Imagine as a child going to a forest, free to work—explore, col lect, pretend, play, construct, and run. It must feel almost magical, especially experiencing the day with all of your friends in a community of co-constructors.

Then imagine a “man of stories” coming to this magical place and making stories come to life right in the heart of this space. An adult who understands and speaks the same language of pretend, dreams, and imagination that children so innately share.

This is what our past two research trips to the forest have been like. The children have been challenged to find traces of the stories in the forest of Waʻahila, then Kumu Moses arrives and shares more treasured stories of this place with them.

Stories from a long, long, time ago. It is in the distance from then to now, that makes the stories quasi-real, but Mosesʻs artistry enables him to masterfully transport us to the past as he makes these legends come to life.

Back in the projection atelier, the children revisit and reflect upon the stories by studying closely the clues Kumu Moses uses to communicate and express the multiple transformations he evokes within a story. No costumes, no props. Just facial expressions, gestures, posturing, and voice changes. Becoming attuned to these nuances requires high-level thinking. Even though the children think they are playing a game, they are really laying a foundation for literacy through interpretation, comprehension, expression, and understanding of oral stories.

IMAGINE — an atelier for multiple realities

Needless to say, our work with Kumu Moses has been an extension of our learning through multiple realities. We are excited to continue from where we left off before break and look forward to the possibilities that await our return.

Kumu Moses transforms into different things by changing into different shapes.- Briella

He pretends heʻs something and thatʻs how he transforms. - Christopher

The unreal helps us to transform into a dolphin or an animal. -Hana

Kumu Moses transforms when he makes different sounds. -Farryn