Kīpuka Moʻolelo

Kananinohea Kawaiʻaeʻa-Mākaimoku

ʻŌiwi TV Season 1 Episode 5

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0:00 | 26:20

In this  episode of Kīpuka Moʻolelo, Kananinohea Kawaiʻaeʻa-Mākaimoku reflects on her life as one of the first children raised entirely in the Hawaiian language revitalization movement. From her early years with Pūnana Leo and Ke Kula o Nāwahīokalaniōpuʻu to her role today preparing new Hawaiian-medium teachers, Kanani shares her thoughts on what it means to live, learn, and lead through ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi.

She speaks to the evolution of Hawaiian education over four decades, the growing richness of the language, and the importance of intergenerational continuity—now seen in her own three-generation Hawaiian-speaking household. Through stories of teaching, mentorship, and community collaboration, Kanani offers a vision for the future of Hawaiian-medium education and the teachers who will carry it forward.

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This episode of Kīpuka Moʻolelo is a production of ʻŌiwi TV, a non-profit organization dedicated to amplifying ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, community voices, and ʻike Hawaiʻi through culturally grounded storytelling. 

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