Original air date: Tues., Nov. 13, 2012

Leslie Wilcox continues her conversation with Kepa Maly, Executive Director of Lanai Culture and Heritage Center. Throughout his years as an ethnographer, Kepa gathered stories from kupuna. Here, he passes on local legends and stories behind place names that capture the essence of Lanai.

The Executive Director of Lanai Culture and Heritage Center reveals how he became fluent in the Hawaiian language as a Caucasian boy growing up on Oahu and Lanai. Once an alienated child, this cultural researcher now makes connections with people and places throughout the islands.

Download the PDF of this news release National PBS documentary features local efforts to perpetuate Hawaiian language HONOLULU, HI – What does it take to save a language? Poet Bob Holman travels across the globe to uncover answers – including a stop in Hawaii to feature ongoing efforts to perpetuate our native language.