[INTRO MUSIC] [INTRO MUSIC] [INTRO MUSIC] >> HIKI NO, HAWAI'I'S NEW WAVE OF STORYTELLERS.

>> ALOHA AND WELCOME TO HIKI NO ON PBS HAWAI'I.

I'M IZZY RODRIGUEZ, A SENIOR AT CAMPBELL HIGH SCHOOL ON O'AHU.

WE'RE SO GLAD YOU JOINED US FOR THE LATEST SHOW PRODUCED BY HAWAI'I'S NEW WAVE OF STORYTELLERS.

THIS EPISODE IS ABOUT FINDING YOURSELF, GETTING OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE, AND SHINING ON STAGE.

WE'LL MEET A STUDENT WHO MADE HER ON-STAGE DEBUT AFTER WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES ON A SCHOOL PRODUCTION.

WE'LL SEE HOW TWO STUDENTS DISCOVERED MORE ABOUT WHO THEY ARE THROUGH FILMING VIDEOS, RECEIVING FEEDBACK ONLINE AND SUPPORT FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND WE'LL LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY OF A SPECIAL CANOE NAMED MAULOA ON THE ISLAND OF HAWAI'I.

LET'S START THE SHOW.

FIRST, I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU A STORY THAT I PRODUCED MYSELF AT CAMPBELL HIGH SCHOOL HERE ON O'AHU.

IT'S ABOUT MY CLASSMATE WHO DECIDED TO GET OUT OF HER COMFORT ZONE, GOING FROM BACKSTAGE TO ON STAGE.

I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT.

>> TO ME, NEW BEGINNINGS MEANS KIND OF LIKE, JUST GETTING OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND TRYING NEW THINGS AND EMBRACING NEW PARTS ABOUT YOURSELF THAT YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT.

>> FOR MOST OF HER TIME IN HIGH SCHOOL THEATER, AYANA BLAZIER WORKED BEHIND THE CURTAIN.

SHE JOINED JAMES CAMPBELL HIGH SCHOOL'S DRAMA CLUB IN HER JUNIOR YEAR AS STAGE MANAGER FOR THEIR PRODUCTION OF FROZEN.

BUT THIS YEAR, AYANA TOOK A LEAP.

>> I REALLY ENJOYED WATCHING THE ACTORS, AND I JUST FELT LIKE I WANTED TO BE A PART OF THAT.

>> SHE AUDITIONED FOR THIS YEAR'S PRODUCTION OF SHREK THE MUSICAL AND LANDED THE ROLE OF PINOCCHIO.

IT WAS A BOLD MOVE AND A BRAND-NEW BEGINNING.

>> WHEN I FOUND OUT I GOT THIS ROLE, I WAS REALLY EXCITED, BUT ALSO NERVOUS, BECAUSE I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING, AND I HAD NO IDEA HOW THEATER WORKED IN FRONT OF THE STAGE.

BEING ON STAGE IS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN BEING BEHIND THE STAGE, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THERE'S AN ADDED PRESSURE BECAUSE EVERYONE'S WATCHING YOU NOW AND YOU'RE NOT BACKSTAGE WATCHING THEM.

>> BEING A PERFORMER IS NOTHING LIKE MANAGING A SHOW FROM BEHIND THE SCENES.

AS A STAGE MANAGER, AYANA HANDLED MOST OF THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS THAT COME WITH PUTTING ON A MUSICAL PRODUCTION.

NOW SHE HAS TO MEMORIZE LINES, SING IN CHARACTER, AND DANCE ON STAGE IN FRONT OF A LIVE AUDIENCE.

>> BEING A STAGE CREW MANAGER HELPED ME GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF MY SURROUNDINGS, OF THE SET AND THE PEOPLE AND JUST LIKE, THE WHOLE ENVIRONMENT, WHICH HELPED ME DEFINITELY PREPARE TO BE AN ACTOR HERE, SINCE I ALREADY KNEW WHERE EVERYTHING WOULD BE.

SO, I THINK THAT I HAVE A STRONGER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CAST NOW, SADLY, BUT I STILL FEEL LIKE I HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH CREW, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE.

I FEEL LIKE I HELPED DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STAGE CREW AND THE CAST TO HAVE MORE RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER.

I NEVER REALLY IMAGINED MYSELF ON STAGE, BUT TAKING THIS FIRST STEP CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR ME.

I'VE GROWN SO MUCH, NOT JUST AS A PERFORMER, BUT AS A PERSON.

I FEEL REALLY NERVOUS, BUT I'M MOSTLY PROUD.

I'M PROUD THAT I TOOK THIS RISK, AND I'M EXCITED TO FINALLY SHARE IT WITH EVERYONE.

>> I'M PROUD OF EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING EVERYONE HAS DONE TODAY.

IT WAS A REALLY GOOD SHOW.

>> FOR AYANA, THIS WAS MORE THAN JUST A SCHOOL PRODUCTION.

IT WAS A PERSONAL MILESTONE, A CHANCE TO GROW, TO LEAD AND TO TRANSFORM HERSELF.

SHE SERVES AS A REMINDER OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN WE TAKE A CHANCE ON OURSELVES AND TRY SOMETHING NEW.

>> TIME ALREADY?

OKAY, WELL, OKAY, SEE YOU GUYS ON THE STAGE.

>> THIS IS IZZY RODRIGUEZ FROM JAMES CAMPBELL HIGH SCHOOL FOR HIKI NO ON PBS HAWAI'I.

[OCEAN WAVE] >> LET'S GO TO THIS CLASSIC HIKI NO STORY FROM STUDENTS AT FARRINGTON HIGH SCHOOL ON O'AHU, WHERE A THEATER PROGRAM TEACHES POSITIVE MORALS THROUGH HUMOR AND COMEDY.

>> AT FARRINGTON HIGH SCHOOL IN KALIHI, A GROUP OF 30 ENERGETIC ACTORS AND ACTRESSES IN GRADES EIGHT THROUGH TWELVE PERFORMS IN COLORFUL T-SHIRTS.

THE COMPANY CALLS THEMSELVES T-SHIRT THEATRE.

T-SHIRT THEATRE IS A PROJECT FOR THE ALLIANCE FOR DRAMA EDUCATION.

>> WE STARTED HERE IN 1980 AT FARRINGTON HIGH SCHOOL.

THE STUDENTS WERE SO ROWDY THAT WE COULDN'T HAVE PERFORMANCES IN THE AUDITORIUM.

SO, ENGLISH DEPARTMENT CHAIRMAN SHERRILYN TOM ASKED US TO COME IN AND WORK WITH EVERY INCOMING STUDENT TO LEARN AUDIENCE MANNERS.

AFTER FOUR YEARS, THE AUDIENCE WAS WONDERFUL.

WE WERE OPEN THE AUDITORIUM.

THEN SHE SAID, "WHY DON'T YOU WORK WITH THE MOST GIFTED STUDENTS OVER THE SUMMERTIME?

CALL IT EXPLORATIONS IN DRAMA."

WE DID THAT.

THE KIDS WERE SO TERRIFIC, WE DIDN'T WANT TO LET THEM GO.

AND SO, WE ALWAYS COME TO WORK IN T-SHIRTS, SO WE CALLED IT T-SHIRT THEATRE.

WE GOT STATE FOUNDATION ON CULTURE AND THE ARTS TO FUND US.

>> T-SHIRT THEATRE IS A VERY VALUABLE PROGRAM THAT TEACHES VERY POSITIVE MORALS BY MEANS OF HUMOR AND COMEDY.

IT'S A WAY FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES TO LEARN MESSAGES THAT HELP THEM IN LIFE ABOUT SOCIAL ISSUES.

WE USE HUMOR TO PUNCH THAT MESSAGE IN.

>> I HAVE TO USE THE RESTROOM.

[LAUGHTER] >> OH, OKAY, GRANDPA, GO.

WE'LL WAIT FOR YOU IN THE CAR.

>> I'M DONE.

[LAUGHTER] >> REHEARSE FOR LIFE MEANS TO PRACTICE FOR THE FUTURE, SO THAT WHEN YOU ENTER THE REAL WORLD, YOU KNOW YOU'RE READY, AND YOU'RE PREPARED, LIKE WHEN YOU GO ON STAGE, YOU'RE READY TO HIT ALL YOUR CUES, AND YOU'RE PROFESSIONAL.

>> T-SHIRT THEATRE REACHES OUT TO YOUNGER KIDS BY WAY OF ENVOYS, WHICH IS WHEN WE GO TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN KALIHI AND WE DO LITTLE PERFORMANCES FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS.

>> OUT OF ALL OUR AUDIENCES, THE FRIENDS IN HIGH SCHOOL CROWD IS THE MOST TOUGHEST CROWD, AND IT'S REALLY NERVE WRACKING.

YOU KNOW, WILL THEY LIKE ME?

WILL THEY HATE ME?

BUT THERE'S JUST SO MUCH ADRENALINE THAT YOU JUST GIVE ALL YOU GOT, AND THE ADRENALINE IS JUST A GOOD FEELING BEING OUT THERE FOR THE FIRST TIME.

>> WALT DELANEY, MY PARTNER FOR OVER 48 YEARS, OUR RELATIONSHIP, IN IN TERMS OF A CREATIVE COLLABORATION, WAS LIKE BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID.

ONE GUY PLANNED IT, THAT WAS WALT, AND ONE GUY EXECUTED.

THAT WAS ME.

>> A RECENT ROOF COLLAPSE FORCED THE CLOSING OF FARRINGTON AUDITORIUM, WHICH WAS T-SHIRT THEATRE'S BELOVED HOME BASE FOR PRACTICE AND PERFORMANCE.

HOWEVER, THE SPIRIT OF LOW-TECH HIGH ZEST HAS NOT DECREASED.

THE STUDENTS ARE EXCITED ABOUT TAKING THEIR UPCOMING SELF-WRITTEN SPRING SHOW TO OTHER THEATERS ON O'AHU.

>> FROM FARRINGTON HIGH SCHOOL, THIS IS ANTOINE VUONG FOR HIKI NO.

[OCEAN WAVE] >> THE ONSTAGE SHOWCASE CONTINUES WITH THIS NEXT STORY FROM ST.

FRANCIS SCHOOL ON O'AHU THAT SPOTLIGHTS HOW ONE SENIOR TOOK THE LEAD AND SHARED HIS LOVE FOR HULA WITH HIS CLASSMATES IN THEIR ANNUAL ALOHA SHOW.

[SONG: MAHALO PIHA] [CROWD CHEERS] >> ST.

FRANCIS SCHOOL HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PLACE OF CHANGE AND GROWTH.

THAT CHANGE WAS SEEN AND SHARED WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS AT THEIR ANNUAL ALOHA SHOW, WHICH USHERED IN A NEW ERA OF TRADITION.

>> WHEN WE TURNED CO-ED, WE REALLY KIND OF NEEDED TO LOOK AT HOW WE WOULD INCORPORATE BOTH OUR FEMALE AND MALE STUDENTS INTO THE PROGRAM IN A POSITIVE WAY, AND SO IT SORT OF JUST LENT ITSELF TO REPLACING WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY THE FATHER INVOLVEMENT, TO HAVING SOME OF OUR MALE STUDENTS ESCORT THE GIRLS IN AND DO THIS TOGETHER.

>> EISLEE NAKAMASU, THIS YEAR'S ALOHA SHOW KING, TOOK HIS LEADERSHIP ROLE TO HEART AND TAUGHT THE VERY FIRST COURT OF PRINCES THEIR HULA.

>> I STARTED DANCING AROUND THE AGE OF SIX OR SEVEN, AND I DANCED UNDER AINSLEY HALEMANU.

THE MAIN CHALLENGES WAS TRYING TO BALANCE IT OUT BETWEEN THE GUYS AND THE GIRLS, BECAUSE I ALSO TAUGHT THE SENIOR GIRLS DANCE.

SO, THEIRS WAS KIND OF A BIT MORE ON THE FEMININE SIDE THAN TEACHING THE MASCULINE SIDE FOR THE PRINCES.

>> THEN YOU JUST KIND OF BEND WITH YOUR ARMS UP.

>> THE BOYS WERE REALLY, REALLY WILLING TO LEARN, AND THEY WERE REALLY ENTHUSIASTIC.

AND I THINK WHAT I LIKED BEST ABOUT IT WAS A LOT OF THEM WERE NOT DANCERS, AND BY THE TIME THEY FINISHED, THEY WERE DANCING THE HULA AND HAVING A FUN TIME WITH IT.

IT WAS A NICE WAY TO SEE GROWTH FROM ALL OF THEM.

>> AND THEN YOUR LEFT HAND IS GOING TO GO STRAIGHT UP, AND THEN YOUR RIGHT HAND.

>> WELL, I GOT STARTED DANCING FOR THE ALOHA SHOW BECAUSE A LOT OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS ARE REALLY INVOLVED IN THEIR CULTURE, AND THEY DANCE A LOT OF HULA.

SO, I DECIDED TO GIVE IT A TRY.

MY BEST EXPERIENCE WAS THE SENSE OF CAMARADERIE BETWEEN ME AND MY BROTHERS.

WE WORKED VERY HARD ON THE DANCE, AND IT JUST BROUGHT US ALL CLOSER, AND WE ALL BONDED.

>> I TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN REPRESENTING THE SCHOOL AND SAYING THAT I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PRINCES TO DANCE IN THE ALOHA COURT, NOT MANY PEOPLE COULD SAY THAT.

IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, I WOULD DEFINITELY DO THIS AGAIN NEXT YEAR.

I'D SAY THAT GOING TO EACH PRACTICE WAS REALLY FUN BECAUSE I GOT TO BUILD THE BOND WITH MY BROTHERS ON THE COURT, AND WE ALL JUST HAD A GREAT TIME.

>> FOR THE ALOHA SHOW IN THE FUTURE, I SEE MANY GOOD POSSIBILITIES, LIKE I SEE MORE PRINCESSES, MORE INTERACTION WITH THE BOYS, MORE FUN DANCES, MORE, JUST MORE IN GENERAL, LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE AWESOME.

>> THIS IS ALEXANDER TUMALIP FROM ST.

FRANCIS SCHOOL FOR HIKI NO.

[OCEAN WAVE] >> IN OUR NEXT PIECE, A STUDENT FROM KAPA'A HIGH SCHOOL ON KAUA'I SHARES HOW SHE FOUND A PASSION FOR FILMMAKING AND HOW IT HELPED HER LEARN MORE ABOUT HERSELF AND SPREAD JOY TO OTHERS.

>> I WISH TO BECOME SOMEONE WHO IS ABLE TO MOTIVATE AND INSPIRE PEOPLE THROUGH WHAT I DO.

WHEN I LISTEN TO MUSIC, I LIKE TO CONCENTRATE ON THE LYRICS OF THE SONG AND ANALYZE THE MESSAGE THAT AN ARTIST IS TRYING TO PORTRAY, OR IF THEY HAVE MULTIPLE MEANINGS THAT THEY LEAVE FOR THE AUDIENCE TO DECIDE THEMSELVES.

THIS INSPIRED ME TO BECOME IN TOUCH WITH MY OWN CREATIVITY.

STARTING FROM WHAT I EVEN HAD THE ABILITY TO REMEMBER, I'VE BEEN EXPERIMENTING WITH ALL KINDS OF HOBBIES I'VE SEEN OTHERS PARTAKE IN, WHETHER THAT'S CREATING A FIVE-MINUTE YOUTUBE BLOG FOR MY NINE SUBSCRIBERS TO WATCH OR COOKING UP A NEW DISH FOR MY FAMILY TO TRY.

I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE ANY TALENT IN THESE FIELDS, BUT THE PASSION WAS STILL THERE.

THESE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS SOON LED ME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT MAYBE I DIDN'T HAVE ANY REAL INTEREST IN ANYTHING TO BE OCCUPIED BY IT FOR SUCH A LONG PERIOD OF TIME LIKE OTHERS.

THIS WAS UNTIL I CAME ACROSS THE COMMENT SECTIONS OF THOSE SAME YOUTUBERS THAT INSPIRED MY EIGHT-YEAR-OLD SELF TO TRY IT OUT.

EVEN THOUGH THE AUDIENCE THEY WERE MARKETING TOWARDS WERE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, THEY ALL HAD ONE THING IN COMMON.

THESE COMMENTS WOULD BE SAYING THINGS LIKE YOUR VIDEOS BRING ME SO MUCH JOY AFTER A BAD DAY, OR SO GLAD FATE BROUGHT ME TO THIS CHANNEL.

IT MADE ME REALIZE THAT WHAT I WANTED WASN'T TO FIND A RANDOM TALENT THAT MARKED ME AS A PRODIGY, BUT IT WAS MORE FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO MARK MY PLACE IN SOCIETY BY SHARING A MESSAGE THAT OTHERS ARE ABLE TO RELATE TO AND FIND SOLACE IN.

I'M STILL EXPERIMENTING WITH NEW HOBBIES I FIND TO THIS DAY; THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS I FINALLY DISCOVERED THE GOAL THAT HAS BEEN LINGERING DEEP IN MY HEART FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

IT'S NOW TIME TO EMBARK ON MY FILMMAKING JOURNEY.

321, ACTION.

[OCEAN WAVE] >> GETTING INTO COSTUME CAN BE A SERIOUS HOBBY.

LET'S LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ART OF COSPLAY, OR COSTUME PLAY, IN THIS STORY PRODUCED BY WAIAKEA HIGH SCHOOL ON HAWAI'I ISLAND.

>> I'M A VERY QUIET PERSON.

I JUST DON'T LIKE TO TALK, BUT I FEEL LIKE I JUST COMPLETELY CHANGE WHEN I GO IN COSTUME.

>> SOME PEOPLE ONLY DRESS UP FOR HALLOWEEN.

BUT FOR COSPLAYERS, THIS TYPE OF TRANSFORMATION IS SIMPLY A PART OF WHO THEY ARE.

>> I'M SUDDENLY ABLE TO GO OUT AND TALK TO PEOPLE AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE ACT A BIT IN CHARACTER, OR, YOU KNOW, TAKE PICTURES OF PEOPLE OR HELP PEOPLE OUT WITH SOMETHING.

I DON'T KNOW IT'S, IT'S REALLY GREAT THAT I'M JUST FINALLY ABLE TO TALK TO THE WORLD.

>> WAIAKEA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS KIANA AND DENALI DAVIS HAVE BEEN COSPLAYING FOR A FEW YEARS NOW.

COSPLAY, OR COSTUME PLAY, IS THE ACT OF DRESSING UP AS CHARACTERS FROM BOOKS, MOVIES, TV, VIDEO GAMES OR EVEN SIMPLE IMAGINATION.

DRESSING UP MAY SEEM LIKE A SIMPLE HOBBY, BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE TO BEING A COSPLAYER.

>> COSPLAY HAS HELPED US MAKE FRIENDS IN WAYS THAT WE DIDN'T REALLY EXPECT.

IT STARTED OFF WITH ME AND LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, THREE OR FOUR FRIENDS JUST LIKE, HEY, LET'S MAKE A COSTUME TOGETHER.

LIKE, LET'S COORDINATE OUR COSTUMES, AND THIS SHOULD BE FUN.

AND ONCE WE DID THAT, WE ENDED UP GOING OUTSIDE AND WEARING OUR COSTUMES IN PUBLIC, AND WE GOT A LOT OF WEIRD LOOKS, BUT WE ENDED UP MAKING SOME FRIENDS, AND COSPLAY HAS REALLY HELPED US, LIKE, BREAK OUT OF OUR SHELL.

>> SO, THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR THE UPCOMING CONVENTION, AND IT'S JUST MADE OUT OF THE OLD FRONT OF A TV.

AND I GOT THESE TUBES FROM THE TRANSFER STATION, AND I JUST SPRAY PAINTED THEM.

>> SO, THERE'S THE USUAL PLACES OF GETTING STUFF, YOU KNOW, THE STORE OR - >> LIKE WALMART, OR SOMETHING.

>> YEAH WALMART, OR LIKE SALVATION ARMY, YOU KNOW, LIKE THRIFT STORES.

AND THEN THERE'S, LIKE, SOME MORE UNUSUAL PLACES, LIKE THE RECYCLING CENTER.

I'VE USED CAULK, AND I'VE USED AN OLD HIKING BACKPACK AND TOTALLY CUT THAT UP JUST TO HOLD A PAIR OF WINGS.

YEAH, I USED SOME WEIRD STUFF, LIKE A HALF POUND OF FEATHERS.

>> ASIDE FROM ONE ANNUAL CONVENTION, THERE AREN'T MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO COSPLAY ON THE BIG ISLAND, BUT KIANA AND DENALI ARE HOPING TO CHANGE THAT.

>> ANYONE CAN COSPLAY LIKE IT'S NOT BOUND BY GENDER OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION, OR YOU KNOW YOUR SIZE, LIKE YOU COULD BE LIKE 12 FEET TALL, OR YOU KNOW, LIKE 7,000 POUNDS.

>> THEY ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE TO EMBRACE THEIR INNER SUPERHERO, ONE COSTUME AT A TIME.

THIS IS POINA LIWAI FROM WAIAKEA HIGH FOR HIKI NO.

[OCEAN WAVE] >> OUR NEXT HIKI NO CONTRIBUTOR FROM WAIPAHU INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL, JIANNA VEA DE VERA, SHARES HER INNERMOST THOUGHTS IN A PERSONAL NARRATIVE VIDEO.

SHE SAYS SHE FEELS LIKE HER LIFE ISN'T TOO INTERESTING, BUT IT IS RICH IN TERMS OF HER RELATIONSHIP WITH HER FRIENDS, GUITAR, AND HER MOM.

HERE'S HER PIECE ENTITLED THE QUIET LIFE OF ME.

>> FOR THE 15 YEARS I'VE LIVED ON THIS FLOATING ROCK WE CALL EARTH, I DON'T HAVE A VERY INTERESTING LIFE.

FROM THE MOMENT I OPEN MY EYES TO THE MOMENT I CLOSE THEM, I DON'T DO ANYTHING FASCINATING.

I OCCUPY MYSELF WITH BORING, DAY TO DAY TASKS.

MY LIFE IS ROLLING WITH LAUGHING, READING, WHATEVER NORMAL PEOPLE DO.

IT MIGHT JUST BE EASIER IF I SHOWED YOU.

[SLOW PIANO MUSIC] >> MY ROOM HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY LITTLE BUBBLE AND MY SPACE.

MY HOUSE WAS ALWAYS THE HANGOUT PLACE FOR MOST EVENTS WITH MY FRIENDS.

I WONDER WHY.

[STRUMS GUITAR] >> I ALWAYS HAD A PASSION FOR GETTING MYSELF INVOLVED IN PERFORMING ARTS, BUT ONE THING I STUCK WITH WAS GUITAR BECAUSE IT WAS ABLE TO LET ME EXPRESS MYSELF FREELY AND PLAY MUSIC AT THE SAME TIME.

THE ONLY OTHER PERSON THAT HEARS MY THOUGHTS IS MY MOM.

I AM AND WILL FOREVER BE GRATEFUL THAT GOD BROUGHT ME CLOSER TO HER.

SHE'S BEEN THE GLUE BETWEEN ME AND MY BROTHER.

WITH JUST THE THREE OF US, SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO MAKE ME SMILE, AND NO MATTER HOW HARD THINGS GOT FOR HER, SHE ALWAYS GOT FOOD ONTO MY PLATE.

THOUGH I'M NOT VERY INTERESTING, I'M JUST A GIRL STUCK IN HER ROOM, WRITING THIS.

BY JIANNA VEA DE VERA.

[OCEAN WAVE] >> HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF A THAUMATROPE?

IT'S A TOY THAT YOU CAN MAKE THAT CREATES AN OPTICAL ILLUSION.

STUDENTS AT KALANI HIGH SCHOOL ON O'AHU TEACH US HOW.

>> HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW YOUR FAVORITE ANIMATED MOVIES COME TO LIFE?

ANIMATORS NEED TO CREATE ABOUT 24 TO 30 STILL PICTURES TO MAKE ONE SECOND OF MOVING FILM.

LUCKILY, WE HAVE THE HELP OF COMPUTERS TO DRAW IMAGES.

BEFORE THAT, ARTISTS HAD TO DRAW THEM BY HAND.

IN THE EARLY 1800S, DR.

JOHN PARIS, A FRENCH PHYSICIST, CREATED THE THAUMATROPE USING OPTICAL ILLUSIONS TO DEVELOP MODERN ANIMATION.

THE WORD THAUMATROPE HAS A GREEK ORIGIN, COMBINING 'THAUMA' MEANING WONDER, AND 'TROPES' MEANING TURNING.

THE THAUMATROPE WORKS BY USING MULTIPLE IMAGES THAT BLEND INTO A SINGLE PICTURE.

THIS ILLUSION IS CALLED PERSISTENCE OF VISION AND IS USED FOR MOTION PERCEPTION IN MOST ANIMATED FILMS.

THESE ARE THE SUPPLIES YOU'LL NEED TO MAKE YOUR VERY OWN THAUMATROPE.

YOU CAN GET CREATIVE AND DRAW TWO SEPARATE PICTURES THAT WILL MERGE INTO ONE.

FOR THE THAUMATROPE TO WORK PROPERLY, BE SURE THAT YOUR DRAWINGS ARE OPPOSING EACH OTHER, SO WHEN YOU FLIP THE CIRCLE, THE IMAGES COLLABORATE.

ATTACH AND TWIRL THE STRINGS TO SEE THE WHOLE PICTURE IN ACTION AND ENJOY YOUR VERY OWN HOMEMADE ANIMATION.

THIS IS MAIYA KEAWE-COSTA FROM KALANI HIGH SCHOOL FOR HIKI NO.

[OCEAN WAVE] >> NOW, LET'S TAKE A TRADITIONAL POLYNESIAN PATH OF DISCOVERY VIA WATER.

LEARN MORE ABOUT A SPECIAL HISTORICAL CANOE AND THE ART OF BUILDING A VOYAGING VESSEL, STARTING WITH THE TREE, IN THIS NEXT STORY FROM HAWAI'I PREPARATORY ACADEMY ON THE BIG ISLAND.

[HAWAIIAN SINGING AND CHANTING] >> CELESTIAL NAVIGATION HAS PROBABLY GONE AT LEAST 600 YEARS.

THAT'S ALMOST 21 GENERATIONS.

SO, THAT'S A LONG TIME TO FORGET A PART OF YOUR CULTURE.

>> FOR GENERATIONS, THE ART OF CELESTIAL NAVIGATION LAY DORMANT IN HAWAIIAN CULTURE; NOT LOST, BUT SLEEPING.

THE AWAKENING BEGAN WITH THE BUILDING OF MAULOA, A CANOE THAT WOULD BECOME MORE THAN JUST A VESSEL.

>> MAULOA CANOE WAS ACTUALLY STARTED FROM AN IDEA OF WANTING TO BUILD A TRADITIONAL VOYAGING CANOE USING OUR MATERIALS, USING THE RESOURCES THAT OUR ANCESTORS HAVE ON THESE ISLANDS.

>> AND DOING THIS TRADITIONAL CANOE WAS TO REGAIN THAT KNOWLEDGE AND THAT PRACTICE AND DOCUMENT IT FOR THE NEXT GENERATIONS.

>> PAPA MAU PIAILUG, A MASTER NAVIGATOR WHOSE KNOWLEDGE WOULD BECOME INVALUABLE TO THE HAWAIIAN PEOPLE, HE CARRIED WITH HIM THE LIVING WISDOM OF PACIFIC TRADITIONS.

>> MAU WAS MORE THAN A NAVIGATOR.

HE WAS A FARMER, HE GREW L?

'AU LAPA'AU AND MEDICINES.

>> THE JOURNEY BEGAN IN THE FOREST, WHERE BUILDERS SOUGHT NOT JUST A TREE, BUT PERMISSION FROM THE LAND ITSELF.

>> THEN EVENTUALLY, WHEN THAT TREE WAS FOUND, THE MEN THAT WOULD BECOME THE BUILDERS OF THE CANOE HAD TO MAKE THEIR OWN TOOLS, THEIR HAND TOOLS, BECAUSE MAULOA WAS COMPLETELY BUILT BY HAND.

>> WE WERE ASKED TO BRING OUT OUR STONES, OR OUR KO'I, THAT BELONG TO OUR FAMILIES FROM GENERATIONS PAST, TO REAWAKEN THEM, NOT JUST TO PRACTICE, BUT RE-AWAKEN OUR KO'I FROM OUR ANCESTORS.

>> MAU TELLS THEM IT'S GOING TO TAKE TWO TO THREE WEEKS TO CUT THE TREE DOWN WITH THE KO'I, TRADITIONALLY.

SO, THE FIRST STEP OF THAT WAS TAKING THE BARK OFF THE OUTSIDE WHERE THE CUTTING POINT WAS GOING TO BE, AND THEN THEY STARTED TO CUT THE TREE.

AND TO THEM, THE TREE STARTED TALKING TO THEM.

>> WITH EACH STROKE OF THE KO'I, THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE BUILDERS AND THE TREE GREW STRONGER.

THE ANCIENT PRACTICE OF LISTENING TO THE TREE'S VOICE, ITS CREAKS AND MOVEMENTS GUIDED THEIR HANDS, JUST AS IT HAD GUIDED THEIR ANCESTORS.

>> I THINK SHE'S REALLY HELPED OUR COMMUNITY TO REALLY FEEL LIKE IT IS POSSIBLE TO DO THESE THINGS, WHETHER IT BE LANGUAGE, WHETHER IT BE HULA, OR ANY PRACTICES THAT WE LOOK AT THAT.

THOSE THINGS CULTURALLY THAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO, THAT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT WE CAN STILL DO THOSE THINGS NOW.

>> PAPA MAU PIAILUG, OUR NAVIGATOR, TAUGHT US THAT THE CANOE, OR THE STICK, HE CALLED IT, IS WHAT CONNECTS ALL OUR DIFFERENT ISLANDS THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PACIFIC.

>> HE DIDN'T JUST CHANGE OUR WORLD.

HE CHANGED POLYNESIA'S WORLD, AND PRETTY MUCH THE WHOLE WORLD, AND HE GAVE US BACK A PART OF OUR CULTURE THAT WE LOST.

>> TODAY, WHAT BEGAN AS ONE CANOE HAS GROWN INTO A FLEET OF 28 VOYAGE VESSELS ACROSS THE PACIFIC.

MAULOA'S LEGACY PROVES THAT ANCIENT WISDOM ISN'T JUST ABOUT PRESERVING THE PAST, IT'S ABOUT NAVIGATING TOWARD THE FUTURE.

THIS IS MANASE LARRUA FROM HAWAI'I PREPARATORY ACADEMY FOR HIKI NO ON PBS HAWAI'I.

[OCEAN WAVE] >> THAT'S IT FOR OUR SHOW.

STAY TUNED AFTER THE CREDITS TO SEE A SPECIAL BEHIND THE SCENES SEGMENT FEATURING HIKI NO STUDENTS AT WORK.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE WORK OF HAWAI'I'S NEW WAVE OF STORYTELLERS.

DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW PBS HAWAI'I ON YOUTUBE, INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK.

YOU CAN FIND THIS HIKI NO EPISODE AND MORE AT PBSHAWAII.ORG TUNE IN NEXT WEEK FOR MORE PROOF THAT HAWAI'I STUDENTS HIKI NO, CAN DO.

[OUTRO MUSIC] [OUTRO MUSIC] [OUTRO MUSIC] [OUTRO MUSIC] [OUTRO MUSIC] >> FOR MILILANI HIGH SCHOOL'S HOME BASE, I WAS THE AUDIO PERSON.

>> I WAS THE CAMERAMAN.

>> I WAS THE ON-SCREEN TALENT.

WE ALL KNEW IT WAS GONNA BE ON TV.

WE ALL KNEW IT WAS FOR PBS, AND WE ALL KNOW, WE ALL KNOW WHAT THAT IS.

SO, WE WANT TO, LIKE, WE WANTED TO GIVE IT THE BEST WE GOT.

I DID TOO.

I WANTED TO, LIKE, MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS RIGHT.

IF I KNEW SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT, I WOULD TELL THEM, WELL, WE SHOULD REDO THIS, OR YOU SHOULD DO THIS DIFFERENTLY.

>> WHAT I THINK I LEARNED MOST FROM THIS EXPERIENCE WAS TEAMWORK AND EFFORT.

AS THE AUDIO PERSON, I LEARNED THAT YOU HAVE TO BE VERY ATTENTIVE, SO YOU HAVE TO LIKE, CAREFULLY LISTEN TO THINGS.

>> OKAY, SOUNDS CALLING A CUT FOR THE HELICOPTER.

>> I FEEL LIKE I GAINED MORE CONFIDENCE, BECAUSE GOING THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS, I WAS VERY NERVOUS AND VERY SHY AT FIRST, AND THEN IT HELPED ME BUILD UP MY CONFIDENCE TO CONTINUE AND TO HELP OUT AS A TEAM TO FINISH THE PRODUCTION.

>> BACK LIGHT, SIDE LIGHT, CROSS LIGHT IS THE MOST ATTRACTIVE LIGHT.

>> WORKING WITH OUR MENTOR, TIM BRADLEY, WAS LIKE, AN HONOR, BECAUSE I HEARD A LOT OF WHAT HE DID, LIKE IN THE PAST, AND HOW HE KNOWS A LOT ABOUT HISTORY, ABOUT THE CAMERA.

SO, I WAS LIKE, REALLY, LIKE, OPEN MINDED TO WHAT HE SAID, AND LIKE, TOOK IN EVERYTHING.

>> I THINK, AS A TEACHER, KNOWING THAT MY STUDENTS GOT A CHANCE TO REALLY SEE IN ACTION THIS STUFF, THE STUFF THAT WE'RE TEACHING THEM IN CLASSROOMS, IT REALLY HAS A REAL-LIFE APPLICATION.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT JUST TEACHING THINGS IN A VACUUM.

>> WE WERE ALL JUST DOING IT AS A TEAM.

WE ALL WANTED TO GET THIS PRODUCTION FINISHED WITH, SO WE HAD TO ALL WORK TOGETHER TO COMPLETE WHAT WE WANTED.

AND WE DID IT, AND IT WAS A REALLY GOOD FEELING.

>> AND SO ALL THEIR COMMUNICATION SKILLS, ALL THEIR TECHNICAL SKILLS THAT THEY'RE PICKING UP IN CLASSES, THEY GOT TO USE THEM IN A REAL LIFE SITUATION.

THAT'S KIND OF LIKE THE MAGIC MOMENT, YOU KNOW?

THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE STUFF THAT YOU HOPE FOR AS A TEACHER, THAT THEY GET TO EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY'RE WITH YOU.