M. Kalani Souza: Storyteller, Scientist, and Spirit of the World By Brittany P. Anderson
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KeOlaMagazine.com | May – June 2021
he cobalt blue ocean moves gently across the horizon while an azure sky is dotted with wisps of cotton candy clouds—it is an idyllic day on the Hāmākua Coast. A grounding voice breaks the silence, like rocks tumbling in the winter surf; when Kalani speaks, even the clouds stop to listen. M. Kalani Souza’s knowledge of Hawaiian culture, science, and the arts intertwine to form the man that stories will be told about long after he leaves this realm. Respected Hawaiian kupuna (elder), unafraid of speaking truth, Kalani sat down to talk story about his life,
40 M. Kalani Souza. photo courtesy of Tom Zablan
his unique outlook on the world, and what he sees for our future. A‘ohe pau ka ‘ike i ka hālau ho‘okāhi All knowledge is not taught in the same school It was identified early on that Kalani held an exceptional talent, a disposition suited for studying Hawaiian traditions. He was taken under his grandfather’s wing to learn the ancestral customs and culture. “People say I’m a Hawaiian practitioner, but I done practicing, there’s no practicing, I’m just Hawaiian,” Kalani says gruffly. He grew up living in Wailua Nui, Maui as a country boy with his feet in the dirt. Recognized for his natural abilities, he secured a spot in the prestigious Punahou School for fourth through eighth grade. City life in Honolulu was a significant shift for the young boy. “I didn’t know I was a poor Hawaiian until I went to Punahou. The kids explained it...children can be cruel. I didn’t feel poor,” he says in a hushed tone. At the end of eighth grade, Kalani left Punahou and entered public school in Waipahu, where his family lived. It was a stark contrast to the elite private school he previously attended. Even as an adolescent, he saw the shortcomings of the public education system. “Going to public school in Waipahu taught me a lot about how other people were living,” he says. It wasn’t long before Kalani moved to Kamehameha Schools, which was again a shift in perspective. Teachers were abuzz, labeling him as a former Punahou student, introducing him as such in each of his classes. The other students weren’t
