Personal Reflection on Hawaiian Language Revitalization
Dr. Kauanoe Kamanā & Dr. William Wilson (Pila) address personal, community/family, and historical context relative to Hawaiian language revitalization. They highlight quality relationships and collaboration as key factors in nurturing language resilience and emphasize the importance of speaking your language as often as possible. Come learn on these topics, using your language as a medium of instruction, setting realistic but high-bar challenges, and integrating culture from these two whose high school students have had a 100% graduation rate since their school’s founding in 1999.
Resources
Chat Transcript
11:57:49 From Keegan Livermore (he/they) to Everyone:
I am joining from the Yakama Nation reservation in Washington, and currently teach our Yakama Ichishkiin language!
11:57:58 From Joana Jansen to Everyone:
Please add so our guests today start getting to know us: Where are you joining form and what language(s) are you working with?
11:58:40 From Patience Collier to Everyone:
I am joining from Kalapuya land in Eugene Oregon, and I am a student of Yakama Ichishkíin
11:59:17 From Joana Jansen to Everyone:
I am joining from Seattle and work to support the Yakama Ichishkíin language and teachers of a number of Northwest languages!
11:59:57 From Dustin to Everyone:
I am currently in Grand Ronde, I’m a UO student and I study chinuk-wawa & Yakama Ichishkíin.
12:00:09 From McKayla Lee to Everyone:
McKayla Lee/Aaron Denny from the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana. McKayla – Navajo/Dine. Aaron – Cheyenne Arapaho Joining from Eugene Oregon
12:00:12 From Judith Fernandes to Everyone:
I am joining from Kalapuya lands in Eugene. I am NILI staff and work with several communiies.
12:00:15 From Leila Jones (she/her) to Everyone:
I am joining from Eugene and am not working with a specific language, but I am in the process of learning Arabic
12:00:21 From Robert Elliott to Everyone:
Please add so our guests today start getting to know us: Where are you joining form and what language(s) are you working with?
12:01:11 From Mary Porter to Everyone:
Hi I am attending from Chiloquin Oregon, my target language is Lushootseed
12:01:18 From shayla stwyer to Everyone:
I am joining from Central Oregon Warm Springs, and I work with one of our three languages here the Wasco Language-Kiksht
12:02:01 From Carson Long to Everyone:
Joining from Ute lands in Denver CO! I’m not working with any languages currently but I will be getting involved with Unangam Tunuu online this fall spoken in Unangam Tanangin in AK
12:02:54 From Becky Lukens to Everyone:
I am joining you from the lands of the Warm Springs people on property called Pine Meadow Ranch in Sisters, managed by the Roundhouse Foundation. I am representing the Executive Director, Erin Borla as she is unable to attend.
12:04:41 From Sheilah E Nicholas to Everyone:
I am at the AILDI, completing our summer program with my students representing: Paiute-Washoe; San Manuel Band of California-Serrano; Inupiaq; Pasqua Yaqui, Lakota, Santa Clara Pueblo; and White Mountain Apache as well as my own community and language – Hopi.
12:06:56 From Joana Jansen to Everyone:
Welcome AILDI students! We hope your weeks there have gone well. At NILI we think of AILDI as our big sister.
12:13:08 From Jesse Blackburn to Everyone:
Níix páčway, I’m joining from Portland, OR, homelands of the Multnomah, Cascades / Watlala, Clackamas, Molalla, Kalapuya and Tumwater peoples. In the past, I’ve worked with CTUIR for the Umatilla Sahaptin language, and supported other language communities through NILI work (learning much from your work in Hawaii!). Currently teaching, training and developing for language ed at PSU and in PPS, supporting implementation of Tribal History / Shared History curriculum, and exploring opportunities to grow Native language programs.
12:35:38 From Joana Jansen to Everyone:
The videos Pila mentioned are on the TRails Week 2 day 2 resource site- where this video will be https://blogs.uoregon.edu/trails/2022-2/schedule-and-video/w2d2/
12:39:03 From (Ginger) Xołchwił-tah-tung’nahsma:ts, Hupa to Everyone:
Connection ❤️
12:39:21 From Keegan Livermore (he/they) to Everyone:
– What did you hear from the talk that was most interesting or adaptable for your community? – Does your community use language immersion or want to try it? What barriers have you encountered towards those efforts? – What questions do you have for the Hawaiian student about their experiences? – What questions do you have for our presenters Drs. Kauanoe Kamanā and Pila Wilson?
12:58:07 From Wendy’s iPhone to Everyone:
You truly are blessed to have had such rich life experiences
13:00:20 From (Ginger) Xołchwił-tah-tung’nahsma:ts, Hupa to Everyone:
Ts’ehdiyah Kenika!
13:00:40 From (Ginger) Xołchwił-tah-tung’nahsma:ts, Hupa to Everyone:
@Kenike ❤️
13:00:59 From kenike aipolani to Everyone:
Mahalo Ginger!
13:01:00 From Joliene (she/they) to Everyone:
Sorry you got cut off Kenike! Your sharing was so moving
13:01:05 From Jesse Blackburn to Everyone:
Thank you so much for sharing, Group 5!
13:01:50 From Keli Yerian to Everyone:
I’m sorry I accidentally left our room early Group 3!
13:02:04 From janne underriner to Everyone:
Mahalo students for joining us today, for your sharing and for being interested in what we are doing in our communities.
13:02:31 From Tuxamshish/Taysiki to Everyone:
Kw’aɬanúishamash kaleinohear!
13:08:08 From Wendy’s iPhone to Everyone:
I loved hearing about the growing increase in the graduating class sizes at the Hawaiian school.
And the positive cultural experiences, stories, teachings and “ways of being” that the students are learning by being taught in the language
13:08:58 From Judith Fernandes to Everyone:
It is so enriching to speak with the youth, the future of Hawaiian.
13:09:16 From Becky Lukens to Everyone:
Brave and intelligent high school students are so inspiring-As are the elders who are teaching us all.
13:10:05 From Sheilah E Nicholas to Everyone:
ASKWALI! What an inspiring time with these youth–fills us with so much HOPE and our ancestors are smiling down on us.
13:11:54 From Sheilah E Nicholas to Everyone:
Askwali for this time–as always, a wonderful model for us.
13:16:16 From Wendy’s iPhone to Everyone:
I love how the students are all so aware of the status and importance of their heritage and language. And that They are so proud and so strong, with a mission to carry on their teachings and language into their career and home lives beyond school . Great job students and teachers.\
Yes. happy ancestors smiling down for sure 🙂
13:16:27 From Sheilah E Nicholas to Everyone:
so sorry but I have to leave for class.
13:16:44 From Kauanoe Kamana to Everyone:
Aloha Sheilah
13:16:47 From Joana Jansen to Everyone:
Thank you for coming!
13:20:23 From Becky Lukens to Everyone:
I am so sorry that I have to go. Thank you very much.
13:21:51 From Jesse Blackburn to Everyone:
This was wonderful! Mahalo
13:21:53 From (Ginger) Xołchwił-tah-tung’nahsma:ts, Hupa to Everyone:
Tin Ts’ehdiyah ❤️❤️❤️
13:22:03 From Koko Casey to Everyone:
Mahalo nui!
13:22:05 From William Wilson to Everyone:
Mahalo to all!
13:22:05 From kaleinohear to Everyone:
Mahalo nui !
13:22:07 From shayla stwyer to Everyone:
Thank you
13:22:08 From Kauluwena Aiona to Everyone:
Mahalo!!!
13:22:11 From Leila Jones (she/her) to Everyone:
Mahalo!!
13:22:12 From kenike aipolani to Everyone:
Mahalo!1
13:22:13 From Joliene (she/they) to Everyone:
Mahalo nui!
13:22:23 From Joana Jansen to Everyone:
Thank you!
Video Link
Additional Resources
Videos:
-“No ‘Ane’i Ko Kākou Ola (Exploring Hawaiian Medium Education)” Ōiwi TV YouTube Channel. Video Length: 12:25. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhELoIta084
– “Lākina: Teaching Latin Through Hawaiian:” Ōiwi TV YouTube Channel. Dec 2019. Video Length: 4:45. URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZe-4P5-5PE
– [Hōkūleʻa Crew]. 2020, November 18. He wa’a, he honua: The earth is our canoe. [Video]. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8dZnyxdgFw
– Kamanā, K. and Wilson, W. [Sealaska Heritage Institute]. (2022, Feb 13) The ‘Aha Pūnana Leo Approach To Hawaiian Language Revitalization’. [Video]. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PanVOfXHYSk
Drs. Kauanoe Kamanā and William Wilson, president and director of the nonprofit ‘Aha Pūnana Leo, describe how the organization moved forward to reach the state’s current level of language vitality. Included in that description will be the role of networking with other Native peoples, including Alaska Natives, in assuring programmatic success.
Websites:
– Mokuola Honua: Global Center for Indigenous Language Excellence
Mission statement: to reestablish the prominence of indigenous perspectives in modern contexts, in our homelands and globally, from a strong foundation of fluency in our mother tongues.
Articles/readings:
– First Peoples’ Heritage Language & Culture Council by Chief Atahm School Curriculum Team. (2009). First nations language nests: Your guide to operating a successful language immersion program for the very young. https://fpcc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/FPCC-First-Nations-Language-Nests-Your-Guide-to-Operating-a-Successful-Language-Immersion-Prorgram-for-the-Very-Young-2014.pdf
– Jacob M. M. (2016). Indigenous Environmentalism as Spiritual Responsibility: Heal Ourselves, Heal the Earth. In Indian Pilgrims: Indigenous Journeys of Activism and Healing with Saint Kateri Tekakwitha (pp. 39–72). University of Arizona Press. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1dnncgr.6
– Kari A. B. Chew. (2015). Family at the Heart of Chickasaw Language Reclamation. American Indian Quarterly, 39(2), 154–179. https://doi.org/10.5250/amerindiquar.39.2.0154
– McCarty, T. L., & Nicholas, S. E. (2014). Reclaiming Indigenous Languages: A Reconsideration of the Roles and Responsibilities of Schools. Review of Research in Education, 38, 106–136. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43284064
Nāwahī School Videos:
Reflection questions from Dr. Kauanoe Kamanā & Dr. William Wilson
– What did you hear from the talk that was most interesting or adaptable for your community?
– Does your community use language immersion or want to try it? What barriers have you encountered towards those efforts?
– What resonated for you from this presentation?