Ke Ala Mōʻali

Kamaliʻikūpono Hanohano
2024 Grant Recipient


Pāuhi was originally founded in 1990 by Suluʻape Keone Nunes in an effort to revive and maintain kākau uhi Hawaiʻi, traditional Hawaiian tattoo. Since then, kākau uhi has slowly begun to normalize in ʻōiwi spaces. Despite its steady resurgence, one of the biggest concerns from the community continues to be an issue of accessibility. Kākau uhi currently has only a handful of practitioners all residing on Oʻahu. This project supports their reach to neighbor island communities by allowing easier access to kākau uhi on four islands outside of Oʻahu.



Kamaliʻikūpono Hanohano is a mea kākau uhi Hawaiʻi, tattoo practitioner, dedicated to maintaining and further reviving kākau uhi kapu- ceremonial tattoo. He has studied under Suluʻape Keone Nunes, founder of Pāuhi, for over a decade, and since his ʻuniki from Nunes is 2019, Hanohano has re-committed the focus of Pāuhi, believing that the process awakens and strengthens the indigenous identity in its wearer through moʻokūʻauhau.