Discover this magical story that will take you on a thrilling journey through the breathtaking islands of Hawaiʻi.
Encounter mighty canoes crashing over ocean waves, royal hawks soaring high above the clouds, and, most importantly, meet a courageous young girl who learns, grows, and comes to love her island home with all her heart.
THIS BOOK BELONGS TO
Dedicated to my beautiful mother, whose vibrant bedtime stories inspired this dream; to my ʻohana, who made it all possible; and to every child who’s never seen themselves in a book— I promise that is changing.
— K.M.G.
To my family and friends. — M.W.
To my family, to our team at Media RED, and, most importantly, to the readers of this book. Thank you for joining us on this adventure.
— A.R.Y.
The author would like to acknowledge her inspiration from traditional Hawaiian folklore, language, and poetry.
Publisher’s Note: Thanks to Andrew for leading, guiding, and making this project a reality; Kaylin and Mae for the amazing world you have created; Mia for making connections; and Mythify for entrusting your story to us.
The illustrations were created with acrylic and gouache.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2023945596
ISBN (HB): 978-1-63655-112-8
ISBN (EBOOK): 978-1-63655-113-5
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First Trade Edition • Manufactured in China
RED COMET PRESS • BROOKLYN
KAYLIN MELIA GEORGE MAE WAITE
In the hush of the night with the moon still aglow, a small baby was born where the koa trees grow, where lehua blooms bright, where the moʻo give chase, where the ocean spray’s kiss meets the sky’s close embrace. With her curls kapa soft, breath like breadfruit so sweet, this dear child evermore shared the island’s heartbeat.
And with time, how she grew both in mind and in heart, like the honu, so swift, like the heʻe, so smart.
Yes, her spirit was fierce! Every tide she would brave with kukui-nut eyes keen to follow each wave. She was special indeed, but the islands still knew there was much to be learned by that little girl, too.
While the mele rang proud, while the pahu drums rolled, men and women stepped forth. Watch their stories unfold!
They breathed life to the tales with each step and each song, generations of lore that the hula kept strong.
And the girl, she beheld a tradition so true. From the hula, she learned. From the hula, she grew.
WHAT DID HULA TEACH HER?
First she learned that land formed where flames tempered to stone, that the wind, wings, and waves all bore life to be sown.
Humble seeds burst to blooms, rock eroded to sand, and a world born ablaze turned to lush wonderland.
Now all creatures they roam, those that swim or that fly, from the mountains to seas or mauka to makai.
To the wings of a hawk the young child held on tight, as they swept through the air and they soared into flight!
From her perch in the clouds, she watched all that had been, while the islands exhaled— breathing out, breathing in. Then said ʻio to child, “To our ʻāina be just. When we care for our earth, then our earth cares for us.”
WHAT DID HULA TEACH
HER?
Then she learned of the treks in the mighty canoe, how her ancestors once sailed to islands brand-new.
Off to voyage the seas, hailed from places afar, they were masters of winds; they remembered each star.
On those journeys they found where the waves towered high and explored lands unknown with a bold battle cry!
All the aunties crowd round to talk story and share, while they work through the day and craft kapa with care. They pound cloth from the bark of the mulberry tree, lace together the lei like the stories they weave.
Then said tūtū to child, “To ʻohana, hold fast. Pay respect to your kin, both those here and those passed.”
WHAT DID HULA TEACH HER?
Last she learned of the lore filled with heroes abound, and the trials they faced and adventures they found!
There was action, romance in these great tales of old, kept as records preserved to be lovingly told.
Like from kalo, tales sprout; they grow strong from the root. Then each time they’re passed down, they branch out, they bear fruit.
When the girl’s dance was pau, she saw something quite strange.
Right before her own eyes, she watched maile leaves change.
Yes, they twisted, transformed to a beautiful she! And a figure so fair bounded down from a tree.
Then said Laka to child, “Tell the kaʻao with pride. On these islands we live with our lore by our side.”
From courageous young girl to wahine all grown, she had kept in her soul the heartbeat of her home. She discovered anew something deep in her core, a great love for the land and the people and lore. Give aloha to all!
Fill your heart through and through. That’s what hula taught her . . .
WHAT DID HULA TEACH YOU?
PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
Are you excited to learn new words? Let’s dive in together!
The Polynesians brought language to Hawaiʻi from their ancestral homeland. Over time, a unique and beautiful language developed on the islands. Hawaiian was then an oral language, which means it was spoken and not written. When English-speaking people arrived on the islands, they wanted to put Hawaiian words to paper. The result was a written version of the Hawaiian language with the following letters: a , e, i , o, u , h , k , l , m , n , p, w, ʻ
SHORT VOWELS
a = like a in alone e = like e in pet i = like y in buddy o = like o in close u = like oo in moon
LONG VOWELS
If you see a small bar above a vowel, that is called the kahakō.
It signifies that the vowel sound is extended—in other words, it differentiates between a short vowel sound and a long vowel sound: ā , ē, ī, ō, ū.
SPECIAL CONSONANTS
The letter w is sometimes pronounced like the letter v. This often occurs when the w appears after an i or an e, but this is also a matter of regional difference and individual preference. For example, the w in the word Hawaiʻi is often pronounced like a v.
The letter t was, ultimately, excluded from the Hawaiian alphabet by English-speaking people. Yet, it is still used in Hawaiian words today. It is often used interchangeably with the letter k , due to historical dialects and nuance. For example, the words tūtū and kūkū can both mean “grandparent.”
ʻOKINA
The ʻokina is a special consonant in the Hawaiian language. Look for it in front of the o in the word ʻokina.
It is a visual representation of a glottal stop sound, which is actually more accurately a lack of sound! A glottal stop is produced by cutting off airflow in the throat to create a hard STOP between two sounds. An example of this in English is the word uh-oh.
Discover the Aloha Everything I Spy and free downloable educational and activity sheets at RedCometPress.com/picturebooks/aloha
ʻĀina: land, earth
Care and stewardship of the ʻāina is a vital responsibility and honor.
Aloha is a beautiful and versatile word with more than one meaning.
Aloha everything: to give love, compassion, and honor to everyone and everything around you
Aloha everything reminds us to share our aloha with all.
Heʻe: octopus
In Hawaiian culture, the heʻe is often considered an especially ancient creature.
Honu: turtle
The honu appears often in kapa, hula, and kaʻao.
Hula: the storytelling dance of the Hawaiian islands that carries knowledge of history, genealogy, nature, and more
Becoming a hula performer traditionally entails not only rigorous physical training and intense academic study but also care and stewardship of the ʻāina.
ʻIo: the Hawaiian hawk
In Hawaiian culture, the ʻio is often associated with royalty.
Kaʻao: story, lore, legend, tale
These stories are an integral part of Hawaiian history and culture.
Kalo: taro; the round bulb of the taro plant from which the sprout shoots Kalo has been a staple throughout Hawaiian history.
GLOSSARY
Kapa: bark cloth made from beating the bast fibers of certain plant species
Kapa creation is a sophisticated art form that requires devotion both to the cultivation of the plants and to the preservation of ancestral knowledge.
Koa: a native tree that is very strong and very tall
Koa can also mean “brave” or “valiant.”
Kukui: the candlenut tree
The kukui tree produces beautiful nuts and an oil once used for lamps. Kukui can also mean “light.”
Laka: an important figure in Hawaiian culture and history who is often associated with hula and nature
Laka is sometimes considered the goddess of hula, a great teacher of hula, or a source of inspiration for dancers.
Lehua: the typically bright red flower of the ʻōhiʻa tree
The ʻōhiʻa tree is famous for its tenacious ability to grow even over lava rock. In Hawaiian stories, ʻōhiʻa and lehua are lovers who feuded with Pele, the volcano goddess.
Lei: wreath or necklace made of flowers, leaves, shells, beads, feathers, or any other items that can be strung together
Lei are presented to others as a gift and as a sign of aloha.
Mahalo: thanks, gratitude
Mahalo nui loa means “thank you very much.”
Maile: a native plant with deep green leaves often used to make lei
Maile is sometimes associated with Laka.
Mauka to makai: “ from mountains to seas”
This colloquialism was born from the Hawaiian words ma uka, meaning “toward or in the uplands,” and ma kai, meaning “toward or near the sea.”
Mele: song or chant
Mele often accompanies hula performance.
Moʻo: lizard or reptile
Some Hawaiian stories tell of giant moʻo who can be either friend or foe.
ʻOhana: family, relative
In Hawaiian culture, ʻohana can include extended family, ancestors, or loved ones not related by blood.
Pahu: a type of drum
Pahu drumming often accompanies hula performance.
Pau: done, finished, or completed
Pau hana is a colloquialism that refers to relaxation. It was born from the Hawaiian words pau ka hana, meaning “the work is finished.”
Talk story: to take the time to share experiences, opinions, and histories with others
This great oral tradition of the Hawaiian Islands celebrates the sharing and passing down of knowledge and stories.
Tūtū: grandparent or elder
Tūtū refers to a grandparent, grandaunt, granduncle, or any elder member of the ʻohana.
Wahine: woman
In addition, kāne means “man” and māhū means someone who embodies both the masculine and the feminine.
We want to give immense gratitude to the artists, kumu, educators, and organizations who have supported us and consulted with us throughout the journey of creating Aloha Everything.
Mahalo to:
Solomon Enos
Meredith Enos
Clifford Naeʻole
Kahōkū Lindsey-Asing
J. Hauʻoli Lorenzo-Elarco
Agnes Mililani Terao-Guiala
Maile Loo
Keau George
Hawaii Literacy
Hula Preservation Society
If you are interested in learning more about Hawaiian culture or the art form of hula, please visit: hulapreservation.org
KAYLIN MELIA GEORGE
grew up listening to her mother’s bedtime stories about Molokaʻi. The planting of these early seeds inspired Kaylin to dedicate her life to storytelling. Kaylin began her professional journey in filmmaking as an internationally award–winning director and screenwriter. Her work has been recognized by the Academy and includes documentaries for some of the most prominent nonprofits in the world. With Aloha Everything, Kaylin found a story close to her heart and celebrates her Native Hawaiian ancestry. This is the story she has always dreamed of telling. kaylinmgeorge.com
MAE WAITE was adopted at the age of three from Yunnan, China, and found her home in Hawaiʻi. The vibrancy and rich texture of the islands have become a constant source of inspiration for her work. Mae graduated from the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa with a degree in Studio Arts. She has since won accolades from around the globe and created art for iconic names, including the Washington Post and Louis Vuitton. Each Aloha Everything illustration is lovingly hand-painted and conveys both a sense of childhood adventure and a deep reverence for the beauty of Hawaiian landscapes and culture. maewaitestudio.com
