Intern and Fellow Highlights: Daniel Anekelea Hübner

Daniel in action at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

Courtesy of Daniel Anekelea Hübner

You may have heard of cultural resources, but what exactly does this work entail and what type of work do interns and fellows do? Find out through this intern and fellow highlight series that features the work of our interns and fellows service wide.

Everyone has a personal connection to cultural resources. Cultural resources help us define what makes us human through understanding the evidence we leave behind and continue to create today. This can include anything from archives, archaeological sites, museum collections, structures and cultural landscapes, and resources with significance to a group of people traditionally associated with them.

To learn more about cultural resources, visit the Cultural Resources, Partnerships, and Science Directorate page.

So... What exactly does a cultural resource internship look like?

Interns and fellows work with multiple offices, programs, and parks through partner organizations such as the American Conservation Experience (ACE) and National Council for Preservation Education (NCPE). They work on various projects that range from tribal consultation and policy to telling the stories of women in World War II and even to connecting local communities with public history.

Their work adds value to the National Park Service and supports our mission to preserve for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.

Meet Daniel Anekelea Hübner (he/him) who is the National Council for Preservation Education intern at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

Tell us a little bit about what you do in your position?

Aloha, my name is Daniel Anekelea Hübner. I am a Hawaiian Studies major at Hawaiʻi Community College and National Council for Preservation Education (NCPE) intern at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. I grew up in Rochester, New York and it was there that I got my start in creative media making small movies with my friends in high school. I felt drawn to the filmmaking process and I went on to pursue a bachelors degree in Media Arts from Brigham Young University. After college I moved to the island of Hawaiʻi to be near my family and I started volunteering at the nearby Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. At the beginning of the 2018 eruption of Kīlauea volcano, I was asked by the interpretation division at the park to make an accurate and informative video on what was going on with the volcano. That video went on to be seen by thousands of people in Hawaiʻi and around the world! I was eventually hired by the National Park Service and continued to make media content. Last year I directed and filmed a video series about Hawaiian cultural practioners. The series and project team were nominated for the Freeman Tilden Award, the highest award presented to National Park Service interpreters. I enjoy making films for the park because I find most people are eager to learn about the volcano and the culture. I don’t have to convince people that this place is cool. It is just... really cool!

ʻIke Hana Noʻeau "Experience the Skillful Work": A captivating new video series produced, created and hosted by Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park rangers shares authentic Hawaiian cultural practices beyond the park to homes and classrooms anywhere

Duration:

7 minutes, 25 seconds

In 2018, a new eruption of Kīlauea volcano changed the island of Hawai‘i forever. From May through August, large lava flows covered land southeast of the park destroying over 700 homes and devastating residential areas in the Puna District. At the same time, the summit area of the park was dramatically changed by tens of thousands of earthquakes, towering ash plumes, and a massive collapse of Kīlauea caldera.

If you met a younger version of yourself, what would you tell them about your current career trajectory?

I would tell my younger self to pursue a career path based on what you enjoy. Doing something meaningful can pay large (metaphorical) dividends. This job is not always easy, but it is consistently rewarding.

How do you see the field of cultural resources changing in the coming years?

I see community engagement and connection as essential in our continued work. I hope that we can emphasize making information easily accessible to the public so that they can connect and discover this wonderfuly resource in their own way. Not everyone can afford to travel to a national park, but that does not mean that they cannot connect with a national park – especially if that place is a part of their cultural heritage. I believe that public awareness keeps the resource alive in peoples’ minds and fosters the development of future advocates and stewards of the landscape.

Daniel in action taking a picture

Courtesy of Daniel Anekelea Hübner

Where do you see yourself in the future?

I hope to see myself anyplace where I am able to research the things that I am passionate about and share what I learn through media. Sharing cultural resources with others is a sacred trust – It is not just about sharing interesting information. Discovering and connecting with cultural resources is especially meaningful when these resources are part of a person’s cultural heritage. I feel I have a duty to meet the needs of persons who want to embrace their cultural heritage. I have learned through personal experience as I have researched my own Hawaiian ancestry that cultural resources can be touchstones of awareness that create meaning and broaden our understanding. They open portals to the past while providing guidance for the present and future. If I can produce media that both informs and also fulfills the hunger to know one’s heritage, I will be fulfilling my role as one who strives to keeps culture alive in peoples’ minds and hearts.

For more information on CRPS internship programs contact Paloma Bolasny at e-mail us

For more information on youth and young adult programs and opportunities in the National Park Service, visit Youth Programs (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)