As we celebrate Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, or Hawaiian language month, HPR’s Catherine Cluett Pactol takes us to Molokaʻi, where the language is in good hands with haumana at the island's elementary school language immersion program.
Walk down the hallway at Ke Kula Kaiapuni o Kualapuʻu, and you’ll hear students learning and conversing in Hawaiian, practicing oli and studying math.
The Hawaiian language immersion program was first implemented by the Department of Education in 1987. Kualapuʻu Public Conversion Charter School runs Molokaʻi’s elementary-level immersion program, which began in 1993.
Kumu Lokelani Han has been teaching for over 20 years. Growing up on Molokaʻi, she says, there was no Kaiapuni program. Since then, she says there are now lots of opportunities to learn the language, but she hopes it won’t stop there.
A full text version of this story will be available later today.
