Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 16, Number 9, 1 September 1999 — Hilo hosts indigenous education conference with cultural integrity [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hilo hosts indigenous education conference with cultural integrity

"Ealae Kahlkl €1 E hume ka malo a 'al ka 'atl E hopu fei /ftna I ka hoe a hoeal" You nattons beyond the hortzon, awakenl Come fbnvard ftomyour dbtantshorel^ - V_^UU wmmmmmmmmmmm^^^^~~*

Story and Photos j byManuBoyd ( ĪHE FTRST week of August was a big one for Hawai'i - an unprecedented boon for indigenous cultural 1 exchange, with more than 2,700 of the world's "first people" converging on Hilo for the Fifth Tri-Annual World Indigenous Peoples' Conference on Education (WIPCE). Formany months leading up to the event, people from Hawai'i to Ni'ihau worked tirelessly, developing workshops, demonstrations and programs that would leave 1asting impressions on many people previously unaware of Hawai'i's rich heritage.

"In 1996, a delegation of 50 Hawaiian educators and students attended

the WIPCE conference in Albuquerque, Mexico," explained this year's Conference Director Noe Noe WongWilson. "The delegation discovered that many other native people did not realize that Hawaiians have their own

distinct language, culture and history, and, although Hawai'i has poliheal affiliation with the United States, Hawaiians do not share a eommon

history with Native American Indians and Alaska Natives. Aprooosal was submitted to host the

'99 conference so we could demonstrate our uniqueness and show other native peoples that our culture

and language is alive and thriving." Under the auspices of the Edith Kanaka'ole Foundation,

:onference CoChairs Edward and Pualani Kanahele enlisted hundreds of volunteers, including virtually

every member of their family. Wong-Wilson bore the lion's share of responsibility, handling her duties as eon ference director

with an underlying ealm and a strong sense of organization. The conferenc

theme, "Aia nā Hā'ina i Loko o Kākou" (the answers lie with in eaeh of us), challenged the

more than 2,600 registered attendees from the world over to listen to, share with and learn from one

another. Camaraderie pre-

vailed with a clear sense of proud eultural identity from the elders to the very young. Keala Losch, a workshop leader, was firm in his identity. "I am only one-six-teenth Hawaiian," he said, "but I identify first as a Hawaiian." In a kind of reflex response, a Māoii man asked the audience, "How do you measure that sortofthing? In Aotearoa, either you are Māoii, or you're not!" The day-long opening ceremony began at the shore at Hilo One with chants and

dances carefully

selected for the occasion. Hun-

dreds of dancers and drum-

mer, per formed inunison to

" IOne - huneka Pahu ," a

i drum dance written by eon-

ference organizers. The Makali'i tnuivuu »

voyaging eanoe was greeted by a "Ke Pi'i lā," a traditional mele adapted for the ceremony. The scene was impressive with more than a dozen racing and sailing / canoes escorting the Makali 'i to the bayfront after a ceremonial stop at Mokuola. For Wong-Wilson, the opening ceremonies were the most memorable part of the conference. "It represented the I culmination of three years of effort by a a- dedicated group of people, and particularly, a year of training and outreach to all the communities on all islands. It was an awesome spectacle to see so many thousands of people at Hilo One, greeting our visitors in a way that has ee not been witnessed in many generations," she said. > From the shore, thousands headed inland to the "kauhale," where eight tra[i- ditional structures represented Hawai'i's eight major islands. WongWilson explained that the structrue rep0 resenting Kaho'olawe took on another special designation as "Hale Kūpuna," 1 or house of the elders/ancestors. "That ; hale was constructed of 'ōhi'a posts and ; kaula (rope) made from the ulehala, the aeiial roots of the hala tree. The roof

was thatched with lauhala, a special feature from the Puna regions of Hawai'i island. It also featured a platform made of river rock and 'ili'ili stones," she said, adding that the kauhale represented thousands of volunteer hours from Hawai'i, O'ahu and Moloka'i. Lā ī (fi leaves), ga±ered on all islands, were used as thatching for the other 7 structures. A massive 'awa ceremony was followed by hula Pele performed by a dozen hālau from Hawai'i, Maui, Moloka'i and O'ahu. Affiliated hālau of .1 CT1 ' _ ( /^nnli

the 'llio'ulaokalani Coalition performed hula pahu

in the sweltenng, midday stm. A "Parade of Nations" at

Wong's Stadium, the final segment of the lengthy opening cerenonv. feanony, iea-

tured five hours of speeches,

ho'okupu, songs, chants and

dances lasting well « r\ fn mto the

pleasant evening. Classroom seminars and

workshops numbering in the hundreds attracted thousands to the campuses of UH Hilo and Hilo Community College, whieh also served as WIPCE headquarters. Presentations by Hawaiians and visiting 'ōiwi covered Soo W1PCE on page 11

"Many other native people did not realize that Hawaiians have their own distinct language, culture and history. — Noe Noe Wong-Vvilson

Representatives from lndia perform tradltional music at the "Parade of Nations." Atleft, Aboriginies from 1 Australia await entrance to the stadium and, at top, Native Americans don ceremonial garb.

I Left, Kupuna Malia Craver and Elaine Ka'ōpūiki I (seated), enjoy opening ceremonies with 'llima I Dela Cruz, Trustee Colette Machado, Nani Watanabe and Trustee Haunani Apoliona. Above, racing canoes piy the Wailoa River.

The kauhale served as a site for ceremonies and cultural presentations. At left, a student from Torres Straight prepares lauhala to weave a basket

WIPCE fpom page 10

myriad topics ranging from immersion education to international sovereignty struggles. Dozens of huaka'i (excursions) took participants to points all over the island for workshops on lauhala weaving, kapa making, kalo farming, stonework, hula, sailing, surfing, even computer science, among ohter topics. When one of the dozens of bus drivers was complimented for her pleas-

ant demeanor during what many would consider a logistical nightmare, she smiled and said, "AuatyPua (Kanahele) placed a kapu of aloha on us for the whoig>. week!" "We are very pleased with the outcome of tlj event," concluded Wong-Wilson. "The worksi , engaging discussion, huaka'i excursions, visuitl and performing arts, and the practice of Hawaiian pr<Sfc>cols throughout the conference contributed to its dltiv^

mate success." Tbe.2Q0(£ W^ĒBeaa®erēw:e tRjiri)eheld outside c|nada, on Stoney Nation Lands, aad will be hostbdhy theTfetNatidnaAdultandHigherEduca tion CoHscūrtium. Hg'ofiiaika'i inā lōiwijU<5)cufiAJ^'<?^l ^ fitlCTr K»Vf 1 OJ\HgAJ ■ .A. 111 AnW 1L v rij f)& b I 1 1 1 lIi T i&U ^««1 |fif s \ ]f\ / \ J\ f; v | f h