Synopsis: After 33 years of serving as an elementary Hawaiian Language Immersion setting, Ke Kula Kaiapuni o Puohala is finally a full Hawaiian Language, K-12 Immersion School, starting in the 2023-2024 school year.

He leo aloha no keia i na makamaka o ka mokupuni nui o Keawe a hiki loa aku i kahi e welo mau nei ka la, aloha mai. Owau no o Keokapukoa Kaohelaulii a he keiki au i hoonaauao ia e o’u mau makua ma o ka noho, ke ola ana, a me ka olelo o ka aina, oia no ka olelo Hawaii. Eia mai no, he nuhou! He hoomaopopo! A, he hoomanao mau “e malama i ka leo o ke alii, o haule wale i ka weuweu.”

Ua laha loa no ia olelo kaulana a ka Moi Kauikeaouli i hoopuka ai no ke ano o kona aupuni hiwahiwa, he aupuni palapala no ia. Ma keia olelo a ka Moi Kauikeaouli, ike ia ka waiwai o ka hoonaauao ia ana o Hawaii ma o ka palapala, i hoomaka ia ma o ka olelo Hawaii. He hoailona no keia i kona naue ana ma ke alanui i maa i ka hele ia ana e kona mau makua.

I ka makahiki 1896, ua apono wale ia ka hoohana ia ana o ka olelo haole ma na kula aupuni o Hawaii nei. A, aole no i loaa hou kekahi kula aupuni i malama ia ma o ka olelo Hawaii no ka wa loihi. Aole i hoonaauao ia o Hawaii ma o ka olelo a ke Alii, ka moolelo o ka aina, a me ka ike i waiho ia mai e na hulu o Hawaii a puni.

Kokoke e piha hookahi haneli makahiki mahope mai, hoomaka ia kekahi kula olelo Hawaii ma Puohala, Kaneohe i ka makahiki 1990. O keia no ka hoomaka hou o ka hoonaauao ia ana mai o ka Mookapu o Haloa ma ka olelo Hawaii, ma na pae kula haahaa. Ua mau no peia no iwakaluakumamawalu mau makahiki! Ma o keia mau hana nae, lohe mau ia no ka leo hoomanao a na hulu, mai ae i ka hewa o auamo anei ka lehulehu i olioli i ke awe makena, a e paio mau no.

I ka makahiki 2018, akahi a apono ka hoomau ia ana o na pae kula waena (Papa 7-8) ma Puohala mamuli o ke koi mau a me ke kalekale o na piakelo i wahi kula e hoomau ana ma o ka olelo Hawaii a me ka ike o Hawaii. Ua mahalo ia no ka hoomaka ia o keia mau pae kula waena no ia mau makahiki he elua. Eia nae, ua hoka loa keia mau pua a Puohala i ka hoole ia ko lakou hoomau ana ma ka Papa 9 ma Puohala, e ke aupuni.

Mamuli o ka paio mau o ka Hui Makua o Puohala, e hookauwa ana “ke aloha i na lehua o Kaana,” akahi a apono ia ka lilo ana o Puohala i kula olelo Hawaii piha, no na pae apau! O ka manao o keia olelo noeau, oia no ka lawe ana i ka hoomanawanui a e hoomau i ka hana no ke aloha o ka aina. Mamuli o keia hookauwa ana a na makua, e hoomaka ana ka pae Papa 10 i keia makahiki kula e hiki mai ana, 2023-2024 ma Puohala, a e hoomau ana a i ka Papa 12.

He leo aoao no keia i na Hawaii e paio mau nei no ke aloha o ka aina, “e moni” mau aku no “i ke koko o ka inaina,” a e uumi mau aku i ka hanu o ka Hoomanawanui.” Ma o ia hana, eia no he kula olelo Hawaii piha ko kakou ma Kaneohe.

E neenee mai e na pua kaulana a o Hawaii, a “e malama i ka leo o ke alii” i haule ole i ka weuweu!

E ho‘ouna ‘ia mai na ä leka iä mäua, ‘o ia ho‘i ‘o Laiana Wong a me Kekeha Solis ma ka pahu leka uila ma lalo nei:

>> kwong@hawaii.edu

>> rsolis@hawaii.edu

a i ‘ole ia, ma ke kelepona:

>> 808-956-2627 (Laiana)

>> 808-956-2627 (Kekeha)

This column is coordinated by Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawai‘i at Mänoa.