ʻAha Pūnana Leo has always strived to ensure that the Hawaiian Language lives. Rooted in their mission to drive and inspire change to ensure a living Hawaiian language in Hawaiʻi and beyond, the ʻAha Pūnana Leo spans across 12 different locations throughout the Hawaiian islands serving an average of 330 ʻohana, or families per school year. In this He ʻŌlelo Ola 2021 "Pūnana Leo - Reviving Our Hawaiian Language in the Home" special panel discussion, we are joined by three different families that represent a variety of ʻohana that join the aukahi, the Hawaiian language movement, by investing in their keiki (child’s) Hawaiian language early childhood education. Join us for first-hand experiences and lessons learned from Pūnana Leo parents who are newcomers to the language, partners of Hawaiian language speakers, and veteran language advocates who decided to raise their kids in home and at school through the Hawaiian language.

About He ʻŌlelo Ola

He ʻŌlelo Ola, also known as the "Hilo Field Study" of the International Conference on Language Documentation and Conservation (ICLDC) has been held biannually since 2009 in association with ICLDC. ICLDC is traditionally held on the campus of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa on Oʻahu Island, while He ʻŌlelo Ola is held in a consortium of programs coordinated through the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo on Hawaiʻi Island.

In 2021 during the COVID 19 pandemic, He ʻŌlelo Ola and ICLDC were held virtually. He ʻŌlelo Ola 2021 was recorded and we here make that recording available for viewing through Mokuola Honua Center for indigenous Language Excellence. The contents of this recording represent the consortium of entities working together in Hawaiian language revitalization as of March 2021. The consortium is continually growing and adding features and future He ʻŌlelo Ola will include new information and initiatives.

Explore mokuolahonua.com for further information on the Hawaiian language revitalization consortium efforts in Hilo, and to contact He ʻŌlelo Ola organizers.