Mar. 14, 2018

Contributed by Kevin Imanaka

Next time you holoholo on Hawaiian Airlines to California, Las Vegas or beyond, you can get a rare glimpse of how Hawaiian culture is being perpetuated in our island schools.

Recently added to the Hawaiian Airlines in-flight entertainment lineup are three skillfully crafted video narratives produced by Kanaeokana, a network of over 50 Hawai‘i schools and organizations, including Kamehameha Schools K-12 campuses and preschools statewide.

The network is focused on strengthening the community by nurturing future leaders who are grounded in aloha ‘āina (love of the land), ʻōlelo Hawai‘i (Hawaiian language) and ʻike Hawai‘i (Hawaiian knowledge).

Hawaiian Airlines is currently featuring the following Kanaeokana videos:

“Changing Tides: Ka ‘Umeke Kā‘eo’s Education Movement”
Meet the students of Ka ʻUmeke Kāʻeo – a Hawaiian culture and immersion charter school in Keaukaha on Hawai‘i island – and see how they are inspired by the traditional sustainability practices of their kūpuna (elders).

“He Moku He Wa‘a, He Wa‘a He Moku” – Our Canoe is an Island, Our Island is a Canoe
Watch as 1,200 students from Kamehameha Schools Maui in Pukalani stand proudly on the shore of Honolua Bay to greet voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa after its worldwide voyage, and how they journey upland to plant native trees that may someday be carved into canoes.

“Ho‘okahe Wai:  Let the Streams Flow”
Be uplifted by the eighth graders of Hālau Kū Māna Public Charter School in Honolulu as they serve as a catalyst for a community-wide movement to clean local streams – raising awareness about the political, environmental and cultural importance of water to our islands.

One of Kanaeokana’s goals is to share the concepts of Hawaiian culture-based education with a much wider audience. And for Hawaiian Airlines – a carrier whose biggest marketing asset is the beauty of Hawaiʻi’s culture, language, and people – the partnership is a natural fit.

“We are excited to partner with Kanaeokana in presenting this amazing content to guests from around the world, whether they are first time visitors or kamaʻāina returning home,” said In-Flight Entertainment Manager Evan Nomura. “The stories demonstrate the importance and depth of our culture and its powerful impact on Native Hawaiian youth, and that really resonates with guests who want to see and experience the authenticity of Hawai‘i and its people.”

For Kanaeokana, this expanded audience provides a larger platform to convey the power of Hawaiian culture in educating and uplifting Native Hawaiian keiki.

“Expanding our reach helps us bring our message to different audiences,” said Kamehameha Schools Maui Hawaiian Protocol facilitator Ekela Kaniaupio-Crozier, a member of Kanaeokanaʻs Kōmike Ho‘okele (Steering Committee).

“The experiences nurturing our students are valuable not just for Native Hawaiians but have relevance to everyone. We all should be sharing in the kuleana (responsibility) to mālama honua (care for our Island Earth) and each other.

“We also hope the voices from our schools will reach decision-makers and other folks who can positively impact social, environmental, educational, and economic efforts in Hawaiʻi and beyond.”

The experiences nurturing our students are valuable not just for Native Hawaiians but have relevance to everyone. We all should be sharing in the kuleana to mālama honua and each other. We also hope the voices from our schools will reach decision-makers and other folks who can positively impact social, environmental, educational, and economic efforts in Hawaiʻi and beyond.
Ekela Kaniaupio-Crozier, KS Maui Hawaiian Protocol facilitator and member of Kanaeokanaʻs Steering Committee