VNR: UH Mānoa’s Center for Oral History marks 50th anniversary with statewide events

Contact:

Link to video and sound (details below): https://go.hawaii.edu/RS2

***SUGGESTED VOSOT SCRIPT BELOW***

The Center for Oral History (COH) in the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa's College of Social Sciences is marking its 50th anniversary, commemorating five decades of preserving the state's history through first-person accounts. Since its founding, the center has archived more than 1,200 personal, multi-ethnic accounts from Native Hawaiian and local populations, spanning historic events, cultural traditions and everyday life.

Preserving Hawai'i voices

As one of the nation's oldest oral history institutions, COH serves as a critical bridge between generations. Its collection features documented accounts of how past generations navigated major environmental, social and economic shifts. Today, this archive provides unique insights for policymakers, educators and youth who are addressing contemporary island challenges such as food security, shoreline preservation and cultural sustainability.

"Our textbooks offer facts, but it is the recorded voices of our kūpuna that capture the true resilience and spirit of Hawaiʻi," said Mary Kunmi Yu Danico, COH director. "As our islands evolve rapidly, preserving this collective memory ensures that future generations have a cultural and historical roadmap to guide them."

Join in anniversary events

In celebration of its 50^th anniversary milestone, the center is hosting a series of educational workshops and outreach events across the state. The events open to the general public include:

• August to November: Oral history community consultation meetings.
• September 22, 2026: (Time TBA)Livestreaming of Museum of Korean Emigration Exhibit in Incheon, South Korea, on the Korean Prisoners of War at Honouliuli (research from National Parks Service).
• October 16, 2026: 4-9 p.m. Livestreaming of the 50^th Anniversary Celebration. Music, Art, Poetry and Talk story. Opportunities to sponsor.
• Late October/Early November: (TBD) Kahoʻolawe AlohaʻĀina Oral HistoryProject launch (public talk in conjunction with the Protect Kahoʻolawe ʻOhana's 50^th anniversary).
• November (TBD): Kauaʻi 1924 Hanapēpē Strike Event.
• November 9-22: Oral History Talks and Workshops: Video streamed on YouTube regarding Kosovo-Fulbright Specialist award.

To ensure these vital preservation efforts continue in perpetuity, COH is inviting the community to make a gift and support the ongoing collection, digitization and maintenance of the archive-effectively preserving the past for the future.

For more information about the upcoming anniversary events, visit the COH website.

Related UH News stories:

Link to video and sound (details below): https://go.hawaii.edu/RS2

VIDEO:

BROLL:

(1:36)

0:00-1:02: Video from the 2023 Waialeʻe hōʻike, where UH Mānoa students presented oral history projects documenting the stories and cultural legacy of the Waialeʻe community on Oʻahu's North Shore.

1:03-1:36: Video from the Lahainaluna Oral History Project, the Lahaina Jodo Mission Project and the center's recent Oral Histories of Maui presentation

SOUNDBITES:

Mary Kunmi Yu Danico, UH Mānoa Center for Oral History Director

:09

"It is truly an honor. And I think we have this responsibility, this kuleana, to ensure that the stories are not only captured and preserved but are still shared."

:16

"The impact is when folks are gone, the memories, the stories, and the histories are all just simply disappeared, right? So preserving these oral histories is not just the right thing to do, but it's a critical need for ourselves and our identity and our moving forward."

:11

"We have such a vibrant history here in Hawaiʻi-of places that have been around before statehood. And so being able to capture those oral histories would be an incredible honor for us to do."

VOSOT SCRIPT:

INTRO:

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa's Center for Oral History is celebrating 50 years of preserving Hawaiʻi's stories.

VO:

Oral histories capture people sharing their own memories and experiences, creating a firsthand record of the past.

Over five decades, the center has collected more than 1,200 accounts from our communities.

The stories document everything from historic events and cultural traditions to everyday life-including new efforts to preserve the stories and experiences of Maui communities following the 2023 wildfires.

And as its director explains, preserving these voices is about more than remembering the past.

SOT:

Mary Kunmi Yu Danico, UH Mānoa Center for Oral History Director

"The impact is when folks are gone, the memories, the stories, and the histories are all just simply disappeared, right? So preserving these oral histories is not just the right thing to do, but it's a critical need for ourselves and our identity and our moving forward."

VO:

The center is marking its 50th anniversary with workshops and events happening statewide through November.

It's also inviting the community to help support its work and preserve these stories for future generations.