Larry Kimura - UH Alumni Profile

Summary

Larry Lindsay Kimura, an assistant professor at Ka Haka Ula O Keelikolani College of Hawaiian Language, shares his journey with Hawaiian language and culture. He reflects on his early education, noting the lack of Hawaiian studies at universities in 1964. Despite studying anthropology, he remained passionate about reviving the Hawaiian language. Kimura emphasizes the importance of immersion programs and broader cultural understanding to help learners connect deeply with their Hawaiian identity, aiming to create more fluent speakers and strengthen the language's presence in modern life.

Takeaways

• 🧑‍🏫 Lindsay Kimura is an assistant professor at Ka Haka Ula O Keelikolani College of Hawaiian Language.
• 🏫 He attended this campus when it was a two-year institution and later transferred to Manoa to complete his degree.
• 🌺 His passion was in Hawaiian language and culture, but back in 1964, no university offered formal programs in this area.
• 🎓 He earned a degree in anthropology, as the closest option to Hawaiian studies at the time.
• 🏠 Kimura is from Waimea, South Kohala, and would visit his native-speaking Hawaiian grandmother on weekends to enhance his language skills.
• 📚 He formally started learning Hawaiian at the University of Manoa because the Hilo campus did not offer Hawaiian language courses at the time.
• 📖 Traditional Hawaiian language instruction involved reading old Hawaiian literary stories and translating them into English.
• 🎓 After helping establish Hawaiian language programs, he became a student of the programs himself.
• 👨‍🏫 The college supports second-language learners in becoming more fluent, with a growing number of new native speakers from immersion programs.
• 🌍 The focus of the Hawaiian language program is not just on language, but also on connecting deeper meanings to identity and culture, as reflected in the mission statement: 'O ka olelo ke kaao ka mauli.'

Q & A

Who is the speaker in the transcript?

The speaker is Larry Lindsay Kimura, an assistant professor at Ka Haka Ula O Keelikolani College of Hawaiian Language.

What was the speaker's educational background when they attended university?

The speaker attended a two-year campus in Hilo, then transferred to Manoa, where they completed a degree in anthropology.

What was the speaker's primary interest in terms of academic focus?

The speaker's primary interest was Hawaiian language and culture, although they pursued a degree in anthropology because there were no formal programs in Hawaiian language at that time.

Where is the speaker originally from?

The speaker is originally from Waimea, South Kohala.

How did the speaker enhance their Hawaiian language skills outside of the classroom?

The speaker honed their Hawaiian language skills through interactions with their grandmother, a native Hawaiian speaker, as well as with other relatives from the same generation.

Did the University of Hilo offer any courses in Hawaiian language when the speaker was a student?

No, the University of Hilo did not offer any Hawaiian language and culture courses at that time. The speaker began their formal studies in Hawaiian language after transferring to Manoa.

How were Hawaiian language classes traditionally taught according to the speaker?

Hawaiian language classes were traditionally taught by reading old Hawaiian writings, particularly literary stories, and translating them into English.

How did the speaker describe their academic journey in Hawaiian language programs?

The speaker described their academic journey as being somewhat 'backward' because they pursued Hawaiian language studies after their initial degree, once Hawaiian programs were formally established.

What role does the speaker believe Hawaiian language programs play in the community?

The speaker believes that Hawaiian language programs play a major role in supporting more fluent speakers, especially second-language learners, and helping to create new native speakers through immersion programs.

What is the broader mission of Hawaiian language education according to the speaker?

The broader mission of Hawaiian language education is to make students fluent not only in using the language but also in understanding its deeper meanings and how it connects to identity, as expressed by the mission statement 'O ka 'ōlelo ke ka'ao ka mauli' ('Language binds us to our identity').