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Kilo

ByKate Righter

In nature journaling, we talk a lot about closely observing the world around us. In Hawaiian, the term for this is kilo, which means to watch, observe, examine, or forecast. The word refers both the traditional practice as well as the practitioner, both the activity and the person doing it.

Some things I’ve learned that are often part of the practice of kilo:

  • Returning again and again to the same place to notice how it changes over time
  • Looking for subtle changes
  • Identifying patterns
  • Sharing and discussing what you notice with others
  • Asking questions
  • Making predictions about what you expect to happen
  • Using collected knowledge to help make decisions in managing natural resources

Kilo also traditionally also involved spiritual observations, relationships to cultural practices, deities, as well as religious observations of both the moon cycles and seasons.

Also important to note, there was no written Hawaiian language until the 1820s. Before that, environmental knowledge was shared orally, through memorization, sharing mo’olelo, and oli. However, in the modern world, writing and drawing can help us remember what we’ve observed and what others have taught us.

*I am always looking to learn and grow. If you have a different definition or experience of kilo, please share it with me by emailing info@katerighter.com and I will make changes! Mahalo!

Activity Instructions for Kilo Observation (from Erin Samson of Kamehameha Schools)

● Find a quiet place to sit or stand.
● Make sure you are at least one anana* away from other people.
● Once you find your place, stay there for the whole time.
● Breathe deeply and clear your mind.
● Focus on your senses: sight, hearing, smell, touch, and intuition (and taste, if safe and appropriate)
● Practice your kilo observation for at least 10 minutes.
● Be prepared to share and record your observations.

*Anana is the distance between tips of longest fingers of a person, measured with arms extended on each side. Check out this post to learn more about using your body for measurement.

Worksheets

I created a kilo worksheet specifically for field trips or visiting a place for the first time: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iKvsJ-LwtbkhLnNTUPy6nN5oh8aYkWlNKWVnnSLDBio/edit?usp=sharing

Downloadable kilo resources for younger keiki, with cute drawings: https://www.poowainui.org/resources

Free downloadable worksheets and curriculum from Kilo Books:
https://kilobookshawaii.com/downloads/

Lesson Plans

From Malama Learning Center: https://www.malamalearningcenter.org/uploads/9/3/5/0/93506112/kilo_revised.pdf

Kilo to Wonder by Jaime Lewis, STEMS^2 program at UH Manoa: https://coe.hawaii.edu/stems2/curriculum/kilo-to-wonder/

In Depth Data Sheets

Resource for seasonal observation: https://auamo.org/
A slightly different, modified version of the huli ia form: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cXntLW7tsQz0aHvVuVOpagyRNUw3DF54/view

A diverse collection of kilo forms and information: https://www.aimalama.org/resources/

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