A Hip Hop Anthology of Hawaiian History
A rich and engaging resource that teaches Hawaiʻi’s history via Hip hop, writing exercises, discussion prompts, recommended historical sources, and poetry. Recommended Ages 12 and up
Hoʻokupu is a Hip Hop anthology of Hawaiian history is a Project from Hui o Kuapā and is led by Program Director, Maile Naehu. It is a collaborative project created by a masterful team of Hawaiian cultural historians, Hawaiʻi’s top MCs, teachers, Nā Hōkū Hanohano award-winning Hip hop artists, producers, and academic professors. This collaborative project can be used in learning environments as an engaging resource to teach Hawaiʻi’s history. As an initiative of education through arts and culture, we optimized this project by creating supplemental resources. This album is available on various musical platforms to download or stream. The Learner & Teacher Resource Guide features each song as a unit and includes a brief introduction, followed by the lyrics, writing and discussion prompts, and a poetry sample with a poetry prompt. The recommended list of sources provided can be used to supplement the content areas covered within the song. We are alchemizing the meaning of oral storytelling by telling our story in a truly traditional fashion blended with the highly influential modern catalysts for social change, Hip hop, education, and media.
This album consists of 13 songs. The first song, Together, introduces the project and everyone involved. It is followed by songs 2-12 which are in chronological order beginning with the Kumulipo, an origin story of our world. It ends with Imu Stones, a song that reflects on the past to guide us into the future. The last song, Kūmimi, is an homage to the ahupuaʻa, land division on East Molokaʻi which birthed the Hoʻokupu album and is also the home of Hui o Kuapā, Ka Hale Hoaka, and the Naehu ʻohana.
