In January 1982, a group of Hawaiian language educators met to discuss strategies to perpetuate the language. From speaking with elders, they knew that raising children in an environment where Hawaiian was the ordinary language of interaction was central to survival of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. These trailblazers focused their efforts to nurture a new generation of speakers that would be able to describe the world through the lens of their Hawaiian language and culture. Thus began the Pūnana Leo preschool and an emergence of a Hawaiian philosophy of education, now known as the Kumu Honua Mauli Ola. Pūnana Leo means “nest of voices”, and depicts the dominant learning method in these centers as students are “fed” solely their native language and culture much like the way young birds are cared for in their own nests. The first of these preschools was established in Kekaha, Kaua‘i in August 1984. The following year, schools were established in Hilo, Hawai‘i and Honolulu, O‘ahu and continued to spread to other islands thereafter. In this He ʻŌlelo Ola 2021 "Pūnana Leo - Creating Language Nests" panel discussion, we met with some of the original founders, employees, parents, and previous teachers of Pūnana Leo from across Hawaiʻi. Listen in as they share strategies, lessons learned and invaluable success stories gathered over the nearly 40 years of this language revitalization movement.
About He ʻŌlelo Ola
He ʻŌlelo Ola, also known as the "Hilo Field Study" of the International Conference on Language Documentation and Conservation (ICLDC) has been held biannually since 2009 in association with ICLDC. ICLDC is traditionally held on the campus of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa on Oʻahu Island, while He ʻŌlelo Ola is held in a consortium of programs coordinated through the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo on Hawaiʻi Island.
In 2021 during the COVID 19 pandemic, He ʻŌlelo Ola and ICLDC were held virtually. He ʻŌlelo Ola 2021 was recorded and we here make that recording available for viewing through Mokuola Honua Center for indigenous Language Excellence. The contents of this recording represent the consortium of entities working together in Hawaiian language revitalization as of March 2021. The consortium is continually growing and adding features and future He ʻŌlelo Ola will include new information and initiatives.
Explore mokuolahonua.com for further information on the Hawaiian language revitalization consortium efforts in Hilo, and to contact He ʻŌlelo Ola organizers.