An interview with Kupuna Lurline Hīnano (Thomas) Lee 2k4
Kupuna Hīnano is 72 years old and a resident of Wahiawa for most of her life. She is a member of numerous organizations to include Pelekikena of the Hawaiian Civic Club of Wahiawa. She is a retired English teacher from the Hawaii Department of Education, which led most comfortably to her current role as a Hawaiian Studies Kumu of the Kupuna Program at Waena Elementary School in Mililani, Oahu, Hawaii. In October of 2005, she will celebrate her tenth anniversary as Kupuna at Waena Elementary.
Kupuna Hīnano was fortunate enough not to be a part of the generation of those Hawaiians who were punished for speaking our Hawaiian language. Her parents were fluent in Hawaiian but her father insisted that the children learn and use the English language with proficiency. Her mother, however, still believed in our Hawaiian superstitions and reminded her children often. Her Makuahine and Makua Kane did ʻolelo Hawaiʻ i among themselves and others of their generation. Many words were used interchangeably with English. Therefore, she grew up using words such as pau, hoʻolohe, kau kau, aʻole, iluna, ilalo, noho and many, many more that made her understand what was spoken to her. She continues this with the keiki of today to help bring back a similar understanding of our language as there is a vast variation of ethnic groups of keiki who attend her sessions.
There were no Hawaiian language classes offered at Kamehameha School when she attended. Her desire to learn fluency of our Hawaiian language is very strong. Kupuna Hīnano has gone to many beginning Hawaiian classes at Leilehua Adult Education, Leeward College and other classes offered. She is still willing to learn more if the opportunity arises.
Kupuna Hīnano’s interest in learning and using Hawaiian became very strong during the “Hawaiian Renaissance”. Her fondest memories go back to an invitation as a guest at “Kalani Honua Camp” on the Big Island at the now gone, but not forgotten, beautiful Kalapana. Teachers were asked to come and experience "aloha" so she spent a week there. She shared a room the Kumu Hula Johnny Lum Ho’s makuahine. In the privacy of their room they relaxed and conversed in English and had a wonderful time getting to know each other. The rules, however, were that once you left the comforts of your rooms, Hawaiian must be spoken at all times. Needless to say, Kupuna Hīnano was silent almost the whole time among other guests. In her silence and observation, she secretly wished that she could join them in their joy in expression of our mother language.
Kupuna Hīnano was fascinated by the beauty of the atmosphere of a week of being surrounded by love. Our ʻolelo Hawaiʻ i is love; aloha expressed at the highest level. When she returned home, she found herself truly missing everyone and especially the lovely environment created daily by those who spoke the language of Hawai`i fluently.
As Kupuna Wahine she was very proud that her daughter who lives on Maui chose to send her son to Immersion School. He attended from kindergarten through twelfth grade and graduated with honors. He and another were chosen to address the audience with speeches written and delivered in Hawaiian. It was her proudest moment bringing tears to her eyes. Her two moʻopuna wahine here on Oahu joined her in attending one of the Hawaiian language classes offered at Leeward College. She thoroughly enjoyed learning with them.
Kupuna Hīnano believes wholeheartedly that our language must continue to be taught, learned, and spoken. “Language is our culture. To lose our language, is to lose our culture,” says Kupuna Hīnano.
She would love to see a program created like “Kalanihonua Camp”. It was such a life long lasting experience that she recalls with the fondest aloha. It would be even further a great accomplishment to have Hawaiian language taught as part of the public school systems from early elementary years.
We ended the interview trying to recall those Kupuna and others who fluently speak our Hawaiian language in the area of Wahiawa. She recognized Daniel Kaniala Au, a member of the Hawaiian Civic Club of Wahiawa, schoolteacher; Aunty Momi Ruane, Aunty Velma Aloha Kekipi, and Kupuna Loke Rosaldo. She assured me that that was all she could think of for now but that she would surely be bumping into others as time goes by.
We ended with pule hoʻ okuʻ u for Kupuna Lurline Hīnano (Thomas) Lee. I truly enjoyed sharing her aloha.
Mahalo iā Kupuna Hīnano...Aloha wau ia oe... Kalimapau 2k4
"e kūkaʻawe i nā kapu o Kūkaniloko nō ka mea aloha nō hoʻi kākou iā lākou i nā kau a kau..."
“to guard the kapu of Kūkaniloko because we love them for all time…”
“to guard the kapu of Kūkaniloko because we love them for all time…”