Inspiring Our Children: Mokapu Elementary Hosts Professional Development Day

Photo By Lance Cpl. Taylor Von Sanders-Frazer | Mokapu Elementary School faculty and staff leave Pyramid Rock Beach during an outreach event between Marine Corps Base Hawaii Environmental Compliance and Protection Division and the school at MCBH, Aug. 5, 2024 Mokapu Elementary School held a Professional Development Training Day where faculty members visited sites across the Mokapu peninsula and listened to narrative stories of the Native Hawaiian people. The faculty and staff will share this “mo’olelo” with the students throughout the school year to reinforce the cultural significance of Hawaii. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Taylor Von Sanders-Frazer)  

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, HAWAII, UNITED STATES

08.27.2024

Story by Lance Cpl. Hunter Jones 

Marine Corps Base Hawaii

Marine Corps Base Hawaii – As summer comes to a close, Mokapu Elementary hosts its Professional Development Day, allowing faculty and teachers to learn the history of the Mokapu Peninsula and mo’olelo, or Hawaiian Stories.

120 staff members were given a tour of the Nu’upia ponds led by June Cleghorn, the MCBH Environmental Compliance and Protection Division senior cultural resource manager and archaeologist. Mokapu Elementary staff learned about the cultural history and legacy of the peninsula.

Staff learned of the Gods who made a model of the lands of the earth in Kāne‘ohe Bay between Kualoa and Kāne‘ohe. When the Gods saw there was no chief to rule over all things, they drew a man in the red-black soil facing the sunrise. They chanted the figure to life “I have come; live!” Thus, the creation of man. Teachers were inspired by Cleghorn to incorporate the Nu’upia ponds and local legends into their cultural and state history lessons.

Mokapu Elementary staff learned about future plans to incorporate Hawaiian culture on MCBH, including plans for a Mokapu burial site, a 125-acre region on the base’s northern coastline. MCBH is determined to preserve Hawaiian burial sites for the local community.

MCBH continues to show appreciation and proactivity in understanding the island and its culture. Mokapu elementary staff, consisting of several local teachers, are currently working to implement the rich Hawaiian culture into their lessons for their students.

• Date Taken: 08.27.2024
• Date Posted: 08.27.2024 19:33
• Story ID: 479562
• Location: MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, HAWAII, US