NAWILIWILI — Registration filled up quickly for the Keiki Aloha, Kai Aloha ocean safety event at Kalapaki Beach on Saturday.
The event, which was presented by Na Kama Kai in partnership with the Hawai‘i Lifeguard Association and Kaua‘i Ocean Safety Bureau, drew scores of keiki.
“The clinic was sold out, early,” said Chantal Zarbaugh, of the Kaua‘i Lifeguard Association, whose husband Kleve is a lifeguard with the Ocean Safety Bureau.
“This is the first time we’re having it here on Kaua‘i after Na Kama Kai has been doing it for at least 16 years on O‘ahu. We have 34 Hawai‘i Department of Education teachers, and at least 75 keiki registered when the clinic started. We’re also trying not to turn away anyone who walks up.”
The clinic geared for keiki from 2 to 12 year olds, offered free lessons on ocean safety and environmental stewardship with half of the curriculum ‘aina-based and the other half immersed in the ocean.
Supplementing the keiki curriculum, the clinic also accepted registration from kumu, or teachers, toward Na Kama Kai’s goal of developing a professional development of PD3 course for the state’s Department of Education. The end result is to provide elementary school teachers the tools and resources they need to implement Ocean Safety and Stewardship curriculum in their respective classrooms. Funding is by the state of Hawai‘i Grant in Aid.
“Do you realize that Duane DeSoto, the World Champion surfer, and founder of Na Kama Kai, is married to a Hawaiian Culture professor?” one of the Ke Kama Kai uncles said. “They talk to each other, and the result is that everything is connected to Hawaiian culture and tradition.”
On successful completion of the educators’ curriculum, at least five of the participating teachers signed up as volunteers for the clinic that had a “no child goes into the ocean without an adult” clause. The volunteer stint allowed teachers an opportunity to experience first-hand the education they received from Na Kama Kai staff during the morning at the Kalapaki Beach.
Keiki participants, many of whom had interested parents staying the day to experience the ocean safety and stewardship program, had hands-on experience in ho‘okele, or wayfinding, kai palekana, or ocean safety, ku hoe, or stand-up paddle boarding and wa‘a, or canoe riding.
“Do you realize that for many of the participants, this is the first time they’ve experienced a canoe ride?” Zarbaugh said. “The beauty of today’s event is how the keiki (and kumu) teach each other.”
Jaime Arreola, of KLA, and Duke’s Kaua‘i which sponsored the day’s lunch on the beach, said Na Kama Kai is hosting another event on Maui.
“I’m going,” Arreola said. “Not as a participant, but to learn. How nice if we could have something like this on Kaua‘i for everyone.”
