Hawaiʻi's only Hawaiian immersion school in the Niʻihau dialect is on a mission to publish 1,000 books in ʻōlelo Niʻihau.
Students and staff have spent the last six years writing and publishing hundreds of books in the native tongue of the island.
Each year, every student from preschool to 12th grade at Ke Kula Niʻihau O Kekaha Charter School on Kauaʻi authors at least one book in ʻōlelo Niʻihau.
“Writing books is actually really fun because you get to do all these excursions to find out research, you get to go on all these apps and stuff to find research for it,” said student author Ava Parongao.
“We had to write about, 'Would we perpetuate ʻōlelo Niʻihau or not?' and I said to perpetuate,” said student author Liloa Pantohan.
“I like when we read to our parents cause we feel like really special when we make those books,” said student author Brooklyn Keale.
The school’s Poʻo Tumu, or principal, Tia Koerte launched the initiative when she first arrived.
“In 2016, I was a new principal. It was important for me to understand what our community expected of me as the new leader. What they have envisioned for their own children also what the children envisioned for themselves,” Koerte said.
In 2018, students and staff began writing and publishing books in the Niʻihau dialect. The school partnered with Hamline University in Minnesota to create resources in ʻōlelo Niʻihau.
“At the time there were zero materials published in our language. A lot of it was handwritten and/or delivered orally. It was important for me to begin the building, begin building the foundation of a program,” Koerte explained.
“We first established Kealapito, which is our syllabary foundation, and following Kealapito, we were able to publish resources, so published books and other curricular resources," she continued.
Most of the books focus on hana Niʻihau, or traditions special to the people of Niʻihau like lei making, net fishing and more.
Their goal of publishing 1,000 books in ʻōlelo Niʻihau, hopes to ensure the Niʻihau dialect continues to thrive for generations to come.
