Ala Press

Ala Press 

founded in 2011 by Brandy Nalani McDougall & Craig Santos Perez

“Ala” means “basket” and “nest” in the Chamorro language and “path,” “fragrance,” and “to rise up” in the Hawaiian language. As such, we chose to honor our press with the name Ala because of our belief that literature has the power to carry, nurture, guide, beautify, and awaken. We publish a diverse range of styles in poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, drama, graphic novels, and children’s books by writers who trace their genealogies to the native peoples of “Polynesia,” “Micronesia,” and “Melanesia.”

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Catalog

A Penny for Our Thoughts: A collection of poems from the Kamehameha Schools class of 2011

Edited by Brandy Nalani McDougall

Purchase the anthology from Amazon here

Read sample poems here

Introduction

The poems in this collection were written as part of a semester-long class, World Poetry, which is offered to Kamehameha seniors. Throughout the course of this class, the students featured here have shared many original pieces of literature, providing a lens into their chaotic teenage lives and showing the unique backgrounds from which they’ve grown. The poets of Kanaka Maoli ancestry featured in A Penny for Our Thoughts, come from many of the Hawaiian Islands including Oahu, Kauai, and Molokai. Through class prompts, creative discussions, and even hikes into the forest of Kapālama, these authors have drawn inspiration for these works.

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Nafanua: Works from Writers and Artists who attended the 10th Festival of Pacific Arts in American Samoa

edited by Dan Taulapapa McMullin

Purchase a copy from Amazon here

Description:

The Festival of Pacific Arts takes place once every four years in the Pacific.  The quadrennial festival is hosted by a different island nation every year; in 2008, American Samoa hosted the 10th festival. There were participants from 27 island nations from Hawai’i to Australia, in all fields including literature, oratory, storytelling, chanting, fashion, dance, film, video, sculpture, painting, and more.

This anthology features poetry, short story, and plays by a selection of Pacific writers and artists who attended the festival, including Sia Figiel, Larry Thomas, Cresantia Frances Koya, Dan Taulapapa McMullin, Victor Rodger, Teweiariki Teaero, and Dianna Fuemana.