Synopsis: Over the last several years, we’ve seen a resurgence of interest in things Hawaiian. From culture, land stewardship, and activism to local businesses and ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i. The greatest among these, arguably, being interest in the integration and normalization of ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i. Numerous plays, books, pamphlets, presentations and songs have been written. Yet, is the use of the Hawaiian language enough to have them stand equally in knowledge, poetry and depth with the innumerable compositions of our kūpuna?
I loko o kēlā mau makahiki he ‘ekolu i hala iho nei, ua ‘upu a‘ela he ‘i‘ini a he make‘e pū ho‘i i ia mea he Hawai‘i. Eia kākou e hui ana ma nā hālāwai hō‘eu‘eu like ‘ole o ka lāhui, e ho‘okumu ana i nā ‘oihana kama‘āina hou e laule‘a ai ko kākou nohona ‘ōiwi, a pēlā wale aku. ‘Ike ‘ia ka hoihoi o kānaka ma nā kū‘ono like ‘ole o ko kākou ‘āina hiehie, ‘o Hawai‘i, a keu aku paha ka nui o nā mo‘olelo, ka‘ao, a me nā mele i haku ‘ia ma loko o ia au hou o kākou nei. Ma o ia mau mea i haku hou ‘ia, e ola ai nā iwi o kākou Hawai‘i. ‘A‘ohe lua e loa‘a ai ka nani o ia ho‘ōla hou ‘ia o ka make‘e aloha lāhui. Eia na‘e, ke hana, haku, ho‘olālā, a ho‘olaha ‘ia kēia mau mea he “Hawai‘i” i mua o ke ākea, he keu ho‘i ke ko‘iko‘i o ka haku pono ‘ana.
‘A‘ole ho‘i e lawa ka ho‘ohana ‘ana i nā hua‘ōlelo Hawai‘i ma loko o nā mea a kākou e haku nei. Inā ‘o nā hua‘ōlelo wale nō ke mālama ‘ia me ka maka‘ala ‘ole aku iā hope, i ke ‘ano o ka ‘ike, kona ho‘ohana ‘ia, ka loina, a me ke kahua o ua ‘ike nei i ho‘okumu mua ‘ia e nā kūpuna, e pau loa ana ka lāhui i ka make. ‘A‘ole nō lawa ka “mana‘o” wale nō. ‘O ka ‘ike ho‘i ka mea e kū pa‘a ai ke mele ke ho‘olaha ākea ‘ia. A na ia ‘ike e kūpale a kāko‘o ho‘i i ia mau mana‘o. No ia hana ‘o ka haku mele ‘ana, mai ka manawa mai i ‘upu a‘e ai ka ‘i‘ini a me ka mana‘o o ka haku mele, i ka ‘imi noi‘i a ho‘āhu ‘ana ho‘i i ka ‘ike e kāko‘o a kū‘ē ana paha i ia mana‘o ho‘oikaika, a hiki loa aku i ka ho‘opuka ākea ‘ia, he mālama ‘ia ka pono ma loko o ia hanana.
Kālele pinepine nā mele haole ma ke ea o ke mele. ‘Oi aku ka nani o ka leo ma muli paha o nā hua‘ōlelo. Ma loko na‘e o ke mele Hawai‘i, ‘o nā hua‘ōlelo nō ka ‘ai ali‘i. ‘O ke ea o ke mele, i mea ia e kāko‘o ai i nā hua‘ōlelo. Pēlā e ho‘oki‘eki‘e ai a ho‘opailua ai paha i ka leo o nā lira (hua‘ōlelo). ‘Ōlelo mai ‘o Joseph Kawainui ma ka Nupepa Kuokoa, ‘o ke kuleana o ka hīmeni ‘ana i ke mele, ‘o ia nō ka ho‘opuka pololei i ka ‘ōlelo o nā mele i “akaka lea ke ano o na mele e mele ia ana.” Ho‘omau akula ‘o ia, “E haawi i kela, a i keia hua, i kela a i keia leo i kona mana, kona nani, kona o ana. Mai hui, a huikau, a hoololi, a hooano e, hoohepa, a kapa hewa, a hoohaule hewa i kekahi hua, i kekahi leo, a maopopo ole ke ano i ka poe e lohe ana.” ‘O ke kuleana o ka leo o ke mele, ‘o ia ka ho‘omau a ho‘ohanohano ‘ana i ka mana i ho‘okomo ‘ia i loko o ia mele. Inā e ho‘ohepa ‘ia ka ‘ōlelo ma muli o ka leo, e hala nō paha ka mana‘o nui o ke mele.
No laila, aia ka pono o ka haku ‘ana i mele ma loko o ke kūkulu pono ‘ana i nā mana‘o ma luna o ka ‘ike o Kūpuna mā, ka mālama ‘ana i ka pilina a me nā loina o nā hua‘ōlelo, a me ka hīmeni ‘ana i ke mele me ka ho‘opuka pono i nā hua‘ōlelo. He mau ala like ‘ole ho‘i e hele aku ai ma ka haku mele ‘ana. ‘O ko‘u mana‘o ha‘aha‘a wale nō kēia. E hahai kākou i ke ala o ka na‘auao, ke ala i hele nui ‘ia e nā kūpuna, a e haku like ho‘i kākou!
E ho‘ouna ‘ia mai na ā leka iā māua, ‘o ia ho‘i ‘o Laiana Wong a me Kekeha Solis ma ka pahu leka uila ma lalo nei:
>> kwong@hawaii.edu
>> rsolis@hawaii.edu
a i ‘ole ia, ma ke kelepona:
>> 808-956-2627 (Laiana)
>> 808-956-2627 (Kekeha)
This column is coordinated by Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.
