IMPACTS OF PUNAHOU SCHOOL'S HOLOKŪ PAGEANT: AN EXPLORATION OF MOʻOLELO, MOʻOKŪʻAUHAU, AND MAULI OLA HAWAIʻI A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE DIVISION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAIʻI AT MĀNOA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF EDUCATION IN PROFESSIONAL EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE AUGUST 2017 By Lauliʻa Hart Ah Wong Dissertation Committee: Lori Ideta, Chairperson Walter Kahumoku III Paris Priore-Kim DEDICATION For my dear ʻohana. Mahalo iā ‘oukou pākahi a pau no ko ʻoukou aloha pauʻole me ka naʻau haʻahaʻa. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Navigating the world of academia as a Native Hawaiian woman is challenging yet extremely rewarding. Balancing family, work, personal well-being, and scholarship is particularly demanding. Oddly enough, the beauty of this doctoral journey is in the journey itself. Over the past three years, my passion for learning has intensified and my commitment to supporting the lāhui has strengthened. I have found new enthusiasm in my work and built meaningful relationships with amazing people. I am truly grateful for this wonderful opportunity. Collaborating and engaging with incredibly talented educators, advisors, and scholars in the EdD program has been both a privilege and inspiration. Mahalo nui to the mana wāhine in the cohort who have stood graciously by my side, offering friendship, encouragement, and their brilliance. I would especially like to thank the members of my dissertation committee, Dr. Lori Ideta, Dr. Walter Kahumoku III, and Dr. Paris Priore-Kim. Your expertise, intellectual guidance, insights, and feedback helped shape my growth as practitioner leader. You are true kukui ʻike noʻeau and I am deeply appreciative of your support. Mahalo nui to my family and friends. To Chelsea "Timeline" Keehne, "we always gotta have stories to tell" about our endeavors together in the doctoral program. Thank you for the writing marathons, therapy sessions, and to binge watching "RuPaul". To Waileia, mahalo for the deep conversations helping to unravel complex ideas and uplift my spirits. To Kanani, thank you for sharing your precious knowledge and for your continuous support and aloha. To my wonderful sister, Leilehua, I am eternally grateful for everything you have done to support me and the ʻohana. Thank you for being there for me always. I am blessed by your endless love and support. To my husband, Kale, you are my backbone and number one supporter. I appreciate the love and care you have given our children during the past three years. Thank you for allowing iii me the time and space to pursue my dream. To my children, Kamakaokaleilehua and Keolaokalani, you are always in my heart now and forever. To my parents, Hattie and Wesley, you are the source of my strength and joy! To the Utu, Ah Wong, and Eldredge families, my heartfelt thanks to you all for your endless encouragement, help, and love. Lastly, thank you to the Lord above for the wealth of blessings in my life. Through his care and grace, all things are possible. iv ABSTRACT Students educated in Hawaiʻi are exposed to a unique environment comprised of distinctive ecological qualities and cultural values. Educational programs that emphasize cultural knowledge, skills, and values help students develop the social emotional balance and intellectual mindset to succeed in college, careers and communities. Punahou School's Holokū Pageant is a cultural performance-based program aimed at fostering a deeper understanding of the Hawaiian culture through hula (dance), mele (songs), and oli (chants). This study explores the impact of the Punahou School's Holokū Pageant through practitioner inquiry that focused on addressing the research question: "How does the Punahou School's Holokū Pageant impact participans' connection to Hawaiʻi?" Using an indigenous research design and methodologies, the study examines the experiences of program participants' connection to Hawai'i and my experiences in the program as practitioner leader through moʻokūʻauhau (genealogy) and moʻolelo (storytelling). Twelve Holokū Pageant participants, representing a succession of generations organized by decades (1980-1989; 1990-1999; 2000-2009; 2010-2016), participated in semi- structured, one-to one interviews and the findings identified four major themes: Building Belonging, Fostering Pilina (Relationships), Developing Aloha, and Enriching a Sense of Hawaiʻi. Insights gained from this study have promoted a deeper understanding of both Native Hawaiian and Non-Hawaiian participant experiences in relation to the perceived value of the Holokū Pageant. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................. iii ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... v LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................................... x LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... xi HAWAIIAN GLOSSARY ........................................................................................................... xii PREFACE ................................................................................................................................... xvii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 1 A Ua Mai La Ua (As The Rain Falls, Raining) .......................................................................... 1 Moʻolelo as Meaning .................................................................................................................. 4 Indigeneity .................................................................................................................................. 5 Focus of Inquiry .......................................................................................................................... 7 Summary ..................................................................................................................................... 8 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................ 9 Informed by Indigenous Approaches ........................................................................................ 10 Revitalizing Education in Hawaiʻi ............................................................................................ 15 Punahou School ........................................................................................................................ 21 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 26 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................ 27 Design of the Study ................................................................................................................... 27 Indigenous Research Methodologies ........................................................................................ 28 Moʻokūʻauhau ........................................................................................................................... 30 vi Moʻolelo .................................................................................................................................... 34 Indigenous Autoethnography .................................................................................................... 36 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 48 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS ............................................................................................................ 49 Part 1: Within-Case Analysis .................................................................................................... 50 Participant Group 1980-1989 ................................................................................................ 50 Lālā ʻEkahi (First Branch) ................................................................................................ 50 Lālā ʻElua (Second Branch) .............................................................................................. 52 Lālā ʻEkolu (Third Branch) .............................................................................................. 54 Participant Group 1990-1999 ................................................................................................ 55 Lālā ʻEhā (Fourth Branch) ................................................................................................ 55 Lālā ʻElima (Fifth Branch) ................................................................................................ 57 Lālā ʻEono (Sixth Branch) ................................................................................................ 59 Participant Group 2000-2009 ................................................................................................ 62 Lālā ʻEhiku (Seventh Branch) .......................................................................................... 62 Lālā ʻEwalu (Eighth Branch) ............................................................................................ 64 Lālā ʻEiwa (Ninth Branch) ...............................................................................................