{ Shelby A. Dugan

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Investigated how participation in the Papahana Kaiapuni indigenous language heritage program influenced students and their families.

Hawaiian was the official language until 1893

Written Hawaiian developed with the arrival of missionaries in the 1820s

Use of the Hawaiian language banned with the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy

A movement known as the Hawaiian Renaissance created a rise in interest of Hawaiian culture and language (1960s-1970s)

In 1978, Hawaiian became official language of Hawaii, along with English

In 1987, PapahanaKaiapuni, the language immersion program was established

Program also focuses on Hawaiian culture and indigenous studies

Background of Study

{• Many family members had a hard time convincing

extended family members of their decision to have their kids attend a Hawaiian immersion school

• This even extended through to grandparents as they were originally encouraged by their parents (and the language was eventually banned) to speak English, as this would lead to success…sound familiar?

• In addition to developing high levels of proficiency in Hawaiian, these same students also met or exceeded state standard English exams

Families and Communities

• Many students in Kaiapuni are of Hawaiian or part Hawaiian ancestry

• They often live in communities far from the school and commute to attend

• Students enter program at early age and are usually able to respond to their teachers in Hawaiian by the end of the year

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• Data collected qualitatively; and according to authors should not be generalized

• Coded themes developed from research results: academic, social, personal, language-related influences, and issues related to culture and identity (but researchers focused on language use and culture and identity)

• Sub-themes: language use: family proficient of Hawaiian, use of language outside of school and culture and identity: cultural values, community support and political involvement

• Families valued focus on culture and identity as much as on the development of the language…learning a language also involves learning a culture

Data Collection

Themes of the Results

Students sense of responsibility of keepers of their culture:1) Students benefitted academically and culturally2) The knowledge students gained spread to their families and extended communities3) A traditional value is respect for elders. When children also teach the language and

culture to their parents and grandparents, it may be difficult to show that respect

Political activism and family support:1) The program was first established by families in the community wanting to

revitalize Hawaiian culture and language2) Students became more confident and learned how to advocate for their rights as

Hawaiians

How perspectives changed in the community:1) Hawaiians faced discrimination in education during colonization2) Many Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian did not support such immersion program3) Many of those on the islands throughout solonization faced pressumer to immerse

themselves into the new culture. Once the Kaiapuni program became a success, many of those same people began learning Hawaiian or participating in certain Hawaiian cultures and values

Drawbacks of Program

One father felt his son caught unwanted attention. Because he was learning Hawaiian, he was different, and he felt his son did not want to be different

Some felt (likely non-supporters) felt the program would make the children stupid

Many feared the children would not master English and would therefore not be successful

Instead of grandparents passing on Hawaiian cultures and traditions, children are instead teaching their grandparents; this may be too much responsibility for some, thus hindering their success in school

Although children were learning Hawaiian, it was still difficult to communicate with some elders, because it was “university Hawaiian”

As the students surveyed are now young adults, the researchers would like to do a follow-up survey to determine how much of the Hawaiian language and culture they are using regularly

The added responsibility of students carrying the cultural-torch instead of the traditions coming from the grandparents

References

Future Research

Luning, Rebecca J. I., Yamauchi, Lois A. (2010). The Influences of Indigenous Heritage Language Education on Students and Families in a Hawaiian Language Immersion Program. Heritage Language Journal, 7(2), 46-75.