Jayna Omaye
Born and raised on Oʻahu, Jayna Omaye loves writing about the communities she grew up in and highlighting the challenges and successes that make Hawaiʻi so special.
Before joining Hawaiʻi Public Radio, Jayna was the ethnic and cultural affairs reporter at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. While at the newspaper, she mentored and taught high school students about journalism as part of a youth storytelling project that she spearheaded about Hawaiʻi’s Japanese American veterans.
Jayna has also worked as a reporter at the Orlando Sentinel newspaper in Florida and as a staff writer at Honolulu Magazine, where she won numerous local and national awards for her stories on arts, culture and history.
A Moanalua High School graduate, she earned her master’s degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon. When she’s not chasing a story, Jayna enjoys dancing hula and playing taiko.
She covered culture and arts for Hawaiʻi Public Radio from 2022 to early 2023.
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It’s part of the federal government’s plan to require formal consultation with Native Hawaiian communities on issues that impact them. HPR's Jayna Omaye has more.
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A new performance debuting at Windward Community College’s Palikū Theatre showcases queer and Indigenous characters who shapeshift by manifesting the powers of kupua, or demigods. HPR's Jayna Omaye spoke to the playwright to learn more.
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“Navigating a Minefield” will feature sketches from author Stacey Hayashi’s manga. It illustrates the stories of the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. HPR's Jayna Omaye has more.
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The exhibit features photos and audio clips of first-hand accounts of people who worked and lived on the pineapple plantation up until it closed in 1992. HPR's Jayna Omaye has more.
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“ʻOhuʻohu nā Mauna o ʻEʻeka: Place Names of Maui Komohana” is written by kumu hula Cody Pueo Pata. He says he’s gathered information about many special places located in the area known as Maui Komohana. HPR's Jayna Omaye has more.
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The popular event is in its 30th year and will feature live entertainment, food vendors, crafts, cultural displays, keiki activities and more. HPR's Jayna Omaye has more.
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Franklin Odo helped found the ethnic studies program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and served as its first permanent director. He died last month at 83.
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A new program will help teach Native Hawaiian organizations how to embrace traditions while expanding their reach. HPR's Jayna Omaye went to the Waikalua Loko fishpond in Kāneʻohe to learn more.
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Julian Aguon earned his law degree from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa William S. Richardson School of Law in 2009. He’s in Hawaiʻi for the final stop of his book tour. HPR's Jayna Omaye has more.
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The goal is to open the 6,500-square-foot theater by the end of next year. HPR’s Jayna Omaye has more.