Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 2, Number 3, 1 March 1985 — Resource Teachers, Kauai Kupuna Combine Talents for 'Rewarding' On-Site Experience [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Resource Teachers, Kauai Kupuna Combine Talents for 'Rewarding' On-Site Experience

The experience was rewarding and fulfilling, especially the coming together daily and nightly of kupuna and District Resource Teachers (DRT) from the Department of Education's Hawaiian Studies section. These resource teachers gathered on Kauai Jan. 31-Feb. 3 and went through a rigid schedule of workshops and on-site visitations, leaving them with virtually no time of their own. It was a working workshop to the very end, even though it meant starting off at 7 o'eloek one morning. Twelve of the 13 DRTs in the state practically lived and worked together 24 hours a day. The 13th DRT is from an Oahu district and was unable to make it. Of the 13, nine have a fluent or partial command of the Hawaiian language. The experience broadened their Hawaiian culture, history and language. Field trips to many of the historic sites gave them on-site expertise about these places, a know!edge heretofore taken for granted or gleaned from brochures and visitor publications. It was an in-depth workshop carefully planned by host DRT Kalani FIores with the full cooperation of his superiors, Kauai District Deputy Superintendent Henry Hashimoto and Sets Ushio, district educational specialist. Hcishimoto personally greeted the group shortly upon arrival. He welcomed them to Kauai and expressed satisfaction over the Hawaiian studies program and the work with kupuna. "We've been very pleased with the kupuna program and 1 want you to know that we work very closely with it," Hashimoto declared. Following an orientation meeting and luneh the first day at the DOE district office, the group went to Grove Farm Homestead in Puhi for an extensive four-hour narrated tour. Grove Farm is a whole world of familiar sugar plantation experiences and traditions in Hawaii. The past was felt in the present as teachers and other interested individuals, including Ka Wai Ola O OHA, were taken on an extensive tour of the homestead. Ladies from an indep>endent non-profit organization (Nuhou Corp>oration) interpreted the history of p!antation life on Kauai in an unhurried tour of the buildings, gardens and grounds of Grove Farm Homestead. Grove Farm was founded by George N. Wilcox in 1864 and was one of the eariiest in Hawaii. He built the homestead on a flat plain at the edge of a valley that dips into Nawiliwili Bay. He planted ironwoods, mangoes and other trees and orchards for eeonomieal use. With the expansion of the plantation, he built and furnished needed structures facing a large yard enclpsed by stone walls. These included the plantation office, his sleeping quarters, guest cottage, a more spacious addition to the main house and a eamp for plantation workers. The homestead was the heart of plantation op>erations until the early 1930's. The original plantation buildings and furnishings on the homestead are still standing today and have been carefully preserved after continuous use for more than a century. Wilcox's nieces, Elsie H. Wilcox and Mabel 1. Wilcox (affectionately known as Miss Mabel), were born and lived at the homestead throughout their lives. They played significant roles in education, public health, politics and historic preservation. On the evening of the first day there was a ha'i mo'olelo at Wilcox Elementary School with three kupuna relating Hawaiian experiences from the past in a most interesting two hours of story telling. The next two evenings were spent viewing video tapes of the previous day's activities and more story telling by both kupuna and teachers. Because of space limitations, the remainder of the workshop is being presented in capsule form. There were visits to: • The Waioli Mission House in Hanalei and the Hanalei

Museum where the history of taro and rice growing is recorded in photos and faded clippings. The Wilcox sisters — Elsie, Miss Mabel and Etta W. Sloggett — in 1921 saved and restored their grandparent's Abner and Lucy Wilcox home, Waioli Mission House. Waioli was founded in 1834. • The Haraguchi Rice Mill and lo'i kalo in Hanalei Valley. The mill itself was recently reconstructed and had a topping off p>arty in what has b<?en referred to as Phase I of a project to have a "working rice mill museum for the children" of Kauai, according to Rodney Haraguchi, a son of Kahei Haraguchi who built the mill 55 years ago. The elder Haraguchi passed away in October, 1982, and the restoration work has fallen into the hands of sons Rodney and Willard and their wives and some dedicated friends. Their mother, Motono, is also involved. Phase II involves restoration of the machinery and equipment. • Ke'e and Ha'ena for a tour and orientation of historical sites given by Kumu Hula Roselle Bailey. There was the site of high chief Lohi'au's house and the heiau named Ka-ulu-a-Pa'oa. The massiveness of its terrace wall indicates considerable power was used in its construction. There is evidence of a halau hula on the top part of the heiau. • The grounds of La'e Nani condominium in Kapaa where Kupuna Dora K. Swain explained the historica! significance of the grounds and of the presence of Kukui heiau located on the beachfront. Manager Henry (Pat) Cobb-Adams hosted a eontinental breakfast for the group and also assisted in describing the heiau, whieh is maintained by the condominium's staff. • Salt ponds at Hanapepe. History of the ponds and explanation on salt making or mining given by kupuna who also provided a potluck luneh. Office of Hawaiian Affairs Kupuna Coordinator Betty Jenkins met with about 14 kupuna, briefed them on what was going on in other kupuna programs and had a short quiz for them. DRTs went through their Grade 2 curriculum. Eaeh member of the group received a pu'olu of Hanapepe salt. After Hanapepe, it was at Lucy Wright Park in Waimea that the group brushed up or learned about lauhala stripping and weaving where more kupuna were on the scene to assist. Esther Makuaole, vice president of 'Aha Puhala who lives directly across the park, led the group. A history of Waimea was vividly given by Alethia Goodwin Kaohi who was born, raised, educated and played in the area. She still resides there and works as a librarian at the Waimea District Public Library. OHA Trustee Moses K. Keale Sr., who represents beneficiaries on Kauai and Ni'ihau, we!comed the group at the Waimea gathering and reminisced about his 10 years of residency in the area. Discussions of current program directions and concerns and an evaluation of the three and one-half day workshop took up all of the morning of the last day whieh was a Sunday . Teachers were high in their praise of kupuna participation in this workshop and their nightly visitations to Plantation Hale where the group resided. DRTs will now go back to their respective districts and pass on their Kauai experience to kupuna under their jurisdiction. Lokomaika'iokalani Snakenberg, state educational specialist for Hawaiian Studies with the Department of Education, led the discussions and rap sessions. In addition to those already mentioned, other DRTs who attended were Kau'i Billups, Maile Yamanaka, Noelani Mahoe, Mahealani Pescaia, Kawao Durante, Allison Ledward, Alohalani Kaina, Solomon Kaulukukui, Helene Fergerstrom, Jan Yoneda, and Frances Imamura. Liz Arakaki, Leeward District educational specialist, was also in attendance. In addition to Kupuna Swain, others who shared their mana'o, knowledge, experience. expertise and fellowship were May M. Corr, Helen Young. Leimomi Buchanan, 0!ga Holi, Janet Kahalekomo, Helen Kaneieua and Lauae Arashiro.

Lokomaika'i Snakenberg, educational specialist in Hawaiian Studies, Department of Education, explains details of three and one-half day workshop to District Resource Teachers at Kauai District Office. Also participating was Office of Hawaiian Affairs Kupuna Coordinator Betty Jenkins, left, whose Kauai kupuna were very mueh involved.

Kauai Kupuna Helen Kanekua, fourth from left, relates one of her earlier experiences during ha'i mo'olelo at Wilcox Elementary School as others look on. From left to right are Maile Yamanaka, District Resource Teacher, West Hawaii; Kupuna Dora Swain and 01ga Holi; Kupuna Kanekua; Kumu Hula Roselle Bailey; DRTs Noe Mahoe and Mahealani Pescaia, Honolulu district.

Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee Moses K. Keale Sr. talks with Kupuna and District Resource Teachers during gettogether work session at Lucy Wright Park in Waimea.

Kupuna 01ga Holi points to Hanapepe Salt Pond in giving the history of the area and the mining of salt.