oct-dec 2011 newsletter

10
Save the Date! HOÿOULU I KA LAMA 1 st Quarter Events Indigenous Education Makahiki Halloween Bash Traveling LAOKO Sessions PISA High School Conference Mana Conference Breakfast with Santa Christmas Kanikapila Another Exciting Quarter! This year’s Fall Festivities have kept us all busy here at the Hawaiian Cultural Center. Aside from the many activities planned for our Native Hawaiian community, this quarter has been full of educational and culturally edifying opportunities. We were fortunate to learn from one of Hawaiÿi’s prestigious indigenous educators, Kü Kahakalau. We also had the opportunity to share more about our culture at two educational events for our local youth. But not only was it an insightful quarter, but it was full of fun activities for everyone! LAOKO Sessions January 16, 2012 Sign up for our next set of family sessions. Now only 5 weeks long! Poke Challenge January 21, 2012 ‘Ohana Saturday April 21, 2012 Come and enjoy a fun-filled day for the whole family! FALL 2011 Join us as we watch our families compete to make the best Poke. McBride ‘Ohana working together to make a lei

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Hawaiian Cultural Center Newsletter of events, workshops and activities during October-December 2011

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Page 1: Oct-Dec 2011 Newsletter

Save the Date!

HOÿOULU I KA LAMA

1st Quarter Events

Indigenous Education

Makahiki

Halloween Bash

Traveling LAOKO Sessions

PISA High School Conference

Mana Conference

Breakfast with Santa

Christmas Kanikapila

Another Exciting Quarter! This year’s Fall Festivities have kept us all busy here at the

Hawaiian Cultural Center. Aside from the many activities planned

for our Native Hawaiian community, this quarter has been full of

educational and culturally edifying opportunities. We were

fortunate to learn from one of Hawaiÿi’s prestigious indigenous

educators, Kü Kahakalau. We also had the opportunity to share

more about our culture at two educational events for our local

youth. But not only was it an insightful quarter, but it was full of

fun activities for everyone!

LAOKO Sessions January 16, 2012

Sign up for our next set of family

sessions. Now only 5 weeks long!

Poke Challenge January 21, 2012

‘Ohana Saturday April 21, 2012

Come and enjoy a fun-filled day for the whole family!

F A L L 2 0 1 1

Join us as we watch our families compete to make

the best Poke.

McBride ‘Ohana working together

to make a lei

Page 2: Oct-Dec 2011 Newsletter

HO`OULU I KA LAMA FALL 2011

2

Indigenous Education The term indigenous education refers to the

inclusion of traditional Native teaching

methodologies with the intent to pass on indigenous

bodies of knowledge. At the forefront of indigenous

education for Native Hawaiians is Kü Kahakalau

and her ÿohana (family), whom we were blessed to

have visit us at the Hawaiian Cultural Center and

share their mana'o (knowledge) with our community.

On October 13th, we organized a community

presentation on Indigenous Education with Kü

Kahakalau and her ÿohana as the presenters. Well

attended by local Pacific Islander educators, the

manaÿo (knowledge) shared by ka ÿohana Kahakalau

was not only well received, but definitely resonatedwith each of those present.

What stood out for many was the emphasis

given to learning and embracing our Native

Languages at ALL levels of ability, and the

importance of using the terms and vocabulary we

DO know and focusing on building on those. For

many it removed the stress factor of how much there

is to learn which can be daunting, and placed it

squarely on seeking out varying methods to learn

and incorporate the use of our language on a daily

basis, in everyday situations.

Relations, relevance and rigor. Those three

components and how they are applied in the

Hawaiian Charter School movement by Kanu O Ka

ÿAina are still echoing for us here in Utah. We are

still in the contemplation stage as we determine how

best to implement these key ideas and best practices

into our current and future programs.

By Tina Cabiles

Ku Kahakalau presenting on indigenous education

Kahkalau family sharing more on Makahiki

Page 3: Oct-Dec 2011 Newsletter

HO`OULU I KA LAMA FALL 2011

3

Makahiki Makahiki – a time of rest, a time of

peace, a time of celebration. In honor of the

God Lono, it was during this four-month

period where war was kapu (forbidden), and

temple ceremonies and all hard labor

ceased.

During this time of celebration, it was

customary for commoners to participate in

friendly competition thru games like huki

huki (pulling game), haka moa (fighting

chicken), ‘ulu maika, Konane (Hawaiian

Checkers) and other various traditional

games.

On October 14th we had the

opportunity to recreate said events here at

the Hawaiian Cultural Center with guidance

from our guests, Ka ÿOhana Kahakalau.

The evening began with an

introduction to Makahiki, which included a

more in depth description of the different

games played, and the different chants used

throughout this celebratory period.

After the presentation, everyone had a

chance to experience how these games and

chants were actually performed. It was the

perfect opportunity for everyone to learn that

not all these games were as easy as one

would think. Some were more competitive

than others, but that just made the experience

more enjoyable.

By participating in these games, it

brought our community that much closer to

knowing and understanding our culture and

heritage.

Participants playing various Makahiki games

Participants playing Könane (Hawaiian Checkers)

With Ka ÿOhana Kahakalau

Participants playing huki huki (pulling

game)

Kahakalau ÿohana demonstrating how to play haka moa (chicken fight game)

Page 4: Oct-Dec 2011 Newsletter

HO`OULU I KA LAMA FALL 2011

4

Halloween Bash By Nohea Hanohano

Before we start giving thanks

or remembering the sacrifice of one,

we take a little time to give into our

superstitions and child-like fantasies.

We celebrate Halloween with

costume parties, trick-or-treating, fun

games and great friends. Here at the

Hawaiian Cultural Center, we are no

different. We held our 2nd annual

Halloween Bash on Saturday October

29 and what a great success it was.

There were games for all ages,

donut eating contest, oreo cookie

contest, musical chairs, and a costume

parade. You can’t have a party

without the food, so of-course the

LAOKO team was serving up some

hot-dogs and chips for everyone. To

top it off, we ended the day with a

spooktacular spook alley and a fun

and safe trunk-or-treat for the kids.

We want to thank everyone for

coming out in supporting and

participating in our 2nd Annual

Halloween Bash.

Various age groups participating in the donut eating contest

Keiki (children) participating in a relay race

Its always good to just hang out with the ÿohana (family)

Page 5: Oct-Dec 2011 Newsletter

HO`OULU I KA LAMA FALL 2011

5

Traveling LAOKO Sessions

With this being the start of our final year with the Lei

Aloha O Ka ‘Ohana grant, we found it necessary to reach out to

as many Native Hawaiians as we could throughout the state of

Utah. With our community members spread out, it can be

difficult at times to make the journey to Midvale. So this is where

we changed our approach and took the

sessions on the road.

One of our stops included spending a weekend up north in Logan,

where we had the families work on their very own ‘umeke (family bowl).

Here they learned the various uses of their bowl, and worked together to

clean it out and make their own design. The children then learned more

about their elder sibling Häloa, and did a simple art project to take home

with them.

We also had the opportunity to drive down to Utah County and

have a 5-week session with a few families there in Provo. Thanks to the hospitality shown by Omai

Crichton and Sweets Restaurant, we were able to have a warm place to host our LAOKO sessions. In

order to better accommodate all those who attended, we condensed our 13-week program into just 5

weeks, which seemed effective as we could cater to more people in the same amount of time!

We found this approach to be more effective because we were able to share these values and

practices to more members of our community who, due to location, have difficulty coming to the

Hawaiian Cultural Center to participate. It was a privilege to serve more of our community, and to be

able to enlighten them both culturally and spiritually.

Families cleaning their ÿumeke (family bowl)

Learning about Häloa

Utah County family making lei

Page 6: Oct-Dec 2011 Newsletter

HO`OULU I KA LAMA FALL 2011

6

Pacific Island Student Association High School Conference

Convened on the campus of the University of Utah, Pacific Islander students from various high school districts in the Salt Lake area attended the annual High School Pacific Islander Conference. Hosted by the Pacific Islander Student Association (PISA) the event on Tuesday, November 8, 2011 assembled students in the Union Building all dressed for success prepared for what the day would bring. “Rooted Generations” the theme for this year’s conference included breakout sessions plus workshops in which students were motivated and encouraged to identify who they are as a Pacific Islander that will connect them to their island roots.

The Genealogy/Navigation workshop presented by Tina Cabiles-Carden, LAOKO cultural specialist touched base on how we are connected through family and where we come from as Pacific Islanders. This workshop talked about connection through ocean, lands and blood. Approximately 45 students whose ancestry lines stem from Samoa, Tonga, Hawaii, New Zealand and Tahiti attended the workshop. Students were introduced to the wayfaring practices of their ancestors whose navigational skills plotted a course that would connect the past to the future.

Prior to the conclusion of the presentation, students were asked to ponder some pointed questions:

What makes you proud to be Polynesian/Pacific Islander?

What will your descendants say about you? What will you leave for them to find pride in?

Students who responded hoped to be able to make a difference not only in their own lives but

an impact it would make for their families. One young lady hopes to become the first female Pacific Islander President, while another hopes to become a lawyer in order to help his Pacific Islander community. The impact these young people hope to make in helping their families and people leads them to become well-rooted Polynesian people, living a positive legacy for their future generations to follow.

High School students listen as Tina Cabiles discusses Hawaiian

navigation

Page 7: Oct-Dec 2011 Newsletter

HO`OULU I KA LAMA FALL 2011

7

MANA Conference

On November 17th, we were invited to attend the semi-

annual MANA conference held at the Salt Lake Community

College Redwood Campus. The purpose of this conference was

to discuss concerns, issues and challenges facing the Pacific

Islander Community here in Utah, and to develop possible

solutions.

A representative from each Pacific Islander group was

then invited to share a traditional practice with all those who

attended. As is appropriate in Hawaiian traditions, the Lei Aloha

O Ka ‘Ohana team performed an ÿoli (chant) to welcome all

those in attendance. It was the perfect way to set the mood for

the upcoming discussions.

Select members of the community were then asked to sit

on a panel as the discussion began. One of the main issues

discussed was how one deals with their sense of identity here in Utah. Who do they best identify

themselves with when living away from their “homeland”? It was enlightening to hear the many

different opinions of our community members as they shared the various challenges faced when

answering this seemingly simple question.

One of the best things about attending this conference and participating in these discussions

was hearing the perspective from a variety of Pacific Islanders. There were those who grew up in

the islands, and later moved to the continental U.S., those born and raised here, and those who were

born in their home country, but raised in another country, be it in the United States, or another

island in the Pacific.

This diverse group made it easier to understand the types of families that come through the

Hawaiian Cultural Center, and enabled us to gain a better understanding on how we can better cater

to their needs. By remaining active in the Pacific Islander community and continually building

relationships with such organizations we are better equipped to help more of our Native Hawaiian

peoples by making them aware of such issues, and helping to develop possible solutions.

Page 8: Oct-Dec 2011 Newsletter

HO`OULU I KA LAMA FALL 2011

8

Breakfast With Santa

With the Holidays coming up in full swing, it was time for our annual Christmas Activity with the younger keiki (children) in our community. Last year we rang in the Christmas season with a Santa’s Workshop, which was complete with various craft stations, and games for the little ones. This year, we thought we would change it up a bit and host a Breakfast with Santa.

The idea was to have our younger children around the ages of 3-5 to come and enjoy an early morning activity, complete with good food, games, and then top it off with a visit from the big guy himself.

Our menu was complete with buttermilk pancakes, breakfast sausage and eggs. Along with some yummy muffins and a fruit salad as a side. We had more than enough food for the

keiki (children) and their makua (parents) that were there.

All that was missing was Santa. Sadly, his reindeer got sick, so he wasn’t able to make it to breakfast that day, but that didn’t get us down. We played games like Duck, Duck, Goose, Musical Chairs, and Simon Says. Soon enough, the children forgot the whole reason they were there, because they were too busy having so much fun!

After games, we had everyone take a few pictures in front of the Christmas tree which were later printed off as a keepsake to take home. Although it didn’t go as planned, nobody left empty handed. Their arms were full of goodie bags and treats, and their bellies full from a great spread. It was a great way to welcome the holiday spirit!

Santa didn’t come for breakfast, but he did show up for dinner at Kanikapila

Page 9: Oct-Dec 2011 Newsletter

HO`OULU I KA LAMA FALL 2011

9

Christmas Kanikapila

As is tradition, Christmas is one of the

holidays where family and friends come

together to share meals and enjoy each

other’s company. At the Hawaiian

Cultural Center we do this on a monthly

basis with our Kanikapila (musical

gathering) and potluck. We look

forward to our Christmas Kanikapila

because we like to do a big shebang.

This year we were fortunate

enough to have Uncle Andy Dudoit of

Moloka`i serenade us with his beautiful

voice, Tausala Utah entertain us with

their beautiful and talented dancers, and

of course we can’t forget our favorite

friend from the North Pole. Santa was

able to give some time to the kamaliÿi

(children) and take some pictures. We

are always so grateful and humbled to

have such a supportive and involved

community that makes these events

such a success. Tausala Utah and LAOKO’s very own

perform for the crowd

Page 10: Oct-Dec 2011 Newsletter

Naupaka HO`OULU I KA LAMA FALL 2012

By Nona Beamer

This tale of two lovers forbidden to be together depicts why the flowers of the naupaka plant grows the way it does. This book

describes the love Princess Naupaka has for a commoner Kauÿi, and takes you on a journey as these two seek for approval from

the Gods for their union, and the unfortunate fate that befalls them.

Hawaiian Cultural Center

741 West Smelter St

Midvale, UT 94047

Phone: (801) 56 ALOHA

Hawaiianculturalcenter.org

Leialohaokaohana.blogspot.com

Hawaiian Cultural Center Staff

Kathleen Madsen – Project Manager

Nohea Hanohano – Accountant

Tina Cabiles – Cultural Specialist

Uÿilani Keo – Project Assistant

Meet the Board

President: Marcia Stroud

Vice President: Scarlet Patte

Treasurer: Ben Au

Trustee: Angie Kawaÿakoa

Trustee: Patricia Leong

Trustee: Darren Medeiros

Trustee: Stacy Wood

Trustee at large: Neal Hanohano