• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

The Merwin Conservancy

Inspiring innovation in the arts and sciences by advancing the ideas of W.S. Merwin

  • About
    • The Conservancy
    • W.S. Merwin
    • The Home & Garden
    • Staff & Garden Team
    • Directors & Advisors
  • Garden
    • Open Garden Days
    • School Visits
    • Artists in the Garden
    • Garden Gallery
  • Fellowships & Residencies
    • Merwin Creative Teaching Fellowship
    • Multidisciplinary Residencies
  • Events
    • Garden of Verses: Virtual Event
    • Memorial Events & Tributes
    • The Green Room
  • Journal
    • Poems
    • Palms
    • Director’s Note
    • Storied Objects
    • In Good Company
    • News & Events
  • The Sitting Room
  • Donate
You are here: Home / Storied Objects / A Student of Hawai‘i

A Student of Hawai‘i

September 23, 2020 By Sonnet Kekilia Coggins

We’re one shelf into cataloguing the Native Hawaiian history section of W.S. Merwin’s library. Yesterday, tucked inside the pages of the Kumulipo, we found traces of William’s early days in Hawai‘i, when he immersed himself in learning about the history and language of Hawai‘i. He took notes in the margins, and, never one to waste, on recycled letters–this one from the Library of Congress.

View this post on Instagram

We're one shelf into cataloguing the Native Hawaiian history section of W.S. Merwin's library. Yesterday, tucked inside the pages of the Kumulipo, we found traces of William's early days in Hawai'i, when he immersed himself in learning about the history and language of Hawaiʻi. He took notes in the margins, and, never one to waste, on recycled letters —this one from the Library of Congress. #kumulipo #nativehawaiian #hawaiianhistory #hawaiianchant #creationstory

A post shared by The Merwin Conservancy (@themerwinconservancy) on Sep 23, 2020 at 9:37am PDT

In these early months of stewarding the Merwins’ house, we are making discoveries that surprise and delight us. As we go, we’ll share some of these finds with you in a new series called “Storied Objects.” To view other posts in the “Storied Objects” series, click here.

Share this:

  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Related

Reader Interactions

Footer

SUBSCRIBE TO MONTHLY UPDATES

Search this Site

LATEST FROM THE JOURNAL

Hala Tree in Merwin Garden

“Migration,” by W.S. Merwin

The Entrance Bell

CONNECT

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo
  • YouTube

The Merwin Conservancy

P.O. Box 809 
Haiku, HI 96708 
808-579-8876
info@merwinconservancy.org

  • Subscribe
  • Read Our Newsletter
  • Contact

Copyright © 2021 The Merwin Conservancy · Log in