Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 22, Number 2, 1 February 2005 — CULTURE FOR KIDS [ARTICLE]

CULTURE FOR KIDS

The new book The Fish ond The\r Gifts/ Nā Makana a Nō Ta helps fill a gap in culturally accurate books for Hawaiian keiki.

By Sterling Kini Wong When Kū Kahakalau was searching for books to use in I her elementary classes at — Kanu o ka 'Āina Charter ■ School on Hawai'i island, she realized that there were

few published children's books with a Hawaiian culture theme. Moreover, she found that many of the children's books that did have a Hawaiian theme weren't always culturally accurate or authentic. To help rectify this, Kahakalau, the director the school, obtained a federal grant for a project in whieh her intermediate and high school students would write and illustrate children's books that could be used by the younger students at the school, whieh integrates Hawaiian culture and values with modern educational technology. The resulting book, The Fish and Their Gifts/Nā Makana a Nā I'a, is not only the first to be published by Kanu o ka 'Āina, but also the first children's book to be published by Kamehameha Schools Press, whieh released the title under its new Pauahi Readers heading, intended for the preschool to third grade audience. The press's new line of books aims to expand the number of books that have an 'ike Hawai'i (Hawaiian knowledge) theme, so that Hawaiian children ean read about and identify with aspects of their culture, said Waimea Williams, the publications editor for Kamehameha Schools Press. "If you grow up in Hawai'i, all of your reference points and the things you read about should not be Western. There can't be that huge gap; there has to be a halanee," Williams said. "And the Hawaiian culture books our children do read should not only entertain,

but they should also help develop skills." The Fish anā Their Gifts/ Nā Makana a Nā Fa is a story about a boy who is swept out to sea by a large wave while he's picking 'opihi. He prays to the Hawaiian god of the oeean, Kanaloa, for help, whereupon several types of fish eome to his rescue. Kanaloa rewards eaeh fish for saving the boy with an ability that allows them to protect themselves from predators. Kahakalau said that what makes the book culturally authentic is that its moral is based on an 'ōlelo no'eau and that it was written by a Hawaiian student, Joshua Kaiponohea Stender, who understands his culture. "The story is framed in a Hawaiian perspective and is based on knowledge that has been passed down from our kūpuna," she said.

Furthermore, Stender wrote a story about the oeean and fish, things that are familiar to him as a Hawaiian, said Meleanna Meyer, a Hawaiian artist and filmmaker who helped guide the students who illustrated the book. "That's what kids get turned on to," she said. "Our keiki have stories that they need to tell. They are so talented, we have to cultivate and nurture that talent." Even the book's art has a cultural feel. Meyer chose a color palette for the book that Hawaiians used traditionally, whieh included red, yellow, hlaek and white. The students used water paints and sponges to create collages, and Meyer emphasized to the students the importance of art composition to tell the story. The hardcover book also features a creative approach to presenting a bilingual story. The English and Hawaiian versions of the story begin at opposite ends of the book; after finishing one version of the story, readers flip the book over to read the other. The Hawaiian translation was provided by Lilinoe Andrews and Mālia Morales. Stender, who was a seventh grader when he wrote the book, said he chose fish as the subject for his story because it's his favorite food. Although he put a lot of work into writing and researching different types of fish, Stender, who is now 15, said he didn't think his story would actually get published. "It's really eool to have my name on the book," he said. "I never thought it would get this big." Kanu o ka 'Āina is selling the book as a fundraiser to send six of its students to the World Indigenous People's Conference on Education, whieh will be held in Aotearoa in November. The Fish and Their Gifts/Nā Makana a Nā Fa (64 p., $15.95) is available at loeal bookstores or through Kamehameha Schools Press at kspress.ksbe.edu. ■

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vvOur keiki have stories they neeel to tell," says artist Meleanna Meyer, who helpeel the students illustrate the book,