He wahī pa‘akai

Translated, this ‘ōlelo no‘eau literally means "just a packet of salt," but figuratively, the proverb has a much deeper meaning; "something good; a gift of anything one has grown or made" or simply put, a gift made with great skill and personal investment of time and hard work. In searching for the right name for our summer institute, we wanted a word that would best represent our goals: exploring our connection to Hawai'i and using these connections to integrate the knowledge we have in our respective fields to better serve our students through Kahikoluamea Academy learning communities and guiding their development within a Hawaiian values context.

The operative word is "connection."

Pa‘akai is a physical manifestation of the connection between sea, land and sun -- elements that make Hawai‘i, Hawai'i. Salt has been used by Hawaiians medicinally, in ceremonies and as a valuable food preservative. Most importantly, the Hawaiian tradition of making and harvesting salt is a long and labor intensive process that brings together families, thus creating community. We hope that you find these connections - literal and figurative -- with Hawai‘i, your home, and with each other during this summer institute.