A resolution celebrating February as Hawaiian Language Month, or Mahina Olelo Hawaii, was introduced by Hawaii’s congressional delegation.
The resolution, led by U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, and U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda and Rep. Ed Case, acknowledges the impacts that the near extinction of the language has had on the Native Hawaiian community, the grassroots efforts that revitalized it and the larger impacts of its revitalization.
“We have made significant progress in reviving this critical part of Native Hawaiian history and culture, but olelo Hawaii is still considered an endangered language today and our work is far from over,” said Hirono in a written statement. “I am proud to introduce this resolution designating February as Mahina Olelo Hawaii along with the rest of the Hawaii Congressional delegation as we work to further preserve and promote olelo Hawaii.”
The success of the Hawaiian language revitalization is due to the efforts of practitioners, instructors and advocates, and now serves as a successful model for other Indigenous language programs, said Tokuda in a written statement. She expressed the urgency that such efforts continue in order to perpetuate the language for future generations.
Case in a written statement also expressed his gratitude for those whose efforts have promoted the Hawaiian language. He specifically acknowledged Susie Canda, a web developer who creates 3D animated Hawaiian entertainment for children on YouTube, helping them to learn olelo Hawaii through song.
“Before it was a written language, everything was passed down through oral chanting,” Canda said. “All the chanting that everyone does is a retelling of history. That’s why it’s so important to keep it alive.”
Canda created Nanea TV in partnership with Kumu Eleena Helenihi after noticing a gap in online Hawaiian language resources specifically geared toward young children. Being that she and her family have Native Hawaiian backgrounds, she felt it was important that the youths in her family have resources to begin learning the language at a young age.
In response to the resolution’s announcement, Canda said she was happy to hear that members of the delegation were uplifting Native Hawaiian Language Month.
“It’s important that they highlight it and hopefully fund it,” Canda said. “There’s so many good programs that are out there. … I’m just a little part of it.”
The Hawaiian language revitalization inspired a number of policy reforms, including the designation of Native Hawaiian Language Month itself, as well as establishing the Native American Language Resource Center Act of 2022, according to the resolution.
Both Hirono and Tokuda expressed their pride in the resolution’s introduction. The effort serves to recommit the federal government to continue preserving and promoting the use of olelo Hawaii in schools, workplaces and everyday life, Tokuda said.
———
Linsey Dower covers ethnic and cultural affairs and is a corps member of Report for America, a national service organization that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues and communities.
