Aloha mai kākou e nā haumāna o Ke Kulanui Kaiāulu o Kapiʻolani,
Recently, I was invited to a private event hosted by Honolulu Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam and the Honolulu County Sister Cities Foundation. The event celebrated Hawai‘i’s deep historical connection with Portugal, particularly with Madeira and the Azores, as we approach the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the ships Priscilla (in 1878) and Ravenscraig (in 1879) in Honolulu Harbor.
Distinguished guests included Ambassador of Portugal to the United States, Francisco Duarte Lopes (second from the left), Consul General of Portugal in San Francisco, Filipe Ramalheira (far left), Hawai‘i State Senator Samantha Decorte (third from the left), Hawai‘i State Senator Donna Mercado Kim (to my immediate right), and Honolulu Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam (to my left).
I brought with me a piece from my personal collection, the “First ʻUkulele,” which I thought the ambassador might enjoy seeing. This ʻukulele symbolizes the blend of our cultures—Portugal and (the many other cultures of) Hawai‘i—and provided me with an opportunity to discuss new ways to strengthen ties between our regions. Councilmember Dos Santos-Tam graciously allowed me a platform to speak after the ambassador, which gave me the chance to share not only on the history of our beloved ʻukulele but also on enhancing connections between our communities.
I have been fortunate to speak to a variety of audiences over the years, ranging from elementary school children to business leaders and CEOs of major corporations like C.F. Martin & Co. I have also addressed educators and philanthropists. This particular event allowed me to share the history of the ʻukulele, but it was more than that—it was a reflection of our campus community, which is a blend of diverse cultures. It highlights the rich fabric of people and traditions that we represent and call Hawaiʻi “home.”
Additionally, I had the opportunity to discuss our international initiatives on campus, particularly our international partnerships and outbound study abroad programs. I am writing to share this with you as we establish an international agreement between Kapiʻolani Community College and The Conservatory in Madeira, as well as the Universidade da Madeira, with the intention of connecting our two communities. To this end, I am reaching out to explore student interest in participating in a study abroad program to Madeira, Portugal, as well as faculty interest in partnering/participating in a cross-discipline outbound study abroad program with colleagues in the Hawaiian Studies department. If you are interested in learning more, or creating an outbound study abroad program with an alternate focus please feel free to reach out to me at yacavone@hawaii.edu.
I hope to create an outbound study abroad program aimed at launching in the summer of 2026.
First Photo: Distinguished guests included Ambassador of Portugal to the United States, Francisco Duarte Lopes (second from the left), Consul General of Portugal in San Francisco, Filipe Ramalheira (far left), Hawai‘i State Senator Samantha Decorte (third from the left), Hawai‘i State Senator Donna Mercado Kim (to my immediate right), and Honolulu Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam (to my left).
