Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 14, Number 3, 1 March 1997 — The foundation of Pūnana Leo preschools across the state [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The foundation of Pūnana Leo preschools across the state

By Eric Kapono Alaka'i Ho'omohala, Hale Kāko'o

Editor's note: This eolumn is the first in a series that will touch on the beginings of the Pūnana Leo preschools, the foundation of Kaiapuni Hawai'i (the DOE lmmersion Program) and the survival of the Hawaiian language beyond the year 2000.

From Concept to Commitment In January 1983, seven Hawaiian language teachers gathered on Kauah to discuss the survival of the Hawaiian language. They were frustrated that teaching Hawaiian language at their schools was not enough. "We already knew that there were fewer and fewer kūpuna who were raised as children speaking the language," says Larry Kimura, "so the decision eame clear and fast: 'How do we have our children exposed to Hawaiian and get Hawaiian back into the home?'" Ilei Beniamina, Hōkūlani Cleeland, Kauanoe Kamanā, Larry Kimura with No'eau Warner, Koki Williams and Pila Wilson were the seven who met. Hawaiian language immersion education, where all instruction is conducted in Hawaiian, is modern nomenclature for the way that our ancestors and

elders were taught by their mākua and kūpima. Our keiki have always spoken Hawaiian, that is, until 1896. That year Hawaiian language was banned in the schools by the Board of Education, two years before becoming a U.S. Territory. Following the ban, the Hawaiian language quickly declined so that by the time the group met in 1983, fewer than five hundred kūpuna and perhaps fewer than five hundred Ni'ihauans are native speakers. The group of seven sought advice from a preschool administrator about starting a preschool. The following day, the group visited a site that could serve as a Hawaiian language preschool in Kekaha. Pūnana Leo o Kekaha opened in

September 1984 with 12 keiki, and was funded entirely with tuition, private donations and assistance from Alu Like. The teaching materials were either created or translated from Enghsh. In April 1985, Pūnana Leo o Honolulu and Pūnana Leo o Hilo opened, bringing total enrollment at three sites to 40 children. Pūnana Leo, translated as "language nest," echoes the sound and meaning of the Hawaiian practice of pū'ā, whieh is the passing of food, called māna or māna'ai, from the mouth of the caregiver to that of the young child. In the same way, the language of native speakers could be passed on to the small children. Today there are nine Pūnana Leo preschools on five islands: Kaua'i - in Puhi; O'ahu - in Wai'anae, Honolulu, and at Kawaiaha'o; Hawai'i island - in Kona, Waimea, and Hilo and one eaeh on Moloka'i and Maui in Wailuku. More than 1,000 children have graduated since 1984, and present enrollment is 220 children. Pūnana Leo is the first and largest immersion program in anv Native American language and is recognized around the world as a model for revitalization of a threatened indigenous language. The vision of the Pūnana Leo has not wavered since 1983: E ola ka ōlelo Hawai'i; The Hawaiian language shall live.

Hawaiian families are key to success Classroom instruction alone will not provide a secure future for the Hawaiian language. Pūnana Leo preschools open and succeed due to native Hawaiian families' commitment to the survival of Hawaiian language. The preschools rely heavily upon the strength and courage of famihes who want their children's education to be a success. Pūnana Leo is founded on, and devoted to, family-based education, whieh is especially crucial considering Hawaiian must be spoken at home by the vohana in order to survive. "The reason we've been so successful on Maui is that from the onset it is made clear to the families that this is not just a two-year or one-year kind of thing for their 'ohana, it's a lifetime commitment to their child's education and to the language," says Kili Namau u, the site director for Pūnana Leo o Maui. "The families work hard on these goals, even though the goals were set by previous mākua, and they continue to work on these goals even after their child has left Pūnana Leo." Kili also says, "I like to see Pūnana Leo as an opportunity not just for the children but for the family as a whole, and try to give opportunity and hope for the parents." The preschools offer classes that help parents in other areas of their lives. continued on page 1 7

Keiki from Pūnana Leo o Moloka'i with kumu.

The mission school house, built in 1836 at Kawaiaha'o Church, is the present site of the Pūnana Leo o Kawaiaha'o. This photo was taken in 1878 by J.G. Williams.