
2/20/25 Expanding ʻŌlelo in Hawaiʻi
Season 2025 Episode 6 | 56m 56sVideo has Closed Captions
ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, the Hawaiian language, is one of two official languages of the state by law.
ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, the Hawaiian language, is one of two official languages of the state by law, with English being the other. Thousands of Hawaiians and others are becoming fluent in the language. Should the state be doing more to increase those numbers?
Insights on PBS Hawaiʻi is a local public television program presented by PBS Hawai'i

2/20/25 Expanding ʻŌlelo in Hawaiʻi
Season 2025 Episode 6 | 56m 56sVideo has Closed Captions
ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, the Hawaiian language, is one of two official languages of the state by law, with English being the other. Thousands of Hawaiians and others are becoming fluent in the language. Should the state be doing more to increase those numbers?
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship>> 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.
Insights on PBS Hawaiʻi is a local public television program presented by PBS Hawai'i