Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 10, Number 7, 1 July 1993 — "Language is the steering paddle" [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

"Language is the steering paddle"

Polynesians gather to talk about language

by Pila Wilson "'O ke alelo ka hoe uli - Language is the steering paddle." That was the theme on everyone's minds as representatives

from 12 Polynesian governments met on the island of Hawai'i May 19-23 to discuss language issues at the Third Annual Polynesian Languages Forum. Hosts for the eonference were the University of Hawai'i-Hilo Hawaiian Studies Department, 'Aha

Pūnana Leo, ine., and the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Cosponsors of the event were the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and tfae Kamehameha Schools with assistance to some Hawaiian participants from the Native Hawaiian Culture and Arts Program. Four languag.es were nsed officially during the conference — French, English, Spanish and Hawaiian, with simultaneous interpreīations avaiM)le in all but Spanish. It is believed that this was the first intemational conferenee in whieh Hawaiian was used officially. Delegates reported that all Polynesian languages have suffered because of past bans on their use. In eaeh country there are some families who do not speak their language at home, and some govemment offices do not conduct their business in their indigenous language. This situa-

tion is now changing. Several countries have established policies that the indigenous languages wiil be the sole languages of instmction in schools. Others have re-established their languages as the working languages of govemment. New Zealand, Tahiti and Hawai'i are the areas in whieh the languages are most endangered - but are also the areas where movements to strengthen the languages are growing fastest. In New Zealand, there are now more than 500 "language nest" preschools, over 50 immersion elementary schools and one university teaching in Māon. In Tahiti it is now obligatory that government business be conducted in Tahitian as well as French,

poliee must speak both Tahitian and French, and Tahitian is being used on television and in airlines' in-flight announcements. Hawai'i delegates reported that

there are only about 800 native speakers of Hawai'i left. The Ni'ihau eommunity is beginning to lose Hawaiian due to transitional bilingual education into English. The best news from Hawai'i is that are now over 600 ehildren in Pūnana Leo

and Papa Kaiapuni Hawai'i (Hawaiian immersion) and that these children are not only revitalizing Hawaiian but also re-establishing the link between Hawaiian-ness and academie achievement. Last year, after only one hour a day in English, a Papa Kaiapuni Hawai'i student won a statewide English poeīry contest. Hiis year 46 percent of the immersion students who took the Kamehameha Schools entrance tests were admitted into the schools. The success of Pūnana Leo and Papa Kaiapuni Hawai'i have inspired many to study Hawaiian and it is believed that there are now about 4,000 people studying Hawaiian. OHA Trustee Moses Keale expressed OHA's strong support for the Hawaiian language and its commitment to assist through the OHA Education Foundation. A native speaker, Keale also related a personal story of his own ehildren growing up not knowing Hawaiian but that his grandchildren are now enrolling in Kaiapuni Hawai'i. Keale said that the true Hawaiian way is to choose Hawaiian for your family. State Rep. Sam Lee spoke about the strong backing that Hawaiian language education has in the Legislature and of the desire of non-Hawaiians to support Hawaiian language. He called upon the Hawaiians in the audience to become more involved in politics and to request further support from the state. DOE Assistant Superintendent Liberato Viduya shared the pride and enthusiasm that the DOE has for Hawaiian immersion and the plans to expand through high school. The forum closed with the adoption of a resolution that Polynesian governments should treat their native languages as primary in their schools and government operations, with English, French and Spanish taught as second languages. Next year's forum will be hosted by the govemment of the Cook Islands in Rarotonga.

In Tahiti it is now obligatory that government business be conducted in Tahitian as well as French.

Pila Wilson