la'au. Tree, plant...; to have formed a mature tree, as of a seedling.
kumu. Teacher.
kumula'au. Tree.
~ Hawaiian Dictionary, Mary Kawena Pukui; Samuel H. Elbert (1986)
"In Hawaiian lore, the god Kū lived secretly among humans as a farmer. Life was serene, until famine gripped the land. Loathe to witness the starvation of his family, Kū convinced his wife of a solution, but it would mean his departure. He submerged into the soil until only the top of his head remained visible. Day and night, his family remained at the site, his wife watering the ground with her tears. Unexpectedly, a green shoot sprouted, and evolved into a leafy, lofty 'ulu tree, bearing breadfruit that the family and neighbors consumed, saving themselves from their wrenching hunger."
~ from Duane Choy's article
The Honolulu Advertiser, May 2010
La'au 'Ulu Kū wants to be seen as a nourishing resource for early childhood education information, support and solutions. Continuing my career as a kumu, a teacher of young children and advocate for children and their families, I aim to position myself in the island's educational training/consulting market as a trusted expert with roots in our local O'ahu communities, devoted to high-quality child care for all; equitable and respectful treatment of ECE professionals in the workplace; and sharing knowledge about the true joy of "naming the world" that happens for young children, zero- to five-years old.
