Gabbi C. K. Lee

Gabbi C. K. Lee (Kanaka ʻŌiwi) is a Cultural Interpreter at the National Museum of the American Indian from Kailua, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi. Her work at the museum focuses on providing educational experiences for K-12 students and the general public. She strives to bring authentic Indigenous perspectives into museum work at all levels.

Stories from this author

Hawaiian wa'a (canoe)

Ka Mo‘olelo o Au Hou ma Wakinekona, D.C. | The Story Behind the Hawaiian Canoe in Washington, D.C.

For thousands of years, Native Hawaiians have traveled the Pacific in traditional voyaging canoes. A fixture on the National Mall for almost 20 years now, a wa‘a (Hawaiian canoe) named Au Hou has called Washington, D.C. home since the National Museum of the American Indian’s grand opening in 2004.

Gabrielle Lee (Kanaka Maoli), the first Native Hawaiian cultural interpreter on the staff of the National Museum of the American Indian, in a small section of the New York Botanical Garden that features plants native to Hawai‘i. (Courtesy of Gabbi Lee)

Aloha Opens the Door to Learning

The first Native Hawaiian cultural interpreter on the staff of the National Museum of the American Indian explores the importance of aloha in the Hawaiian worldview. “More than a greeting or salutation, aloha is like a feeling that encompasses many other feelings,” Gabrielle Lee writes, a set of values that “work together to build a profound sense of love and respect for others.” In the spirit of aloha, she sees museums as places to learn together. Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month by exploring the Smithsonian’s collections of art and objects from Hawai‘i and the Pacific: https://www.si.edu/spotlight/asian-american