Nānā I Ke Kumu is the title of a series of books that Pukui helped produce with the Queen Liliʻuokalani Children's Center. The phrase itself is considered very evocative of Pukui’s life, work, and legacy, as she was someone who was constantly consulted for her expertise on various aspects of Hawaiian knowledge. Hawaiian knowledge is symbolized through the leaves and nuts of Hawaii’s state tree, the kukui.