Alohalani Kaluhiokalani Housman, a 1982 graduate of BYU–Hawaii, was born and raised in New Jersey with deep Hawaiian roots. She came to Lāʻie in 1978, beginning a lifelong journey to preserve and promote the Hawaiian language and culture. Now the Dean of Culture, Language, and Performing Arts, she continues that mission with passion and purpose.
A Calling to Return
Alohalani Kaluhiokalani Housman first set foot on the BYU–Hawaii campus in the fall of 1978, just after applying to attend the school with her twin brother. Born and raised in Delran, New Jersey, she carried a deep but latent connection to Hawaii—a seed planted by her grandfather, born on the Big Island in 1884, who had left the islands in 1900 but instilled her family with Hawaiian values of community, humility, and sharing.
Housman graduated from BYU–Hawaii in 1982 with a degree in elementary education. “My twin brother and I felt something special and sacred about this place. This university is also where I took my very first Hawaiian language class, so I cherish [BYU–Hawaii] since this is where it all began,” Housman shared.
Looking back on her early years, what started as a heartfelt impression during a family vacation at the Polynesian Cultural Center in her youth soon became a spiritual invitation to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Neither she nor her family knew anyone or anything about the Church at the time, but the feeling of belonging was undeniable.
Her family’s introduction to the gospel came through her aunt and uncle, who first joined the Church. “They had a luau down in Washington, D.C., and we would go visit them,” Housman recalled. “Then, they invited us to come down and go through the Washington D.C. Temple before the dedication. Those little cards where you write your thoughts and feelings were how the missionaries found our family.”
After embracing the gospel of Jesus Christ at age 17, Housman found guidance that would shape her education and her life’s work. Shortly before heading to BYU–Hawaii, Housman received her patriarchal blessing. “When I got my patriarchal blessing, it focused on teaching young children,” she said. “As I kept reading it, I felt that I had to switch from wanting to be a math teacher to elementary education. So that’s what I did.”
Indeed, coming to BYU–Hawaii was more than an educational decision; it became a hinge point in Housman’s life, a place where heritage, personal revelation, and purpose converged.
Preserving Language & Building Zion
Housman felt drawn not only to education but to a deeper, divine calling to preserve and perpetuate the Hawaiian language. She became the first Hawaiian language immersion teacher on the island of Oahu at Waiau Elementary in 1987. Even before immersion schools opened their doors, she had already decided to raise her children to speak Hawaiian. “All four daughters and all nine grandchildren speak Hawaiian fluently.”
After teaching at Waiau Elementary for seven years, her teaching career took her across the islands to the place of her ancestors on the Big Island to teach seven more years in Hawaiian immersion at Keaukaha Elementary and Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu School. She then taught for 14 years at the College of Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawai’i in Hilo before being hired at BYU–Hawaii in 2015. “The first thing I focused on was building relationships with the students, faculty, and community,” she said. “I was hired as a Hawaiian Studies professor, so I worked on creating curriculum, especially for the Hawaiian language courses.” Her scholarly work also included research on:
1. The original 1855 translation of the Book of Mormon, “Ka Buke a Moramona” in Hawaiian by George Q. Cannon and Jonathan Nāpela;
2. The 1905 republication of Ka Buke a Moramona under the direction of President Joseph F. Smith, who served multiple missions in Hawaiʻi; and
3. The 1914 Hawaiian translations of the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price.
These Hawaiian translations of the scriptures are now available on the Gospel Library app and the Church’s website.
Housman now serves as Dean of Culture, Language, and Performing Arts at BYU–Hawaii, overseeing eight academic programs including Hawaiian Studies, Pacific Studies, History, Anthropology, Peacebuilding, Music, Theatre, and Humanities.
Throughout her life, Housman has viewed each opportunity as part of a larger divine pattern. “The Lord will take you on a journey that you can’t even imagine for yourself,” she said. “Each part of my life, whether it was church, family, or education, has prepared me for the next step.”
Voyaging on the Iosepa Canoe
Housman worked alongside students, faculty, and community members under the direction of leaders Mark Ellis and Keali‘i Haverly to revitalize the double-hulled canoe, ensuring its legacy continues. “The first step,” she said, “was just working with Mark and Keali‘i to help make repairs to the canoe. It took a good year removing all the epoxy and varnish, getting it back down to wood, and then refurbishing it again.”
Her participation evolved from volunteer to crew member when she was invited to join a few legs of the voyage in 2025, including a challenging sail from Moloka’i to Maui and a breathtaking sail from Maui to O’ahu. “This was something I’ve wanted to do ever since I got here,” she shared.
Of that Moloka‘i–Maui leg, which was most memorable for its intensity, Housman recalled, “It was probably the most challenging. There were 16 crew members, and the waves were big, but there was never fear. We had a very capable crew, and of course, our captain, Mark Ellis, has extensive training and experience in voyaging with Hōkūleʻa.”
For Housman, voyaging wasn’t just about movement across the sea; it was deeply symbolic. “It’s about reconnecting with our ancestors. When you’re out on the ocean and you can see the islands far off, you can imagine how they traveled, what they saw. There’s a feeling of connectedness and awe,” she said.
Looking back on a night sail from Maui to O‘ahu, she added, “We left at midnight under an almost full moon. You could see the silhouettes of the islands, the lights, and just feel God’s creations all around you. It was magical.”
“The canoe becomes a community. You see people’s strengths. You work together to get to the next destination. That’s how we build Zion,” Housman explained. “It is a metaphor for life; we must keep steering toward our destination. For us that night, it was Diamond Head. For all of us spiritually, it’s Christ and our heavenly home.”
Housman now strives to pass that legacy on to students. “I love our students. I love being a part of their journey,” she said. “I think that’s what the Lord needs me to do here at BYU–Hawaii, to share some of my sacred experiences and help build their testimonies so when they leave, they’ll have a strong foundation.”
“I think that’s what I’ve tried to do my whole life,” she said. “To gain skills and knowledge and then be willing to do whatever the Lord asks me to do, even when it’s hard, even when it’s not on anyone else’s radar. If we just keep doing the Lord’s work, He will take us on an amazing journey.”
