TO hand down and preserve the language !

by Kazu

The official delegation members from Hokkaido Ainu Association seemed to have gained what they should take to preserve their own traditional language and culture in Hokkaido.

In case of Hawaii, it took more than 30 years to establish their immersion school to preserve their own traditional culture and language. It must have been so tough because the traditional Hwaiian language using and teaching had been prohibited by the US Govenment for a while.  

They had no record of their own traditional language. Their myth and the beginning of their civilization had been handed down from a generation to next generation. 

 

Ainu Delegation visited the Immersion School in Honolulu !

by Kazu

The indigenous kids learning in the immersion school "Ke Kula Kaiapuni O'Anuenue" kindly guided around us from Hokkaido in their learning field. One of the delegation members from Hokkaido Ainu Association had a chat with them.

The surroundings of the immersion school looked so nice and relaxing, never stressful. It must be os tough for the adult indigenous people in Hawaii to learn their own traditional language but for kids, it must be so easy as if they absorb the water of words. 

In order to resume to teach the Hawaiian traditional language, they chose the best way to preserve the language that had no characters to write.

 

Principal Yim kindly received Hokkaido Delegation !

by Kazu

Principal Yim  delivered the words of  welcome to the delegation from  Hokkaido. The  Vice Governor of  Hokkaido Mr.  Kodama responded with the words  of  appreciation.

The students of  the immersion school Ke Kula Kaiapuni O'Anuenue also expressed their hospitality with theeir traditional dance and  songs.   

We were so  impressed and  inspired with their soul and heartfelt manner of  communication. We  have to maintain the relationship forever. 

 

 

Ke Kula Kaiapuni O'Anuenue 2023!

by Kazu

We  visited the immersion school in  Oahu "Ke Kula Kaiapuni O'Anuenue" in  the morning. Many students seemed to be practicing some kind of  traditional dance or exercise with their teachers.

Some of  the students received us with their traditional dance of  hospitality in  the gym. Principal Yim led off and  delivered the words of  welcome, followed by the traditional dance. 

My friend Ms. Nikki Thompson interpreted his  words  so  nicely to Japanese. I  had visited this immersion school in  2017 when Hokkaido and  the State of Hawaii established the Sister-state Affiliation. We  really appreciate her consideration and cooperation as well as the ones provided by  her colleague Ms. Mayumi Miyashita. 

 

The First Lady of Waikiki early in the morning !

by Kazu

I could not find surfers offshore of Kuhio Beach. Some joggers passed by. I inhaled the island breeze of Hawaii and touched the sand of the beach. Everything was what I had been missing. 

I was wondering when I would be able to take my wife to Hawaii next. We would stay in our favorite "the First Lady of Waikiki" Moana Surf-rider Waikiki by Westin Resort and Spa or Princes Kaiulani Hilton.  

We love to swinging on the rocking chair in the balcony of the hotel. We have stayed in this beautiful hotel several times. I am eager to visit there again with my wife in the not-so-distant future, absolutely.

 

Waikiki early in the morning !

by Kazu

The local tour guide advised us not to jog around late in the evening even if the course was between Kalakaua Street and Alawai Canal in Honolulu. Some strange guys strolled around with big knifes and they seemed to be irritated, she said. After the pandemic of covid-19, even Hawaii had changed.

I make a point of jogging around from Waikiki to Diamond Head early in the morning when I visit Honolulu. But I can not jog around even in Honolulu late in the evening any more. 

The scenery of Waikiki early in the morning did not change but the key industry of Hawaii tourism also exhausted so much. The number of the tourists from the main land of the USA had recovered but the one from Japan has not been done. 

 

Polynesian Cultural Center in the evening !

by Kazu

Polynesian Cultural Center seemed to be refurbished and improved. Their popular show "The Breath of Life" also had been improved and upgraded, I think. Continuing to be an attractive place to visit requires continuous efforts and improvement as well as kind of enthusiasm.  

After the show, we enjoyed shopping in the marketplace.  Many tourists from all over the world really enjoyed their performance and shopping. It seemed that some groups fro other part of Polynesia were in the theater. When the culture of Tonga was introduced, some of the audience heated up during the performance. 

The reception for the delegation from Hokkaido, Yamaguchi and Fukuoka would be held the next day. Just after our arrival in Honolulu, the delegation member from Hokkaido must have been tired but seemed to be energized by the atmosphere and the hospitality in Hawaii.
 

Polynesian Cultural Display !

by Kazu

The displays of the traditional lives of the Polynesian islands such as Tonga, Tahiti, New Zealand, Fiji and so on, were so fabulous even though the actual performance was not played. It must be tough for the students of Bringham Young University to do that all day long. 

The ceiling and the roof of the house of the Polynesian countries were so interesting and unique. The shapes were different but reflected the climate and flora in each area. 

Each area was so gifted and blessed before the occidental culture conquered and exploited. But even now, their culture and tradition have been maintained even though they had no characters nor signs.

 

Indigenous People of Hokkaido in Polynesian Cultural Center ! sian Cultural Center !

by Kazu

Please remember their faces when you hear about their fabulous performance in Hokkaido and overseas. They may be able to take the world by storm. I heard that some of them had been to Honolulu to show their traditional culture, song and dance.

The definition of Ainu people might be vague in Japan but they have some privileges because their predecessors was ripped off by the people from the main island of Japan before. They were taken off their land and traditional lives.

The CEO of Polynesian Cultural Center guided us by himself before dinner in the main dining of the facility.  Only the visitors from Japan had not recovered while the ones from the main land of the US recovered amply.

 

Polynesian Marketplace !

by Kazu

We got together with the performance team from the community of the indigenous people in Hokkaido Ainu at at he entrance of Hukilau Market Place and took memorial photos with the CEO of Polynesian Cultural Center.

Everybody looked so nice and happy since they had not been to the place for a while because of the pandemic of covid-19. The personal relationship and trust should be inherited to next generation and the next. They understood that amply and felt the responsibility. 

The performance unit of the indigenous people of Hokkaido Ainu seemed to be so relaxed but their performance were so big draw in the reception to be hosted  by the State of Hawaii the next day. They would showed their best performance there and grabbed the hearts of the participants to the event.