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.^[1] 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.

Puakea Nogelmeier
Nogelmeier at ʻIolani Palace, 2018
Born	Marvin Nogelmeier San Francisco, California
Occupation(s)	Professor, Linguist, Composer, Kumu Hula
Awards	Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame, Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award
Academic background
Education	Anthropology (PhD), Pacific Island Studies (MA), Hawaiian Language and Anthropology (BA)
Alma mater	University of Hawaiʻi
Thesis	Mai Pa'a I Ka Leo: Historical voice in Hawaiian primary materials, looking forward and listening back (2003)
Academic work
Discipline	Hawaiian Language
Institutions	University of Hawaiʻi
Notable works	The Epic Tale of Hiʻiakaikapoliopele

Nogelmeier was born Marvin Nogelmeier. He was given the Hawaiian name, Puakea, by kumu hula Maiki Aiu Lake.^[2] "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.^[3]

Life

In 1984, Nogelmeier began teaching Hawaiian language at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.^[4] He retired in 2018 after teaching for 35 years.^[5]

Nogelmeier is openly gay.^[6]

Academic achievements, awards, and honors

• Samuel M. Kamakau Award - Book of the Year (2008)
• Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame (2014) ^[7]

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.^[8]

Year	Album/Artist	Category	Result	Ref
2020	Ka Lei Moana (Kūpaoa)	Liner Notes	Won	[9]
2020	Ka Lei Moana (Kūpaoa)	Song of the Year	Nominated	[10]
2017	Hoʻokele (Kūpaoa)	Liner Notes	Nominated	[11]
2017	Hoʻokele (Kūpaoa)	Haku Mele	Nominated	[12]
2014	Bumbye (Kūpaoa)	Haku Mele	Won	[13]
2011	English Rose (Kūpaoa)	Liner Notes	Won	[14]
2009	Kamalei: Collection Two (Kealiʻi Reichel)	Liner Notes	Won	[15]
2007	Maluhia (Kealiʻi Reichel)	Liner Notes	Won	[16]
2004	Keʻalaokamaile (Kealiʻi Reichel)	Song of the Year	Won	[17]
2004	Keʻalaokamaile (Kealiʻi Reichel)	Liner Notes	Won	[18]
2000	Melelana (Kealiʻi Reichel)	Liner Notes	Won	[19]

Selected compositions

Hawaiian Ka Hula Papa Holoi (Performed by Nāpua Greig) Ka Nohona Pili Kai (Co-written and Performed by Kealiʻi Reichel)[20] Lei Haliʻa (Performed by Kealiʻi Reichel) Nematoda (Performed by Kealiʻi Reichel) Toad Song (Performed by Kealiʻi Reichel) Pili O Ke Ao (Performed by Kūpaoa)

Hawaiian-English Bumbye (Performed by Kūpaoa)[21]

Selected bibliography

Linguistics The Epic Tale of Hiʻiakaikapoliopele I Ulu I Ke Kumu : The Hawai'inuiākea Monograph Ke Kumu Aupuni : The Foundation of Hawaiian Nationhood

Hawaiian Culture Ke Aupuni Mōʻī Edited by Puakea Nogelmeier Keaomelemele; "He Moʻolelo Kaʻao No Keaomelemele"