The Kamehameha Schools Program of Hawaiian Studies
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THE KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS PROGRAM OF HAWAIIAN STUDIES Donald D. Mitchell The Kamehameha Schools are engaged in their American and European composers, the students most extensive and ambitious program of education sang Hawaiian songs in the music classes, at programs in Hawaiian subjects in their 88 years of instructing on the campus and at the annual Founder's Day young people of Hawaiian ancestry. Most of these Ceremony. Charles E. King, a member of studies have been introduced within the past ten Kamehameha's first graduating class (1891) and years to meet the requests and the needs of a well-known composer, returned to his alma Kamehameha students and of other young men and mater to teach music from 1900 through 1902. women in their home communities. The increasing He placed special emphasis on Hawaiian melodies. interest in Hawaiian culture throughout the State In their free time the boys sang Hawaiian songs has challenged Kamehameha to offer studies and to the accompaniment of the 'ukulele and guitar. to sponsor projects to help our young citizens in It was during these sessions in the early 1890's their quest for knowledge and skills in this culture. that young Joseph Kekuku invented the steel guitar, converting his regular guitar to one played A Brief History with a steel bar, which he made in the school shop.4 The students who attended Kamehameha during Since the early 1920's all of the boys and girls the twenty or more years after it was founded learn two or more Hawaiian songs each year for the in 1887 were, for the most part, fluent in the annual Song Contest. Hawaiian language and familiar with the customs The boys enjoyed football and baseball but played and traditions of their people. King David Kalakaua no Hawaiian games. A swimming tank filled with spoke in Hawaiian as he addressed those present water from the school's artesian well was a favorite at the dedication of Kamehameha Schools on place for recreation during the boys' free hours. November 4, 1667., The beaches were far away so surfing and canoeing During the early years the course of studies were vacation-time activities only. for the boys was planned to train them for positions During the mid-1930's President Frank E. Midkiff in local industries where English was the preferred and the principals realized that most of their language. "By 1650 English had become the language Hawaiian students had but meager knowledge of of business, diplomacy, and, to a considerable their language, history and customs. Since most of extent, of government itself ."2 The class time the students were boarders the influence of the assigned to language skills was devoted entirely Hawaiian home was minimal. As a beginning in to the improvement of oral and written English. teaching the young people to appreciate their own The Kamehameha students were forbidden to culture, a text to be used in studying the language speak Hawaiian in class or on the playfields and were was written by the President and the teacher.5 penalized if they did. To encourage English usage After the instructor, Mr. Wise, retired the course the "English holiday" was observed. The school was not offered again for a number of years, as policy read, " . whoever was not caught talking very few capable Hawaiian language teachers 'native' for a month should be entitled to a holiday were available at that time. on the day set apart."l An evening lecture series was provided for seniors All classes at the School for Girls, which opened which gave the students valuable insights into in 1894, were taught in English. The emphasis in their culture and an opportunity to know the speak the course of study was on homemaking. ers who were authorities in special fields of The only exception to the "No Hawaiian" rule interest. The lectures were published by the was in the music departments of the two .schools. Kamehameha Schools in 1933 in a 300-page book Although much time was spent studying music by entitled Ancient Hawaiian Civilization. 11 For many years the individual teachers, rather in Hawaiian activities during the years 1952 through than a planned curriculum, determined the Hawaiian 1964 enrolled in courses in the Kamehameha experiences provided for'the students. Some Schools-Bishop Museum Workshop. They studied instructors placed great emphasis on the Hawaiian under a Kamehameha instructor who was on full aspects of the subject matter in their fields. time assignment to the Museum. During the first Others, because they were unfamiliar with Hawaiian two years the shop was one of Kamehameha's culture, offered none at all. "work-experience" activities. The boys helped Through the years the Hawaiian culture clubs, in the maintenance of the physical plant and in with meetings after school and on weekends, the care of artifacts. The girls worked in the presented programs which gave the young people library or with the scientists in their departments. a knowledge of thi_!!gs Hawaiian and a pride in After the work-experience program was their culture. Hui 'Oiwi (Native Sons), a boys' club discontinued the Workshop students enrolled in founded in 1931, regularly played Hawaiian games Hawaiian culture and craft classes at the Museum. for their own enjoyment and in public demonstra They were fortunate to have as resource materials tions. These activities are described in the book, the extensive Museum displays and the use of Hawaiian Games for Today, which the Kameha additional artifacts in the storerooms. These meha Schools will publish this spring. The girls experiences trained the students for guide organized Hui Kumulipo (The Source) in 1935 to service in the Museum exhibition halls. They study_Hawaiian culture and crafts. They met with shared their knowledge with several thousand Hui 'Oiwi for some activities, especially the annual public and private school children who visited lii'au (feast) with food prepared in the traditional the Bishop Museum each year. manner by the boys and girls. In the craft shop the students worked with a Interest in the Hawaiian language increased variety of materials in making musical instruments, among high school students when the University of game equipment, and replicas of Hawaiian artifacts. Hawai'i announced that it would accept Hawaiian The lessons developed for the Workshop students for credit as a foreign language. In the 1940's were published by Kamehameha Schools in a 219- conversational Hawaiian was introduced in the page book, Resource Units in Hawaiian Culture, elementary and intermediate divisions and as an Donald D. Mitchell, 1969 and 1974. elective in high school. In the late 1950's linguists The traditional hula as danced by Mrs. Winona at the University of Hawai'i and Bishop Museum Beamer and her students influenced the adminis began to develop instructional materials6 which, tration in 1965 to sanction, for the first time, for the first time, placed the teaching of Hawaiian instruction in the ancient and modern standing on a par with other languages. During the early hula for boys and girls. With ever-increasing skill, 1960's Mrs. Dorothy M. Kahananui used the new Mrs. Beamer continues to teach the hula, to direct approach to Hawaiian language teaching in her Hawaiian pageantry at the Schools and to share high school classes at Kamehameha. Her lessons her knowledge with many who seek it. were published by Kamehameha in 1965 in a 175- page text entitled E Papa'olelo Kakou (let us The Hawaiian Curriculum Today · Converse). She revised these widely-used lessons Instruction in Hawaiian culture is now a part for a third printing in 1970. of the prescribed courses of study in all of the Special efforts were made to involve the divisions of the Kamehameha Schools. President "preparatory" pupils in Hawaiian music, art and Jack Darvill has initiated and continues to give folklore when the elementary division opened personal support to numerous Hawaiian endeavors as a school for boys and girls in 1942. Mrs. Mary in the Schools and the community. Kawena Pukui taught conversational Hawaiian and told Hawaiian legends for several years. These The Elementary Division. Two instructors, work stories, told by Mrs. Pukui and written by Miss ing with the kindergarten through the sixth grade, Caroline Curtis, have been published in three teach Hawaiian culture full time, largely through volumes: Pikoi, 1949 and 1971; The Water of Kane, music. The pupils spend one 30-minute period a 1951 and Tales of the Menehune, 1960. Miss Curtis week learning chants, songs and the use of the has also published Builders of Hawaii, 1966, and hula instruments. As the pupils learn the meanings Life in Old Hawaii, 1970. of the Hawaiian words in the songs, they acquire High school students who wished to be involved a knowledge of place names, local plants and 12 animals, and the stories of the gods and legendary economic life of Hawai'i from the coming of the heroes. Europeans to the present time. The fourth grade pupils devote their social Students who elect to study the Hawaiian language studies time to an intensive study of ancient for four ye\lrs learn to speak, read and write with and modern Hawai'i. They learn the songs, dances, some facility. They translate stories, songs and games and lore which help tell the story of the articles from old newspapers. ancient festival, the Makahiki. The pupils share Literature of the Pacific is a popular elective this knowledge in a pageant which they present for juniors and seniors. Following a survey of during Aloha Week each October. The members of creation stories from many lands the students read the O'ahu Aloha Week Royal Court are the guests the myths and legends of the other islands of of honor at this colorful festival.