Telling stories as a way of being: How stories shape a Hawaiian culture-based school's identity

Abstract

The introduction of foreign influence into the Hawaiian Kingdom in the late 1700s dramatically changed this once isolated indigenous nation. Education, in particular, was increasingly institutionalized to conform with Western values, nearly obliterating the language and culture of the Islands. However, in the late 20th century, a Hawaiian nationalist movement emerged, closely followed by the U.S. charter school movement, resulting in a flourishing of Hawaiian immersion and Hawaiian culture-based charter schools. This study explored Kanu o ka ‘Āina, a Hawaiian culture-based charter school, investigating the stories being told and retold by members of the school, the ways in which these stories established a core school narrative, and the ways members of the school identified with this narrative. Data included observations as well as interviews with seven adults and four students. Adult participants included a mix of administrators and teachers from elementary through high school. Student participants included juniors and seniors who had been at the school for more than five years. Results indicated a particularly strong core school narrative that arose from the founding story, suggesting that Hawaiian-based education was central to providing a learning environment in which Hawaiian children thrived. This Hawaiian-based education reflected a strong respect for time, respect for place, and respect for land and community. In addition, the study revealed that the strength and broad espousal of this core narrative among staff and students was due in large part to occasions for remembering, which significantly provided opportunities for particular stories to be told and retold through individual and collective practices, resulting in individuals embracing a strong sense of belonging to their school.