Free ʻIkuwā Festival in Hilo honors interconnectedness of land, sea, sky and communities

The ʻIkuwā Festival, a free public celebration that honors the deep interconnectedness of Hawaiʻi’s land, sea, sky and communities, will be held Sunday at the ʻImiloa Center at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo.

This year’s theme is “A manu o uka, a manu o kai.” It translates to “The bird of the upland, the bird of the sea,” a line from the chant Ia Waʻa Nui.

ʻIkuwā Festival 2026 is held in partnership with ʻOhana Waʻa and community organizations, and continues ʻImiloa’s 20th anniversary celebration with a day of hands-on learning, environmental awareness and connections.

“The forest provides the trees that become our waʻa, the waʻa carries us across the ocean, and the ocean sustains our communities and way of life,” said ʻImiloa Executive Director Kaʻiu Kimura in a news release. “ʻIkuwā is an opportunity to recognize these relationships and to strengthen our pilina – our connections and relationships with ʻāina, kai, waʻa, the skies and one another. When we care for one part of this system, we are caring for all of it.”

The festival will be held at the ʻImiloa Center at 600 ʻImiloa Place and runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Festival activities:

• Voyaging & Navigation Learning: Engage with members of the ʻOhana Waʻa community and experienced voyagers to explore traditional navigation, wayfinding, and the knowledge systems that connect the forest, waʻa, ocean, and sky.
• Cultural Demonstrations & ʻIke Kūpuna: Experience demonstrations and hands-on activities led by cultural practitioners that highlight Hawaiian knowledge, traditions, and relationships with the natural environment.
• Place-Based Hands-On Learning: Participate in interactive educational activities that connect participants to the land, sea, and sky while exploring the cultural and scientific knowledge rooted in Hawaiʻi’s unique landscapes.
• Make-and-Take Activities: Engage in hands-on activities inspired by Hawaiian cultural practices, place-based science, and the interconnected systems that sustain our island communities.
• Interactive Exhibits & Community Engagement: Explore ʻImiloa’s exhibits and participate in activities designed to inspire curiosity, observation, and a deeper understanding of Hawaiʻi’s natural and cultural landscapes.
• Environmental Stewardship & Conservation: Connect with organizations working to protect Hawaiʻi’s natural resources and endemic species and restore the ecosystems that support our communities and way of life.
• Live Performances & Presentations: Enjoy performances and presentations that celebrate the knowledge, creativity and resilience of Hawaiʻi Island’s communities.

For more information, visit imiloahawaii.org or contact info.imiloa@hawaii.edu.