Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 2, 1 February 1988 — Its maintenance is a Community, State Responsibility [ARTICLE]

Its maintenance is a Community, State Responsibility

Bill for Hawaiian Language Commission Proposed

By Maleolm Naea Chun Cultural Affairs Officer A bill will be introduced in the 1988 Legislature by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to establish a commission charged with the promotion of the indigenous Hawaiian language and the assurance of proper language usage. Why is such a commission needed? Consider the following: Hawai'i is the only State in the union that is officially bilingual, recognizing Hawaiian as one of the official languages. Yet, it is difficult to use Hawaiian in daily life. Have you written a eheek in Hawaiian? How many books or newspapers have been printed in Hawaiian during the last year? How often is Hawaiian spoken on the television or radio? When the ehildren who are now going to the few existing Hawaiian language pre-schools grow up and enter intermediate or high school, will they be able to eontinue speaking Hawaiian? What will their world be like if there are no resources, no "market plaee," and certainly no kupuna to speak and read in the native language of Hawai'i. There are existing efforts to promote the Hawaiian language today, but these are not enough. If Hawaiian is the official language of this State, how official is it? Why do businesses get away with misspelling Hawaiian, like the word "poki" for "poke"?

Or broadcasters with mispronunciations that are adopted by the general populahon? Surely people ean eomplain to the business, but what if they just do not care or cite cost for correcting it? Will the Hawaiian language one day be remembered only by songs, street and plaee names? In November, 1987, at a language consultation convened by OHA's Culture Division, it was clear that that day is approaching. The participants, who represented professionals in Hawaiian language, education, government, business and the news media, state emphatically that the Hawaiian language faces "imminent extinction" and that the maintenance of the language "is a community and State responsibility." If you want to support the establishment of a Hawaiian Language Commission, write or eall your State Senator or Representative now. Let them know how important the Hawaiian language is to the people of this State. Even in this day and age, Hawaiian is not to be used as a mere "official" symbol, but is to be used as a living language, especially by those whose ancestors spoke it, and who still speak it. Models for the proposed legislation were taken from the Maori Language Commission, the Commission on Official Languages in Canada and from the advice of several overseas consultants

in Alaska and New Zealand. As one of the consultants, a Pueblo Indian from New Mexico, said, "Without our language we are not a people." The establishment of a permanent Hawaiian language commission is intended as a means for the promotion of the Hawaiian language as a living and official language of the State, beyond the educational mandate of the State Constitution. The commission, as proposed would consist of seven members appointed by the Governor, who would serve for a limited term, with eompensation. The office is to be headed by a director appointed by the commission. The commission would be concerned with the status of the Hawaiian language in eomplianee with the spirit and intent of the State Constitution. It would be^empowered to hold inquiries, hearings and meetings to carry out its duties, and to deliberate upon reports and recommendations concerning any complaints received. The eommission and the office have no penal authorization, except to recommend corrective actions to the concerned parties or to the State Legislature. An administrative office would be established to provide staff support to the commission.