Kuʻumanu is our fifth Kaʻū Wildlife Scholarship recipient since we launched this program in May 2023, and our first of 2026! Here is her story:
ʻāina ʻŌhiʻa
I have held a deep connection to Lehua Mamo since the time of my hanau. The relationship I hold with this mea kanu is showcased in my inoa, Kuʻumanuokalehuamamo. My bird of the yellow lehua. My makuahine named me of the manu that dwell among the vibrant blossoms in honor of the ʻāina from which my ‘ohana is from, and to instill in me the trait of not being afraid to stand out. The Lehua Mamo is most commonly found on Moku o Keawe in the great ʻŌhiʻa forests of the moku of Ka’u. These rare blossoms are culturally significant and associated with royalty as they resemble the yellow feathers of the Mamo, which were used to create ‘ahu’ula for ali’i.
Our first 2026 Kaʻū Scholarship winner, Ku’umanu Breithaupt.
In Ka’u, the ʻŌhiʻa is the heart of our landscape. As the first life to push through the crust of Pele, they are a direct symbolism of the resiliency of the people of Ka’u. This mea kanu has been significant throughout my life, continually reminding me of the beauty in being one of a kind, and encouraging me to push through obstacles to reach my goals. I was lucky enough to grow up surrounded by the beauty and diversity of our native forests, learning all that I could about our mea kanu and manu from my papa, who worked for The Nature Conservancy on the Kona Hema and Ka’u Preserves for almost 30 years.
My most cherished childhood memories are times picnicking with my grandparents beneath the native canopy, listening to Papa point out the native honey-creepers as they whistled their tunes in the limbs of ʻŌhiʻa trees above us. As a young child, the glee I felt at finding a yellow blossom among the sea of red lehua, led me to develop my piko, and fostered the sense of belonging I now feel when in the nahele of Kona and Ka’u.
These experiences where I was able to see the connection between our manu and Lehua Mamo, as spoken about in my name, and reflected in the real world ignited a passion for conservation of the natural world and my culture that continued to deepen over the years. As I got older, Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death made its detrimental arrival in the islands, and showed me just how important conservation work is. Seeing the effects of the disease in my home forests, killing the ‘Ohi’a that I grew up with, spurred my desire to do my part in protecting my home. I made it my mission to learn from my papa and spread the word about proper alcohol disinfecting of boots, tires, and any other equipment being brought into our forests, and not moving any ʻŌhiʻa around.
I was recently given the opportunity to attend the Hawaii Conservation Conference in Honolulu where I was able to explore the diverse range of fields within the conservation world. Being surrounded by people like me from all over the world, with a passion for preserving natural ecosystems, inspired me greatly. I will be studying Natural Resource management in college and plan to bring my knowledge back home to the forests of Ka’u and Kona, where I will use it to follow in the footsteps of my Papa and work toward protecting Hawaii’s ecosystems, so that our keiki may too have the opportunity to be raised in the embrace of ʻāina.
Learn more about the Kaʻū Wildlife Scholarship opportunity HERE.
