What Role Does Hawaiian Language Play in Our State? | INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAIʻI

The Hawaiian Renaissance brought about a resurgence in Hawaiian language more than three decades ago. Despite the strides gained in bringing awareness to the indigenous language, English remains the primary language for business, government and education.
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INSIGHTS 1424
Original Airdate: 2/13/14
#hawaii #pbs #language

[@omahawarrior1]

Oklahoma has followed Hawai'i's lead and now has Cherokee as one of it's official languages.

[@shin-ishikiri-no]

Itʻs a completely different situation in Oklahoma. The Cherokee never had an internationally recognized nation. Sadly.

[@GamelanSinarSurya]

Osda! 😊👍🏻

[@rocklobster70]

Good. “Internationally recognized state” is a settler imposed concept. But are the Cherokee native to Oklahoma? They were forcibly moved there from Appalachia - the trail of tears, right? The Cherokee Diaspora made it all the way to Hawai’i (and further)....including one of my great grandmothers (allegedly).

[@hokuliuakana2397]

ʻAe kākoʻo! Pono kākou e hoʻomau a paepae ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi! This is Hawaiʻi. We can go to Japan to learn Japanese, we can go to China to learn Chinese, we can go to ANY other native place to learn, love, & perpetuate their native language! But, when people spends thousands of dollars to come and visit our beloved Hawaiʻi nei, to see and experience Hawai'i, the language & culture is an integral role in that experience. Hawaiian people, our language, our culture must be valued in the same regard.

[@Uilani1960]

It's funny how people in Europe often speak 2 or 3 languages and they don't feel threatened by that fact.

[@nromk]

look up la catalanofobia; the Spanish are just as afraid as we are be being bilingual. If that's not enough proof look at what's happening in Germany with it's Islamophobic marches.

[@roseanneeichenbaum137]

Americans are so limited by only speaking English. Why should the rest of the world be made to speak English when our schools are dropping foreign language requirements, further handicapping our child when at that age it is so much easier to learn a new language.

[@pjdacayanan21]

...when they switch to `Olelo Hawai`i. Simply beautiful

[@vp3970]

To the person who remarked via internet that Hawaiian street names, signs and bus directions was pushy: now we realize how our kupuna- Kauakahi felt when their language was taken and English pushed on them.

[@roseanneeichenbaum137]

When people like this travel, do they refuse to learn the basics, Please, Thank you, How much does this cost & where is...of that countries language. This is where the term " Ugly American" comes in

[@michaelkiese7794]

Hawaiian language is very fun to learn. Lots of double entendre and hidden meaning. Hawaiian song lyrics really come to life.

[@68halima]

It's in no way a disadvantage to be able to "language switch"- on the contrary, it's an advantage in so many ways. Algerians, for example, can switch easily and effortlessly between Maghrebi Arabic, French and sometimes Berber- or English! as well. I wish more kids could be encouraged in this way.

[@heavenlycall]

Agree! Local Hawaiʻi kids do the same between Pidgin and English.

[@CalvinLau_the_plasmanaut]

In general, most places in the world use multiple languages. As the speakers said, it's really only in the US where people wring their hands and worry that having additional languages for communication is a bad thing..

[@heavenlycall]

A rich and informed conversation. It was also great to observe the speakers supporting one another. Great synergy. Too bad the host could not embrace Puakea's entreaty to allow a few minutes to converse ma ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi wale nō (29:30). Why not allow a few minutes to showcase the language for which the show is about?!? Normalization begins when Hawaiian becomes a part of mainstream media and public spaces.

[@GreeneyedApe]

Yeah, the host missed the point, but she is also trained into that by the nature of her job. I wish the guests had pushed back, and reiterated that by interrupting it, the host was affirming English as default.

[@jeftcom1690]

funny Americans feel threatened as Hawaiian growing using their native Hawaiian language. In our country Indonesia our people using more than 200 languages. when we meet other tribal language users we surely using Indonesia Language. but when we noticed people using tribal language same as us, we will talk in the tribal language. no problem with that. even further, the tribal languages are studied in elementary to high school.

[@rocklobster70]

Indonesia is a Javanese takeover of the Dutch East Indies...as far as the indigenous people of Western Papua (Irian Jaya) are concerned, Indonesians are colonial settlers.

[@jeftcom1690]

@@rocklobster70 yeah that feeling among Papua people has been growing in recent years but tha fact is that the Papua has joined Indonesia by an independent referendum (eventhough some of them think it was not). and the problem has been worsened by the allegedly foreign intervention that might related to interest in Papua natural resources. but Indonesia people in general have no problem with many difference in cultur or language.

[@Rolando_Cueva]

Most Jakartans can't speak Javanese though.

[@jeftcom1690]

@@Rolando_Cueva because Jakarta is a multicultural city, anyone who lives in Jakarta has their own mother language. More or less 700 ethnic languages in Indonesia exit amongnpeople of Jakarta.

[@coconutinfo]

Despite Hawaiian language’s fantastic resurgence, it is still a delicate flower that needs to be watered and attended to every day. To quote filmmaker Werner Herzog: "It is a sign of a deeply disturbed civilization where tree-huggers and whale-huggers in their weirdness are acceptable, while no one embraces the last speakers of a language." Thank goodness for treasures like Puakea Nogelmier.

[@KahalealiiTedIshikawa]

Mahalo aku au i na kumu a pau no kou hana nui!

[@roseanneeichenbaum137]

My German grandmother would not teach her children German due to the horrors of WWII - she wanted to be American. She learned to speak English @ the age of 15, when she arrived by ship. My mother & I took years of German because it is part of our heritage. Now I take hula lessons & am trying to absorb as much Hawaiian as I can b4 I can take classes

[@PatriciaKalili]

Well, I am mahalo to this panel and the leader/interviewer. Yes, in the context of how the word was explained. Learned much. Mahalo again!!

[@user-rh8fl8qz2z]

Local...70 years old - i have NEVER met a single person ever, that spoke fluent Hawaii, nor any situation where it was required in school, the workplace, higher education, or happy hour! I come from an immigrant family that had to learn ENGLISH - the MOST PRACTICAL language in the WORLD, and we are GLAD we did. IT has served US well, beyond our wildest dreams!

[@michaelkiese7794]

What a great episode! It was so refreshing seeing people nonchalantly speak Hawaiian with each other so fluently! These panelists have a good head on their shoulders, and they're doing it right. Reclaim the language, and you'll reclaim the culture. When you experience Hawaiians like the ones on this panel, all you want to do is help.

[@PoiDog2266]

Lord have mercy...that Pat from Kailua? I will refrain from saying anything, but offering him/her and his/her belongings, a free ride to the airport 😇

[@redskytitan]

The best way to promote the Hawaiian language is to mandate its teaching in all public schools in the State. Make it a graduation requirement to speak, read, write essays, etc. for all kids, local, mixed race and haoles alike. In 20 years it will be fully normalized and you’ll see a real resurgence. Decorative use is just window dressing, it will have no effect.

[@dkauanoe]

Awesome discussion!

[@user-gc1ee5sv1y]

I'm so angry that the missionaries would wack my grandma on the legs in school when she spoke Hawaiian in school. They had to speak English. But at home both her parents spoke fluent Hawaiian. Due to that fact all of our family lost our in speaking our mother language. It's a real lost for all of us. Aileen

[@telly5373]

It’s 2021, how we doing?

[@KahalealiiTedIshikawa]

Mahalo e na kumu a pau no kou hana nui!

[@halilunes7007]

I have just begun to learn 'Olelo Hawai'i. And mahalo is one of the first words I learnt 😂

[@user-rh8fl8qz2z]

Born and raised...70 years...never knew the language....never had to...im doing fine.

[@Tx.808]

I'm sorry what da heck is this show about..language of its nation is Hawaiian language is first always.. Second language English..

[@SunnyIlha]

That is actually true, correct and most often completely resigned to amnesia!

[@papaniuolahiki6288]

Kākoʻo!

[@roseanneeichenbaum137]

I was born in Hawaii & was given a Hawaiian name as a toddler. It is my job to be the person I was named to be

[@coolprof1951]

Chicken skin to the Max when they buss out with Olelo Hawai`i .... 😮

[@jahmaoli808]

kela manawa i ka oukou olelo ana, ua loa'a kekahi ninau no ke kumu ina loa'a po'e Hawai'i ke maopopo, mana'o au? 'Ae. Mau ana no i na kanu kalo!

[@truhawaii5957]

Oahu kanaka! Lucky for kalehua

[@itsmecommenting4283]

Love her name❤Snowbird😊

[@trueintuition1961]

Does Hawaii offer Hawaiian radio daily?

[@SunnyIlha]

Wow, excellent! Awesome.

[@PoiDog2266]

Why would anyone think that speaking Hawaiian would hold any student back? I believe that is a very narrow-minded, and dare I say, ignorant question. Being multilingual, should be a goal all parents have for their children.

[@roseanneeichenbaum137]

Definitely! If one's parents aren't interested in speaking a 2nd language, find a way to learn

[@KahalealiiTedIshikawa]

He lālā au no kuʻu kumu.

[@kakineactionyourmom2263]

One problem with this video, our kupuna are not answering the question, they are just leading it into to more interesting topics that are close to relevance of the question witch really makes it hard to take notes on a 1 hour video of that.

[@lauraboehm6717]

heyyyy BRAH !!!! dohhhhhhh LOL

[@shin-ishikiri-no]

ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi + 日本語 + English

[@Rolando_Cueva]

Nope, no Japanese in Hawai'i

[@shin-ishikiri-no]

@@Rolando_Cueva Yes there is Japanese in Hawaii. It's all over. Do you live here? Most people who say otherwise only socialize with Western people or Native Hawaiians/Filipinos.

[@user-rh8fl8qz2z]

That TATTOO looks like a target for TAZERS! Lol!

[@jahjah525]

The Hawaiian kingdom is NOT A STATE. Let us start there......

[@GreeneyedApe]

That's only as true as it is for every other state. The colonization just started later.

[@oyate22]

The 😊😊😊

[@jacindakalakaua1206]

Kalehua krug

[@shin-ishikiri-no]

Hawaiʻi is not a US state.

[@michaelkiese7794]

It literally is.

[@shin-ishikiri-no]

@@michaelkiese7794 That's the legal equivalent of me telling you that you're "literally" my gay husband after I drafted my own documents to prove it without your consent. Madness.

[@shin-ishikiri-no]

@@michaelkiese7794 The difference is international laws prohibiting such "overthrows" existed during that time, which means the USA is just not facing penalties for its crimes in the international arena. Yet the USA is keen on enforcing others to play along with international laws. What a joke.

[@GreeneyedApe]

In that case you must say there are no US states. How are any other states more legitimate?

[@rosario508]

Snowbird Bento? More like snowHIPPO!

[@omahawarrior1]

Ross Cicero haha funny stfu

[@janetclark8754]

Ross Cicero how rude and disrespectful.

[@HulaHawaiianDance]

Ross Cicero, He aha kau pilikia? paa kou waha, he apana kūkae oe

[@alohahawaiinuiloa1641]

Hokuokalani Ae. A'ole pono kēia kanaka. Mālama

[@shaelyrose5972]

AUĒ! Aʻole hōʻihi. ʻO kēia kanaka mahaʻoi. Noho haʻahaʻa, aloha!