Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi 2023

Aloha Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi kākou!

Happy Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi everyone!

Wahi a kūpuna, “e kāmau iho i ka hoe a pae i ke kula,” ʻo ia hoʻi, e kaunaloa a i ka hōʻea ʻana i kahi e hele aku ai. He wā ka Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi e paʻihi pū ai ko Hawaiʻi i ka ʻōlelo makuahine o nēia ʻāina. Iā kākou e hoʻomanaʻo ana i ka holomua o ke ola hou ʻana o ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi mai ka nalowale loa, hoʻomanaʻo hoʻi kākou i ke ʻane halapohe o ko kākou ʻōlelo hiwahiwa a me ka nui hoʻi o ka hana e koe nei.

According to our ancestors, “keep paddling until reaching land,” that is, persevere until your destination is reached. Hawaiian Language Month is a time when Hawaiʻi’s people honor the mother tongue of this land. While we commemorate the successful revival of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi from near extinction, we are reminded that our beloved language remains endangered and there is much work still to be done.

I waena nō o ka hoʻoikaika ʻana e ola hou ai ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi ʻo nā kula kaiapuni ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, kai ʻike laha ʻia no ke koʻikoʻi lua ʻole o ka noke ʻana i ka hoʻōla hou ʻana, i ka hoʻihoʻi ʻana, a i ka hoʻomaʻamau ʻana i ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. I kēia mahina, mahalo ʻia ko kākou mau kumu a limahana mai nā kula kaiapuni ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi a puni ka pae ʻāina e ʻauamo nei i ke kuleana ʻo ka hānai ʻana i ka hanauna hou o nā moho ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. Eia mākou ke hāpai nei no ka nele nui o ko kākou mau kula kaiapuni i ke kumu ʻole, me ka hāpai ana hoʻi i kūhea e lauaki i kēia hana kūkonukonu no ka lāhui. ʻO ko kākou mau kumu nō nā wēlau lāʻau e ninini aku ai i ka ʻike ma luna o ka liko o ka ulu lāʻau. E hoʻolauna aku me nā maka, moʻolelo, a kahua e kāmau nei i ke aukahi ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. E lālau i ka hoe! Pūpūkahi i holomua!

Amongst the efforts to revive ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi are Hawaiian language immersion schools, which are widely recognized as the most significant language initiative for revitalizing, reclaiming, and normalizing ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi.  This month, we recognize our kumu and staff from Hawaiian language immersion schools across the pae ʻāina who carry the kuleana of cultivating the next generation of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi leaders.  We are also highlighting the critical kumu shortage being faced by our immersion kula and putting out the call to be a part of this important work for the lāhui. Our kumu are the treetops which pour knowledge onto the new leaves of the forest. Acquaint with the faces, stories, and sites that are continuing the united-flowing current of the Hawaiian language. Grab a paddle! Unite to move forward!

Ua hōʻike mai ka Office of Hawaiian Education i ka piʻi ʻana o ka pōkole o nā kumu kula kaiapuni ma ʻō aku o ke 75 kūlana hana. No ka ʻike hou aku no ka lilo ʻana i kumu, no ka ʻokoʻa o ka uku ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, a no ka mōhala hou ʻana aʻe i nā koho kumu aʻo ponoʻī, e kipa aku iā Kahuawaiola ma UH Hilo ma ka loulou a i ke kahuapaʻa Office of Hawaiian Education ma ka loulou.

The Office of Hawaiian Education reports that the kumu shortage at immersion schools is in excess of 75 positions.  To learn more about being a kumu, about Hawaiian language pay differentials, and to grow your own teaching options, visit Kahuawaiola at UH Hilo at http://www.olelo.hawaii.edu/kwo/ or the Office of Hawaiian Education Website at https://www.hawaiipublicschools.org/TeachingAndLearning/StudentLearning/HawaiianEducation/Pages/home.aspx