Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 12, Number 2, 1 February 1995 — ʻAhahui office has ʻōlelo answers [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

ʻAhahui office has ʻōlelo answers

by Jeff Clark Not sure where to put the 'okina? Confused by the kahakō? Don't despair - questions about Hawaiian language meanings, markings and usage ean be directed to the Hawaiian Language Resources Office. Recently established by

tne Ananui uieio Hawai ī (the private, non-profit "Hawaiian language association"), the office is located on Richards Street across from the Post

Office in downtown Honolulu. It provides direct access to speakers of Hawaiian who ean steer you right when it comes to 'ōlelo Hawai'i. The phone number is 528-5453. Super-commuter Liana Iaea Honda travels all the way from Hāmākua to staff the office. C a 1 1 her and she'll cheerfully help you out. In addition to immediate

'ōlelo assistance, the office also gives out information on the activities of the 'Ahahui 'Olelo Hawai'i, including educational programs, public

rorums, curricutum development and training opportunities for educators, and publications. Honda, the 'Ahahui's vice president, says she hasn't been bombarded with inquiries because the office hasn't been well-publi-cized. "We usually get calls from people wanting to translate something into Hawaiian, or needing help with spelling or pronunciation, or wanting to know about Hawaiian language classes," she said. From July until October the office

was located at the Alu Like Business Development Center in Chinatown. The current location is temporary, and is sure

to change when enough funds are available to hire more staff, rent a bigger space, and set up a resource library for Hawaiian language teachers. Helping teachers is important to Honda, who taught Hawaiian at Kamehameha Schools and Hilo High. "This is an opportunity to provide services that are lacking for Hawaiian language teachers, services that were laeking when I was a teacher: curriculum, workshops, qualified assistance - just support." But is all that worth flying in from the Big Island? What gives? "It's always been a mission of mine to bring Hawaiian to life and help it flourish," Honda explains. "Part of that mission was fulfilled when I was a teacher, and this is just another phase."

The Hawaiian Language Resources Office ... established by the 'Ahahui 'Olelo Hawai'i to answer questions about spelling, pronunciation and usage of 'ōlelo Hawai'i and to provide information about classes and events within the Hawaiian language community. 850 Richards St., Suite 501 Phone: 528-5453 Fax: 533-0562

HL_s. a,t Honda