>> IT HAS BEEN NEARLY 40 YEARS SINCE THE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE  IMMERSION PROGRAM WAS STARTED.

AND TODAY THERE ARE MORE THAN  20,000 HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE SPEAKERS.

IN RECENT DECADES,  HAWAI'I HAS MADE GREAT STRIDES IN TEACHING AND PRESERVING  'OLELO HAWAI'I, BUT ARE WE DOING ENOUGH TO KEEP UP WITH THE  DEMAND TO LEARN THE LANGUAGE AND TO NORMALIZE ITS USE?

JOIN THE DISCUSSION AS WE TALK ABOUT EXPANDING 'OLELO HAWAI'I  ACROSS THE STATE.

∂∂ >> Daryl:   ALOHA AND WELCOME TO INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAI'I...I'M  DARYL HUFF.

FEBRUARY IS MAHINA OLELO HAWAII OR HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE MONTH.

IN A RESOLUTION INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS, U.S. REPRESENTATIVE ED  CASE SAID "HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE MONTH IS NOT ONLY A  COMMEMORATION OF THE SUCCESS STORY OF OLELO HAWAII, BUT A  RECOMMITMENT TO THE CONTINUED EFFORT THAT WILL ALWAYS BE  REQUIRED."

HAWAI'I IS THE ONLY STATE IN THE  US THAT HAS A DESIGNATED NATIVE LANGUAGE, HAWAIIAN, AS ONE OF  ITS OFFICIAL STATE LANGUAGES.

IT WAS RECOGNIZED AS AN OFFICIAL  LANGUAGE AT THE 1978 HAWAI'I CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION AND  SINCE THEN THERE HAS BEEN A CONCERTED EFFORT TO TEACH AND  PROMOTE OLELO HAWAII.

BUT ARE WE DOING ENOUGH TO  REVITALIZE AND NORMALIZE THE LANGUAGE?

WHAT CAN WE AS A STATE  AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS DO TO EXPAND OLELO HAWAII?

WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PARTICIPATION IN TONIGHT'S SHOW.

YOU CAN EMAIL OR CALL IN YOUR QUESTIONS.

AND YOU'LL FIND A  LIVE STREAM OF THIS PROGRAM AT PBSHAWAII.ORG AND THE PBS HAWAII  YOUTUBE PAGE.

NOW, TO OUR GUESTS.

KA'IU KIMURA IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE KA HAKA 'ULA O KE'ELIKOLANI  COLLEGE OF HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE AT UH HILO -- I THINK I GOT IT --  AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE 'IMILOA ASTRONOMY CENTER.

SHE IS CURRENTLY A PH.D.

CANDIDATE IN THE INDIGENOUS  LANGUAGE REVITALIZATION PROGRAM AT UH HILO.

HAILI'OPUA BAKER IS A PLAYWRIGHT, DIRECTOR, AND  EDUCATOR FROM KAPA'A, KAUA'I WHOSE WORK FOCUSES ON  REVITALIZING NATIVE HAWAIIAN HISTORY AND STORIES.

SHE    OVERSEES THE HAWAIIAN THEATRE AND PLAYWRITING PROGRAMS AT UH  MANOA AND IS A RECIPIENT OF THE KENNEDY CENTER MEDALLION OF  EXCELLENCE.

KAU'I SANG WAS SELECTED AS THE  FIRST DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE FOR THE STATE  DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IN 2015.

PREVIOUSLY SHE WAS THE  EDUCATIONAL SPECIALIST FOR KAIAPUNI -- THE HAWAIIAN  LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAM.

AND KANOE PACHECO IS A PRODUCT  OF KE KULA KAIAPUNI, THE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE IMMERSION  PROGRAM ON MAUI.

SHE HOLDS BACHELORS DEGREES IN HAWAIIAN  LANGUAGE AND HAWAIIAN STUDIES FROM UH MANOA.

SHE CURRENTLY  WORKS AT UH MAUI COLLEGE AS AN ACADEMIC SUPPORT SPECIALIST.

LET ME START BY ASKING EACH OF YOU PLEASE TO EXPLAIN HOW YOU  CAME TO THE LANGUAGE YOURSELF AND YOU CAN PLEASE DO THAT IN  'OLELO HAWAI'I AND EXPLAIN TO US WHAT YOU JUST SAID.

LET ME START OFF WITH KAIU KIMURA.

PLEASE TELL US HOW YOU CAME TO THE LANGUAGE ITSELF.

AND EXPLAIN  IT.

AND USE YOUR NATIVE TONGUE.

>> [SPEAKING IN HAWAIIAN]  [SPEAKING IN HAWAIIAN] [SPEAKING IN HAWAIIAN]  [SPEAKING IN HAWAIIAN] >> Daryl:   OKAY.

CAN YOU TELL ME THAT STORY IN  ENGLISH NOW?

>> IT'S EASIER TELL IT IN  HAWAIIAN.

SURE.

I GREW UP IN WAIMEA ON THE ISLAND OF HAWAI'I AND WAS VERY  BLESSED TO HAVE A VERY CLOSE FAMILY.

BUT I WASN'T RAISED IN THE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE.

HOWEVER, ONE OF MY UNCLES PLAYED   A MAJOR ROLE IN STARTING THE  HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE MOVEMENT, THAT'S LARRY KIMURA.

I WAS VERY  FORTUNATE TO -- >> Daryl: HE WAS HONORED TODAY  AT U.H.

HILO, I THINK.

>> YES.

HE'S STILL WITH US AT KA HAKA 'ULA O KE'ELIKOLANI.

A FACULTY MEMBER, WORKING WITH STUDENTS, RESEARCHING AND  CONTINUING TO EXPAND 'OLELO HAWAI'I.

BUT HE WOULD BRING HIS FRIENDS AND HIS COLLEGES TO MY  GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE.

THEY WOULD HAVE A GOOD TIME  TOGETHER IN 'OLELO HAWAI'I.

AND I WAS ALWAYS STRUCK BY THAT,  BUT I ALSO THOUGHT, THAT'S FOR THE OLDER GENERATION.

IT WASN'T UNTIL TWO OF HIS FRIENDS WHO HAD THEIR OWN  CHILDREN THAT WERE ABOUT TWO OR THREE, THEY WERE VERY YOUNG,  CAME TO MY GRANDMA'S HOUSE.

I HEARD THE TWO OF THEM  CONVERSING COMPLETELY IN THE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE.

THAT WAS THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE.

I THINK THAT WAS THE FIRST  MOMENT FOR ME THAT SPARKED THIS ALOHA TO WANT TO ALSO BECOME  FLUENT AND BE A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY THAT WAS RECLAIMING  OUR NATIVE LANGUAGE AND NATIVE IDENTITY.

>> Daryl: LET ME MOVE ON TO KANOE PACHECO.

THE YOUNGEST OF US BY FAR.

YOU CAME THROUGH THE IMMERSION  PROGRAM.

HOW WAS THAT FOR YOU?

>> ALOHA.

[SPEAKING IN HAWAIIAN]  [SPEAKING IN HAWAIIAN] [SPEAKING IN HAWAIIAN]  >> Daryl: OKAY.

NOW LET   ME HEAR IT IN ENGLISH.

[LAUGHTER] >> SO I AM THE YOUNGEST OF MY  FAMILY.

ALL OF MY OLDER SIBLINGS DIDN'T  GO THROUGH THE PROGRAM.

AT THE TIME, I HAD ABOUT FOUR,  FIVE COUSINS THAT WERE ALREADY IN THE PROGRAM, SO MY MOM WANTED  TO PUT ME IN KIND OF AS A LAST RESORT, BUT SHE WANTED AT LEAST  ONE OF HER CHILDREN TO SPEAK.

MY MOM'S NOT HAWAIIAN.

MY DAD IS, AND ACTUALLY MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER ON MY DAD'S  SIDE SPOKE A LITTLE BIT OF HAWAIIAN.

BUT, YEAH, GOING THROUGH THE PROGRAM WAS AMAZING.

I HAD A LOT OF SUPPORT IN THE PROGRAM, BUT AT HOME, I WAS THE  ONLY ONE WHO SPOKE.

SO AT TIMES IT WAS HARD TO  COMPLETE HOMEWORK AND WHATNOT, BUT OVERALL I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO  MY MOTHER, TO HAVE PUT ME THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND LEARNED  IN HAWAIIAN, CULTURE AND LANGUAGE AND CONTINUE TO LEARN  TO THIS DAY.

>> Daryl: THOSE THINGS REALLY  GO TOGETHER.

CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE SHORTER  VERSION?

[LAUGHTER]  >> [SPEAKING IN HAWAIIAN] [SPEAKING IN   HAWAIIAN] [SPEAKING IN HAWAIIAN]  AND SO WHAT I JUST SHARED WAS THAT THERE ARE TWO SORT OF FOLKS  IN MY OWN OHANA THAT WERE CRITICAL TO MY DECISION TO FOCUS  ON 'OLELO HAWAI'I.

THE FIRST WAS MY FATHER.

HE WAS A VERY PROUD HAWAIIAN,  AND HE ALWAYS MAINTAINED THAT PRIDE IN EVERYTHING THAT HE DID.

EXPECT THAT HE COULDN'T SPEAK HAWAIIAN, AND HE WANTED THAT FOR  HIS CHILDREN.

HE BASICALLY SAID, BECAUSE I  COULDN'T HAVE IT, YOU WILL  ALL LEARN TO SPEAK HAWAIIAN.

THE PUBLIC EDUCATION SCHOOL, WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE HAWAIIAN  LANGUAGE CLASSES IN HIGH SCHOOL.

>> Daryl: THAT'S UNUSUAL.

>> YEAH.

SO ALL SEVEN OF MY SIBLINGS TOOK  CLASSES FROM MAKALAPUA.

AND THEN THE OTHER PERSON WAS MY  SISTER KANOE.

SHE KNEW WHEN HER KIDS WERE YOUNG, THE PROGRAM WAS  JUST OPENING, THAT SHE WANTED HER KIDS TO BE IN IMMERSION.

SO SHE ENROLLED BOTH HER BOYS INTO THE PROGRAM.

AND IT WAS THEN THAT I SAW THE VALUE OF WHAT COULD BE JUST  WATCHING KIDS GROW UP IN 'OLELO HAWAI'I.

>> Daryl: PERFECT.

HAILIíOPUA BAKER, YOUR STORY,  PLEASE.

>> [SPEAKING IN HAWAIIAN] [SPEAKING IN HAWAIIAN]  [SPEAKING IN HAWAIIAN] [SPEAKING IN HAWAIIAN]  SUMMARY, SUBTITLES.

[LAUGHTER]  >> GOOD EVENING TO EVERYONE.

MAHALO TO PBS FOR HOSTING THIS  EVENT, AND AS WELL TO YOU, DARYL, FOR HAVING US HERE.

I STARTED, I THINK, MY EXPOSURE TO 'OLELO HAWAI'I WAS IN MY  CHILDHOOD, THROUGHOUT MY CHILDHOOD, THROUGHOUT MY TEENS,  PRIMARILY AT CHURCH.

WE WOULD HAVE MUSIC AS WELL AS  SOME PASSAGES THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO RECITE IN 'OLELO HAWAI'I.

HOWEVER, I DID NOT BECOME CONVERSATIONAL UNTIL I ENROLLED  IN THE UNIVERSITY AT MANOA, WHERE MY PARTNER AND I BEGAN OUR  JOURNEYS IN LEARNING 'OLELO.

AND IT WAS THERE THAT WE MADE  THE COMMITMENT TO MAKE 'OLELO HAWAI'I THE LANGUAGE OF OUR  HOUSEHOLD, AND AT THAT TIME, WE WERE THINKING IF WE HAD CHILDREN,   THAT WAS GOING TO BE THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE.

AND THAT WAS THE COMMITMENT WE MADE AND HAVE UPHELD.

>> Daryl: LET ME JUST ASK, WHY IS THIS -- EACH OF YOU CAME TO  IT AND HAD TO PUT SOME EFFORT INTO LEARNING.

IT'S NOT LIKE IT CAME TO YOU FROM ALL THE FAMILY AND YOU JUST  ABSORBED.

YOU HAD TO MAKE EFFORT.

WHY WAS THAT IMPORTANT, KAIU.

WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT TO YOU TO  LEARN IT, AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR US TO HOPEFULLY  LEARN SOME OF IT OURSELVES?

>> FOR ME, IT BECAME -- I WENT  TO SCHOOL AT KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOL ON THIS ISLAND, KAPALAMA, AND I  CHERISH AND APPRECIATE THAT EDUCATION.

BUT HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE WASN'T THE LANGUAGE MEDIUM THAT DELIVERED  OUR EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES.

IT WAS A COURSE, AND THAT WAS  NUI KAMAHALO.

AFTER GRADUATING AND GOING TO  HILO AND WORKING IN THE HAWAIIAN MEDIUM SCHOOLS THERE, I COULD  SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE VALUE SET EMBEDDED IN THE  LANGUAGE AND EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM THAT THESE STUDENTS WERE  RECEIVING THAT WAS MUCH MORE GROUNDED IN WHO WE ARE AS PEOPLE  FROM HAWAI'I.

THE WAY IN WHICH PEOPLE CARE FOR  EACH OTHER, THE WAY IN WHICH WE ARTICULATE OUR CONNECTIONS TO  THE WORLD AROUND US, THE RIGOR OF IT IN TERMS OF AN EDUCATIONAL  SETTING.

I THINK IT WAS VERY --  [SPEAKING IN HAWAIIAN] AND THAT EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE  THERE, I DON'T THINK I WOULD BE AROUND WITHOUT HAVING HAD THAT.

BUT ALSO SEEING THE VALUE THAT STUDENTS WERE HAVING.

AND NOT JUST THE STUDENTS BUT THE ENTIRE FAMILY, GOING THROUGH  HAWAIIAN IMMERSION SCHOOLS.

>> Daryl: WHEN YOU SAW VALUE  SET, HAILI'OPUA, WHEN YOU HEAR VALUE SET, WHAT IS THE VALUE SET  YOU SEE ASSOCIATED WITH LANGUAGE?

THE LANGUAGE?

>> YEAH.

I'D LIKE TO ANSWER THAT, BUT BEFORE I WANT TO RESPOND TO YOU  QUESTION ABOUT THE EFFORT.

>> Daryl: SURE.

>> WHY IS THERE SO MUCH EFFORT NEEDED?

WE HAVE SO MUCH EFFORT IN LANGUAGE REVITALIZATION BECAUSE  OF OUR COLONIAL PAST AND THE ATTEMPTED LINGUICIDE THAT  HAPPENED HERE.

>> A LOT TO OVERCOME.

>> RIGHT.

SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE COULD ACQUIRE EASILY.

THERE HAD TO BE WORK.

THE INDIVIDUALS LIKE KAIU'S  UNCLE, RIGHT, WHO MADE THE SACRIFICE AND MADE THAT MOVEMENT  HIS PRIMARY FOCUS IN LIFE SO THAT WE COULD BE ENROLLED AT A  UNIVERSITY TAKING LANGUAGE.

SO I JUST WANT TO MAHALO ALL THE  PEOPLE WHO MADE THOSE EFFORTS SO THAT HE WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PATH  TO WALK ON TODAY.

AND ACCESSIBILITY IS NOW THERE.

AND ON VALUE, RIGHT -- [SPEAKING IN HAWAIIAN]  RIGHT.

SO OUR LANGUAGE IS WHAT MAKES US WHO WE ARE.

IT IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR KNOWLEDGE AND OUR CULTURE AND  OUR UNDERSTANDING OF OUR MO'OLELO, OUR STORIES.

WHERE WE CAME FROM, WHERE OUR KUPUNA CAME FROM AND HOW WE'RE  CONNECTED TO OUR AINA.

WITHOUT, YEAH, IT WE ARE NOT  KANAKA MAOLI.

>> WHAT SHE'S SHARING SPARKS    THIS NEED TO BE ABLE TO ARTICULATE THAT.

PEOPLE WILL SAY, THIS IS YOUR KULEANA.

IT'S GREAT TO REESTABLISH YOUR IDENTITY AND THOSE THINGS, BUT I  FEEL LIKE SORT OF THIS INTRINSIC FEELING INSIDE OF ME THAT ALLOWS  ME TO KNOW THAT WHEN I VISIT WITH MY KUPUNA, THEY CAN BE  PROUD OF THE FACT THAT 'OLELO HAWAI'I IS NOT JUST SOMETHING  THAT I CAN DO AND THAT MY  CHILDREN CAN DO, BUT THAT IT'S STARTING TO SORT OF TAKE OVER  WHO WE ARE AS KANAKA, BUT ALSO REENTER INTO THE SPACES THAT  WERE TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM.

>> Daryl: LET ME GIVE KANOE A  CHANCE.

YOU'RE HEARING -- SORRY TO SAY,  ELDERS TALKING ABOUT THIS.

WHAT DO YOU RESPOND AMONG WHAT  THEY'VE SAID SO FAR?

>> I AGREE WITH WHAT'S BEING  SAID.

I THINK GROWING UP IN KAIAPUNI,  I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT 'OLELO HAWAI'I WAS BECAUSE I HAD  IT EVERY DAY UNTIL I CAME TO THE UNIVERSITY AND TOOK A DEEPER  DIVE AT 'OLELO AND GRAMMAR AND MO'OLELO AND AWESOME KUMUS THAT  I HAD HERE AT U.H.

MANOA WHO HELPED TO MAKE MY CRITICALLY  THINK IN HAWAIIAN.

LIKE SPEAKING HAWAIIAN, SAYING  HONOLULU WORDS AND SENTENCE PATTERNS IS ONE THING, BUT I  THINK THE VALUE OF 'OLELO HAWAI'I IS AND THE DIFFERENCE OF  IT IS THAT YOUR BRAIN THINKS DIFFERENTLY IN 'OLELO HAWAI'I.

>> Daryl: HOW?

>> IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT WORLD  VIEW.

>> YEAH.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE THIS -- YOU GROW UP IN A LANGUAGE THAT  WASN'T YOURS, BUT THERE ARE   CULTURE TRADITIONS IN THE HOME  THAT HAPPEN IN THE HOME BUT DON'T NECESSARILY TRANSLATE OVER  INTO THIS CULTURE OF EDUCATION IN ENGLISH.

YOU LEARN 'OLELO HAWAI'I AND YOU  BECOME PROFICIENT AT 'OLELO HAWAI'I AND IT'S THIS  RECONNECTION OF THE MIND AND THE SPIRIT TO THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE  SEEING.

IT BECOMES, LIKE, REAFFIRMING.

>> Daryl: TWO YEARS AGO I DID A SERIES OF STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE  OVERCOMING SUBSTANCE ABUSE.

AND THEY WENT TO A PROGRAM IN  MAKAHA.

THEY WERE IN A LOI, AND ONE GUY  SAID, I FEEL IN THE MUD OF THE LOI, THE CONNECTION TO MY  ANCESTORS.

IS THAT WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON  HERE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IT IS THE KEY TO UNLOCK THAT UNDERSTANDING, THAT WORLD VIEW  THAT WAS MENTIONED, AND IT REAFFIRMS, RIGHT, HOW OUR  ANCESTORS TALKED, RIGHT, AND HOW WE CAN NAVIGATE AND MOVE FORWARD  AND RECLAIM OUR IDENTITY, OUR LANGUAGE, OUR CULTURE, OUR  HISTORY.

>> NOWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD IS  HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE FOUND.

IT BELONGINGS HERE TO THIS PLACE  IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN.

TO LOSE THAT AND ALL THE INSIGHT AND THE CONNECTION THAT THAT  LANGUAGE CARRIES WOULD BE A DETRIMENT TO HAWAI'I BUT ALSO TO  THE WORLD BECAUSE THIS WOULD BE GONE.

THE EFFORT PART, I WANTED TO ADD, TOO, IS THAT IN 1896, THE  HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE, EVERYTHING IN HAWAI'I WAS DONE THROUGH  HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE.

GOVERNMENT, COMMERCE,   EDUCATION.

THE LANGUAGE OF THE WHOLE, RELIGION, PLANTATION LIFE.

A LOT OF US ARE MIXED ETHNICITIES.

ANCESTORS ALSO COMMUNITY IN HONOLULU LANGUAGE.

DURING THAT PERIOD WHERE THE OVERTHROW HAPPENED AND 1896, IT  WAS THROUGH EDUCATION AND BANNING HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE THAT  STARTED THE DEMISE OF 'OLELO.

FOR ALL THOSE GENERATIONS UNTIL  1978, WHEN WE STARTED TO RECLAIM HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE AS LANGUAGE OF  THE LAND.

SO FOR GENERATIONS, WE HAD THIS  DECLINE IN SPEAKERS.

TO THE EFFORT QUESTION FROM  EARLIER, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A WHILE TO REVERSE THAT.

WE'VE CHOSEN THE STRATEGY OF EDUCATION.

ONE STRATEGY THAT TOOK IT AWAY BECAUSE WE VALUING EDUCATION AND  VALUE LITERACY.

TO USE THAT AS A TOOL TO BRING  IT BACK, I THINK, IS REALLY POWERFUL AND SAYS SOMETHING  ABOUT OUR PEOPLE.

>> Daryl: TALK ABOUT THAT  SUCCESS.

YOU DID BRING -- YOU BROUGHT  SOME NUMBERS WITH YOU.

CAN YOU EXPRESS HOW THINGS HAVE  CHANGED?

>> IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE IN  COMPARING THE CENSUS OF 2016 AND 2024, ACROSS THE ISLAND CHAIN IN  2016, WE HAD ABOUT 18,400 FLUENT SPEAKERS THAT MARKED ON THEIR  CENSUS THAT HAWAIIAN IS A LANGUAGE OF --  >> Daryl: 18,000 IN 2016.

>> IN 2024, THAT JUMPED UP 48%  TO A LITTLE OVER 27,000.

I THINK IT'S REALLY POSITIVE TO  SEE THIS KIND OF CHANGE THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR HOMES.

THE LARGEST NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE SPOKEN IN OUR HOMES THROUGHOUT    ALL OF HAWAI'I IS HAWAIIAN.

AND MAJORITY OF THE SPEAKERS ARE  BETWEEN AGES OF 5 AND 17.

SO I THINK IT'S A DIRECT  CORRELATION THAT ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, WHETHER THEY'RE  IMMERSION OR TEACHING HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE CLASSES IN ENGLISH  SCHOOLS.

>> Daryl: THAT'S A WAY FOR THE  GROWTH TO BE EXPONENTIAL.

>> YEAH.

AND ONCE WE GET  INTERGENERATIONAL TRANSFER OF KNOWLEDGE, WHERE THE GRANDPARENT  IS SPEAKING TO THEIR GRANDCHILD.

THAT'S WHEN WE START REPAIRING,  RIGHT, WHAT WAS BROKEN.

THAT CONTINUUM THAT WAS BROKEN.

>> SO EXCITING TO SEE THAT.

>> Daryl: OKAY.

WE'RE GETTING QUITE A FEW QUESTIONS.

I'M IMPRESSED.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING I HEARD BEFORE, AND I'M NOT SURE WHO'S  THE BEST TO RESPOND HERE.

IT SAYS, CAN THE PANEL BETWEEN  THE REALLY OLD HAWAIIAN SPOKEN IN WAIPIO VALLEY AND NEWER TYPE  SPOKEN NOW.

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS  DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DIALECT.

THIS IS FROM MCCULLY.

SECOND  QUESTION, IS TEACHING OF HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE STANDARDIZED.

ALSO, MODERN HAWAIIAN SOUNDS DIFFERENT THAN HAWAIIAN SPOKEN  IN MY FAMILY.

THAT'S MICHAEL FROM HILO.

WHO WANTS TO -- HAILI'OPUA, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> WE CAN ALL ANSWER IT AS A COLLECTIVE.

I THINK ON THE IDEA OF OLD HAWAIIAN, NEW HAWAIIAN, THOSE  WHO STUDY LANGUAGE, LINGUISTS, MY PARTNER IS A LINGUIST,  THEY'LL TELL YOU THAT THERE WERE DIFFERENT DIALECTS PROBABLY    ACROSS OUR ISLAND CHAIN, AND, YES, THINGS WERE STANDARDIZED  WHEN THE LANGUAGE STARTED BEING INSTITUTIONALIZED AT THE  UNIVERSITY LEVEL AND EVEN -- >> Daryl: SO TALK ABOUT  KAMEHAMEHA UNITING THE ISLANDS.

WAS THERE AN EFFORT TO -- WHERE  THE DIALECTS SO DIFFERENT THAT FROM ONE ISLAND TO OTHER, THEY  WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER?

>> A VERY SMART WAHINE WORKED IN  MY OFFICE, LONG TIME EDUCATOR,  ALIYA AUSTIN.

SHE AND I WERE HAVING A  CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS CONCEPT OF DIALECTS.

I THINK THE WAY YOU TALK ABOUT THIS IDEA IS THAT HAWAIIAN WAS  SPOKEN IN COMMUNITIES THAT WERE SORT OF REMOTE FROM EACH OTHER.

AND SO THE WAY THAT THE LANGUAGE EVOLVES WAS REALLY DEPENDENT ON  THE WAY THAT FOLKS SPOKE IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES.

AND SO THERE  MIGHT BE PEOPLE IN HANA THAT SAY THINGS IN A WAY THAT PRONOUNCE  THINGS THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN FOLKS IN WAIKIKI MIGHT HAVE  PRONOUNCED THOSE WORDS DURING -- IN THE PAST.

AND I THINK SORT OF TRANSITIONING INTO THIS PERIOD  WHEN THERE WAS A LOT OF LANGUAGE HAPPENING TO ALMOST NO LANGUAGE  HAPPENING.

AND THIS SORT OF NEED TO RELEARN  HOW TO SPEAK HAWAIIAN AND HOW TO CONNECT BACK TO THOSE THINGS  THAT WERE PART OF WHO WE ARE IS WHERE WE'RE AT NOW.

WHERE WE'RE COMING OUT OF.

SO TO COMPARE THE TWO WITHOUT  CONSIDERING THE CONTEXT OF THE LANGUAGE IS A LITTLE BIT  DIFFICULT.

>> Daryl: SO I NOTICED BOTH  THESE QUESTIONS ARE LIKE PLACE SPECIFIC.

ONE WAS WAIPIO VALLEY, OTHER ONE WAS HILO.

PERFECTLY NATURAL.

NOW AS IT'S STANDARD, KANOE, LIKE, IS IT -- ARE THEY STRICT?

ARE YOU FOLKS STRICT?

YOU HELPED TEACH TOO.

THIS IS THE WAY IT IS NOW.

>> I THINK THERE ARE -- WHEN YOU  SPEAK OF STANDARDIZATION, I  THINK THERE ARE SENTENCE STRUCTURES USED ACROSS THE  BOARD.

I KNOW YOU GUYS DO SOME  STANDARDIZED TESTING, BUT -- >> Daryl: THAT'S AN ISSUE,  TOO.

>> YEAH.

I THINK IT'S ALSO DIFFERENT TO SAY THAT EACH SCHOOL, LIKE, HOW  'OLELO HAWAI'I IS TAUGHT.

>> Daryl: LIKE FROM ONE  IMMERSION SCHOOL TO ANOTHER?

IS THAT KIND OF AN ISSUE OR --  >> I COULD SEE IF WE WERE LOOKING TO MEASURE PROFICIENCY  AGAINST A SINGLE STANDARD, THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE AN ISSUE.

BUT IF WE'RE TRYING TO PRESERVE THE LANGUAGE OF THE COMMUNITY,  THAT WORKS TO THEIR ADVANTAGE, TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

SOMETIMES THE SYSTEMS THAT ARE IN PLACE, THE COLONIAL SYSTEMS  THAT ARE IN PLACE FORCE US INTO THE STANDARDIZATION PROCESS,  WHICH DOESN'T ALWAYS PLAY OUT.

>> Daryl: YOU MENTIONED HAVING  GRANDPA AND GRANDMA TALKING TO THE KEIKI.

THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE FIGURE OUT WHAT WORKS FOR THEM OUTSIDE OF A  STANDARD THING THAT GRANDPA OR GRANDMA MIGHT --  >> THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING.

BECAUSE I THINK FOR MANY  FAMILIES, MAYBE TRANSITION DIDN'T BREAK IN THEIR FAMILY  LINES SO THERE'S THIS LANGUAGE THAT'S NATURALLY PASSED DOWN.

FOR THE MAJORITY, I THINK, IN   HAWAII, WE'RE RECLAIMING THAT.

SO WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE IN HAWAI'I TO HAVE HAD KUPUNA THAT  WERE VERY -- TOOK VERY QUICKLY TO WRITING, AND THEY DOCUMENTED  TONS OF INFORMATION EARLY ON WHEN WESTERN ARRIVALS STARTED  HAPPENING.

SO WE HAVE THIS AMAZING WEALTH  OF KNOWLEDGE DOCUMENTED BY NATIVE LANGUAGE SPEAKERS.

WE ALSO HAVE INTERVIEWS, ORAL INTERVIEWS THAT WE CAN LISTEN TO  DONE IN THE '70s AND '80s THAT ARE ALSO A REPOSITORY THAT  WE HAVE TO LEAN ON TODAY.

SO FOR THOSE OF US RECLAIMING  'OLELO HAWAI'I, BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN A BREAK, WE DO NEED TO  RELY ON THESE MATERIALS THAT OUR NATIVE SPEAKERS LEFT FOR US.

BUT IT'S WORKING WITH WHAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN  CONTINUE TO PASS THAT ON.

>> Daryl: THAT'S A REMINDER,  TOO, THAT BACK IN THOSE DAYS, HAWAI'I WAS THE MOST LITERATE  PLACES IN THE WORLD WITH THE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE.

>> RIGHT.

>> Daryl: SO YOU HAVE THE  NEWSPAPERS AND THAT OTHER THERE.

>> STARTED IN 1834.

THE FIRST PRINTING OF NEWSPAPER WEST OF THE ROCKIES AND SO  THOSE TWO REPOSITORIES.

THE RECORDING, THE AUDIO,  MATERIALS THAT WE CAN LISTEN TO, THE NEWSPAPERS, THOSE ARE MEANS  FOR US AS LANGUAGE LEARNERS, TO CONTINUE TO PUSH OURSELVES TO  ELEVATE OUR LANGUAGE AND TO TRY AND MATCH THE FLUENCY THAT OUR  KUPUNA HAD AROUND THE TURN OF THE CENTURY WHEN THEY WERE  PUBLISHING ALL THESE DIFFERENT STORIES.

THE NEWS OF THE DAY.

WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

THE GOSSIP.

AND ALL THESE STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD THAT WERE  TRANSLATED INTO 'OLELO HAWAI'I, AS WELL.

THAT WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE, THAT'S WHERE WE KIND OF SIT AT THE  UNIVERSITY WITH OUR STUDENTS AND HAVE THEM READ THESE THINGS SO  WE CAN TALK ABOUT, OKAY, WHERE ARE WE IN FLUENCY AND WHAT MORE  CAN WE ACHIEVE?

HOW MUCH MORE WE CAN PUSH  OURSELVES SO THAT WE DO START SOUNDING MORE LIKE OUR KUPUNA  DID.

>> Daryl: SO SOME OTHER  QUESTIONS ARE A LITTLE MORE OF THE PRACTICAL NUTS AND BOLTS.

HOW DO WE GET MORE PEOPLE ACCESS TO LEARNING THIS?

I THINK IT'S A STRETCH FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES WHO ARE NOT HAWAIIAN  OR MIGHT BE PART-HAWAIIAN TO HAVE THEIR KIDS GO TO IMMERSION  SCHOOL BECAUSE THAT MIGHT BE -- I'M GOING TO USE THE WORD SCARY.

YOU WANT TO PROTECT YOUR KID.

YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING  GOES WELL.

I KNOW FROM MEETING MANY KIDS  WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH IMMERSION, THEY DO JUST FINE.

IT'S A LITTLE SCARY.

SHOULD 'OLELO HAWAI'I BE  REQUIRED TO TEACH IN ALL SCHOOLS HERE?

WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK?

>> I KNOW --  >> Daryl: YOU'RE IN D.O.E.

>> I'M IN THE DEPARTMENT OF  EDUCATION.

I KNOW THAT IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THERE'S  BEEN SOME EFFORT, BILLS INTRODUCED IN THE LEGISLATURE  THAT WOULD REQUIRE THAT.

THERE'S A BILL IN THE  LEGISLATURE NOW THAT WOULD REQUIRE THAT ALL STUDENTS  GRADUATE WITH AT LEAST TWO YEARS OF 'OLELO HAWAI'I.

>> BEAUTIFUL.

>> IN THEIR GRADUATION CREDIT REQUIREMENTS.

ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT PRESENTS ITSELF IS CAPACITY.

AND WHETHER OR NOT THE DEPARTMENT WOULD HAVE CAPACITY  TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER TO THAT GOAL.

OF COURSE, I'M ALWAYS GOING TO SAY YES.

MORE IS BETTER.

>> Daryl: YOU WANT TO HAVE  TEACHERS THERE FOR THEM.

>> ONE OF THE EFFORTS WE FOCUS  ON IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS PROVIDE FREE  HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE COURSES TO FACULTY AND STAFF OF THE  DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

WE DID THAT FOR ABOUT FIVE  SEMESTERS.

WE HAD THE FUNDING TO DO IT.

THE FUNDING HAS RUN DRY A LITTLE BIT, BUT AS SOON AS I CAN FIND  MORE MONEY, I'D LOVE TO DO THAT.

>> Daryl:   HOW DID THAT GO?

>> IT WENT REALLY WELL.

WE HAD ABOUT 5,000 FOLKS TAKE CLASSES.

>> Daryl: REALLY?

>> IN THE DEPARTMENT OF  EDUCATION.

>> Daryl: 5,000?

INDIVIDUALS?

>> INDIVIDUALS IN THE DEPARTMENT  OF EDUCATION.

>> Daryl: WOW.

ARE THEY USING THAT NOW, DO YOU  THINK?

>> SOME OF THEM, WHEN THEY SEE  ME, THEY SAY, HEY, I WAS ONE OF THE FOLKS THAT BENEFITED FROM  THAT.

AND NOW I FUND MY OWN LEARNING  IN 'OLELO HAWAI'I.

>> NOW I WANT TO ADD KAIAPUNI TO  MY FIELD.

>> Daryl: I SEE.

THERE'S A  CERTIFICATION -- >> THEY TOOK THE FIRST TWO  YEARS.

THEY'RE LIKE, I WANT TO CONTINUE  AND ADD THAT TO MY LICENSE.

TO HAVE THE OPTION TO TEACH  LANGUAGE.

>> Daryl: I TOOK GERMAN AT  KALANI HIGH SCHOOL.

THEY DIDN'T OFFER HAWAIIAN.

THEY OFFERED GERMAN, FRENCH, SPANISH.

KIDS WANTED FOREIGN LANGUAGE -- FOREIGN LANGUAGE, SORRY.

THEY DIDN'T OFFER HAWAIIAN.

AND GOING U.H., YOU KNOW, YOU  HAD TO TAKE A FOREIGN LANGUAGE.

IF THEY MADE YOU AT U.H.

TAKE  TWO YEARS OF HAWAIIAN AND HAWAIIAN CULTURE, THAT WOULD  AFFECT A LOT OF PEOPLE.

ARE WE ANYWHERE NEAR THE POINT  WHERE WE HAVE THAT MANY PEOPLE WHO CAN TEACH THAT AT THE U.H.

LEVEL?

>> CAPACITY'S ALWAYS AN ISSUE.

I THINK THAT WE TRY TO PUT OUR KUMU WHERE THEY'RE NEEDED FIRST,  WHICH IS FOR THE D.O.E., IT'S KAIAPUNI.

THERE ARE A FEW  PUSHES AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL FOR GENERAL ED REQUIREMENTS AND  REQUIRING A FEW MORE HAWAIIAN STUDIES AND HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE  CLASSES FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE UNIVERSITY.

BUT THOSE ARE STILL IN THE WORKS.

>> I THINK ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WITH THE TEACHING EVERYTHING  THROUGH HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE, NOT JUST TEACHING THE HAWAIIAN  LANGUAGE CLASS.

THERE'S A DIFFERENT IN THE LEVEL  OF FLUENCY REQUIRED FOR SOMEBODY THAT'S GOING TO TEACH BIOLOGY  THROUGH HAWAIIAN THAN TEACH HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE.

>> Daryl: THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY.

MY GERMAN TEACHER WAS NOT GERMAN.

>> IT'S DEVELOPING THAT LEVEL OF  CONFIDENT, COMPETENT FLUENCY SO THOSE TEACHES CAN TEACH  FLUENTLY.

THAT'S NOT AN OVERNIGHT PROCESS,  AND THAT TAKES COMMITMENT TO INVEST IN DEVELOPING THE 'OLELO  HAWAI'I SKILLS.

THERE'S AN ESTIMATE THAT ABOUT  1100 HOURS ARE REQUIRED TO DEVELOP FLUENCY.

WHERE EVERYTHING IS CONDUCTED THROUGH 'OLELO HAWAI'I.

>> Daryl: EXCUSE ME FOR DOING TRIAGE AND ALL THESE CARDS.

I AM LISTENING TO YOU.

[LAUGHTER]  [SPEAKING IN HAWAIIAN] >> Daryl: SO SHANNON IN  HAWAI'I KAI, IS THERE A PLACE I CAN GO TO LEARN 'OLELO HAWAI'I?

ARE THERE ANY FREE 'OLELO CLASSES ONLINE?

KUUIPO IN MILILANI ASKS, WHAT ACCESS DO PEOPLE LIKE ME HAVE TO  CLASSES?

>> THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT  PROGRAMS REPRESENTED AT THE TABLE HERE.

WE'RE CONNECTED TO THE VARIOUS PROGRAMS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF  HAWAI'I AT MANOA.

CENTER FOR HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE HAS  BEGINNING INTO GRADUATE LEVEL CLASSES.

THERE'S ALSO A PROGRAM THAT RUNS IN THE SUMMER THAT GIVES  OPPORTUNITY TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE MORE TIME.

>> Daryl: THIS IS U.H.

MANOA SCHOOL OF HAWAIIAN STUDIES.

>> HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE.

>> Daryl: THERE'S A SEPARATE  SCHOOL?

>> SCHOOL OF HAWAIIAN KNOWLEDGE  HOUSES THREE CENTERS.

ONE OF WHICH IS CENTER FOR  HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE.

AND THERE'S CENTER FOR   HAWAIIAN STUDIES, AND -- >> Daryl: OKAY.

OUTSIDE OF U.H.

MANOA, WHERE ELSE?

THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER PLACES.

>> YEAH.

THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CONTINUES TO OFFER AT VERY LOW  COST HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE CLASSES THROUGH ADULT EDUCATION CLASS.

THE DEMAND WILL DETERMINE HOW MANY CLASSES ARE OFFERED.

>> Daryl: IF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED, CALL D.O.E.

>> ADULT ED.

>> YEAH.

AND WE'VE INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF CLASSES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE  AVAILABLE TO SCHOOL FOR ADULTS OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS  BECAUSE OF INCREASED DESIRE TO LEARN 'OLELO HAWAI'I.

SO IT'S LOW COST.

>> Daryl: THERE'S A REALLY  INTERESTING QUESTION, KAILUA-KONA.

AS A LAWYER AND THERAPIST, I WAS PUT ON LEAVE WITH ABSENCE  WITHOUT PAY FOR SPEAKING 'OLELO WHEN I WORKED FROM THE PRISON  SYSTEM.

I SUED THE STATE IN 1998 AND WON  THE CASE.

NOW PRISONERS ARE ALLOWED TO SPEAK HAWAIIAN.

ARE THERE MORE LAWSUITS LIKE THIS AND SHOULD THERE BE MORE?

IT'S AN OFFICIAL LANGUAGE BUT THE STATUS IN TERMS OF THE  RIGHTS OF THE CITIZEN OR RIGHTS TO SOMEONE TO SPEAK IN CERTAIN  VENUES?

WHICH ONE OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO  TAKE THAT ON?

>> ONE OF THE RECENT CASES WAS  THE LAWSUIT THAT WAS FILED AGAINST THE DEPARTMENT OF  EDUCATION WITH AN OHANA WHO WAS REQUESTING ACCESS TO KAIAPUNI  EDUCATION ON THE ISLAND OF LANAI.

AND THROUGH THAT LITIGATION, THE  DEPARTMENT WAS ASKED IN -- >> Daryl: ORDERED OR ASKED?

>> ORDERED.

[LAUGHTER]  WE HAD TO MAKE SURE WE COULD NEGOTIATE SPACES WHERE, FIRST OF  ALL, THOSE STUDENTS THAT WAS PART OF THAT LAWSUIT COULD GET  ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.

NOT JUST ACCESS BUT ADDITIONAL  SUPPORT TO 'OLELO HAWAI'I CLASSES THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO  TRANSITION BACK INTO A HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE IMMERSION SCHOOL.

>> Daryl: DOES THAT MEAN THAT UNDER THE LEGAL SYSTEM, STUDENTS  HAVE A RIGHT TO DEMAND AND HAVE ACCESS TO IMMERSION PROGRAMS?

>> THE DEPARTMENT -- THE DEPARTMENT IS REQUIRED TO  PROVIDE REASONABLE ACCESS.

AND SO IN THAT CASE, REASONABLE  ACCESS FOR HA OHANA PARTICULARLY LOOKED LIKE PROVIDING  TRANSPORTATION FROM LANAI TO LAHAINALUNA.

>> Daryl: REALLY?

>> ALLOWING STUDENTS TO ENROLL  AT LAHAINALUNA AND DORM THERE AND THEN PROVIDING ADDITIONAL  TUTORING SUPPORT AND IN-SCHOOL AND AFTER SCHOOL SUPPORT FOR  THOSE STUDENTS.

>> Daryl: HOW LONG AGO WAS  THAT?

>> THE FIRST OF THAT OHANA  GRADUATED LAST YEAR.

>> Daryl: REALLY?

>> YEAH.

>> Daryl:   YOU FOLKS KNOW THEM?

>> I HAVE A LOT OF EMERGENCY  HIRES AND SUB TEACHERS AT LANAI ELEMENTARY AND HIGH AT OUR  PROGRAM NOW.

>> Daryl: DESCRIBE YOUR  PROGRAM FOR ME, KANOE.

I DON'T THINK PEOPLE KNOW WHAT  IT IS OR WHERE IT IS AND WHAT IT DOES.

>> YEAH.

SO AT U.H.

MAUI  COLLEGE, I, ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUE, MALUHIA, WE  FACILITATE THIS TEACHER PATHWAY PROGRAM, AND THE NEED FOR THIS  PROGRAM WAS REALLY THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS WHO ARE ALREADY  TEACHING IN CLASSROOMS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, BUT  THEIR STATUS AS TEACHERS ARE EMERGENCY HIRES OR LONG-TERM  SUBS.

SO THEY ARE NOT GETTING THE --  >> Daryl: CIVIL SERVANT?

>> ANY BENEFITS THAT A REGULAR  TEACHER GETS.

SO FINDING MORE ACCESSIBLE  PATHWAYS FOR THESE TEACHERS TO BE LICENSED.

FOR OUR SPECIFIC PROGRAM, WE OFFER FREE COURSE, ONE-ON-ONE  ADVISING, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND WE OFFER A FREE  SUBSTITUTION CERTIFICATION.

TO HELP SUPPORT ANYONE WHO'S  INTERESTED IN BECOMING A TEACHER AND WALK THEM THROUGH THE  PROCESS.

>> Daryl: DOES THIS EXIST ON  THE OTHER CAMPUSES?

>> THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE  TRYING TO INSPIRE OTHER CAMPUSES TO ADOPT.

SO WE CAN ALL GROW.

OUR PROGRAM RIGHT NOW KIND OF  SERVICES ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ISLANDS.

>> Daryl: LET ME ASK ON THE SAME QUESTION.

WE TALKED ABOUT  THE CHILDREN'S ACCESS TO IMMERSION BEING SOMETHING THAT  IS SOMEWHAT PROTECTED IN THE COURTS.

WHAT ABOUT OTHER THINGS?

WE HAD DISPUTES OVER ACCESS TO  HAWAIIAN TRANSLATION IN COURT.

>> FUNNY YOU BRING THAT UP  BECAUSE WE'RE CONTRACTED BY THE OFFICE OF LANGUAGE ACQUISITION  TO DEVELOP A COURSE FOR   TRAINING, AS WELL EVALUATION  THAT WILL CERTIFY IF SOMEONE SUCCESSFULLY ACCOMPLISHES THE  TRAINING AND THE TESTING THAT THEY WOULD THEN BECOME A  QUALIFIED COURT TRANSLATOR.

SO, YES.

WHEN YOUR MISSION IS SO LARGE, TO NORMALIZE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE  IN ITS OWN HOMELAND, YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO BUILD  TRAINING AND PROGRAMS THAT NOT ONLY GO TO THE SCHOOLS, WHICH IS  CORE BECAUSE THAT'S THE NEXT GENERATION OF SPEAKERS, BUT  YOU'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF THE  LANGUAGE IN OTHER DOMAINS SO IT IS EXISTING AND FUNCTIONING IN  THE COMMUNITY.

EVEN FOR THE JUDICIARY SYSTEM OR  FOR GOVERNMENT.

>> Daryl: SO I THINK WHAT  PEOPLE GET CONFUSED ABOUT -- AND I HAVE A QUESTION HERE FROM  DIANE IN KAUA'I.

IN CANADA, FRENCH IS THE  OFFICIAL SECOND LANGUAGE.

YOU SEE IT ALL OVER.

WOULD IT BE  POSSIBLE TO GET HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE MORE PLACES?

I JUST FLEW TO CANADA, AND THEY DID THE SAFETY BRIEFING AND YOU  COULD TELL NONE OF THE CREW ACTUALLY NEW HOW TO SPEAK  FRENCH.

THEY PLAY A RECORDING.

DOES STUFF LIKE THAT NEED TO  HAPPEN?

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE STUFF LIKE  THAT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK EXPANDING LANGUAGE DOMAINS, AS MENTIONED, WE'RE  VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO CREATE NEW WORK FOR THE STAGE IN  'OLELO HAWAI'I.

>> Daryl: I WAS GOING TO SAY,  THE ARTS.

>> SO THE ARTS IS   VERY IMPORTANT, I THINK, TO THE HEALTH OF OUR LANGUAGE AND THE  HEALTH OF OUR PEOPLE SO WE CAN LEARN TO EXPRESS OURSELVES.

EVERY RANGE OF EMOTION, TO BE ABLE TO TELL OUR STORIES.

KANOE'S BEEN A PART OF IT.

IT WAS A PRODUCTION THAT WE DID  AND TOURED TO NEW YORK ACTUALLY.

>> Daryl: REALLY?

>> BUT BEING ABLE TO EXPRESS OURSELVES AS KANAKA IN OUR  LANGUAGE IN VARIOUS TYPES OF SITUATIONS IS VERY IMPORTANT.

SO THE IDEA OF ROLE-PLAYING IN THE CLASSROOM, RIGHT, EVEN IN  THE COMMUNITY.

>> YEAH.

>> AND HANDING THOSE TOOLS OVER TO TEACHERS SO THEY CAN USE THEM  IN THE CLASSROOM, RIGHT, IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE VIBRANCY  OF THE LANGUAGE AND THE GROWTH OF OUR LANGUAGE AND BUILDING OUR  CAPACITY, AS WELL.

>> Daryl: IF YOU CAN ENTERTAIN  WITH IT.

JUST LIKE THE MUSIC.

MOST OF US, OUR MAIN ACCESS TO  HAWAIIAN IS MUSIC.

OTHER WAYS, TELEVISION SHOWS,  MOVIES.

>> YES.

THAT'S THE NEXT HORIZON.

THAT WAS THE PARTNERSHIP WITH KA  HAKA ULA IN HILO IN TERMS OF BUILDING THE CENTER.

EXPANDING THE DOMAIN INTO DIFFERENT SCIENCES SO THAT IT IS  ALSO OPERATING THERE.

IT'S GREAT TO SEE OUR KEIKI  GRADUATING NOW FROM THESE IMMERSION SCHOOLS.

GOING INTO VARIOUS PROFESSIONAL FIELDS -- LAWYERS, DOCTORS,  BUSINESS PEOPLE, ENTERTAINMENT.

THERE'S JUST -- IT'S AMAZING TO  SEE THE DIVERSITY OF INTEREST THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE HAVING.

THE DOMAINS THAT THEY'RE   EXPANDING JUST FROM THE FACT  THAT THEY'RE FLUENT IN HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE.

SO WE NEED TO SUPPORT MORE OF THAT, I THINK, IN ORDER TO  ENSURE ITS VIBRANCY.

>> I FEEL LIKE IN THE EARLY DAYS  OF KAIAPUNI EDUCATION, AND I'M NOT EVEN FROM THE EARLY DAYS,  THERE WAS THIS NARRATIVE THAT THE ONLY THING THAT STUDENTS OUT  OF OUR HAWAIIAN IMMERSION LANGUAGE SCHOOLS COULD DO WAS BE  A KUMU, A TEACHER, OR BE A HULA DANCER.

AND I THINK OUR GRADUATES FROM PROVEN THAT THEORY TO BE  COMPLETELY FALSE.

THEY ARE DOING ALL KINDS OF  AMAZING THINGS ALL OVER THE WORLD.

>> ANYTHING YOU CAN DO IN ENGLISH, YOU CAN DO IN 'OLELO  HAWAI'I.

>> Daryl: WHAT STRUCK ME ABOUT  OUR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE AND THE IDEA  THAT YOU WOULD HAVE A TRANSLATOR IN COURT TO TRANSLATE HAWAIIAN  FROM ENGLISH WHEN MOST LIKELY THAT PERSON SPEAKING HAWAIIAN IS  PROBABLY FLUENT IN ENGLISH AS WELL.

THE AVERAGE PERSON MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED.

IF A PERSON  CAN SPEAK ENGLISH, WHY WOULD THEY BE NEEDING OR SEEKING A  SERVICE SO THEY CAN SPEAK HAWAIIAN TO ALMOST BE TRANSLATED  INEFFECTIVELY?

>> WHAT IF HAWAIIAN IS THEIR  FIRST LANGUAGE?

>> Daryl: ARE THERE PEOPLE  NOW -- >> ABSOLUTELY.

>> Daryl: THAT WAS WHERE I WAS GOING.

>> WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO THAT'S OUR FIRST LANGUAGE.

OUR CHILDREN.

>> AND THEY'RE PROBABLY FLUENT IN ENGLISH, TOO.

BEING IT'S THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE NOW, THE COMFORT AND THE, YOU  KNOW, GOING BACK TO YOUR NATURAL LANGUAGE IN SITUATION LIKE BEING  IN COURT, IT COMMANDS THE NEED FOR HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE TO BE --  AVAILABLE IN THAT COURTROOM.

>> IN OUR DEEPEST EMOTIONS WE GO  BACK TO OUR FIRST LANGUAGE.

THAT'S THE CORE OF WHO WE ARE.

AND SO TO DENY SOMEONE ACCESS TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES IN THEIR  FIRST LANGUAGE IS HIGHLY PROBLEMATIC.

>> I THINK IT'S ALSO HOLDING, YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNMENT  ACCOUNTABLE.

IT IS AN OFFICIAL LANGUAGE.

WE SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO EXPRESS OURSELVES IN 'OLELO  HAWAI'I IN ALL FACETS IN THE GOVERNMENT.

>> IN THE EARLY '90s, WHEN WE WERE LEARNING 'OLELO HAWAI'I AT  THE UNIVERSITY, THERE WAS THIS PUSH TO WRITE OUR CHECKS IN  HAWAIIAN.

>> YEAH.

>> SO EVERYBODY WAS LIKE, I'M GOING TO BACK AND WRITE THIS IN  'OLELO HAWAI'I.

AND THAT WAS PART OF OUR  ACTIVISM.

TO REALLY BE ABLE TO --  >> Daryl: I'M GOING TO TELL THE BUS DRIVER WHERE I WANT TO  GO.

>> YEAH.

THERE SHOULD BE A BUS DRIVER WHO CAN 'OLELO HAWAI'I.

>> Daryl: SINCE ALL THE STREET NAMES ARE IN HAWAIIAN ALREADY.

>> THERE'S PILOTS.

>> BACK TO THE QUESTION OF  EFFORT.

I FEEL SO MUCH PRIVILEGE AND  HONOR TO BE ABLE TO DO THE WORK THAT I DO.

SOMETIMES THEY TRANSLATE THE  WORD "KULEANA" DIFFERENT.

ALSO, LIKE, THIS DEEP SENSE  BECAUSE YOU CAN, YOU SHOULD.

I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT  SHOULD TRANSFER TO GOVERNMENT.

BECAUSE YOU CAN, YOU SHOULD.

AND YOU SHOULD ALSO TRANSFER OVER TO FOLKS THAT MAKE HAWAI'I  THEIR HOME THAT CALL HAWAI'I THEIR HOME.

THERE'S A KULEANA THERE, THERE'S A PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO LEARN  THE LANGUAGE, USE THE LANGUAGE AND GIVE BREATH TO IT.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOT JUST THINK OF THIS IDEA OF A  MANDATE SHOULD BE DONE BUT IT SHOULD BE DONE.

[LAUGHTER] >> Daryl: HOW DOES BEING ABLE  TO SPEAK THE LANGUAGE HELP CONNECT YOU TO THE HISTORY, AS  WELL AS JUST THE CULTURE?

BECAUSE I HAVE A QUESTION HERE.

HOW DOES LEARNING HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE ENFORCE THE VALUE OF  SOVEREIGNTY AND INCLUSION IN HAWAI'I?

FROM ALICE.

>> THAT'S A BIG QUESTION.

>> I KIND OF MENTIONED EARLIER, SO MANY DIFFERENT ETHNICITIES  ROOTED IN HAWAI'I.

FROM IMMIGRANT KUPUNA.

HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE BECAME THEIR LANGUAGE, AS WELL.

I HAVE JAPANESE ANCESTORS THAT WORK AT PARKER RANCH WHO BECAME  FLUENT IN HAWAIIAN.

THAT WAS THE LANGUAGE OF THE  RANCH.

IT'S NOT NECESSARILY AN ETHNIC  THING.

IT BELONGS TO THIS PLACE.

I'M SURE THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO  HAVE ETHNIC CONNECTION AND HISTORY TO THIS PLACE, BUT  EVERYBODY THAT CALLS HAWAI'I HOME AT ONE POINT, EVERYBODY  THAT WAS YOU WANT THE HAWAIIAN   KINGDOM BECAUSE HAWAIIAN  LANGUAGE WAS THEIR LANGUAGE.

I'D LIKE TO SEE HAWAI'I RETURN  TO THAT, WHERE EVERYBODY WHO CALLS HAWAI'I HOME HAS A LEVEL  OF FLUENCY AND CONNECTION TO THIS PLACE THROUGH LANGUAGE OF  THIS PLACE TO MAINTAIN HAWAI'I'S UNIQUE IDENTITY.

GLOBALIZATION IS A REAL THREAT.

IT'S A PRIVILEGE WE HAVE TODAY  TO HAVE ACCESS TO THESE WONDERFUL, DIFFERENT  OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS THE PLANET, BUT IT IS ALSO A THREAT TO AN  ENDANGERED LANGUAGE THAT IS STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE IN OUR  ACCELERATING WORLD.

SO THAT'S WHY I SAY IT COMMANDS  SPACES.

EVEN THOUGH WE CAN SPEAK  ENGLISH, IF NORMALIZATION AND HONORING HAWAIIAN AS AN OFFICIAL  LANGUAGE OF THIS PLACE IS OUR GOAL, THEN WE NEED TO NOT JUST  LIMIT IT TO PLACES WHERE ONLY PEOPLE WHO SPEAK HAWAIIAN SPEAK  IT.

>> RIGHT.

YOUR WOULDN'T MOVE TO  ITALY AND REFUSE TO LEARN THE LANGUAGE.

RIGHT?

SO THE SAME SHOULD BE -- YOU  KNOW.

>> IN SOME COUNTRIES, THAT'S THE  REQUIREMENT FOR CITIZENSHIP.

YOU HAVE TO SPEAK THE LANGUAGE.

>> Daryl: I'M FEELING SO SHAME RIGHT NOW.

[LAUGHTER] >> STILL TIME TO LEARN.

DUAL LINGUAL.

>> Daryl: IN TERMS OF ADULT  EDUCATION, WHAT DO PARTICIPANTS THINK ABOUT ONLINE CLASSES  POPPING UP?

MY OTHER QUESTION IS, IF THERE'S  SUCH A THING OF LEARNING CONVERSATION HAWAIIAN WITHOUT  EMPHASIS OF GRAMMAR OVER ACTUALLY SPEAKING.

IS CONVERSATIONAL VERSUS MORE  FORMAL?

THAT'S TWO DIFFERENT EMAILS.

WHERE DO YOU RECOMMEND PEOPLE GO IF THEY WANT TO START?

>> THERE'S RESOURCES ONLINE.

THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT  PROGRAMS.

I KNOW THROUGH U.H.

HILO, THERE  WAS PROGRAMS.

IN THE COMMUNITY, IF YOU HAVE A  CHILD -- IF YOU HAVE A CHILD IN AN IMMERSION SCHOOL, THERE IS  CLASSES FOR THE PARENTS.

>> Daryl: REALLY?

>> THOSE ARE FREE CLASSES.

THERE'S SO MANY POSSIBILITIES.

>> Daryl: ARE YOU SEEING PEOPLE OF OTHER ETHNICITIES  GOING INTO IMMERSION SCHOOLS NOW?

>> YEAH.

>> AS EARLY AS -- I WASN'T IN  THE EARLY YEARS, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A MIX OF PEOPLE  INTERESTED IN LEARNING 'OLELO HAWAI'I.

>> Daryl: WHAT DOES IT ACADEMICALLY DO?

I KNOW HAVING A SECOND LANGUAGE, ANY LANGUAGE, HELPS PEOPLE, KIDS  LEARN BETTER IN THEIR OTHER THAN LANGUAGE.

IS THAT GENERALLY  CONSIDERED TO BE TRUE IN IMMERSION PROGRAMS, AS WELL?

YOU'RE LEARNING PRIMARILY IN HAWAIIAN, BUT DOES IT ALSO  ACADEMICALLY CHALLENGE YOU AND MOVE YOU ALONG AS A CHILD?

KANOE?

YOU'RE THE MOST RECENT TO  EXPERIENCE IT.

>> I'D SAY YES.

SO IS THERE ARE DIFFERENT MODELS  FOR KAIAPUNI SCHOOLS.

FOR THE PROGRAM THAT I WENT TO  ON MAUI, ELEMENTARY IS EVERYTHING.

'OLELO HAWAI'I.

BY HAWAIIAN.

ONCE YOU GET TO MIDDLE SCHOOL,  YOU START TO TAKE CLASSES, WHAT WE CALLED ON THE ENGLISH SIDE  BECAUSE THERE WASN'T A CAPACITY FOR TEACHERS TO TEACH THE  TOUGHER CONTENT AREAS LIKE MATH, SCIENCE, ENGLISH.

SO I HAD A MIX OF THE TWO.

I DIDN'T PARTICULARLY HAVE ANY  ISSUES.

>> Daryl: YOU'RE PRETTY SMART,  TOO.

[LAUGHTER]  >> BUT -- YEAH.

>> Daryl: I WANT TO GET AN  ANSWER TO THAT PARTICULAR QUESTION ABOUT CONVERSATIONAL  VERSUS A LITTLE BIT MORE RIGID LEARNING.

IS THERE A DIFFERENCE THERE?

CAN PEOPLE PICK IT UP AS A  CONVERSATIONAL PROCESS LEARNING OR SHOULD THEY GO THROUGH A  FORMAL PROCESS OF LEARNING?

>> I WOULD IMAGINE THAT RESPONSE  IS RELATED TO READINESS AND WILLINGNESS AND OPENNESS.

AS ADULTS, THE OLDER YOU GET, THE MORE FILTERS YOU HAVE, AND  SO LANGUAGE LEARNING BECOME A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT AS AN  ADULT.

I REMEMBER TEACHING AN HAWAIIAN ADULT ENGLISH CLASS AS A WAY TO  GIVE BACK TO MY COMMUNITY.

GOT SCHOLARSHIP TO GO TO SCHOOL AND  SO I WANTED TO GIVE BACK TO GIVE TO MY COMMUNITY.

ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS WAS WE WEREN'T DOING PAPER, PENCIL,  GRAMMAR LEARNING.

WE WERE DOING HANDS-ON  CONVERSATIONAL THINGS.

COME TO THE STORE.

WE LEARN VOCABULARY,  HAVE THEM SHOP IN THE STORE.

IT WAS A MATTER OF GETTING THEM TO  DROP THEIR FILTERS.

I WASN'T LOOK FOR ACCURACY OR  EVERY SINGLE WORD TO BE SPOKEN IN HAWAIIAN.

I WAS LOOKING FOR FOLKS TO DROP  THAT FILTER AND COMMIT TO STARTING TO PICK UP AND USE  LANGUAGE MORE FREQUENTLY.

>> Daryl: TELL ME THAT IT'S  NOT AS HARD AND INTIMIDATING AS IT LOOKS TO SOMEONE WHO HASN'T  DONE IT BEFORE BECAUSE I'VE ALWAYS STRUGGLED AND I'M  EMBARRASSED.

I STRUGGLE WITH LONG HAWAIIAN WORDS THAT ARE K'S AND A'S AND  L'S AND I'S.

IF THEY WANT TO START GETTING A  FEEL, IS THERE A HAWAIIAN-ENGLISH BOOK?

WITH PICTURES.

>> ONE OF THE FIRST ACTIVITIES  THAT I DID WITH THOSE ADULTS WAS TO HAVE THEM PULL OUT A PAPER  AND PENCIL AND WRITE EVERY SINGLE HAWAIIAN WORD YOU KNOW.

>> Daryl: YOU'D BE SURPRISED.

>> BUT THEY DON'T TRIGGER THAT  IN THEIR BRAIN.

JUST GETTING THEM COMFORTABLE  WITH KNOWING THAT THEY CAN SPEAK HAWAIIAN IS ONE OF THE FIRST  BARRIERS TO GET OVER.

>> IN LEARNING ANY LANGUAGE,  YOU'RE GOING TO BE EMBARRASSED.

YOU'RE GOING TO FEEL, I CAN'T DO  THIS, YOU KNOW.

SO JUST THE COMMITMENT TO  LEARNING 'OLELO HAWAI'I, I THINK, IS THE HUGEST PART.

AND THAT COMMITMENT LOOKS DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE.

AND BACK TO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, TOO, ABOUT THE DIFFERENT  MODES OF LEARNING 'OLELO HAWAI'I.

THAT JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT KIND OF LEARNER YOU ARE.

IF YOU'RE AN  AUDIO LEARNER, A VISUAL LEARNER.

>> Daryl: YEAH.

WE'RE WRAPPING  UP.

SO I WANT TO SAY I LOVE THAT IDEA OF WRITING ALL THE HAWAIIAN  WORDS YOU KNOW AND SEE WHERE YOU ARE.

>> COMMIT TO USING THOSE WORDS.

>> Daryl: AND WE ARE DONE.

>> WOW.

>> Daryl: MAHALO FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.

AND WE THANK OUR GUESTS... KA'IU KIMURA FROM THE UNIVERSITY  OF HAWAII, HILO AND KAU'I SANG, DIRECTOR OF THE STATE OFFICE OF  HAWAIIAN EDUCATION, WHEN YOU READ IT, IT'S HARDER.

AND HAILI'OPUA BAKER FROM THE UNVERSITY OF HAWAI'I AT MANOA  AND KANOE PACHECO GRADUATE FROM KAIAPUNI, A HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE  IMMERSION SCHOOL.

INSIGHTS IS OFF NEXT WEEK BUT  PLEASE JOIN US FOR KAKOU: HAWAI'I'S TOWN HALL WHERE WE  WILL BE DISCUSSING SPORTS RELATED CONCUSSIONS AND THEIR  IMPACT ON OUR RESIDENTS BOTH YOUNG AND OLD.

PLEASE JOIN US THEN.

I'M DARYL HUFF FOR INSIGHTS ON  PBS HAWAI'I.

ALOHA.