NILIAnnouncing
The Hawaiian Model for Language Revitalization
October 4 – 9, 2011
University of Oregon
The Northwest Indian Language Institute in collaboration with The Americas in a Globalized World Strategic Initiative at the University of Oregon are honored to bring Hawaiian language revitalizationists Pila Wilson and Kauonoe Kamana to Eugene for a week of informative events. Overall, the presentations will enrich members of the UO communities as well as members of tribal communities, including language teacher educators, teachers, students, and linguists involved with Native American languages, and people with an interest in the Hawaiian and Māori model.
This visit will include three events:
1. Hawaiian Language Revitalization And The Role Of Schools – a presentation on Hawaiian pre-K–12 language revitalization and language immersion. This event will also include an introduction to the history of language loss in the Northwest by Tony Johnson, NILI’s advisory board chair;
2. Issues In Hawaiian Language Revitalization – A linguistics colloquium and student question-and-answer session with a primary focus on sociolinguistic aspects and a secondary focus on how linguistics is useful as a base to teach Hawaiian to the future teachers;
3. Hawaiian Insights Regarding “Language Nests and Survival Schools” – An all-day workshop on building language nests hosted for the Tribes of the Northwest and interested teachers and students of Native languages.
The Hawaiian (and Māori) model for language revitalization (community-family immersion language nests) is the most successful model for building speakers of endangered languages. Hawaiian language programs have expanded from these nests into immersion Pre-K–12 schools and the Hawaiian Language College at the University of Hawai’i at Hilo. Like other indigenous languages, Hawaiian is critically endangered. Fluent first-language speakers are elderly and often scattered across the islands. There is now, however, a coordinated community and government effort to save the Hawaiian language and culture.
Pila Wilson and Kauanoe Kamana were the first of a number of couples in Hawai’i who revived Hawaiian as the first language of their home, and Dr. Wilson is founding chairperson of the program that developed into the Hawaiian Language College. The many challenges in navigating school systems and sometimes conflicting community interests will be discussed with suggestions for addressing them.
Dr. William H. Wilson (Pila) is Professor and Chair of the Hawaiian Studies Division at the University of Hawai’i at Hilo.
Kauanoe Kamana is a founding member of ‘Aha Punana Leo immersion school and has been very active in developing legislation both on the state and national levels in support of the use of Native American languages in education.
Tony Johnson is a Chinook Tribal member, a linguist and an artist. He is NILI’s advisory board chair, Chinuk Wawa instructor, and immersion language consultant.
For more information, please contact Janne Underriner at jlu[at]uoregon[dot]edu or (541) 346-0730 or Heather Wolford at hwolford[at]uoregon[dot]edu. You may also visit the Event webpage on the NILI website for updated information: http://casit2.uoregon.edu/nwilihawaiian-model-for-language-revitalization-events.
Daily Schedule for the Hawaiian Model for Language Revitalization
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
7:00pm – 9:30pm
Hawaiian Language Revitalization And The Role Of Schools: A presentation on Hawaiian pre-K–12 language revitalization and language immersion. This event will also include an introduction to the history of language loss in the Northwest by Tony Johnson.
Lillis Hall, Room 182
Friday, October 7, 2011
3:30pm – 5:00pm
Linguistics colloquium – Issues In Hawaiian Language Revitalization: A talk on the sociolinguistic aspects of Hawaiian language revitalization and how linguistics is useful as a base to teach Hawaiian to the future teachers.
Straub Hall, Room 145
Saturday, October 8, 2011
9:00am – 3:00pm
Workshop for Tribes – Hawaiian Insights Regarding Language Nests and Survival Schools: An all-day workshop on building language nests hosted for the Tribes of the Northwest and interested teachers and students of Native languages.
Many Nations Longhouse
***We ask that if you plan on attending Saturday’s workshop for the Tribes, please RSVP to nwili@uoregon.edu as we will provide lunch***
All lectures and Saturday workshop are free of charge.
Download informational flyer here (PDF)
List of local hotels that are close to UO:
Best Western New Oregon Motel
Best Western Greentree Inn
University Inn & Suites – Eugene
Days Inn – Eugene
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites
Phoenix Inn Suites
