FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

FAQs below are specific to the Iākea Online Cohort of Hālau ʻŌhiʻa

 

Topic: Who should join Hālau ʻŌhiʻa?

I don't know anything about Hawaii culture / I don’t necessarily work in conservation / I am not yet a professional (undergraduate student, intern, etc.) ... SHOULD I JOIN?

  • The Iākea online cohort that is being offered welcomes anyone who feels connected to nature and anyone who would love to feel more connected to nature.  If you would like to learn how to connect more deeply to our relatives in nature through Hawaiʻi life ways...YOU ARE VERY WELCOME!! We encourage participants from all areas of experience.

What if I have a language barrier?

  • The Iākea online cohort that is being offered is conducted in English. Chants, hula, and some terminology is Hawai’i.  Because this is a beta course, we are not prepared to engage interpreters.  However, if you would like to register & can engage your own interpreter, that person will not be charged a registration fee.  Please contact Aimee Sato, [email protected] to arrange.

What if I’m not in Hawaiʻi? 

  • The Iākea online cohort curriculum employs what I have most experience in and that is Hawaiʻi life ways. I am told by learners outside of Hawaiʻi that the broader concepts are applicable beyond Hawaiʻi. Learning about Hawaiʻi things nowadays is not about geography or nationality.  It is about mindset, perception, and multiple ways of knowing. 

Can my partner or child learn with me and/or attend the Live Zoom Meetings?

  • Regarding Children: Youth (under 18) are welcome with adult supervision. Hālau ʻŌhiʻa recognizes that children are our extensions in the world.  We have children participating in the learning or running around in the background all the time.
  • Regarding Partners: We ask each adult to pay full registration.  

What if I have a religious belief that restricts me from learning and practicing other ritual practices?

  • Religion is one defined worldview towards a healthy spiritual, physical, emotional, psychological, and intellectual life.   As a religious person, you well know that the mundane cannot be separated from the divine.  Entry into any of Lonoa Honua's programs (Hālau ʻŌhiʻa, Ulu Ka ʻŌhiʻa, Oli Honua) is a holistic education of Hawaiʻi lifeways that introduces intellectual, bio-cultural, emotional, spiritual and physical values from the world view of the Hawaiʻi-lived experiences.  Come with an unrestricted openness of  mind and a willingness to learn multiple worldviews.

 

Topic: Training Format/Content

Will the entire course be online?

  • The Iākea online cohort that is being offered is entirely online. The entire Hālau ʻŌhiʻa Iākea will be set up on our ONLINE course platform. By ONLINE, we mean that lessons are published weekly in the form of pre-recorded video lessons with attached learning resources. Learners can log into their online course platform and go through the pre-recorded lessons on their own time. 
  • In addition to the main online course described above, I will offer Hālau ʻŌhiʻa Iākea LIVE Zoom every 1-3weeks (see schedule below). You are invited into my secure Zoom classroom to practice & review any of the content. This is when we get into community and engage at a more intimate level. If your schedule/time zone does not allow you to attend, we record the LIVE and upload it to your course page for you to view at your convenience.
  • There are NO IN-PERSON classes. Beyond online opportunities, future training levels may offer huakaʻi or onsite visits to/around Hawaiʻi--pre-pandemic. These potential huakaʻi are postponed until it is safe to travel & gather according to CDC, Federal, State and County regulations.   Learners are entirely responsible for their own huakaʻi expenses.  Tuition does not cover huakaʻi.

Will we learn everything that the in-person Hālau ʻŌhiʻa cohorts are learning? 

  • The curriculum for each Papa Hua is the same.  But not all Papa Hua are the same.  So far of the 5 cohorts we have had, not one of them has completed each levelʻs curriculum at the same pace.

What is the difference between an in-person and virtual?

  • Curriculary, there is no difference.  Mentally, Hālau had to commit to changing the way we think about the virtual space. We can still hear, feel, and see each other energetically.

I am not in Hawaiʻi and have a time difference, what time will our live meetings be?

  • We try our best to take into consideration the time zone since this is a global community. There will not be a perfect time that suits everyone across the globe. Currently we have live meetings scheduled for 10:00am-12:30pm (Hawaiʻi Standard Time - HST).  When looking at a time zone converter, this time allows most to connect with some inconvenience….but not much.  All classes are recorded.  Once/month all the cohorts come together on Jam dates from 9:00am-12:00pm.

What happens after this 12 week Papa Hua course?  

  • There is potential for the next level if there are enough registered students.  About ½ way through Papa Hua, I will inquire with learners

Can I share/teach whatever I learn from Hālau ʻŌhiʻa?  

  • You can share YOUR experience of your learning.  With permission, you can share curriculum...as long as you are ready to teach it.  I usually advise sharing/teaching this material when you feel competent. In my experience, by the time learners reach their 3rd level, they feel competent.

 

Topic: Commitment 

What if I can’t/donʻt do all my homework/commit enough time to keep up with the lessons? 

  • There is some level of commitment involved.  If you are already overwhelmed, my advice is donʻt add ONE MORE THING to your schedule no matter how yummy it looks.  On the other hand,  this is not a high school or college course.  We call home work--”learning opportunities”.  In my experience, folks will do the learning opportunity that resonates most -on an individual level-at any particular time.  
  • One more thing to note is that you will have access to your online course platform for a year, so you are more than welcome to visit/re-visit all of the lessons on your own time after the 12-week training period if complete.

What if I can't attend any of the Live Zoom Meetings?

  • All course content will be delivered in your memberʻs area. The LIVE sessions are additional learning supports. We will be recording all Live Zoom Meetings and uploading them for you on your course site. 

 

Topic: Costs, Registration Payment

Is there a deadline to register?

  • Registration will remain open until the day we begin 12/13/2020. 

Are there any additional costs I should be aware of?

  • Some course supplies will be mailed to you after you register.  All audio and PDF resources are included in the course.  You will be responsible for all other course materials.  Iʻll let you know what those are as we move along. 
  • **Future opportunities in higher level training may offer huakaʻi or onsite visits to/around Hawaiʻi. These potential visits are postponed until it is safe to travel & gather.  Learners are entirely responsible for their own huakaʻi expenses.  Tuition does not cover huakaʻi.

Are there any scholarships or discounts available?

  • No
  • It is our sincere hope that agencies and supervisors will encourage and support employees in this unique professional development experience. We are able to provide you with a letter of invitation and any other additional details, for those seeking support from employers/organizations.

Can my partner or child learn with me and/or attend the Live Zoom Meetings?

  • Hālau ʻŌhiʻa recognizes that children are a part of our environment and the children know the most, they just are not able to articulate that in an adult language. We have children participating in the learning or running around in the background all the time. This is a wonderful addition to the Hālau learning space. 
  • Further along in the training we may offer an ʻohana discount for learners that have spouses or siblings in the same household that would like to fully participate as a registered learner. Please don’t hesitate to let us know if this is the case so we can’t take all conditions into consideration.

Can I get a refund if I am not satisfied?

  • We do not process ephemeral refunds.  If youʻve paid in full in advance and cannot attend for any reason, please contact myself at [email protected] or Aimee Sato, my Administrative Alakaʻi at [email protected]  and we will apply your credit towards another program or the same program at a different time..  If AFTER you have engaged with the course material AND attended our LIVE events, you have decided this is not the program for you, you have 30 days from the day you registered to write to us indicating your withdrawal.  We will refund you the balance of your tuition minus the first 30 days.

Can I have my employer pay for my training by check, Purchase Order, etc.?

  • At this moment, only online payments are accepted for this Iākea cohort.  
  • If your employer has agreed to fund you, but is unable to immediately pay via online payment method, you must contact and make payment arrangements with Aimee Sato, [email protected] prior to registration closing.  
  • It is our sincere hope that agencies and supervisors will encourage and support employees in this unique professional development experience. We are able to provide you with a letter of invitation and any other additional details, for those seeking support from employers/organizations.

 

Topic: Future/Other Opportunities with Hālau ʻŌhiʻa

Is this new online cohort the only one available to join at this time? 

  • Yes.  I may offer this course again in the Spring 2021, but that is not confirmed. 

Will there be any opportunities to join an existing in-person cohort, either now or in the future? 

  • The other cohorts are quite advanced in their curriculum, so joining existing cohorts is not possible.
  • Post pandemic, there may be new in person cohorts WHEN 30 or more folks in a single location show committed interest.  
  • What I would suggest is to take this online opportunity, since we can’t be certain if/when another opportunity will arise.
  • If the virtual setting is stopping you from joining, please consider this. The current Hālau had to also commit to changing the way we think about the virtual space as we transitioned due to the current world situation.  To me, it’s more important to do this training now more than ever, than to stop the conversations or wait.