Letter of Appreciation and Reflection from HLF E Hoʻomau Intern Kaua Kalaiwa‘a

Dear Aunty Myrna, Kapena, and the ‘Ulu‘ulu squad,
As a Hawaiian Legacy Foundation intern, I’ve had the honor of meeting Aunty Myrna Kamae, Kapena, Hōkū, Kawena, Robbie, Koa, Jon, and Sophia. Through this internship, I learned about the Hawaiian Legacy Foundation and the meaningful work, music, art, and knowledge that Aunty Myrna, Uncle Eddie Kamae, and everyone involved in this legacy have worked so hard to create and preserve. As a creative media student and a Hawaiian wahine, it’s been a true privilege to be part of this journey and to learn from so many talented and knowledgeable people.

During my internship, I assisted with archival work at the ‘Ulu‘ulu archive at the University of West O‘ahu. This included learning how to properly clean beta tapes by wiping the exterior with a duster rag, inspecting for mold, and using a cleaner to restore the magnetic strip. After cleaning, I would test the tape in the player to confirm that the footage matched the file on record.

I also worked on editing longform YouTube videos for HLF’s channel. As a team, we spent considerable time ensuring that our example video met the standards set by Aunty Myrna, Kapena, and HLF. These standards included video quality, logo placement, opening and closing images, length, message, and the overall feeling conveyed to the audience. This project took most of the internship, but the final product is a high-quality compilation of segments from the Hawaiian Voices documentary that the public can now enjoy.

In addition, I created social media posts featuring clips from documentaries and production materials for platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. I especially enjoyed this part because I had the freedom to choose impactful moments from the documentaries assigned by Kapena. I looked for clips that would resonate emotionally with the audience, while also paying attention to Aunty Myrna’s favorites. I documented time codes, wrote captions, and compiled the information for review by Kapena and Aunty Myrna. Once approved, I scheduled or posted the clips according to the planned calendar.

The work I’ve done with ‘Ulu‘ulu and HLF has been deeply meaningful. It reminded me of why preserving Hawaiian knowledge is vital. I believe Uncle Eddie wanted to create a vessel to share and protect the stories and wisdom of our people — so that today’s generation can remember who we are and where we come from. Watching both the final cuts and behind-the-scenes footage moved me profoundly. Growing up, I didn’t come from a Hawaiian household centered around culture, ‘āina, or music. I didn’t understand the power and responsibility I carry as a Native Hawaiian — especially as a Hawaiian woman. But through college and this internship, I’ve come to see it more clearly, and it continues to impact my life every day.

I’ve learned a lot — about communication, the value of information, social media strategy, cleaning and cataloging materials, and so much more. My writing skills have also improved — especially with the help of ChatGPT. I know AI is a controversial topic, but I try to do the work myself and use ChatGPT as a tool for checking and refining what I’ve written. It’s been fun sharing that process with Aunty Myrna, though I’m careful not to rely on it too much.
I want to sincerely thank everyone I’ve worked with so far. It’s been both fun and educational to ask questions, handle VHS and cassette tapes, and use Adobe programs. I’ve gained new skills I can add to my resume, and I’m excited to continue learning and contributing. This experience has helped me see life, history, and our culture through a new lens — and it’s taught me so much about myself. HLF has helped me become more confident in my work and more comfortable sharing it with others.

I look forward to continuing to explore video editing for social media, helping spread awareness of these invaluable resources, and approaching all this work — and the people behind it — with respect and aloha.

Mahalo nui loa to all,
Kaua Kalaiwa‘a

Thank you to the Hawaiian Legacy Foundation for their ongoing support of ʻUluʻulu and our mission. We are honored to continue in our caretaking of this amazing collection. To see more of the Hawaiian Legacy Foundation’s materials please see their collection in our Recollect Content Management  System here: Hawaiian Legacy Collection