To commemorate Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park created new digital features, tours and tools for visitors to connect with Hawaiian culture.
The new features include web content about the cultural significance of park landscapes and new self-guided tours on the free National Park Service app.
Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders and Asian Americans have a rich heritage that shaped the history of the park.
“Just as the volcanic and biologic features of the land have formed Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, so, too, have the people who have been a part of its history and sacred landscapes,” said park Superintendent Rhonda Loh. “We are thrilled to share these places and their stories with enriching and exciting new tools such as the NPS app.”
Virtual visitors can learn more about culturally significant park places, the many and varied cultural sites contained within its boundaries, as well as some of the mo‘olelo connected to them. Mo‘olelo are stories, myths and legends that are part of the cultural fabric of Hawaii.
Visitors have new ways to learn and explore with six self-guided tours on the NPS app.
The NPS app gives the public up-to-date information about not only Hawaii Volcanoes, but all 423 national parks in one easy-to-use app. Visitors can download the NPS app in the iOS App Store and Google Play Store to plan a trip, find places to view the ongoing eruption of Kilauea, use interactive features and download maps and self-guided tours ahead of time.
In addition to the web content and NPS app, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park joins the Pacific Island national parks on social media throughout May to share posts that highlight the special pilina (interconnections) between culture, human history and traditions.
While on a visit to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the public is reminded to recreate responsibly, follow park safety guidelines and wear masks while inside all federal facilities and outside where physical distancing cannot be maintained.