Pūnana Leo facts for kids

Pūnana Leo (which means "voice nest" or "language nest" in Hawaiian) are special private preschools. They are run by families who want to teach young children using only the Hawaiian language. These schools are non-profit, meaning they don't aim to make money.

The very first Pūnana Leo school opened in 1984 in Kekaha, Kauaʻi. At first, it wasn't allowed by law. These schools were inspired by Hawaiian-language schools from the 1800s and by similar language revival kindergartens for the Māori people in New Zealand. Pūnana Leo was the first project in the United States to fully immerse children in an indigenous language at the preschool level. Students who have gone through Pūnana Leo schools have done very well in their studies later in life.

As of 2023, there are 13 Pūnana Leo preschools located on five of the Hawaiian Islands: Hawai‘i, Maui, Moloka‘i, O‘ahu, and Kaua‘i.

How Pūnana Leo Started

The organization that runs Pūnana Leo, called ʻAha Pūnana Leo (meaning "Language nest corporation"), was created in 1983. It was started by Hawaiian language teachers like Larry Kimura, Kauanoe Kamanā, and William H. "Pila" Wilson.

Starting these schools was a big challenge. For a long time, teaching in Hawaiian was not allowed. In fact, using the Hawaiian language for education was made illegal in 1896. These rules stayed in place until 1986.

However, in the 1970s, there was a big interest in bringing back Hawaiian culture and language. This period is known as the Hawaiian Renaissance. Because of this, the Hawaiian language was made an official language again in 1978. This was part of recognizing the cultural and linguistic rights of the people of Hawaii.

Overcoming Challenges

Even after Hawaiian became an official language, there were still old laws that made it hard to teach in Hawaiian. For example, public schools had to teach in English up to eighth grade. Also, a law made it difficult for native Hawaiian speakers to become teachers if they didn't have certain official papers.

Families who supported Pūnana Leo worked for three years to change these laws. Some people, especially those already running preschools, worried that untrained teachers might harm children's learning. But eventually, the laws were changed.

Even then, the public school system was slow to offer Hawaiian language classes for all ages. So, parents in different communities started to protest. They would keep their children out of public schools as they moved from preschool to kindergarten, then to elementary and middle school. This was a way to push for more Hawaiian language education.

Growth and Success

These efforts eventually led to special Hawaiian language programs within existing schools. These are sometimes called "schools-within-schools." Today, the Pūnana Leo preschools are a key part of the ʻAha Pūnana Leo organization. This group has helped create a full Hawaiian-language education system. This system now includes K–12 immersion schools (from kindergarten to 12th grade) and even university programs where you can earn a doctorate degree in Hawaiian.

The ʻAha Pūnana Leo also creates learning materials and trains teachers for its preschools. The first group of students who started at Pūnana Leo graduated from high school in 1999. In 2002, the Hilo campus of the University of Hawaii gave out the first master's degree that was earned entirely in the Hawaiian language.

What Pūnana Leo Aims For

The main goals of Pūnana Leo schools are:

• To bring back and strengthen the Hawaiian language.
• To help children feel proud of their Hawaiian identity.
• To support other important parts of Hawaiian life and culture.

The schools use a special Hawaiian way of teaching called Ke Kumu Honua Mauli Ola. This approach involves families working together. Parents help out with tasks and must attend language classes themselves. They also help manage the schools through a parent committee. This way of doing things is based on how Hawaiian schools worked in the 1800s and how Māori language kindergartens in New Zealand operate.

The lessons at Pūnana Leo include Hawaiian cultural practices. Children learn about gardening native plants and making lei (flower garlands). They also visit important historical places. A key part of the culture they learn is hoʻokipa, which means hospitality. Even though classes are in Hawaiian, they are different from regular foreign language schools because the goal is to fully live and learn in the language, not just study it.

Student Achievements

Some people initially worried that Pūnana Leo schools might not prepare students well academically. However, students who have graduated from these schools have shown great success in their later studies. This is true even though the schools focus more on language revival than on just getting high test scores.

Teresa L. McCarty, an expert in indigenous language education, noted that Pūnana Leo students have earned important scholarships. They have also taken college classes while still in high school and passed university English writing tests. This is impressive because most of their English, science, and math lessons were taught in Hawaiian. In fact, these students often perform as well as, or even better than, Native Hawaiian children in English-only schools on standardized tests, even in English language arts. So, besides bringing the language back, these schools also help students succeed academically and feel a stronger sense of cultural pride.

See also

• Language revitalization
• Linguistic rights
• Hawaiian language
• University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo
• Calandretas, ikastolas, and Diwans, similar immersion schools for Occitan, Basque, and Breton learners, respectively.