Community consultants

As the vision and intent of Ka Wai Hāpai are centered around co-creation, there is an intentional focus on community engagement across the project’s life span, as well as a concerted effort towards building a community of practice around knowledge organization and social justice. Thus, Ka Wai Hāpai works in consultation with six loea, or Hawaiian knowledge experts. These experts share insights into Indigenous Hawaiian epistemologies, language, and culture. Loea meet regularly with the Project Team to provide in-depth feedback into project developments while sharing their communities’ specific challenges and needs relevant to each project phase. In addition to loea, Ka Wai Hāpai also consults with three technical knowledge organization experts who specialize in metadata creation and Indigenous vocabularies.

Nā Loea: Hawaiian Knowledge Experts

Dr. Noelani Arista, Chair of Indigenous Studies and Associate Professor, History and Classical Studies (McGill University)
Maelia Loebenstein Carter, Kumu Hula (Ka Pā Hula O Kauanoe O Waʻahila)
Kahele Dukelow, Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs (University of Hawaiʻi Maui College)
Dr. Kekoa Harman, Associate Professor, Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani (University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo)
Dr. Hōkūlani Holt-Padilla, Director, Ka Hikina O Ka Lā (University of Hawaiʻi Maui College)
Dr. Kalei Nuʻuhiwa, Chief Executive Officer (Mauliola Endowment LLC)

Technical Knowledge Organization Experts

Dr. Sharon Farnel, Metadata Strategies Head (University of Alberta)
Dr. Sandra Littletree, Assistant Professor (University of Washington)
Whina Te Whiu, Curator (Te Ahu Museum) and Former Project Manager (Māori Subject Headings working group)

Previous project team members