Synopsis: Only two candidates are left for the University of Hawai’i’s president position. Why only two? And why isn’t any indigenous person a candidate?

Welina mai kākou, e nā makamaka heluhelu. ‘Akahi nō a kūkala ‘ia nā moho e alualu ana i ke kūlana pelekikena o ke Kulanui o Hawai’i. A ‘o ka mea ‘āpiki, he ‘elua wale nō moho. He ‘elua wale nō moho e koho ai no ke kūlana ki’eki’e loa o ke Kulanui o Hawai’i? No ke kūlana pelekikena o ‘Amelika Hui Pū ‘Ia, he koho wae moho ke mālama ‘ia ma mua o ka lā koho pāloka. A ma kekahi mau moku’āina, ‘a’ole wale nō he ‘elua moho. He mau moho nō, he ‘ekolu a ‘oi paha. ‘O ka ‘oia’i’o, ‘o ka hapa nui loa nō o nā pāloka, he lilo nō i ka moho Kemokalaka a me ka moho Lepupalika, akā, he mau moho nō ko kekahi mau moku’āina, a ua wae mua ‘ia ka moho Kemokalaka a me ka moho Lepupalika. Ua hala na’e ka Pu’ulena. A no laila, he ‘elua wale nō moho i koe no ke kūlana pelekikena.

Ke nānā aku i ia mau moho ‘elua, e nīnau ‘ia mai auane’i paha, “Na wai lā i koho?”

‘O kekahi moho, ‘o ia nō ‘o David Lassner. ‘O ia ka pelekikena kūikawā. Nāna nō i lawelawe aku i ka hana e pono ai ke Kulanui i ka ha’alele ‘ana mai o M.R.C. Greenwood i ke kūlana pelekikena. A no laila, kohu mea lā, he hiki nō iā ia ke ho’okō i ka hana, ‘oiai, aia nō ‘o ia ke ho’okele akula i ke kulanui i kēia manawa.

‘O ka lua o ka moho, ‘o ia ‘o Lukanela Kenelala Francis Wiercinski, i ho’omaha loa mai ia ‘oihana mai. He luna ‘o ia no ka Pū’alikoa ma mua. Ma ka Pū’alikoa kāna hana, ‘a’ole ‘o ia i lele loa aku i loko o ka ‘oihana ho’ona’auao. He mea maopopo, he nui ka ho’ona’auao ‘ana ma nā ‘ano ‘oihana a pau, akā, inā pēlā, no ke aha i koe ‘ole ai ka inoa o kekahi mau Kānaka Maoli i mau moho no kēia kūlana pelekikena?

Pehea, he na’aupō wale nō ke Kanaka Maoli o Hawai’i? A pēlā pū paha ke Kanaka Maoli o ‘Amelika a me kekahi ‘āina ‘ē aku paha? E hiki ‘ole ai ke ho’okō aku i ka ho’okele pono ‘ana aku i ke kulanui a holomua ma kēia mua aku?

A ‘o kahi mea e kau ai ka weli, ‘a’ole nō ho’okō ka Pū’alikoa i kona kuleana. ‘O Kaho’olawe, ‘a’ole nō i lawe ‘ia nā pōkā a me nā mea pahū a pau i kahi ‘ē. A ‘a’ole paha lākou e ho’okō ana. Pūhili ka no’ono’o i ke koho ‘ia ‘ana o kahi luna pū’alikoa i moho no ke kūlana pelekikena o ke Kulanui o Hawai’i.

‘O ka Ho’okūkū Hula ‘O Ka Mō’ī Ho’oulu Lāhui

Synopsis: Congratulations and thanks to the kumu hula and hālau that participated in the Merrie Monarch Festival.

He ‘ōlelo mahalo kēia i nā kumu hula a pau i komo aku i loko o ia ho’okūkū a me kā lākou mau haumāna no ka ho’omau ‘ana i kahi hana mai kahiko mai. A ho’omaika’i iā ‘oukou, e nā hālau i ‘āha’i i ka lanakila. ‘O ka ‘oi o nā hālau wahine, ‘o ia ‘o Ka Lā ‘Ōnohi Mai O Ha’eha’e. ‘O Tracie lāua ‘o Keawe Lopes nā kumu hula. A ‘o ka ‘oi o nā hālau kāne, ‘o ia ‘o Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka Lā. ‘O Kaleo Trinidad ke kumu hula. A ‘o ia nō ho’i ka ‘oi loa o ia mau ahiahi ‘elua.

This column is coordinated by Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa.