KAULUMAIKA LCC
Within Kaulumaika LCC, we proudly house Ka Alala, our Hawaiian language division. As a family-owned and operated company, our mission centers around "Redefining the world's perspective of Hawaiian culture through creative expression, community building, and progressive education." It's an endeavor we approach with both pride and humility.
An Innate Passion for Languages
I've always had this fascination with languages. My relationship with languages has shaped my life in many ways. As a boy being raised on Kauai and Oahu, I grew up speaking both standard English and pidgin, code switching between the two depending on who I was talking to.
We never had cable so among my siblings we watched the same movies (on VHS) over and over again. We would randomly say a quote and see who could name the movie it was from. What made our version of this game unique is that we always attempted an impression. I personally loved trying any line spoken with an Irish accent.
From Hawaii to Ethiopia
Life later led me to Ethiopia where I lived as a missionary for two years. I learned their beautiful language and loved every minute of it! Upon returning home, the warm memories of the gracious Ethiopian people prompted a reflection on my own heritage. While they were immersed in their native tongue and customs, I realized how disconnected I was from my own Hawaiian culture.
Learning Hawaiian
After getting married in 2015 my wife expressed a desire for our future children to speak Hawaiian. Well, at the time neither one of us could speak. So we committed to accomplishing this goal. We had no clue how big of a commitment that was at the time.
Within nine months, we reached a conversational level, but we understood that we needed people to practice speaking to. A fortuitous friendship with native speakers Tuti Kanahele of Niihau quickly excelled my ability to speak. What I learned, I passed on to my wife and kids. Later I found myself in university classrooms where my grammar was improved as well as my ability to write.
He Ohana Olelo Hawaii
It's been eight years since we started learning and we are still learning! After becoming fluent I took to social media and created Ka Alala; a brand is dedicated to giving kanaka (Hawaiians) opportunities to learn that they never had. Many non-kanaka are also welcome, in fact, many of my students are.
The courses, tutoring, consulting services and free resources on this site are here for all kinds of learners. If you're reading this, I hope you take the time to explore the different options available. If you can't figure it out, email me and so I can help you decide!
Have You Learned Hawaiian Before?
Put yourself to the test and take my assessment to see what you know.
Take the Assessment