On July 9th and 10th
I attended the culture- based education conference held at the Hawai‘i
Convention Center. To me this was one of the most rewarding experiences for
both my personal and professional life.
Having just
moved here from the mainland, I have never been given the opportunity to learn
about the culture of Hawai‘i and it’s people through native Hawaiians in this
kind of setting. I attended many breakout sessions where I was immersed in the
Hawaiian language as well as heard stories from the past. The individuals who
presented were very passionate about the topics they were discussing which in
turn made me feel more connected to them and made me want to learn more!
The
beginning presentation began with Dr. Eddie Kamae and his wife Myrna, filmmakers
who have continued to keep the Hawaiian Legacy alive for decades through their
documentaries. It was interesting to note that Uncle Eddie started this through
music. Mele is an important piece of Hawaiian culture and was further discussed
in the next breakout session I attended.
He Nane, He
Mele, He Mo‘olelo was almost entirely spoken in Hawaiian and I was in awe. It
was amazing to learn that the Hawaiian people still speak the language and use
mele to tell stories through riddles and music even today.
My favorite breakout session from
the two days was called “Kūpuna Wisdom”. During this session I had the pleasure
of talking story with the Kūpunas and learned about traditions of the Hawaiian
people.
In regard to my professional life
at Kamehameha this conference has helped me to better connect with the work that
I do and the people that it serves. Although I cannot speak the language, being
able to see how the culture and history can still serve as a vehicle for
learning will allow me to better understand and appreciate the content in my
modules and courses.
In instructional design, knowing
your audience or learners is an integral part of creating an effective training
module or course. Having the opportunity to learn from native Hawaiians and the
importance of incorporating the culture into the schools will help me as I
create courses for the keiki. I have the power to continue spreading the
knowledge of Hawai‘I, it’s people and traditions for the younger generations
and that’s what makes my job very rewarding and more evident after attending
this conference. Mahalo!
Comments