He waipuna:
Community-centered co-creation

Part of the aim of this project was to identify a work plan for creating collaborative, community-driven controlled vocabularies across collections with appropriate cultural protocols.  It is important to point out that the process and products that came out of this project are particular to Hawaiʻi. While it may provide insight for others pursuing similar projects, special attention to local contexts is critical to the success of any such project.

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Working Groups

Inclusion of stakeholders throughout the process is key to the development of an Indigenous controlled vocabulary. As part of this project, Kānaka communities of practice were invited to participate in working groups to share and compile much needed data concerning the representation and organization of Hawaiian knowledge.

Each working group convened in-person twice throughout the life of the project to explore foundations for a Hawaiian knowledge domain and identify terms for a Hawaiian language controlled vocabulary.

​Hui 1 - Hālau hula - Ka Pā Hula o Kauanoe o Wa'ahila (Kumu Hula Maelia Loebenstein Carter)

Hui 2 - Cultural practitioners and educators pursuing a PhD at the time of this project
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Hui 3 - University faculty members with expertise in ancestral Hawaiian knowledge

Session 1: Identify facets and cultural frameworks for a Hawaiian knowledge organization system

Through hands-on activities with items commonly found in libraries and archives, participants discussed "what's important to know?"

​​Participants rotated through stations brainstorming possible terms and facets. Formats of materials included: 

1. books authored by Hawaiian Studies scholars;
2. an image of an aliʻi;
3. a video related to a well-known land struggle;
4. multiple versions of song lyrics for Kaulana Nā Pua, a song that has become synonymous with Hawaiian patriotism;
5. Hawaiian language newspaper articles, and;
6. a map of a moku (district) and/or mokupuni (island) related to the place we convened at.

Session ​2: Identify the scope of a Hawaiian knowledge organization system

​An adapted photo voice method was used. All participants were asked to provide three photos representing what ʻike Hawaiʻi looks like to them. This discussion lead into a review of facets and key considerations identified from session 1 for accuracy and additional feedback.

​The following facets were identified as important to Hawaiian knowledge organization:

Session 3: Share back and give thanks

​A third in-person gathering was planned but needed to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this session would have been to appropriately disseminate project findings with working groups, celebrate the groups and their contributions, and bring this phase of the ongoing project to a close.