Malu Dudoit

Name Malu Dudoit

social media @malu.dudoit

Age 28

Town/Moku Panaʻewa, Hilo

Island Hawaiʻi Island

Leadership Category Education

Nominated by Pua Souza

Share with us a little about yourself and what you do.

Ke aloha o ka ʻāina iā kākou! ʻO wau nō ʻo Malu Dudoit. I was born and raised on the islands of Maui and Molokaʻi; and currently live in Panaʻewa, Hilo, Hawaiʻi. In 2016 I graduated with my B.A. in Hawaiian Studies (Continuing the Culture) from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo as well as my A.A.S. in Hawaiʻi Lifestyles-Hula Track through the I Ola Hāloa Hawaiʻi Lifestyles Program at the Hawaiʻi Community College. I immediately began my professional work at UH Hilo under grants supporting Native Hawaiian student success, and community/cultural engagement; and lecturing part-time for the Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language. In 2019 under the trainings and tutelage of Taupōuri Tangarō, I went through the ʻŪniki traditional rites of passage to puka or graduate from the hālau hula. It is through my trainings and practice of hula I have acquired the necessary tools to continue to serve my community through my professional work. Currently, I work as an Educational Specialist facilitating the Uluākea Program at UH Hilo. My main focus here is to work with, train, and empower Native-/Non-Native Hawaiian faculty and staff of UH Hilo and HawCC campuses to practice Hawaiʻi foundations within their own fields of study who will be able to recreate/transform their own curriculum through immersive cultural experiences.

Why is the work that you do important to you? The community?

In my position, I feel it is essential taking the time to introduce new faculty and staff to our host culture and environment here in Hawaiʻi, specifically to our moku in Hilo. In my experiences as a student and now a lecturer/professional staff member within the university, this kind of opportunity enhances the learning experience of the instructional faculty/staff as they build their relationship to people/community, to the lifestyle/practice/culture, and to the ʻāina/environment of our home.

Share with us the qualities of leadership you admire and how you express those in your life.

Huli ka lima: I am a firm believer of leadership not just being the one directing people where to go and how to do, but is also one:
-who is doing the actual work with their people
-who takes time to listen to what is being said before making decisions and acting on it
-who can take constructive criticism and learn from their mistakes

Who has inspired you to do the work that you are doing?

My papa, Theodore "Ted" Dudoit Sr., my aunty Henohea Kāne, and my kumu Taupōuri Tangarō and his ʻohana. Growing up in a religious family during my childhood where cultural traditions weren't necessarily practiced within my household, my papa Ted pushed me to continue learning of our culture and our identity as kanaka. My aunty Henohea Kāne is who raised me for most of my life. My inspiration to continue in higher education and learning within a hālau hula stems from her influences in my life. I am extremely thankful to have her in my life, continuing to support me in my growth as a kanaka. When I began working and learning under Taupōuri Tangarō, I was already a student in college pursuing a Hawaiian Studies degree. What I did not know at that time was what to do with my degree after I graduate and Tangarō provided a space for me to explore in what ways I can apply my degree to continue to serve our island community and lāhui.

What is one word that describes something you are excited about for the lāhui?

Unity

What is one word that describes a pressing issue that is facing our lāhui?

Division