Back to the Roots

Today the class Hawaiian Studies 290V: Maui Aloha ‘Āina presented all of our final presentations. They were all videos that had to be put up on youtube and they were all wonderful!! I really liked one of them because in the video, there was a part where there were keiki speaking in ‘ōlelo hawai‘i, saying how we should mālama ‘āina. To see children probably not even four years old yet speaking Hawaiian fluently made me so proud and happy. Though, at the same time kind of sad because; here these small kids are speaking the language when most of us adults that lived in Hawai‘i our whole lives cannot keep a conversation going. I wish there were more ways that the native Hawaiian people could go and learn how to speak without having to have to pay so much for tuition at colleges. Cause I know so much of my family that really can’t afford to pay the tuition and all the fees that colleges charge. My family doesn’t know how to apply for all the FAFSA, financial aid, and loans stuffs. Most of them are all local average Hawaiians that are akamai loa when it comes to the ‘āina and working hard and ‘ohana, but for filling out all those piles of paperwork; just no can! And I think they really shouldn’t have to. These are the Hawaiians’ land that we live on and that the schools are on, why should anyone conform to the westerners’ ways of doing things? Why can’t Hawaiians learn about their culture and language without having to have to pay an unaffordable price? If there was a way to make classes free for Hawaiians, I would be a supporter all the way! That is why I appreciate all the kumus that teach the Hawaiian language and culture/way and everything they do. I’m grateful for the leaders teaching us the pono way of doing things and basically “going back to our roots,” rising up a new generation of leaders and teachers to educate the people even when we’re all no longer here. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for us Hawaiians. We all need to keep the Hawaiian way thriving! E ola ka ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i! 

References:

http://maui.hawaii.edu/student/PDFschedules/schedule_spring12.pdf (page 36, Tuition & Fees)

Final Video in HWST 290V by Chaz, Kahalehau, and 'Tita'

‘Aha Pūnana Leo