In the oldest public high school on the island of Oʻahu, Hawaiian language classes have returned after more than two decades, giving students the chance to learn ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, cultural practices, and ancestral traditions while exploring the meaning behind their heritage.
Aimed at reconnecting students with Hawaiian heritage, each class moves through ʻoli chanting, hula, and daily language exercises that trace rhythms of the past. Kumu Kuaanaai Lewis, who has taught English as a Second Language since 1993, guides students in pronunciation, gestures, and cultural practices. Teaching ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, he said, goes beyond language—it cultivates cultural pride and strengthens connections across the campus.
“Seeing students engage with Hawaiian and connect with their heritage shows how language can bring people together,” Lewis said. “It’s about more than the classroom—it’s about community and identity.”
Lewis’ own journey with Hawaiian began in college. Surrounded by fluent speakers, he realized he wanted the same mastery to honor his grandparents, who spoke the language but had lost fluency over time. That personal journey informs his approach to the program at McKinley: helping students reclaim their heritage while sharing it with others. He first adopted the title “Kumu” in 1993, a Hawaiian term for teacher, to signify a role that extends beyond instruction.
Among the students, Kainani Reverio ʻ26 had long wished to connect with her father’s Hawaiian side and speak with her grandmother. “I’ve always wanted to know more about my culture,” Reverio said. “Now I can finally learn words and understand stories that were just in my family.”
Kimo Kaio ʻ28 grew up in a family where Hawaiian culture was not emphasized, but his relatives encouraged him to explore it at school. Through the program, he now teaches phrases and cultural practices to younger relatives. “It’s like I’m passing something on that I almost didn’t have,” Kaio said.
Lehua Brown, Complex Area Superintendent for Kaimuki-Roosavelt-McKinley Hig, highlighted the broader impact of Hawaiian Studies programs beyond the classroom. “Hawaiian education embraces culture, language, history, and the deep connections between ʻāina, wai, lani, and kānaka,” Brown said. “Learning these relationships provides a foundation not just for Native Hawaiians but for everyone who calls Hawaiʻi home.”
Grounded in the Nā Hopena Aʻo (HĀ) Framework, Hawaiian education encourages students and staff to strengthen relationships with each other, the environment, and themselves. Brown described the goal as helping students see themselves as stewards of the land, people, language, and culture, taking on the responsibility to mālama and perpetuating these gifts for future generations.
Students at McKinley have already begun carrying what they learn beyond the classroom. In hallways, they greet each other in Hawaiian and share simple phrases. “Even the students in Spanish class are mixing in Hawaiian now,” Lewis said. “It’s a sign of pride and excitement—they’re using it in real life.”
Reverio noted how these moments have shifted her perspective on identity. “I feel more connected to where I come from,” she said. “It makes me proud of my family and my history.”
Kaio echoed this, describing how learning Hawaiian has given him tools to share his culture with others. “I didn’t grow up speaking it, but now I’m helping my cousins and friends know who we are,” he said.
Following the overthrow of Queen Liliʻuokalani in 1893, Hawaiian was systematically suppressed in schools and speaking it could result in punishment. Over decades, fluency waned, and much of the cultural knowledge associated with the language risked being lost. “Ever since it was banned, seeing students use Hawaiian again is incredibly rewarding,” Lewis said. “It’s not just about learning a language—it’s about building pride and community.”
Reverio and Kaio also participated in a cultural exchange with visiting Japanese basketball players, sharing Hawaiian chants and hula while learning about Japanese customs. “They said our dances were graceful and welcoming,” Reverio said. “It was fun and eye-opening to connect with other cultures through our own.”
Brown emphasized the importance of equity in offering Hawaiian language programs across the state. District and state offices provide professional development, curriculum resources, and funding support to schools interested in Hawaiian language education. Partnerships with community practitioners and educators also help make the programs accessible.
“Schools like McKinley embracing Hawaiian Studies represents a full circle,” Brown said. “From a time when students were punished for speaking Hawaiian to now, when it’s celebrated and shared across the campus—it’s a powerful shift.”
Lewis hopes the program will lay a foundation that lasts beyond his tenure at McKinley. “I want the next Kumu to have something to build on,” he said. “It’s generational thinking. We’re planting seeds now that will grow for future students.”
For Reverio and Kaio, the program has already sparked a sense of purpose and belonging. “It’s more than just learning a language,” Reverio said. “It’s about healing and understanding ourselves.”
Kaio reflected on the broader impact. “If more schools had Hawaiian language programs, imagine how many students could feel this pride,” he said. “It could change communities across the islands.”
As Hawaiian returns to McKinley High, each chant, each step, and each phrase, Lewis says, becomes a small act of reclamation. It is a way to honor the past, celebrate the present, and ensure that the culture endures for generations to come.
“The language carries the people,” he said. “When students speak ‘Olelo Hawai’i, they carry their ancestors with them.”
