kuualoha hoomanawanui

Ku’ualoha Ho’omanawanui is a Kanaka Maoli scholar, poet, artist, and mālama ‘āina advocate. She is an Associate Professor of Hawaiian literature, specializing in traditional Hawaiian literature (including folklore and mythology), Oceanic (Pacific) literature, and indigenous perspectives on literacy. Her research interests focus on place-based literature, literacy and learning.

She is also interested in developing Digital Indigenous Humanities projects and is a founding and current Chief Editor of ‘Ōiwi: A Native Hawaiian Journal. She has published critical essays and creative writing in Hawai‘i and abroad (the U.S., the Pacific, and Europe) and is a former Ford Foundation Fellow (2001-2005) and Mellon Hawai’i Post-Doctoral Fellow (2009-2010). Her first book, Voices of Fire—Reweaving the Lei of Pele and Hi‘iaka Literature was published by the University of Minnesota Press in May 2014.