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A RESOURCE TO LEARN AND RESEARCH MOLOKA'I

ABOUT MOA'E MOLOKA'I

MOLOKA'I DIGITAL REPOSITORY

MOA'E MOLOKA'I'S MISSION

The mission of the Moaʻe Molokaʻi Digital Repository is to digitally preserve and promote access to archival materials that lend to the understanding and appreciation of Molokaʻi’s rich history and culture.

OVERVIEW

The Moaʻe Molokaʻi Digital Repository stands as a dedicated initiative with the primary purpose of digitally safeguarding and enhancing access to a wide array of invaluable archival materials of Molokaʻi. These materials serve as gateways to unlocking a profound understanding and fostering a deep appreciation for the captivating tapestry of Molokaʻi's history and vibrant culture.

Through the Moaʻe Molokaʻi Digital Repository, the legacy of Molokaʻi's past is meticulously preserved and thoughtfully curated for current and future generations. This endeavor is a testament to the commitment of preserving not only historical artifacts but also the narratives, voices, and experiences that have shaped Molokaʻi's unique identity. By providing a digital platform for these materials, the repository not only safeguards their physical integrity but also fosters the dissemination of knowledge, enabling ʻohana, students, researchers, and the wider community to explore and engage with Molokaʻi's history in a dynamic and meaningful way.

In essence, the Moaʻe Molokaʻi Digital Repository serves as a beacon of connectivity between the past, present, and future, bridging gaps and fostering a sense of cultural continuity. This invaluable resource stands as a testament to the dedication of those who recognize the significance of preserving Molokaʻi's heritage and ensuring its accessibility for generations to come.

GOALS FOR DIGITAL PRESERVATION

To increase digital access to resources specific to the history and culture of Molokaʻi and its community;
To identify archival resources present on island;
To digitally repatriate archival materials that are not on island;
To centralize access to resources;
To encourage creation of community knowledge;
To serve as a bridge between past, present, and future.

CODE OF ETHICS

At the core of our approach, we infuse integrity and family values into every facet of our collected work and service. Our commitment extends to upholding proper conduct both on site and in our interactions with one another, ensuring a respectful and harmonious environment at all times. Embracing inclusivity, we welcome opinions, perspectives, and beliefs from relevant and respectful external sources, valuing the richness that diverse viewpoints bring to our endeavors. Additionally, we hold a deep understanding that professionalism is paramount when engaging in the acquisition, appraisal, and digitization of historical materials, recognizing the need for diligence and care in preserving the heritage we are entrusted with.
Our unwavering dedication is directed towards safeguarding, conserving, and ensuring the enduring existence of Molokaʻi's knowledge. A profound respect guides our actions, as we hold ourselves accountable for upholding the culturally appropriate use of all materials and content within our archives. Moreover, we hold in high regard the significance of privacy and confidentiality, particularly when engaging in discussions with our staff regarding family information that may be sensitive or personal in nature.
Our commitment rests upon a foundation of ethical responsibility. We do not exploit our privileged access to records and materials for personal gain or advantage. Our endeavors are dedicated to fostering an environment of equitable access, extending the opportunity to engage with the records under our care to the public without bias or discrimination. Furthermore, we uphold the rights and interests of the donors and groups associated with the records, ensuring their protection and recognition in all our actions.

STEWARDS

Moaʻe Molokaʻi Digital Repository is carefully stewarded and curated by Ka Ipu Makani Cultural Heritage Center, in collaboration with the dedicated efforts of the Molokaʻi Library Services Cadre. With a shared commitment to preserving and propagating the rich cultural legacy of Molokaʻi, this partnership embodies a blend of records management expertise, dedication, and community-driven action. Together, we labor tirelessly to ensure that the invaluable historical and cultural materials within the repository are preserved for present and future generations.

For more information about Ka Ipu Makani Cultural Heritage Center, click here.

HISTORY INFORMATION

Phase I- (2021-2022)

The inception of the Moa'e Moloka'i Digital Repository can be traced back to the Hoili Hooilina Training Program, which embarked on a mission to engage three community members keen on digital archiving and safeguarding the island's cultural legacy. This initiative harnessed the Sustainable Heritage Networks Digital Stewardship Curriculum to impart essential concepts and procedures to the program participants for building a digital community repository. Subsequently, program interns were granted the opportunity to collaborate with seven local libraries in identifying and commencing digitization efforts for distinctive collections that contribute to the island's cultural and historical significance. Throughout the program's duration, Hoili Hooilina played a pivotal role in digitizing, cataloging, and generating metadata for several thousand records originating from Molokai institutions.

Phase II (2022-2023)

After a year of dedicated work in digitizing distinctive collections and honing a comprehensive workflow for digital archiving, cataloging, and inventory management, the project shifted its focus towards the creation of a unique and highly searchable digital platform. This platform, powered by the Veridian software, was designed to accommodate a minimum of 20,000 records and a minimum of 18 hours of oral history footage. During this phase of the project, our skilled digital repository technicians collaborated closely with Veridian software project leaders and engineers to meticulously prepare digitized collections and their associated metadata for batch uploading into the database.

In tandem with achieving these ambitious milestones, the name "Moaʻe Molokaʻi Digital Repository" was formally adopted. With this new identity and the development of the cutting-edge digital platform, Moaʻe Molokaʻi found its footing in a newly established semi-permanent office space in April of 2023. This space served as a dedicated hub for ongoing digitization efforts, application of archiving expertise to materials either donated or in need of rehoming for improved stewardship, and as a centralized space for community members to access the digital platform or engage in discussions regarding personal collection digitization services.

Phase III (2023 forward)

Moaʻe Molokaʻi will continue to work with community organizations, Molokaʻi ʻohana, and off-island repositories to digitize materials, ensuring their accessibility for the Molokaʻi community.

COLLECTION INFORMATION

The school and public libraries in our tight-knit Molokaʻi community have played a vital role in preserving the island's history and traditions. Their meticulous care and preservation of the physical materials over the past century are the cornerstone of this project. Without their dedicated efforts, the ambitious goal of digitally safeguarding our heritage would not be achievable. These libraries serve as the guardians of our shared history, ensuring that future generations can connect with Molokaʻi's rich cultural legacy, and we acknowledge:

Kilohana School holds the distinction of being the oldest documented educational institution on Molokaʻi, originally established as Kaluaʻaha School in the late 1800s. Presently, it stands as one of the four Department of Education (DOE) schools, and the only DOE school on the east side of the island. This collection encompasses a wealth of unique historical records, including photographs, photo albums, newsletters, yearbooks, and an invaluable attendance ledger dating all the way back to 1897.
Situated in central Molokai, Kaunakakai Elementary School houses a notable collection comprising school photographs spanning from the 1970s to the 1990s, along with a treasury of yearbooks and various print materials. This archive provides a valuable glimpse into the school's vibrant history during those pivotal decades.
The Moloka'i Public Library, a vital branch of the Hawaii Public Library System, stands as the sole public library on the island.. Since its establishment in 1937, this cherished institution has been dedicated to serving the community and amassing a valuable repository of local resources. Within its archives, one can find a diverse assortment of Moloka'i reports, books, photographs, and newspapers, all contributing to a rich tapestry of the island's history and culture.
Located on the northern side of Molokaʻi, Kualapuʻu Charter School has its roots in the plantation era. This area, historically, was a bustling town where numerous plantation families made their homes. The collection affiliated with the school comprises a series of yearbooks, offering a glimpse into the school's vibrant history and the community's past.
Moloka'i High School and Moloka'i Middle School serve as the sole public high and middle schools on the island, respectively. Since the school's inception in 1940, they have been diligently chronicling their history through the publication of yearbooks. This extensive collection encompasses every yearbook compiled by Moloka'i High & Intermediate School from 1940 to 2000, offering a comprehensive view of the school's evolution and the experiences of its students over the decades.
The Alu Like Native Hawaiian Library, established in 1985 across multiple islands including Molokaʻi, serves as a crucial repository for Hawaiian families and organizations. Among the digitized materials within this collection are newspapers, reports, locally published material, and oral history interviews, providing a valuable resource for those interested in Hawaiian heritage.
The Hawaiʻi State Archives, situated on the island of Oʻahu, houses a wealth of Molokaʻi-specific primary and secondary government records. Staff from the Moaʻe Moloka'i Digital Repository had the privilege of visiting the State Archives to digitize select materials that contribute significantly to Moloka'i's history. Currently this special collection encompasses marriage records and a directory of cemetery listings, offering essential insights into the island's past. While this collection is currently limited, it is a priority of Moaʻe Molokaʻi to work closely with repositories not on Molokaʻi, to digitally repatriate our records home.

Moaʻe Molokaʻi is an on-going effort and additional materials and collections from other sources will also be made available. Stay tuned for updates.

CONDITIONS OF ACCESS

The protection of culturally sensitive information is our utmost priority.

What is considered culturally sensitive to one community may not be sensitive to another, but in general such materials include “any Indigenous material that depicts a tribal spiritual or religious place, object, or belief or activity. A spiritual or religious activity may include prayers, ceremonies, burials, songs, dances, healings, and medicine rituals.” (From "American Philosophical Society Protocols for the Treatment of Indigenous Materials,"Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, Vol. 158, No. 4, December 2014, p. 415.)

While most of the materials provided on this database are public information, we acknowledge and rely on our collection donors to determine what information is deemed appropriate for open-access. Moaʻe Molokaʻi also reserves the right to determine if additional restrictions should be placed on certain records. Users of the repository may be able to search for certain documents, however, if they contain culturally sensitive information the viewing and downloading of the documents will require permission for use.

MAHALO

This project owes its existence to the stewards of the physical materials that were digitized. We are profoundly grateful for their dedication to preservation and their understanding of the enduring value in creating and caring for these materials over time. Mahalo nui to the following individuals and groups that helped to make this project possible:

Mary Kalilikane

Loretta & Walter Ritte

Mike Dooley

Arleone Dibbon-Young

Robert “Bobby” Kalawe (Kalawe ʻOhana)

Lori Inouye

Steven “Jade” Bruhjell

Andrew Gomes (Naki-Keahi ʻOhana)

Molokaʻi Baptist Church

UH Maui College- Molokaʻi Education Center

Phil Estermann

Woolsey ʻOhana

Steve Eminger

Akau ʻOhana

Nāhulu

Mahalo also to those who believed in this work for Molokaʻi and wholeheartedly shared their technical skillsets with us to ensure its succes:

Helen Wong Smith

Annemarie Paikai

Keahiahi Long

Shavonn Matsuda

Hinano Tangaro

Hula Preservation Society

-Keau George

-Maile Loo

-Mokihana Renti Cruz

Community Archive Workshop

BAVC Media

THE MOA'E MOLOKA'I TEAM

Melia Kalawe

Born and raised on Molokaʻi, Meila Kalawe descends from the Kalawe and Ritte-Camara ʻohana. Melia is also a descendant of the first homesteaders on Molokaʻi, and currently resides on her ʻohana ʻāina hoʻopulapula in Hoʻolehua. Melia is currently attaining her Masters Degree in Library and Information Science and was a participant in the Hōʻili Hoʻoilina Training Program. Melia is a Digital Technician for the project, and has played a crucial role in the project helping to develop policies, metadata, and digital content for the repository. This project would not have been successful without Melia’s leadership and commitment to preserving Molokaʻi’s culture and history for the future generations.

Pūlama Lima

Born and raised on Molokaʻi, Pūlama Lima descends from the Lima, Waiwaiʻole, and Kaʻauwai ʻohana of Manaʻe Molokaʻi. Pūlama is currently obtaining her PhD degree in Archaeology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and has over 10 years of experience working in the fields of Wahi Kūpuna Stewardship and Hertiage Preservation, and is the founding Executive Director of Ka Ipu Makani Cultural Hertiage Center.

Kaydence Woolsey

Born and raised on Molokaʻi, Kaydence Woolsey descends from the Kalawe, Place, Joao, and Kaʻili ʻohana. Kaydence was raised in Kaunakakai and currently resides in Hoʻolehua with her husband. Kaydence has an Associates Degree, and is also a past participant in the Hōʻili Hoʻoilina Training Program. With her training Kaydence played a significant role in digitizing over 30,000 records related to Molokaʻi’s history and culture. Kaydence is also a Digital Technician, and is passionate about community lead stewardship of Molokaʻiʻs history and culture, and finds great meaning in assisting the preservation of the island’s history.

THE MOLOKA'I LIBRARY SERVICES CADRE (MLSC)

The Molokaʻi Library Services Cadre (MLSC) is composed of representatives from the various libraries on the island. The MLSC has played a vital role in the development of the Moaʻe Molokaʻi Digital Repository and Hōʻili Training Programs. The bulk of the materials and records that were digitized to support this project, were provided by the MLSC.

This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (NH-252442-OLS-22) and the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

The views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this website do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services or the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.