MORNING PIKO

We believe that in an education setting, strategically designed physical experiences can effectively perpetuate traditional knowledge. Ma ka hana ka ʻike, "Doing is Knowing," is a traditional hawaiian saying that perfectly encapsulates this perspective. Morning piko, is a time to gather, to center yourself and ground. We do this through pule, mele and a one minute mana'o for the day.

Normally, our morning piko times are Tuesdayʻs and Wednesdayʻs at 8:00 am, under the hale at the Niuhelewai Courtyard on campus. We are currently working on making our morning piko sessions a virtual experience.

Morning Piko in the Hale

The word piko means umbilical cord, the cord that connects a baby to its mother, the link to another generation, the physical link to all ancestors.“ Piko also refers to the physical place where everyone meets at the start and at the end of the day.

Pule

Pule– oratorical and poetic spiritual language, also has a deep historical understanding among Hawaiians.In ancient times, it was an integral part of being Hawaiian. It acknowledged the relationship between what was seen and unseen, what was known and unknown and the understanding of man as being genealogically connected to his natural surroundings. The ancient Hawaiian used pule for every occasion and for every purpose. Pule has another historical link to the past and is part of the oratory present at the piko each morning. It is not, however religion, but an acknowledgement of the importance of spirituality and oration among educated Hawaiians.

Oli

Hawaiians devised various methods of recording information for the purpose of passing it on from one generation to the next. The oli was one such method. Oli (and hula) was a means of preserving the rich fabric of cultural knowledge. Our kūpuna had the foresight to preserve and perpetuate those traditions through times of great adversity so that we would be able to understand the world through their eyes.

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