Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 32, Number 8, 1 August 2015 — A HANDS--ON SUMMER LEARNING EXPERIENCE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A HANDS--ON SUMMER LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Students of E 'lke Hou lō Lūna'i — Lāna'i Culture and Heritage Center's summer program, stop their work to pose for a picture. The students spent four weeks from June 8 to July 3 participating in cultural restoration projects like working in a lo'i (taro patch) and rebuilding a kuapā (fishpond wall). These hands-on learning experiences not only connected students to the 'āina, but also connected them to their kūpuna, or ancestors. Lāna'i Culture and Heritage Center's goal is to have students re-establish that connection to the living natural environment as well as the rich history of Lāna'i, whieh results in a deeper understanding of plaee and cultural identity. Students were equipped with cameras to capture their cultural experiences and compiled all of their footage into a reflective mini-documen-tary, whieh ean be found on Lāna'i Culture and Heritage Center's website, www.lanaichc.org. - Photo: Ryan "Gonzo" Gonzales