‘Aha Pūnana Leo

‘Aha Pūnana Leo: Language Nest
‘Aha Pūnana Leo is a Hawaiian language revitalization program that establishes private, non-profit preschools run by families, in which the Hawaiian language is the language of instruction and administration. Initially opened illegally, the first Pūnana Leo opened in 1984 in Kekaha, Kaua'i. Based on the practices of 19th century Hawaiian-language schools, as well as the Kohanga reo Māori language kindergartens in New Zealand, the Pūnana Leo was the first indigenous language immersion preschool project in the United States. Graduates from the Pūnana Leo schools have achieved several measures of academic success in later life. As of 2006, there were a total of 11 Pūnana Leo preschools, with locations on five of the Hawaiian islands.

‘Aha Pūnana Leo seeks to revitalize the Hawaiian language as an integral part of "being Hawaiian" and is driven by the Kuma Honua Mauli Ola Philosophy Statement of Hawaiian-speaking educators made in 1998, which asserted that the Hawaiian language is one of four fundamental, life-giving elements of the mauli or identity of a Hawaiian (the others are spirituality, physical behavior, and traditional knowledge).

‘Aha Pūnana Leo has six ongoing programs: (1) the Pūnana Leo language nest preschools; (2) the Honuakai Voyaging and Exploration Sciences program which fosters Hawaiian language and cultural education through coastal and deep sea stewardship, wayfinding, seamanship, and navigating; (3) an online language course called the Niuolahiki Disctance Learning Program; (4) a half-hour weekly news magaine show broadcast in Hawaiian; (5) an infant and toddler family language learning support service; and (6) and a partnership between Native American and Hawaiian communities to help develop and fund indigenous language learning programs. In addition, the ‘Aha Pūnana Leo website supports both Hawaiian and English online navigation.

Mission statement of ‘Aha Pūnana Leo: "Ua ulu mai ke aukahi Pūnana Leo mai loko mai o ka ʻiʻini e hoʻokumu paʻa ʻia a puni ʻo Hawaiʻi nei ke kūlana mana o ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi ola mai o Kikilo mai. ʻO ka hana a ka ʻohana Pūnana Leo, ʻo ia ka hoʻokumu, hoʻolako, a mālama i nā kaiapuni ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi like ʻole. ʻO nā ʻohana ke ola o ia mau kaiapuni, a ma ke aloha akua, aloha ʻōlelo, aloha lāhui, aloha ʻāina, a me ke aloha naʻauao e pono ai kākou. [The Pūnana Leo Movement grew out of a dream that there be reestablished throughout Hawai‘i the mana of a living Hawaiian language from the depth of our origins. The Pūnana Leo initiates, provides for and nurtures various Hawaiian Language environments, and we find our strength in our spirituality, love of our language, love of our people, love of our land, and love of knowledge.]"

‘Aha Pūnana Leo slogan: "E ola ka ʻōlelo Hawai'i. [The Hawaiian language shall live.]"

Links for 'Aha Pūnana Leo: Language Nest
‘Aha Pūnana Leo website

‘Aha Pūnana Leo Facebook