Energy and excitement filled the ʻImiloa Astronomy Center at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo on September 28, when the community came together for the 2025 ʻIkuwā Festival. The annual celebration invited attendees to explore how ʻike ʻImiloa (Hawaiian knowledge) and science come together to honor the connections between land, sea and sky.
ʻIkuwā marks the change from summer to winter in the Hawaiian calendar, a season known for storms, abundance and renewal. This year’s theme came from the ʻōlelo noʻeau (Hawaiian poetical saying): “Pala ka hala, momona ka hāʻukeʻuke… momona ka uhu.” (When the hala fruits are ripe, the sea urchins and parrotfish are fat and ready.)
The proverb celebrates the richness of the season and the value of kilo, closely observing the environment. That spirit guided the day’s activities, which encouraged guests to see their role in caring for the ecosystems that feed and sustain Hawaiʻi.
Hands-on learning
Festival attendees joined hands-on workshops and cultural games, learned about traditional navigation from ʻohana waʻa (Hawaiʻi’s voyaging canoe family), and explored a traveling exhibit from INPEACE about loko iʻa (fishponds). Conservation groups offered ways for the community to protect native species and restore natural habitats.
Performers and presenters at the event also shared ʻike (knowledge), ʻōlelo (language) and moʻomeheu Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian culture), celebrating the strength and beauty of Native Hawaiian traditions.
The ʻIkuwā Festival 2025, made possible by the generous support of the Ama OluKai Foundation and Kamehameha Schools Kaiāulu.