Puakea Nogelmeier

Puakea Nogelmeier is a kumu hula, linguist, scholar, researcher, writer and American composer of Hawaiian music and chant who is Professor Emeritus of Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and Executive Director of Awaiaulu. Nogelmeier was Professor at the Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. His translation of The Epic Tale of Hiʻiakaikapoliopele won the 2008 Samuel M. Kamakau Award for books of the year.

Nogelmeier was born Marvin Nogelmeier. He was given the Hawaiian name, Puakea, by kumu hula Maiki Aiu Lake. "Puakea" translates to "fair child." Nogelmeier was trained in hula by Mililani Allen, learned Hawaiian chant from Edith Kanakaʻole and Edith Kawelohea McKinzie. He learned much of the Hawaiian language and culture from Theodore Kelsey, Sarah Nākoa, and Kamuela Kumukahi.

In 1999, Honolulu's public bus transportation service, TheBus, hired Nogelmeier to rerecord the voice announcements featured on the bus. Nearly 6,000 individual phrases and place names were recorded for the program. In the process, Nogelmeier researched each Hawaiian place name to ensure the most accurate pronunciation. The recordings have helped to standardize how people pronounce these names.

Life

University (1984–2018)

In 1984, Nogelmeier began teaching Hawaiian language at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

Puakea Nogelmeier retired from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa after teaching for 35 years.

Academic achievements, awards, and honors

• Samuel M. Kamakau Award - Book of the Year (2008)
• Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame (2014)

Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards

Over the years, Nogelmeier has been nominated for more than two dozen Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards for a number of categories. He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021 at the 43rd Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards.

Selected compositions

Selected bibliography