Tūtū's Bookstore

Tūtū's Bookstore is an independent bookstore founded in 1987 in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, known for its focus on Pacific Islands, Indigenous Hawaiʻian, and multicultural literature. The store became a cultural hub engaging readers, writers, activists, educators, and tourists, linking local history with broader networks across the Pacific and the United States. It has hosted events featuring authors, scholars, and community leaders and maintained specialized collections that attract researchers and casual readers interested in regional and transnational topics.

History

Tūtū's Bookstore was founded during the late 20th century amid parallel cultural movements exemplified by the activism of figures like Nā Hōkū ʻīlio and institutions such as the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Kamehameha Schools, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and local chapters of American Association of University Women. The store’s early programming intersected with events connected to the Hawaiian Renaissance, the legacy of Queen Liliʻuokalani, and discussions stemming from rulings such as those involving Rice v. Cayetano and advocacy by leaders like Haunani-Kay Trask, George Helm, and Nainoa Thompson. In the 1990s and 2000s the shop collaborated with festivals and organizations including the Honolulu Festival, Hula competitions, the Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibits, and community efforts connected to Aloha ʻĀina movements. Its history reflects broader debates around land, culture, and education that also involved actors such as Bishop Estate, Hawaii State Legislature, Native Hawaiian Roll Commission, and activists associated with Kahoʻolawe restoration campaigns.

Collection and Specialties

The bookstore’s collections emphasize works by and about Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, featuring publications from presses like University of Hawaiʻi Press, Mutual Publishing, Bess Press, University of Queensland Press, and ANU Press. Holdings include monographs and primary-source materials tied to scholars and authors such as Kameʻeleihiwa, Noenoe K. Silva, Emilio K. H. Chong, Kanawai Noa, Gabrielle ʻAumua, Haunani-Kay Trask, Lilikalā Kameʻeleihiwa, and poets in the lineage of Albert Wendt and Sia Figiel. The store stocks literature across genres: historical texts on figures like King Kamehameha I and Queen Emma, travel narratives referencing Captain James Cook and James A. Michener, oral histories connected to the Māori Renaissance and Samoan writers, contemporary fiction by Jodi Picoult alongside translated works from publishers associated with Penguin Random House and HarperCollins. Reference materials include atlases and maps used by navigators in the vein of Nainoa Thompson and research materials used at archives like the Hawaiʻi State Archives and the Library of Congress. Collectible and out-of-print items often trace networks linking to institutions such as Smith College, Yale University Press, Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, and independent Pacific Island journals.

Community Role and Programs

As a civic space the bookstore has hosted readings, panels, and workshops featuring journalists and thinkers linked to outlets like The Honolulu Advertiser, Civil Beat, The New York Times, NPR, and independent zines associated with grassroots groups including Protect Kahoʻolawe ʻOhana and Hoʻokūʻī. Programming has included school partnerships with Kamehameha Schools, lecture series in coordination with University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa departments, writing workshops led by alumni of programs at Iowa Writers' Workshop and residencies connected to MacDowell, Yaddo, and Blue Mountain Center. Community initiatives have supported literacy and language revitalization aligning with efforts by the ʻAha Pūnana Leo movement, fundraising for cultural events such as Merrie Monarch Festival, and civic campaigns tied to ballot measures and municipal affairs involving the City and County of Honolulu.

Ownership and Management

Founded by Puanani K. ʻIolana, the bookstore’s ownership model evolved from sole proprietorship to a community-oriented governance style incorporating advisory relationships with educators, cultural practitioners, and nonprofit leaders from organizations such as Kūpuna, Hawaiʻi People's Fund, Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, and trustees formerly associated with Kamehameha Schools. Managers have coordinated acquisitions with librarians and curators at the Bishop Museum, the Honolulu Museum of Art, and special collections professionals from University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and mainland institutions like University of California, Berkeley and Columbia University. The staff roster over the years included activists and editors who contributed to local publications and collaborated with scholars involved in grants from bodies like the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Architecture and Location

Located in an urban Honolulu neighborhood near landmarks including Iolani Palace, Ala Moana Center, Chinatown, Honolulu, and the Aloha Tower, the bookstore occupies a storefront in a building typology common to Hawaiian commercial districts influenced by architectural trends visible in restorations at sites such as ʻIolani Barracks and the adaptive reuse projects near Bishop Memorial. Interior layout emphasizes shelving for rare and current titles alongside a small event space used for panels and exhibits tied to traveling shows from institutions like the Smithsonian Institution and the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum. The site’s proximity to transit corridors serving routes to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport and civic institutions like the Hawaiʻi State Capitol situates it within a network frequented by residents, academics, and visitors.

Category:Independent bookstores Category:Buildings and structures in Honolulu