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| Students and faculty from Haskell Indian Nations University were guided by Kamana Beamer, who chanted oli komo for the group. Kaiwi Nui answered, welcoming them to the OHA offices. Photo: Blaine Fergerstrom |
OHA aloha for Haskell Indian Nations University visitors
By Liza Simon / Ka Wai Ola
On the morning of Wednesday, July 2nd, OHA Honolulu offices became a classroom for students from Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas. The OHA Education Hale provided the oli and pule before preceding with a program of activities highlighting commonalities of Native Hawaiians and Native Americans.
Kaiwi Nui of the OHA Land Management Hale posed the rhetorical question: “What makes our traditions sacred?” Then, citing lua as an example, he launched into an explanation of the disciplined teachings, which circumscribe his own practice of the ancient Native Hawaiian warrior art. Many youngsters have lost native traditions under the influence of so much malahini incursion and are gravitating to the media promoted-consumerism, Nui said, explaining that OHA helps to fight this by supporting programs that perpetuate ancient Hawaiian traditions.
Haskell University faculty member Dr. Judith Gipp said that many Native American tribes are involved in a similar fight to preserve their language, customs and values. Many of our young people report feeling torn between the homogenized pop culture of youth and tribal traditions handed down for thousands of years, Gipp said. “Coming to Hawaii is part of a scholarly and cultural exchange where we can share the best practices of (indigenous peoples) and learn from our brothers and sisters,” said Gipp.
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| Haskell students and faculty visited the OHA boardroom, introducing themselves to the trustees and administrator Clyde Nāmu'o, right. Photo:
Blaine Fergerstrom |
At Haskell Indian Nations University, a premier national intertribal institution for higher education, Gipp has helped to support the future of indigenous culture by establishing a group designed to stop outsiders from unethical practices connected with scientific research carried out within Indian communities. The group is known as the RED Center—an acronym that stands for Research, Evaluation and Dissemination.
Meanwhile, far from the Haskell campus for a summer visit planned to last through mid-July, students from diverse tribal backgrounds said that just three days into their Hawai‘i visit, they have come to appreciate how much they have in common with Native Hawaiians despite the obvious flatland versus island geographical differences in the places they call home. “On Sunday, we heard storytelling from (Tongan) scholar Emil Wolfgramm. Then, the same day, we experienced a big Hawaiian wedding. I think if our trip ended right there, it was so full of surprises, we would have gone home satisfied,” said Haskell student Shereena Baker.
OHA trustees paused their BAE Committee meeting to welcome the group.
The students are scheduled to visit Waimea Valley on O'ahu, tomorrow. Next week, they will visit Moloka'i for a few days before returning home.
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| OHA Grants Hale employee Karyle Saiki explained her Hawaiian bracelets to the Haskell Indian Nations University visitors while Peter Hanohano of OHA Education Hale, in blue, and Haskell faculty member Dr. Judith Gipp, center, listened. Photo:
Blaine Fergerstrom |
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