Melemaikalanimamakalapuaa McAllister

The propagation of social media has been instrumental in educating the general public in regards to the actual history and culture of Hawai'i.

One of the up-and-coming social media Hawai'ian "activists" is Melemaikalanimakalapuaa McAllister, who goes by Mele. Her primary outlet is Instagram, where she produces reels with captions that talk about Hawai'ian independence, the significance of Hula, and how Hawai'ian culture (and arguably minority cultures in general) are mistreated. The fast-paced informational style of her content makes it easy for non-Hawai'ians and Hawai'ians alike to gain a more intimate understanding of the culture.

For example, one of her "Highlights" on her page involves her explaining the meaning of her name. Melemaikalani, the first of her first names, means "song from heaven" while "Makalapuaa" means "prettiest flower in the garden" (MY NAME). She also goes on to explain that Hawai'ian names are earned and can also be gifted to a person, and can be received in a dream, vision, or from a supernatural voice (MY NAME). Some names for children were used as protection against evil spirits (MY NAME). Therefore, many native people are against outsiders using Hawai'ian names because they are so sacred (MY NAME).

Some of her reels detail the misappropriation and disrespect people express toward Hawai'ian culture, which Mele experiences firsthand herself. Hula seems to be one of the most misunderstood and appropriated aspects of the culture ("It's honestly"; MY NAME; "Sorry for posting same").