With the blessings of her ʻohana this page is dedicated with deep aloha and gratitude to Aunty Puanani Burgess, whose teachings, wisdom, and belief in the power of a beloved community helped shape the foundation of Mauliola Keʻehi our curriculum “Kilo Kino” and, even more deeply, helped shape me.

 

​Aunty Puanani was one of the first who helped me understand that my dyslexia (that I thought was a curse) was not something I needed to be ashamed of or hide—it was part of my gift. She taught me the courage to be vulnerable, to look deeply within myself, and to recognize that sometimes the very thing we have spent our lives fearing or trying to conceal may hold one of our greatest gifts.

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When our son was very young, and I began to realize that he might be autistic, her guidance to me was beautifully simple: “Just love him, and keep him safe.” Those words have stayed with me. She reminded me that we do not always need to fix, change in order to love and accept them for exactly who they are. We needed to take a breath and KILO!!

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Her teachings helped me understand that healing does not happen in isolation. It happens through our first relationship with ourselves, then with others, and with the places that hold the wisdom of our kupuna, which nourishes us spiritually, mentally, and physically. Her vision of a beloved community—one grounded in aloha, truth, vulnerability, compassion, and our shared humanity—became part of the foundation from which Mauliola Keʻehi grew.

 

Aunty Puanani also believed in the vision of this work before many others did. She was the first person to provide funding Via Ka Poe Hawaii Fund-Holly Henderson, when our nonprofit became official. I will always carry tremendous gratitude for the way she believed in me, challenged me to know myself and rise above the murky waters, and inspired me to create spaces where others could feel safe enough to begin the journey of knowing thyself. 

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Although Aunty Puanani may no longer be physically present in this world, her spirit, her wisdom, and her teachings continue to move through the lives of so many people. I am only one of the many who were blessed to share space and time with her, one of the many in whom she watered the seeds of a higher consciousness—a deeper understanding of ourselves, of one another, and of what it means to live in beloved community.

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Those seeds continue to grow. They are carried forward in the way we love, the way we heal, the way we serve, and the way we create space for others to recognize their own gifts. In this way, Aunty Puanani’s teachings continue to ripple outward, from one person to another, across generations and communities.

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This page is one small way to honor her and help those teachings continue their journey. We have compiled a few of her videos and teachings. May those who come here listen, learn, reflect, and carry something of her wisdom forward. The best way to honor her is to honor yourself and kilo kino!!! Remember to listen to your own tide, weather, and always remember to see the blue sky moments in your life even when the clouds are covering the sun and sky, they are still there!!

 

With deep aloha and gratitude, mahalo nui loa for your continued guidance; we miss and love you always Aunty Puanani.