Limahana

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Leka na ke Kahu, ʻAnakē Maluhia

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Welina mai ka lā hiki ma Kumukahi a i ka nāpoʻo ma Lehua,
ʻO au ʻo Maluhia OʻDonnell ke kahu o ka Pūnana Leo o Waimea.  Ua hānau a hānai ʻia au ma Missouri, no Kauaʻi naʻe koʻu makuahine a me koʻu mau kūpuna.  Noho au i Waimea no 12 makahiki a ua hoʻomaka kēia kūlana i 11 makahiki aku nei.  Komo mua au me ke ʻano kōkua manaweleʻa i hiki ke hoʻoikaika i ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi a laila lilo au i kahu ma hope ʻoiai ua hakahaka ke kūlana no kekahi wā a he ʻike koʻu no ka hana ma ke kula kamaliʻi.  Nui ka hoihoi a leʻaleʻa ka hana ʻana me nā keiki, mākua, a me nā kumu.  He hana nui ia akā kia ma luna o ka nuʻukia  E Ola Ka ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi i holomua nō ko kākou lāhui, ka ʻōlelo a me ka ʻike kuʻuna.  He hoʻokahi aʻu kaikamahine makamae, he pukana ʻo ia i ka Pūnana Leo a he haumāna ʻo ia ma ka papa 9 i kēia makahiki kula.  
I am Maluhia OʻDonnell, Site Co-ordinator of the Pūnana Leo o Waimea.  I was born and raised in Missouri, however my mom and generations before are from Kauaʻi.  I have lived in Waimea for 12 years and I started in this position 11 years ago.  I first became a part of the program as a volunteer to strengthen my ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi and then became the Kahu later on since the position was open and I have over 20 years experience working in Early Childhood.  I enjoy working with the kids, parents, and staff.  It is a lot of work but I stay focused on our vision that the Hawaiian language shall live for the benefit of our people, our language, and our traditional knowledge.  I have one cherished daughter, she graduated from Pūnana Leo o Waimea and is now in the 9th grade. 

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