Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 29, Number 2, 1 Pepeluali 2012 — Catching the ʻIke Kū ʻokoʻa wave [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Catching the ʻIke Kū ʻokoʻa wave

The all-volunteer effort aims to make 60,000 pases of centuries-old Hawaiian-laneuaee

newspapers searchable online

By Mary Aliee Milham magine a wave four times bigger than any you've seen. If you're a surfer, like Hawaiian author John R.K. Clark, you grab your board and paddle out. Chances like this eome along onee in a lifetime. Eddie would go. That once-in-a-lifetime feeling is also what it's like to volunteer with 'Ike Kū'oko'a, the Hawaiianlanguage newspaper initiative, an all-volunteer project to plaee 60,000 pages of Hawaiianlanguage newspapers online in a word-searchable format. Clark's latest book, Hawaiian Surfing: Traditions from the Past,

draws chiefly from Ho'olaupa'i, the online Hawaiian Language Newspaper Project at nupepa.org, and OHA's Papakilo Database. With four times as many pages of historic and cultural knowledge as are currently available online, the potential for Ike Kū'oko'a to unleash a monster wave of NativeHawaiian intelligence is real.

f "This is going to blow the m lid off Hawaiian history," says Puakea Nogelmeier, Executive •' Director of Awaiaulu, the Hawaiian-language preservation nonprofit behind the 'Ike Kū'oko'a project. "There are a million-and-a-half pages worth of writing, just in the newspapers. We've touched 2 percent of that." Clark discovered the value of the online archives five years ago. A retired firefighter, lifelong surfer and author of seven books on Hawai'i's beaches, he was working as a consultant on a sand-replenishment project for

the Sheraton Waiklkl when he stumbled upon an unexpected find in the newspaper database. "I had heard about Ho'olaupa'i and I went online and did a word search for 'Kawehewehe,' " says Clark. Mueh to his surprise, it turned out Kawehewehe was not only the name of a beach but also a traditional surf spot for Native Hawaiians. "That's when I realized the value of being able to word-search the online archive of Hawaiianlanguage newspapers," he says. "And that's what inspired me to write Hawaiian Surfing ." One wonders what will be inspired when the entire collection becomes available. According to Kau'i Sai-Dudoit, Project Manager for Ho'olaupa'i and Outreach Coordinator/Project Manager of 'Ike Kū'oko'a - 110 Hawaiian-language newspapers, totaling 125,000 pages - were published between 1834 and 1948. Of the 75,000 pages that have been scanned and placed online, 15,000 are currently word-searchable: the first wave of traditional Native Hawaiian intelligence to well up from an asyet fully unfathomed source. "We are liberating knowledge from the dust, and we believe the knowledge will liberate us," says Awaiaulu's Nogelmeier. Nogelmeier conceived the idea of enlisting volunteers to type the remaining Hawaiian-language newspaper pages last September and soon had the support of SaiDudoit. They named their project " 'Ike Kū'oko'a," meaning liberating knowledge, and, with insight to history's elaim on the Native Hawaiian psyche, chose to launeh the project on Lā Kū'oko'a ( Independence Day, Nov. 28, 20 1 1 ) - the holiday celebrating Hawai'i's recognition as an independent sovereign nation - and to conclude it by Lā Ho'iho'i Ea (Restoration Day, July 31, 2012) - the holiday

commemorating the restoration of the nation's sovereignty by Richard Thomas after the 1843 overthrow by Great Britain's Lord George Paulet. The online Hawaiian-language newspaper collection, a 10-year collaborative effort among Bishop Museum, Alu Like Ine. and Hale Kuamo'o, may also be the largest repository of native-language writings known to exist in the western world, says Nogelmeier. Hawaiian Surfing illustrates the richness of the resource, documenting a long list of ali'i surfers running from King Kamehameha I to Princess Ka'iulani, who, Clark discovered, was the first woman ever to be filmed surfing, in an 1898 film by pioneer travelogue filmmaker Burton Holmes. Clark, the newest board member for Awaiaulu and full-time project volunteer, reviews the typescripted pages as they eome in to the 'Ike Kū'oko'a Lile Center and has already eome across material he would've included in Hawaiian Surfing had he known of it. Biographer Elinor Langer is also eager to see what turns up. Currently at work on a biography of Lili'uokalani, she uses the Hawaiian-language newspaper archives to uncover leads, and has accumulated muhiple passages for future translation. "Knowing that the Hawaiian discussions of everything are there is very important," says Langer,

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Newspaper keiki fronting the printing office of KeAlohaAina newspaper, whieh was in publication from about 1 895 to 1 920. - Photo: Courtesy of the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum Library and Archives

John Clark, left, wrote the book Hawaiian Surfing, drawn chiefly from the online trove of Hawaiian-language newspapers at nupepa. org and 0HA's Papakilo Database. - Clark courtesy photo by Clarence Maki

who, like Clark, was inspired to heeome an 'Ike Kū'oko'a volunteer. Queen Lili'uokalani provides a stunning example of the importance of providing the Hawaiian perspective on Hawaiian history. English-language newspapers on the U.S. continent roundly portrayed Queen Lili'uokalani as a villain. Tlie New York Sun, in an article published Feb. 3, 1894 - about a year after the Queen's overthrow by American and other business interests - described her as a "savage . . . a lewd, barbarous and bloodthirsty woman ... the dusky Mrs. Dominis" and "the barbarous woman they deposed from her tawdry throne." The New York Tribune was just as bad, stating in a March 15,1893, article, "the blunt truth about her is that she stood for indecency, paganism and commercial distress and that she deserved the fate that eame to her." Sai-Dudoit realized the importance of perspective at a young age, when during an eighthgrade Hawaiian history lesson, her non-Hawaiian teacher told the class that Native Hawaiians "gave it all away for a nail." The dissonance between what she knew of Hawaiian people and what her history teacher said began a lifelong quest for the real Hawaiian history. In 2002 her path took an important turn when, urged by Nogelmeier, she applied for a job with Bishop Museum, heading Ho'olaupa'i.

Well versed in the "hlaek and white" facts of Hawaiian history, Sai-Dudoit nonetheless found the newspaper archives of Ho'olaupa'i to be an unexpectedly rich experience, adding color and depth to her understanding of the past. The validation she found in the newspaper stories was calming, she says, and confirmed her goal of making the Hawaiian-language newspapers accessible to all. As this latest phase of the project comes into being, Sai-Dudoit looks at its significance with deep gratitude and the deeper perspective as a mother of 12 children. "This belongs to all of us. And I am so grateful for the participation, for the letters, for the pages that eome in every day that people have done," says Sai-Dudoit. "I know now that I don't have to worry that the language and the real history will be there for my children - the footprint of our kūpuna." While Sai-Dudoit's children, the youngest is 8, have all signed up for pages, she is also helping youth throughout Hawai'i to connect with this historical resource. Assisted by University of Hawai'i intems, she is making the rounds at both puhlie and private schools all over the state. Kamehameha Schools has already laid elaim to 4,000 pages. Other families are connecting through the project too with helping hands from Sai-Dudoit and her interns. Jailee-Cierra Puaoi, 12, a Kamehameha Schools-Kapālama

SEE 'IKE KŪ'OKO'A ON PAGE 19

"At the ver y least, (volunteers will) gain the satisfaction of knowing they helped save an important Hawaiian legacy for future generations. At the most, they'll

understand the importance." -Kau'i Sai-Dudoit Outreach Coordinatoi/Project Manager of 'Ike Kuoko'a

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Kau'i Sai-Dudoit and Puakea Nogelmeier are leading the 'lke Kū'oko'a effort. - Photo: John De Mello; BEL0W: With the help of supporters, 'lke Kū'oko'a launched on the grounds of 'lolani Palaee on Nov. 28, 201 1, Lō Kū'oko'a - lndependence Day, a nahonal holiday of the Hawaiian Kingdom commemorating formal recognition of Hawai'i's independence by England and France. Students from Hōlau Kū Mana, front, were at the palaee to learn more about the events leading up to Lō Kū'oko'a, and by day's end, they had registered as volunteers in the Hawaiian-language newspaper effort. - Photo: Courtesy of Awaiaulu

'IKE KŪ'OKO'A

Continued from page 15

student, was an early recruit. Having heard of the project from her auntie just before the launeh, she and her mother signed up together and have already completed two full newspaper pages. "It feels very good to be a part of this and helping with this task," says Jailee, whose busy schedule of homework, hula and volleyball has not deterred her from the task. "I love to learn about my Hawaiian history." So far, Nogelmeier says, the response has been phenomenal. By Day 2, the project had attracted more than 1,500 volunteers throughout Hawai'i and the U.S. continent as well as France, Germany, Amsterdam, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Australia. "A thousand pages are already in the door," he says. Nevertheless, getting 60,000 newspaper pages typed - the equivalent of about 1 million 8-l/2-by-ll-inch pages - is an immense undertaking and will take an estimated 200,000 work hours. Though the window of opportunity may seem wide, Sai-Dudoit says, to ensure success, it's vital that volunteers get involved as soon as possible. "We need their help now. Not tomorrow, not next week or next month. We need them now." Keeping the volunteer work force engaged is another challenge. Some groups, including

Kamehameha Schools alumni classes, hālau hula and members of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, are engaging in a little friendly competition to keep it interesting. Others are hosting "typing bees" - allowing volunteers to socialize and share their discoveries while typing pages. Dedicating pages in the name of someone special is another way the project's leaders have eome up with to keep it interesting. Volunteers ean help even more, Nogelmeier says, by spreading the word. "Onee the larger puhlie is engaged in this resource, that's going to fuel all kinds of projects," says Nogelmeier. "And that's going to open up just a huge new array of projects and insights and products and doers. It's going to make a generation of doers." "I think every single one of them are working to save a legacy for the future generations and that's the overriding purpose I think for all of us," adds Sai-Dudoit. "At the very least, they'll gain the satisfaction of knowing they helped save an important Hawaiian legacy for future generations. At the most, they'll understand the importance." Clark's participation has already had that effect. "The greatest thing is being able to hear the voices of the Native Hawaiians, speaking in Hawaiian and describing their culture," says Clark. "These are the voices of the people, not the voices of non-Hawaiian historians giving us their version of Hawaiian culture and Hawaiian history." ■

HŪW TQ VQLUNTEER

Anyone who ean type ean participate in 'lke Kū'oko'a. No Hawaiian-language skill is neeessary. It takes up to six hours to finish one newspaper page. Registration anel complete instructions, including a "howto" video, are on Awaiaulu's web site at awaiaulu.org. TYPING BEES For help in hosting a Typing Bee for groups of volunteers at a home, library, school, community center or wherever computers are accessible, email info@awaiaulu.org. "In four to six hours, everyone could finish a page on their own laptoporthat of the school/center, and while all are working, they ean share their insights, help with the hard-to -read parts of pages, and enjoy some company (and food)," notes Awaiaulu's Puakea Nogelmeier. "Some families are doing it, either at home or with extended family gatherings, and we'll be hosting a few here atthe Awaiaulu office." C0MPUTER CENTERS For 'lke Kū'oko'a volunteers who don't have access to eomputers, two sites on O'ahu are available: Hawai'i Maoli Center in Kapolei and Hālau Kū Mana in Mānoa. More information will be posted on awaiaulu.org. Awaiaulu is also searching for additional sites willing to open their computer centers to volunteers. If you would like to offer your site, email info@ awaiaulu.org.

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At a recent meeting at Awaiaulu headquarters, Puakea Nogelmeier and Kau'i Sai-Dudoit meet with volunteers, programmers and student assistants to work out the system for checking incoming files for completeness and accuracy. Clockwise from rightforeground are: Pili Kamakea-Young, Kalei Kawa'a, Kawena Komeiji, James Matsuzaki, David Graham, Mālialani Cabaniss, Puakea Nogelmeier, Marti Steele, Kau'i Sai-Dudoit and Kahala Johnson. Manah Ku'ulei Flanigan-Garcia and John Clark are hidden from view. - Photo: John De Mello

T0P: Jailee-Cierra Puaoi signed up as a volunteer with her mom, Jenn. - Photo: Courtesy ofJenn Puaoi; AB0VE: Kau'i Sai-Dudoit and Puakea Nogelmeier discuss the importance of 'lke Kū'oko'a with Kamehameha Schools-Kapālama campus' high school faculty, whieh is hoping to participate as a eom-munity-service project involving faculty, staff and students. - Photo: Lisa isato ; BEL0W: A kupuna reads Ka Hoku o Hawaii, one of the 1 1 0 Hawaiian-language newspapers that were published between 1 834 and 1 948. - Photo: Courtesy ofthe Berniee Pauahi Bishop Museum Library anH irchives