The document summarizes a study on the Papahana Kaiapuni indigenous language heritage program in Hawaii. The study investigated how participation in the program influenced Hawaiian students and their families. Key findings included: 1) Students benefited academically and culturally from learning Hawaiian; 2) Students' new knowledge spread to their families and communities; 3) Some families and communities initially opposed the program but became more supportive as it achieved success in revitalizing Hawaiian language and culture.

1. {
Shelby A. Dugan

2. 




Investigated how participation in the
Papahana Kaiapuni indigenous
language heritage program
influenced students and their
families.
Hawaiian was the official language
until 1893
Written Hawaiian developed with the
arrival of missionaries in the 1820s
Use of the Hawaiian language banned
with the overthrow of the Hawaiian
monarchy
A movement known as the Hawaiian
Renaissance created a rise in interest
of Hawaiian culture and language
(1960s-1970s)

{


In 1978, Hawaiian
became official
language of Hawaii,
along with English
In 1987, Papahana
Kaiapuni, the
language immersion
program was
established
Program also focuses
on Hawaiian culture
and indigenous
studies
Background of Study

3. • Many students in Kaiapuni are of
Hawaiian or part Hawaiian ancestry
• They often live in communities far from
the school and commute to attend
• Students enter program at early age
and are usually able to respond to their
teachers in Hawaiian by the end of the
year
•
{
•
•
Many family members had a hard time convincing
extended family members of their decision to have their
kids attend a Hawaiian immersion school
This even extended through to grandparents as they were
originally encouraged by their parents (and the language
was eventually banned) to speak English, as this would
lead to success…sound familiar?
In addition to developing high levels of proficiency in
Hawaiian, these same students also met or exceeded state
standard English exams
Families and Communities

4. •
•
•
{
•
Data collected qualitatively; and according
to authors should not be generalized
Coded themes developed from research
results: academic, social, personal,
language-related influences, and issues
related to culture and identity (but
researchers focused on language use and
culture and identity)
Sub-themes: language use: family
proficient of Hawaiian, use of language
outside of school and culture and identity:
cultural values, community support and
political involvement
Families valued focus on culture and
identity as much as on the development of
the language…learning a language also
involves learning a culture
Data Collection

5. Students sense of responsibility of keepers of their culture:
1) Students benefitted academically and culturally
2) The knowledge students gained spread to their families and extended communities
3) A traditional value is respect for elders. When children also teach the language and
culture to their parents and grandparents, it may be difficult to show that respect
Political activism and family support:
1) The program was first established by families in the community wanting to
revitalize Hawaiian culture and language
2) Students became more confident and learned how to advocate for their rights as
Hawaiians
How perspectives changed in the community:
1) Hawaiians faced discrimination in education during colonization
2) Many Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian did not support such immersion program
3) Many of those on the islands throughout solonization faced pressumer to immerse
themselves into the new culture. Once the Kaiapuni program became a success,
many of those same people began learning Hawaiian or participating in certain
Hawaiian cultures and values
Themes of the Results

6. 



One father felt his son caught
unwanted attention. Because he
was learning Hawaiian, he was
different, and he felt his son did
not want to be different
Some felt (likely non-supporters)
felt the program would make the
children stupid
Many feared the children would
not master English and would
therefore not be successful

Instead of grandparents
passing on Hawaiian
cultures and traditions,
children are instead
teaching their
grandparents; this may be
too much responsibility for
some, thus hindering their
success in school
Although children were
learning Hawaiian, it was
still difficult to communicate
with some elders, because it
was “university Hawaiian”
Drawbacks of Program

7. Future Research


As the students surveyed are now young adults, the
researchers would like to do a follow-up survey to determine
how much of the Hawaiian language and culture they are
using regularly
The added responsibility of students carrying the culturaltorch instead of the traditions coming from the grandparents
References
Luning, Rebecca J. I., Yamauchi, Lois A. (2010). The Influences of
Indigenous Heritage Language Education on Students and Families
in a Hawaiian Language Immersion Program. Heritage Language
Journal, 7(2), 46-75.