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BY CAROLYN LUCAS-ZENK, KONA HISTORICAL SOCIETY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER

Fashion isn’t always about newness. If you follow Kenneth “Aloha” Victor’s brand Kauluaʻe Hawaiʻi, you know the clothing is more than just a stunning spectacle. Each collection is close to the designer’s heart with many references to his childhood and upbringing in Kona, as well as to Hawaiʻi’s history. He has a tendency to see the past, including beyond the nostalgia, and how it can be used to drive us forward.

Take his couture collection, Nāʻū, in which the striking garments and marketing campaign are shaped...

Nūpepa—one of our first prints launched upon Kaulua’e Hawai’i’s debut, three years ago—has been one of our most popular designs. The intention of Nūpepa was to inspire our lāhui to read old newspapers of Hawai’i, taken from over 30 Hawaiian Newspaper titles, dating from as early as 1834-1948. These historical pieces contain much of Hawai`iʻs storied history, legends, culture, and above all: our language. These relics of history help us to maintain a connection to the past, strengthen our identity, and promote, protect, and advocate for native Hawaiian rights, issues,...

In 1841 the Kingdom of Hawai‘i instituted Hawaiian medium education in 1,100 schools, including the first high school west of the Mississippi. Later that century, the Hawaiian literacy rate was estimated to be more than 90%.

After the takeover of the monarchy, the provisional government banned Hawaiian medium education in 1896 and discouraged speaking the language at home.

Eighty nine years later, in 1985, only 32 island children under the age of 18 – including the keiki on the island of Ni‘ihau –...