By Lexus Yamashiro | Staff Writer

From Tuesday through Thursday, KCC will be hosting the 31st annual International Festival with a theme focusing on indigeneity.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated 2019 as the International Year of Indigenous Languages, which will be recognized through events during International Festival to bring awareness of and educate those of indigenous languages on a local and global scale.

“Language is something that is very deep and … describing your environment is something you learn as part of your culture,” said Carl Hefner, the director of International Festival and a KCC anthropology professor. “That’s why we called the festival Indigeneity because almost [every event] that we have here has something to do with the birth of an art form — for language, music, poetry, literature — from an indigenous source.”

Working with Hefner this year to highlight the International Year of Indigenous Languages is linguistics professor Susan Inouye, who has incorporated IYIL specific events into the schedule of International Festival, including a few that pertain to the culture and history of the language native to Hawaiʻi. 

On Tuesday, cultural practitioner and kumu hula (hula teacher) Auliʻi Mitchell will share the art of Hawaiian puppetry known as hula kiʻi. Mitchell learned from his family the ways of carving these puppets along with the hula that is implemented into the presentation of telling stories of Hawaiʻi’s past through them. He will present in the Lama Library Alcove from 10:45 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Another event Inouye highlighted will be Thursday’s Nalu I Ka Mauli Ola when panelists will discuss the college’s identity as an indigenous serving institution. To be held in the Lama Library Alcove from 10:45 a.m. to 12 p.m., audience members will get to hear from Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Program director Mark Kunimune, Japanese professor Lisa Kobuke, English professor Porscha dela Fuente, human resources manager Kelli Brandvold, and vice chancellor of administrative services Brian Furuto. 

Aside from these events, participants of International Festival can also look forward to other IYIL events. The first film screening of “Leitis in Waiting,” a movie telling the story of the community of transgendered women in Tonga known as leitis, will show on Tuesday at 1 p.m. in the Lama Library Alcove. Directors of UH Mānoa’s Language Documentation Training Center will be present on Wednesday at 9:15 a.m. to speak about the potential disappearance of half of the world’s languages by the end of the 21st century following with the discussion of indigenous languages in Malaysia with UH Mānoa linguistics student Katherine Strong.  

 To see the detailed schedule of events, click here. 

International Festival Schedule of Events (IYIL specific events are marked with an asterisk):
Tuesday:
– 9:15 to 10:30 a.m.: There’s Something Funny About Climate Change; Kōpiko 127B and 128
– 9:15 to 10:30 a.m.: Alani Apio: A Literary Reading and Talk; Lama Library Alcove
*- 10:45 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Hula Kiʻi: The Art of Hawaiian Puppetry; Lama Library Alcove
– 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Music is Our Passion, Music is Life; ʻŌhiʻa tent
– 12:15 to 12:45 p.m.: Cantonese Opera: Fragrant Sacrifice; Lama Library Char Room
*- 1 to 3 p.m.: Film Screening: “Leitis in Waiting;” Lama Library Alcove
– 6:30 to 8:45 p.m.: International Film Night “1987: When the Day Comes” (2018 Korean Film); Olonā 201

Wednesday:
*- 9:15 to 9:50 a.m.: The Loss of a Language; Lama Library Alcove
*- 9:55 to 10:30 a.m.: Indigenous Languages in Malaysia; Lama Library Alcove
– 11 to 11:30 a.m.: ʻUkulele Soul by Karlie G; ʻŌhiʻa Tent
*- 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.: Poster session on indigenous languages; Lama Library second floor
– 12:15 to 1:30 p.m.: This is Your Brain on K-pop; Olonā 202
*- 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.: Biocultural Documentation: Linguistics Meets Ethnobotany; Lama Library Alcove
*- 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.: “We Still Live Here: Âs Nutayuneân” documentary; Lama Library Alcove
– 6:30 to 8:45 p.m.: International Film Night: “About Love” (2005 Pan-Asian film); Olonā 201

Thursday:
*- 9:15 to 10:30 a.m.: “The Linguists;” Lama Library Alcove
*- 10:45 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Nalu I Ka Mauli Ola – Being an indigenous serving institution; Lama Library Alcove
– 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ethnomusicology: A World of Music: Lama Library foyer
– 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Pi Day; Great Lawn
– 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: Dances of the Middle East (MEDAH): ʻŌhiʻa tent
– 6:30 to 8:45 p.m.: International Film Night “The Third Murder” (2018 Japanese Film); Olonā 201