Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 23, Number 6, 1 Iune 2007 — Rehabilitation through language [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Rehabilitation through language

Cūlette Y. Machadū TrustEE, Mūlūka'i aud Lāna'i

Aloha kākou! These days it isn't hard to eome across someone who ean speak, or at least understand, the Hawaiian language. Thanks to a revitalization effort starting in the 1970s, there are now many venues available to eager learners. For most 'ōlelo Hawai'i enthusiasts, introduction and learning eame via the classroom setting. For Keola Kansana the opportunity to learn 'ōlelo Hawai'i was presented to him when he needed it the most: in prison. He's the first to admit that he's made some bad choices along the way whieh resulted in his three-year stay in the Hawai'i penitentiary system. Incarceration in Hawai'i's prison system sent Keola from facility to facility. He started at the O'ahu Community Correctional Center, then went to the Hālawa Correctional Facility, the Waiawa Correctional Facility, and he finally ended his term at the Laumaka work furlough program. For the most part, Keola's time in the Halawa facility proved to be the most beneficial for him, as a person. He enrolled himself in a class eall Leo Kanaka Maoli, literally meaning native voice or native tongue. From the very first class with Kumu Alika, Keola knew it would change his life. "I was looking for something, my life was missing something," he recalls. "At that moment, sitting through that first class, I knew that learning the language was a big part of it." The program offered to inmates at the Hālawa facility was a beginner class, provided by Leeward Community College. Classes were scheduled on Tuesdays and Thursdays, eaeh lasting for an hour . While learn-

ing basic vocabulary and beginner speech patterns was the focus of the class, haumāna were also exposed to other areas of Hawaiian culture, like oli and even dances like the haka. "Classes were full and everyone was excited to be learning about our language and culture," he said. When Keola was transferred to the Waiawa facility, the program wasn't as popular as it was at the Halawa facility, but he enjoyed the classes with Kumu Kaloke. While not the most eommon form of rehabilitation, a culturally influenced and integrated one ean be a very effective approach. Keola is very thankful for the opportunity he was given to make that important connection. He admits that he would have never taken a class to learn Hawaiian, if he had not been in jail. To him, it was the silver lining of a very dark cloud. Now that he's done with incarceration and is a member of society again, Keola remains motivated and passionate about passing on what he's learned. He advocates for the perpetuation of the Hawaiian language by volunteering to teach others. Currently he's in Kalihi helping members of Ka Hale Hoano o Ke Akua Church learn Hawaiian. Every Sunday before church services start, Keola ean be found assisting a group of 30 church members through vocabulary and pronunciation lessons. These days Keola uses videos of Kulāiwi, a Hawaiian language lesson series featuring Kumu Ekela KanIa'upi'o-Crozier. "When I was in Hālawa, I used to look forward to Fridays when we watched Kulāiwi lessons," he said. "I watched the videos over and over, because it helps to hear the conversations." The lessons were produced in 1994 and 1995 by the Kamehameha Schools and the Hawai'i state Department of Education. Keola dreams of being a Hawaiian language teacher someday, and he plans on returning to school to get his degree. For now he takes things one day at a time: working to support his family and getting involved anyway he ean to spread olelo Hawai'i. S