Aloha ʻĀina: Land and Patriotism in Hawaiian Literature”
In 1895 Joseph Nawahī created the nūpepa (Hawaiian language newspaper), Ke Aloha Aina in opposition to Annexation and in order to further share the stories and interest of Kanaka Maoli. In 1897, a group of Kanaka Maoli formed a patriotic league to fight the proposed annexation of Hawaiʻi .The league called themselves, Hui Aloha ʻĀina. In their formation, the Hui Aloha ʻĀina and Ke Aloha Aina displayed a genealogical relationship to self governance and a particular brand of patriotism rooted in ʻāina that was generations in the making. This course, Aloha ʻĀina: Land and Patriotism in Hawaiian literature, was envisioned as a way for students to explore the many ways Aloha ʻĀina is a major thread through Hawaiian Literature, history and identity.
Because our class is focused on the literature born out of the Kanaka Maoli value, Aloha ʻĀina, this class will ground itself by developing a foundational knowledge of Hawaiian history, and the history of Hawaiian literature and a diverse study of the many ways Aloha ʻĀina can be defined. In doing so we will explore the many genres of literature that were created as a means to demonstrate a distinctly Hawaiian patriotism through many generations of Hawaiian survivance and resistance.
In addition, we will learn to rigorously analyze and discuss many genres of composition including but not limited to: oli, mele, poetry & spoken word, plays, film, short story, and biography. We will also read many non-fiction and creative non-fiction essays written by Kanaka Maoli to give context to the many ways land and patriotism are central to Hawaiian Literature.