Hawai‘i Island - The family of Daniel and Lydia Makuakāne have made a pledge of $100,000 to establish the Daniel and Lydia Makuakāne Endowed Scholarship. The endowment honors their parents Daniel and Lydia Makuakāne for their contributions to the preservation and perpetuation of Hawaiian language and cultural practices. The scholarship is intended to help increase the number and proficiency of Hawaiian speakers. It will support eligible undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Ka Haka ‘Ula o Ke‘elikōlani College of Hawaiian Language.
Keiki Kawaiʻaeʻa, director of Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani College said, “The College is built upon a strong historic foundation of community commitment from Native speakers and families like the Makuakāne ʻohana who have sustained ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi in their ʻohana across multiple generations. In that spirit, the Daniel and Lydia Makuakāne Endowed Scholarship will continue the legacy by assisting families, students and parents, who desire to learn, increase and improve proficiency of the Hawaiian language. In addition, the endowment will support the certification and advancement of P-20 Hawaiian-medium educators.”
Daniel Makuakāne (1922-1997) and Lydia Ah Hee Makuakāne (1924- ) were born in the district of Puna, Island of Hawai‘i, to Hawaiian-speaking parents who lived traditional subsistence lifestyles. Before Lydia was a week old, her paternal grandmother, Leialoha Waipa Ah Hee, took Lydia in hānai fashion to live with her in Kapa‘ahu, Puna. Lydia lived in Kapa‘ahu until age 17 years old, speaking Hawaiian exclusively at home and with her ‘ohana throughout Puna.
Although Daniel was not as fluent in Hawaiian as Lydia, they always spoke Hawaiian to each other and with their relatives. They also took great pride in conserving and cultivating Hawaiian plants, especially maile. Native practitioners and UH scientists, alike, regularly consulted with Daniel about his specialized techniques in growing this endangered plant. Like the maile, which was threatened with extinction if not cultivated properly, Daniel and Lydia knew that ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i would suffer the same fate if not given special care and attention.
In 1985, after the Pūnana Leo o Hilo was established, Daniel and Lydia took an active role in their youngest grandson’s Hawaiian language education. Just as her grandmother was for her, Lydia was the primary caregiver and language resource for her grandson until he graduated from Ke Kula ‘o Nāwahīokalani‘ōpu‘u in 2001. Following her grandson’s graduation from UH Hilo, Lydia agreed to serve as mānaleo (native speaker) for Hawaiian language students at UH Hilo Ka Haka ‘Ula o Ke‘elikōlani College of Hawaiian Language.
“Our parents lived at a time and in a place where Hawaiian language and culture were dominant,” said one of their daughters, Dr. Teresa Makuakāne-Drechsel. She continued, “They knew, however that our experiences would be different and made sure that our core identity, values and practices were ‘ohana-focused and kānaka Hawai‘i. At the same time they understood the need for us to learn from the diverse teachings of others outside of the ‘ohana. This endowment honors their vision of a culturally and linguistically dynamic Native Hawaiian community.”
Dr. Teresa Makuakāne-Drechsel and her husband, Dr. Emanuel Drechsel, are making an additional gift to the Daniel and Lydia Makuakāne Endowment through their revocable living trust to ensure that scholarships are available in perpetuity for eligible students enrolled at UH Hilo's Ka Haka ‘Ula o Ke‘elikōlani College of Hawaiian Language.
If you would like to learn how you can support UH students and programs like this, please contact us at 808 376-7800 or send us a message.
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The University of Hawaiʻi Foundation, a nonprofit organization, raises private funds to support the University of Hawaiʻi System. The mission of the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation is to unite donors' passions with the University of Hawaiʻi’s aspirations by raising philanthropic support and managing private investments to benefit UH, the people of Hawaiʻi and our future generations www.uhfoundation.org.
