Kīpuka Native Hawaiian Student Center - University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo

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Kīpuka Native Hawaiian Student Center - University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo The Kīpuka Native Hawaiian Student Center’s vision is to provide a Hawaiian place of learning at UHH

The Kīpuka Native Hawaiian Student Center’s vision is to ensure a Hawaiian place of learning at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. Kīpuka promotes Native Hawaiian student success through the provision of culturally appropriate and responsive student support services and activities; supports the academic development and success of Native Hawaiians by promoting learning environments that are culturally responsive and appropriate; and implements community and cultural programs to increase educational opportunities for Native Hawaiians within Hawaiian and Pacific communities.

Mahalo nui to Mālie Moana and everyone who joined us for the first workshop in our new series, Māhuahua Makers! We loved...
10/15/2026

Mahalo nui to Mālie Moana and everyone who joined us for the first workshop in our new series, Māhuahua Makers! We loved seeing our University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo haumāna and community come together to learn and explore the art of block printing.

Mālie hand-carved each print and thoughtfully selected them, reflecting her experiences in Hilo and the places and people that continue to inspire her work. The prints featured variations of native plants and familiar local motifs printed across parchment and fabric. Each design offered a glimpse into the ʻike and inspiration behind her creative practice.

We hope the practices shared through this series continue to māhua, flourish, and inspire our haumāna and the UH Hilo community.

Stay tuned for updates on next month’s featured artist! 👀

10/14/2026

Ua wela ʻiʻo nō!🔥

A big mahalo to our UH Hilo students and greater Hilo community for supporting our local businesses, connecting with our vendors, discovering new favorites, and learning the stories behind their products!

To our vendors, mahalo for sharing your creativity, businesses, and stories with our mākeke. We’re grateful for your willingness to share the inspiration, community, and ʻike that shape your work and connect with our students.

And of course, mahalo to Ānuenue’s Kitchen & Catering Co. for the ʻono food and Selector Mawae for the impeccable music taste, spinning vinyl and keeping the jams pumping all night long! 🎶🔥

Wela Ka Hao is rooted in uplifting the creativity, stories, and talents within our communities while encouraging us to embrace opportunities as they arise. Mahalo nui for being part of this vision and helping make it a reality!

10/09/2026

Get ready for the block printing party! Join us next Tuesday for our first Māhuahua Makers with Hilo-based block print artist Mālie Moana

Born and raised on Hawaiʻi Island, Mālie has always been drawn to creating with her hands. What began as a return to block printing through a series of ginger plant carvings has grown into a body of work inspired by the people and communities she calls home.

No experience needed. All printing supplies provided. Bring your own lole to print + personalize!

First come, first served. Space limited to the first 30 students. See you there 🫶🏽🎨🍃

10/08/2026

Meet Kepa Laʻa, Hilo-based designer and owner of “MORE”

Inspired by the familiar saying “less is more,” THE MORE CO. flips the sentiment through a lifestyle streetwear brand rooted in Kepa’s upbringing in Hilo. His work challenges preconceived notions of what it means to come from a small town, using that foundation to pursue more excellence, more creativity, and more aloha.

Come talk story with Kepa and shop “MORE” at Wela Ka Hao this Friday, 10/01 from 5–8PM at University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo alongside some of Hawaiʻi Island’s finest creatives.

See you there!

10/08/2026

Māhuahua Makers, the first in a series, is bringing Hilo-based block print artist and entrepreneur Mālie Moana to University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo for a hands-on block printing workshop!

Born on Hawaiʻi Island, Mālie has always been drawn to working with her hands and creating through art. After returning to block printing as an adult, what began as a simple series of ginger plant carvings grew into a body of work shaped by the people and communities she calls home.

This series will bring Hilo-based artists and creatives to our campus to share their art and creative processes with students.

Through these opportunities to learn directly from artists and makers in our community, we hope the creativity and practice will māhua and flourish, too.
No experience needed. All printing supplies provided. Come create and learn!

Students are welcome to bring their own clothing pieces to print and personalize during the workshop.

🗓️ Tuesday, 10/23
⏰ 1:00–3:00 PM
📍 UCB 127

Space is limited to the first 30 students. We hope to see you there!

10/06/2026

Meet Moeariʻi, creator and owner of ARII HAWAIʻI Jewelry & Mea 💫

Inspired by moʻolelo Hawaiʻi and her upbringing in Lanihau, Kailua-Kona, Moeariʻi creates handcrafted, engraved jewelry rooted in story and place. Each piece becomes an extension of these stories, with motifs and design elements that reflect the life of these places.

Shaped by a lifetime surrounded by hula, lei making, and lawaiʻa. More than representations of what grows upon the ʻāina, her designs reflect the ways these plants are gathered and cared for.

Talk story with Moeariʻi and shop her one-of-a-kind pieces at Wela Ka Hao this Friday, 10/01, alongside some of Hawaiʻi Island’s finest creatives.

Ua kāhiko ʻia ka hale i ka nuʻa lehua o Mōkaulele. Our kīpuka was filled with mele Hawaiʻi and good company. Heahea Kauh...
10/05/2026

Ua kāhiko ʻia ka hale i ka nuʻa lehua o Mōkaulele. Our kīpuka was filled with mele Hawaiʻi and good company.

Heahea Kauhale is all about welcoming new faces into our space, and we love seeing familiar ones too! We hope you all keep stopping by our pop-up spaces to connect with our Makamakalehua Peer Mentors and our services, and make Kīpuka part of your time here University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo

Mahalo to our friends Ei Nei Lina Robins and YourNextFix for sharing your talents with us.

A hui hou!

10/01/2026

🔥 WELA KA HAO IS BACK! 🔥

Come join us on Friday, October 9 from 5–8 PM at the UH Hilo Campus Center Plaza for a night market celebrating Hawaiʻi Island’s creatives, makers & small businesses! 🛍️

🎧 DJ Set by Selector Mawae
🍜 Food by Ānuenue’s Kitchen & Catering Co.

🎓 UH Hilo students! The first 200 students to register will receive a bowl from Ānuenue’s! (While supplies last)

Wela ka hao is an epithet used by our kūpuna that encourages us to seize opportunities while the iron is hot. Inspired by this manaʻo, we hope our Wela Ka Hao mākeke continues to create opportunities for students and our community to meet, learn from, and connect with talented Hawaiʻi-based creatives.

Meet the makers. Discover their stories. Embrace creativity rooted within our community. Come down, shop local, find new favorites, and celebrate the people and creativity that make Hawaiʻi Island special!

🎟️ This event is FREE & open to the public + UH Hilo community!

Hilo SupportLocal

Officially locked in 🔒✅ Mahalo nui to everyone who joined us for our First-Year Lock In resource fair! We loved connecti...
09/30/2026

Officially locked in 🔒✅ Mahalo nui to everyone who joined us for our First-Year Lock In resource fair! We loved connecting with you all alongside some of our awesome on-campus resources, helping you get familiar with the people and services here to support you and keep you locked in for a successful school year.

Couldn’t have done it without Edwin H. Mookini Library at UH Hilo UH Hilo Title IX Kilohana at UH Hilo Hale Lako + UH Hilo Basic Needs Program UH Hilo Campus Rec and Advising Center for joining us and sharing their resources with our haumāna!

Stay locked in 🔐🤞🏽Follow us here and check out the link in our bio for more campus resources and upcoming events like this.

See you at the next one!

09/30/2026

Delayed, but definitely worth the wait! 💌 We’re so excited to welcome our University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo community and ʻohana to Kīpuka for Heahea Kauhale.

Join us this Thursday for an afternoon of live music and ʻono food as we welcome you into our space to meet our staff and learn about our services.

🏡 Kīpuka Lānai, PB-12
🗓️ Thursday, October 1
⌚️ 4–6 PM

Live music by Ei Nei ft. Lina Robins
ʻono food by YourNextFix

Address

200 W Kawili Street
Hilo, HI
96720

Opening Hours

Monday 7:45am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 7:45am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 7:45am - 4:30pm
Thursday 7:45am - 4:30pm
Friday 7:45am - 4:30pm

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