Language and Culture Revitalization. In 2023, it was also designated as the first National Native American Language Resource Center, further expanding its role in advancing language revitalization across the U.S.
“The Makuakāne family has been longstanding supporters of our college, ever since their mother (Lydia) played a big role in the movement that started the Hawaiian language revitalization,” said Kaʻiu Kimura, director of Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani. “It’s such an honor that the family continues to work with us to forward our purpose.”
Keeping ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi alive
The Makuakāne Fellowship ensures that students, such as Lum, have the resources to complete their research, while also carrying forward the cultural knowledge and values that make the College of Hawaiian Language a global leader in Indigenous language revitalization.
“Keeping Hawaiian language alive for future generations has always been important to our family,” said Makuakāne-Drechsel. “This endowment is our way of honoring our parents’ values while giving others the opportunity to carry on this important work.”
For more information about the Daniel and Lydia Makuakāne Endowed Scholarship and Fellowship or to support Hawaiian language initiatives at UH Hilo, contact the UH Foundation.
