Sponsored by Genevieve Anderson

This image is in the public domain.

Kona Historical Society returns to West Hawaii Civic Center with the next installation of Hanohano ʻO Kona on Wednesday, July 31.

The Hawaiian ecological and cultural landscape has undergone tremendous changes in the last two hundred years. Massive depopulation, diaspora, extinction, and societal changes have disconnected us from many practices and relationships that were once strong and well understood. Noah Gomes will review the history of some of these changes and present his research into Hawaiian bird-catching practices, the naming of Hawaiian birds, and the traditional relationships that some Hawaiians have with our native birds.

Noah Gomes is from Wahiawā, Oʻahu and lives in Waiākea, Hilo. He has a B.A in Hawaiian Studies and a M.A. in Hawaiian Language and Literature from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. His M.A. thesis work focused on collecting information on the historical bird hunting practices of Hawaiʻi among native Hawaiians. He currently works for Kamehameha Schools (Kealapono) as an education design specialist. Noah continues to independently research Hawaiian ethnography and history.