Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 37, Number 2, 1 Pepeluali 2020 — E Ola Mau ka 'Olelo Hawai'i! [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

E Ola Mau ka 'Olelo Hawai'i!

LEO ELELE , TRUSTEE MESSSAGES )

As we enter February, celebrated in Hawai'i as Mahina 'Ōlelo Hawai'i, I am encouraged and excited to see our mother language alive and ' thriving! Native Hawaiianserving organizations such as OHA and Kamehameha Schools have long used 'ōlelo Hawai'i in business, programs, and even facility signage.The Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs switch between English

and 'ōlelo Hawai'i in proceedings and have even passed their resolutions in both languages. But now, we are seeing 'ōlelo Hawai'i find its way into audiences that are not predominantly Native Hawaiian. In recent legislative sessions, committees in the Hawai'i State Senate tile meeting agendas in both English and 'ōlelo Hawai'i. ATM users ean select 'ōlelo Hawai'i as an operating opūon on Bank of Hawai'i machines. iPhone owners ean set their calendar settings to 'ōlelo Hawai'i. Keiki and family alike were enthralled to be attend Pō 'Ōlelo Hawai'i, Hawaiian Language Night, at the carnival - also known as Kāniwala. Ride and game operators gave instructions in 'ōlelo Hawai'i. Signage in 'ōlelo Hawai'i only gave breakdowns for ride and concession costs. Families and students have also had the opportunity to enjoy Disney's animated Moana, ma ka 'ōlelo Hawai'i. Not a voice "dub over", but a reanimation of the movie complete with translated dialogue and songs. Celebrating these milestones are bittersweet as we have these accomplishments without the earthly presence of our kūpuna who fought to perpetuate 'ōlelo Hawai'i; mānaleo who worked to record our language and mo'olelo and perpetuate it for future generations. But we honor them and mahalo them through language revitalization. One who I especially recognize as having done a lot of this work is Mary Kawena Pukui. Born in 1895 on Hawai'i Island, she was raised by

her Hawaiian grandmother in the tradition of hānai, learning at home 'ōlelo Hawai'i and traditions and customs of Hawai'i. She began her work in translating at a young age. Eventually, she joined the staff of Bishop Museum in Honolulu as a translator. She is the coauthor of more than 50 books. Many of her works are staples for students, professionals, practitioners, and even families at home. These titles include the Hawaiian-

English Dictionary, The Polynesian Family System in Ka 'ū, Hawai 'i, and Nānāi ke Kwnu, Look to the Source. Another book, her eompilaūon of 'Ōlelo No'eau, is a staple of many family libraries, and had been out-of-print and hard to find until a 2018 reprint by Bishop Museum Press. This eolleeūon of nearly 3,000 proverbs and poetical sayings is a result of Tūtū Pukui's work she started in 1910 at the age of 15. From these collections, one wellknown 'Ōlelo No'eau: I ka 'ōlelo no ke ola, i ka 'ōlelo no ka make. Life is in speech; death is in speech, Word ean heal; words ean destroy. These words of our elders, immortalized thanks to Tūtū Pukui's efforts, are an important reminder as we recognize Mahina 'Ōlelo Hawai'i. Our words, our language, is so important to our future. I participated in an 'ōlelo Hawai'i workshop in Kapolei. I was so impressed with the turnout. The demand was so high that it was moved outdoors to accommodate the demand. Our people are becoming more and more interested in the opportunity to perpetuate our language and traditions. Our kūpuna have fought to preserve our language for us and it is up to us to eonūnue upon their legacies. Our educators eonūnue this work in the classrooms, and our 'ohana eonūnue these efforts at home. E ola mau ka 'ōlelo Hawai'i!B

Chair, TrustEE Mūlūka'i and Lāna'i

Colette Y. Machado