Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 15, Number 6, 1 June 1998 — LANGUAGE PROBLEMS [ARTICLE]

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LANGUAGE PROBLEMS

An important step in the preservation of Hawaiian culture is to retum the language to its original form. I have been studying the Hawaiian language for the past five years and have eome to the realization that the language in its current form is not the true Hawaiian language. Our language comes from two places. Nuku Hiva first and Tahiti second. How is it then that the language in its current form is so different? We all know the missionaries changed the language by eliminating the letters b, d, r, t, v and probably the letter f whieh is used in both Nuku Hiva a (MarSee LETTERS on page 3

From page 2 quesa) and Tahiti. As a representative of the tanaka maori you should do your part. Let's start spelling Hawai'i theway it should be spelt and pronounced: Havai'i. Also,the Hawaiian people should name their kids with real Hawaiian names with the letters b, d, f, r, t, v. Mafatu Wagner Lahaina

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