Mana ‘Ōlelo

ʻAha Kāne - Mana ʻŌlelo from Sam Kapoi on Vimeo.

Mana ‘Ōlelo is a federal grant-funded project that is bringing academic language into a cultural setting in three Native Hawaiian communities on O‘ahu, Maui, and Kaua‘i. This project aims is to bring the academic Hawaiian language into cultural practice, return the Hawaiian language to public places, and reinstate Hawaiian men’s role as ceremonial leaders, orators, and storytellers.

The focus of this grant is to cultivate a natural space where our Hawaiian Language can flourish outside of the academic realm, while being rooted in the community where these practices can once again be interwoven with the ceremonial facets that ground our language, culture and men to their islands of origin. This 30-month initiative seeks to provide a space where men can gather and learn in a safe, comfortable environment while preserving a cultural practice taught by our designated practitioners.