Kealoha (poet)
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Kealoha | |
|---|---|
 Kealoha in Honolulu, 2007 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Steven Kealohapauʻole Hong-Ming Wong[1] |
| Genres | Slam Poetry Spoken word Performance Poetry |
| Occupation(s) | Poet Laureate Slam Poet Storyteller Speaker Educator Actor |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals `Ukulele |
| Website | Official Site |
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Kealoha (born Steven Kealohapau'ole Hong-Ming Wong) is a prominent Indigenous poet and storyteller based in Hawaii. He was the first Poet Laureate of Hawai'i and the first poet to perform at a Hawaii governor's inauguration.[2] In 2022, he received a Poets Laureate Fellowship from the Academy of American Poets.[3][4]
Kealoha is of Hawaiian, Chinese, and Caucasian descent.[5][6] He earned a degree in Nuclear Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1999.[7] Following his graduation, Kealoha conducted nuclear fusion research, worked in management consulting, and taught surfing before pursuing a career in the arts.[8] He became a full-time professional poet in 2002. [9][10] He currently resides in Honolulu.[11]
Poetry
He has performed throughout the world, including readings at the White House, ʻIolani Palace, the Smithsonian, and the Library of Congress. [12] In 2010, he was honored as a "National Slam Legend" at the National Poetry Slam and was selected as a master artist for a National Endowment for the Arts program.[13][14] In the genre of storytelling, he has showcased at events such as the National Storytelling Network Conference, the Bay Area Storytelling Festival, and the Honolulu Storytelling Festival.[14]
He is a proponent of "the spoken word," saying "it makes us laugh and cry and wonder and empathize. It provides a mirror for us so we can see who we are as individuals and as a collective. It documents our beliefs and our many cultures through space and time. It expresses all facets of our humanity from the beautiful to the ugly. It shows us what is possible. It inspires us. It shifts our paradigms."
It was exposure to slam poetry that convinced Kealoha to return to Hawaiʻi to become a full-time poet.[15] An early best known work is the performance poem Dichotomy (a.k.a. Hawaiian in the 21st Century), an identity piece that demonstrates conflicting arguments within the Native Hawaiian community. Written in 2004, Dichotomy has been used in classrooms throughout the state of Hawaiʻi to spark debate and dialogue among students.[16] The piece debuted outside of Hawaiʻi in 2007 at the National Poetry Slam, where Kealoha placed eighth individually.[17] Other signature pieces include Recess, The Male Feminist, Destiny, Zoom Out, Chances, and The Story of Everything.[18][19][20]
Career
Kealoha is the founder of Hawaii Slam, First Thursdays, and Youth Speaks Hawai'i. He also conducts workshops at schools, libraries, and prisons.[21] In 2005, he was featured in the documentary Hawaii Slam: Poetry in Paradise, which followed four Hawaiian poets' success at a national competition.[22] In 2009, he appeared in HBO's series Brave New Voices.[23]
In 2012, Kealoha was appointed as the first Poet Laureate of Hawai'i by Governor Neil Abercrombie, a position he held until 2022.[24] During his tenure, he promoted poetry and spoken word across the state through performances, educational programs, and community outreach. Kealoha also contributed to the State of Hawai'i's "Can’t Fool the Youth" anti-smoking campaign and was interviewed on PBS's Long Story Short in 2010.[25] The following year, he appeared in the feature film Get a Job as the “bus washing poet.”[26] In 2022, Kealoha delivered a commencement address at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.[27] In November 2024, he served as writer-in-residence at Punahou School.[28]
