KE AUPUNI UPDATE - DECEMBER 2024
“Dead Language” or Learning Opportunity?
There was an incident at a City Council meeting a few days ago, that serves as a reminder of the ignorance of some people living in our midst.
At the City Council meeting, Kapua Keliʻikoa Kamae of Waianae gave her testimony in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (the Hawaiian Language), then repeated it in English. Right after, Kai Loring, a remote testifier from the North Shore, apparently had not heard the English version of Kapua’s testimony, complained: “I’m not sure what language it was. I’m assuming it was Hawaiian, and that is a dead language, so it would not work on translator.” [Actually, Hawaiian is on Google Translate and others]
Those in the audience immediately took umbrage at her remark; the internet exploded … and City Council members, to their credit, spoke out.
Councilwoman Esther Kiaʻaina quickly responded “It is not a dead language, it is very much alive…and if it wasn’t for the fact that those who helped to overthrow the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi banned our language, we would be speaking only Hawaiian now!” Councilwoman Andria Tupola said her children attend a Hawaiian immersion school and her family speaks Hawaiian in their home. Council Chair, Tommy Waters, reminded everyone that Hawaiian is an official language of the State of Hawaiʻi.
The public reaction shows how far we have come from 40 years ago when the first Punana Leo program opened quietly in Kekaha, Kauaʻi. At the time, the Hawaiian language was indeed on the brink of extinction with only a few hundred native speakers left. But now, there are well over 24,000 who are fluent in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi. And that number is growing every year.
Much has transpired especially over the past decade to assert Hawaiian as an official language. Hawaiian is now used in the courts, government proceedings (like City Council and neighborhood boards meetings), official government forms and documents (like taxes, permits, driver’s licenses), ballots, ATM machines, announcements at the airport, etc., etc.
Some of you may remember that 11 years ago, Rep. Faye Hanohano from Puna was reprimanded by the State House of Representatives for speaking Hawaiian at a session of the House. The only one to speak up in defense of Hanohano’s right to speak in Hawaiian at the legislature was Rep. Gene Ward of Hawaiʻi Kai. Since that incident, the legislature has changed it’s tune. Hawaiian may be spoken on the floor, in public hearings and ceremonial proceedings at the State Legislature.
In many of the confrontations over Aloha ʻĀina issues, Hawaiians are choosing to speak Hawaiian at press conferences, public rallies and court appearances. The point is not that this is a legal right, ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi is a powerful means of expressing who we are.
ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi embodies our ancestral roots — our origins, cosmology, stories, knowledge, culture, traditions, perceptions, understandings, values and principles that distinguishes who we are as a people. The language is not only a treasure from the past, more importantly, it is our blueprint for the future.
“Love of country is deep-seated in the breast of every Hawaiian, whatever his station.” — Queen Liliʻuokalani
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Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono. The sovereignty of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.
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For the latest news and developments about our progress at the United Nations in both New York and Geneva, tune in to Free Hawaii News at
6 PM the first Friday of each month on ʻŌlelo Television, Channel 53.
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Hawaiian National
