Synopsis: Flashy franchise stores such as Wal-Mart and Target have found a way into Hawai'i to the detriment of our local stores. So, too, has prepackaged curriculum found its way into our schools to the detriment of our traditional knowledge.

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He mea mau i kēia mau lā ke kūkulu 'ia 'ana o nā hale kū'ai hou ma Hawai'i e like loa me ko 'Amelika hui pū 'ia. A no ka nui o nā kānaka e hele ana i nā hale kū'ai hou, nui loa nā hale kū'ai kūloko i pau i ka pani 'ia. Ua like nō paha me ka nui o nā kula e mālama 'ia nei ka ha'awina haole. Ke puni i ka 'ike o Maleka, 'o ia hopena like nō paha?

Nani nō ka ha'aheo o nā kini lehulehu i ia mea he kula kaiapuni Hawai'i. He waihona e mālama 'ia ai ka 'ike kupuna ma o ka 'ōlelo makuahine. Akā, ua lawa anei ka 'ōlelo e ho'oikaika ai i ka lāhui? Inā paha 'o nā ha'awina e kauka'i nui 'ia ma loko o nā lumi papa he mea e a'o wale 'ia ai ka 'ike haole ma o ka 'ōlelo Hawai'i, he makepono anei ka ho'oikaika 'ana i kēia hana 'o ka ho'ōla 'ōlelo Hawai'i? He mea nui nō ka mālama 'ana i ke kuana'ike Hawai'i. Ma ia mea e ha'aheo ai ka lāhui. A ke a'o 'ia nā ha'awina ma ka 'ōlelo ku'una, e mōakāka mai ka 'ike kupuna e kōli'uli'u nei.

Kainō a 'o nā kula kaiapuni Hawai'i kahi e mālama 'ia ai ka 'ōlelo me ia i lohe 'ia ai i ka wā kahiko, eia kā ke ānehe nei ka mana'o haole ma loko o ke a'o ma kēlā kula kēia kula ma muli o ia mea he hō'ike aupuni. Ho'okikina 'ia nā kumu e a'o i ka 'ike a kahi polokalamu haole e la'a 'o America’s Choice, Success For All, a me ia mea aku ia mea aku. He mau ha'awina ia i ho'omohala 'ia ma ka 'āina 'ē me ka mana'o ua like a like kēlā keiki me kēia keiki. Nui ka pohō o ke kālā aupuni i ho'olilo 'ia ma ke kū'ai i ka 'ike a ke kōlea. Huli kua 'ia nō ho'i nā 'ike pili i nā mamo a Hāloa. Inā 'a'ole nā keiki e 'a'apo i ia mau ha'awina a ke kōlea, e kuhi hewa 'ia paha lākou he mau hoa like no Wa'awa'a Iki Na'aupō. A pēlā e mau ai ka ho'okolonaio 'ia o kā kākou 'ōlelo pono'ī.

'Ehia mea aloha o nā kumu kaiapuni? A 'o wai lā ke mana'o e lilo i kumu kaiapuni? Pilikia nā kumu i ka mana o ke aupuni a me kona kaohi mai i ko lākou ea 'o ia nō 'oe 'o ka i'a i hei i ka 'upena.  Na wai nō e pakele i ia mana e noho nei ma loko o nā kānāwai a'o o kēia au? Ma lalo o ia kānāwai, e ho'okō kēlā me kēia kula i nā koina o ka NCLB, ka HSA, a me nā hō'ike mākaukau i koi 'ia e ke aupuni. A he mau mea ia e hōkai 'ia ai ka hana a nā kumu a e kāohi 'ia ai ho'i ka holomua o nā keiki. A 'o ka hopena, e nāwaliwali nā kula kaiapuni a e pani 'ia paha, a 'o ka pio nō ia o ke kukui mālamalama o ka 'ike Hawai'i.

'Auhea 'oukou e nā kumu e noi'i noelo nei i ka na'auao, e alu like kākou a e paio no ka pono o nā haumāna. E hilina'i i ke akamai o nā keiki Hawai'i. Ua lawa lākou i ka 'ike o nā kūpuna. Mai nō a 'ae iki iā ha'i e alaka'i iā kākou o pilikia auane'i. E nalowale ua ‘ike nei o nā kūpuna a 'a'ohe hope e ho'i ai. Mai nānā i ka lā'au malo'o, 'a'ohe mea loa'a o laila.

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E ho'ouna 'ia mai nā leka iā māua, 'o ia ho'i 'o Laiana Wong a me Kekeha Solis ma ka pahu leka uila ma lalo nei:

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a i ‘ole ia, ma ke kelepona:

» 956-2627 (Laiana)

» 956-2624 (Kekeha)

This column is coordinated by the Hawaiian Language Department at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, supported by the Initiative for Achieving Native Hawaiian Academic Excellence.