Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 26, Number 11, 1 November 2009 — Ulukau adds resources for teachers [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Ulukau adds resources for teachers

By Lisa Asato Public lnformation Specialist

Ulukau.org, a bilingual online archive of Hawaiian materials most popular for its Hawaiian dictionaries, is continuing to expand and improve, thanks in part to an OHA grant. The 5-year-old resource now features a universal search capability and has added materials on Hawaiian mele and 27 curricula for teachers on subjects such as biology, substance abuse, Hawaiians, nutrition, wetlands, voyages and travels, and physical sciences. "Ulukau is an exceptional repository of Hawaiian knowledge and resource for scholars, teachers and the general populaee," said Hau'oli Akaka, director of OHA's Education Hale, whieh provided a $150,000 grant to Alu Like in 2007 to digitize 22 web-ready curricula. Five other curricula are funded by other sources. "(Ulukau) is an invaluable resource that provides access to Hawaiian literature and curricular resources to not only our Hawaiian community, but to all indigenous communities around the world." At a Sept. 29 launeh party in the OHA boardroom, Kalehua Mueller of Alu Like Ine., told the gathering of about 40 people, "The great thing about Ulukau is that there are constant additions, so as of 6 o'eloek this evening there are 183 books online and 1 1 special features," she said, adding that she wouldn't have graduated with a degree in Hawaiian language without it.

Alu Like's Ka Waihona Puke 'Ōiwi Native Hawaiian Library partners on Ulukau with Hale Kuamo'o, the Hawaiian language center of the University of Hawai'i at Hilo's Ka Haka 'Ula O Ke'elikōlani. Ulukau's two servers are housed at UH-Mānoa's Keller Hall. Curricula were contributed by the Edith Kanaka'ole Foundation, Paeihe American Foundation, Paeihe Resources for Education and Learning, and the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa's Center on Disability Studies. The Center on Disability Studies pro-

vided a culturally based physical science curriculum for sixth graders, "Kūkulu Nā Uapo: Building Bridges," whieh includes daily lesson plans, WebQuest online learning and videos. The videos are "designed to spark discussion and also to have our students in Hawai'i see Native Hawaiians scientists doing real science," said videographer Sara Banks. "What I do see is when the students get an opportunity to see their kūpuna, their ancestors who were phenomenal scientists, it really engages them, it honors them and it makes them feel that they ean do it too." ■

Peter Hanohano of 0HA's Education Hale with, from left, Sara Banks and Norma Jean Stodden of the UH Mānoa Center on Disabilities Studies, showing their curriculum "Kūkulu Nā Uapo," whieh is one of the new features on ulukau.org. - Photo: LisaAsato