Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 2, Number 6, 1 June 1985 — Entertaining, Educational Experience [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Entertaining, Educational Experience

250 Attend 13th Annual La Kukahekahe

More than 250 participants, including a large segment of Hawaiian language students from some of Oahu's high schools, attended the 13th annual La Kukahekahe sponsored by the 'Ahahui 'Olelo Hawaii May 4 at Leeward Community College. Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee Moses Keale of Niihau and Kauai offered the opening prayer and shared master of ceremonies honors with Robert Lokomaika'i Snakenberg in conducting an agenda that was clearly educational as well as entertaining. Along with the na opio segment and kupuna, there were also high school, University of Hawaii, private school and community college Hawaiian language instructors in attendanee. Following introductions and an orientation meeting in the theater, participants were broken into Hui Manu groups according to the bird logo appearing on their name tags. They gathered in their respective groups in assigned classrooms for one on one introductions and brief story-telling. All the conversations, with a few exceptions, were eonducted in the Hawaiian language. The younger Hawaiian students, especially those nearing the completion of their first year, had some difficulty staying away from the English language. Some were prone to mix English with Hawaiian. They gave it their best shot, however, especially during the story-telling and Pa'ani Hawaiian trivia portions of the program when selected students acted out skits or related ineidents in their lives. At times the trivia game proved hilarious as the students competed in teams of three and four and the Hawaiian language questions stumped many of them, mainly through laek of understanding. There was a little hesitancy on the part of some of the participants but onee they remembered the Hawaiian words or phrases, it was all go thereafter. The audience settled down and enjoyed itself although many were tempted to assist the participants with answers. Ka Wai Ola O OHA asked several of the young participants how they liked the Hawaiian language. They said they enjoyed learning it and they liked it but all agreed "it was hard, especially when you grow up speaking English." There was a ho'ike'ike outside the theater where Hawaiian artisans demonstrated their proficiency in lawai'a or Hawaiian fishing technique (Eddie Ka'anana and Walter Paulo); lauhala making (Esther Kakalia Westmoreland); and poi-pounding (Silver Piliwale). The demonstrations attracted large numbers of participants who posed many questions. The remainder of the afternoon was devoted to story-telling by a few kupuna and a lively auction to help the Oahu treasury.

Esther Kakalia Westmoreland gestures in explaining some phase of lauhala weaving during demonstrations at Leeward Community College.

Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee Moses K. Keale Sr. of Niihau and Kauai sits in with a group of youngsters in story-te!ling session.