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Jonathan Napela Center Offers Vital Links to Hawaiian Heritage

When the Center for Hawaiian Language and Cultural Studies was unveiled at Brigham Young University-Hawai'i on Feb. 12, 1998, it marked the realization of a long-term dream for people on the La'ie campus and around Oahu's North Shore.

"The start of the Hawaiian Studies Center was one of the most important moments in the history of this university," said BYU-Hawai'i president Eric B. Shumway.

"Hundreds of people were anxiously waiting for a Hawaiian-based educational program on this campus, to help students learn their native language and to connect with the cultural and spiritual traditions of these beautiful islands," he added.

Almost four years later, the Hawaiian Studies curriculum has significant early funding, is adorned with a meaningful new name, and is thriving under the inspirational leadership of William Kauaiwi'ulaokalani Wallace III.

A substantial endowment from the W.W. Kellogg Foundation was instrumental in establishing and maintaining the program. The Michigan-based Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life for Native Americans and other indigenous people.

In 2000, the Hawaiian Studies Center was given a new name--the Jonathan Napela Center for Hawaiian Language and Cultural Studies. Napela was a Hawai'i native who in the mid-1800s joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints--the sponsoring institution of BYU-Hawai'i--and was instrumental in its early growth throughout the islands.

Wallace, respectfully called "Uncle Bill," has guided the Center from its inception. A native of Moloka'i and a Kamehameha School graduate, Wallace has labored with indigenous issues throughout Polynesia and among the Native Americans.

He received a juris doctorate degree from the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University (Provo, Utah), then practiced law in Hawai'i and was Assistant Attorney General for the government of American Samoa before joining the BYU-Hawai'i faculty in 1990.

Along with Kamoa'e Walk, Wallace is responsible for developing curriculum and fostering the overall vision of the program.

At the Center, Wallace explained, indigenous Hawaiians can fulfill their need for personal or collective strength. "The Center provides native Hawaiian students and community members with a crucial sense of place," he said. "It is a physical symbol of their cultural identity and a site of strength and support central to their education and future roles as leaders and teachers."

Students in the Hawaiian Studies program are expected to learn principles of service, leadership, hospitality, respect, perseverance, humility, and "aloha," all within the context of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teachings.

They also are taught that "we live in the middle of an ocean which has been the home and highway of many interrelated people," according to Wallace. Because of this interdependence, students are encouraged to develop perspectives that cross into the societies around them.

Curriculum for the program includes four years of Hawaiian language, including advanced oration and intensive writing, and nine credit hours of immersion into the Hawaiian culture. Many of the classroom activities are outdoors, where the students learn the cultural significance of the land and the sea.
Activities include the raising of native Hawaiian plants, the undertaking of projects like canoe building and navigation that are important to the Hawaiian heritage, and the identification and study of historic cultural sites in and around La'ie.

One major goal of the Center is to produce qualified educators and professionals who can teach Hawaiian in language schools and immersion programs around the islands.

"Eight years ago, less than 100 people spoke the Hawaiian language," said Wallace. "There are now more than 5,000 people who speak Hawaiian. The need for teachers of the Hawaiian language is surpassing the number of teachers available."

The Alexander & Baldwin Foundation, a local charitable institution, also donated funds to be used for developing curriculum and library materials. The local grant helps endorse the importance of the program to the people of Hawai'i.

When the donation was extended to the Center, A&B Foundation president John Couch said, "We're very enthusiastic about what's being accomplished here with the Hawaiian Studies program. What appealed to the Foundation Trustees was the merit of this project and desire to preserve the culture in a way that dealt with very comprehensive issues; not just political issues, but the history and culture itself."

Several other organizations and individuals also have contributed to the Hawaiian Studies program, and a fund raising campaign is in progress to help coming generations of students continue to benefit from its existence.

Maintained by University Advancement

Last Updated November 2, 2001