Synopsis: Despite the apparent economic hard times that we currently face, the prime interest rate is supposed to remain low for the next two years. Furthermore, it’s still difficult to get a table at some local restaurants. Recession, what recession?

Aloha kākou e ka po’e heluhelu nūpepa a mau hoa alo like nō ho’i o ka ‘īnea. Eia kākou ke ho’omanawanui nei i ka wā wī o ka nohona a me ka ho’omakauli’i a ka ‘ai pakiko. ‘O ka ‘ai ‘ana i ka liha a me ka ‘uku ka mea e ola ai ka wā pōloli – wahi a ka lohe. Pēlā anei ke ‘ano o kou noho ‘ana? Ke ho’omakauli’i nei ‘oe?

Inā ua nānā ‘oe i ka nūhou i loko o kēlā mau pule i hala iho nei, ua lohe nō i ka wānana ‘ana a kekahi po’e “lae’ula” pō’aiawaiwai no ka hō’ea mai o kahi wā kūpiliki’i i o kākou nei. E ho’omaka ana ka ‘eha ma ka ho’ēmi ‘ia ‘ana o ke kūlana ki’eki’e o ‘Amelika ma ka hō’ai’ē kālā. He hana ho’opa’i kēlā no ka nohona kū’ono’ono hewa o ka po’e ‘Amelika me ka ho’olilo wale i ke kālā. A ua kō nō ho’i ia wānana ‘ana a ua ho’ēmi ‘ia nō mai ke kūlana ki’eki’e loa he AAA a hapa mai i ka AA+. A he aha ho’i ka hopena o ia emi ‘ana o ke kūlana hō’ai’ē? Kainō a e pi’i ana ka pākeneka o ka hō’ai’ē kālā, eia kā, ua iho maila! Eia hou, ke ho’ohiki nei ‘o Ben Bernanke, ka Luna Ho’omalu o ka Waihona Kālā Pekelala, ‘a’ole e pi’i ka pākeneka no ‘elua makahiki. Pehea lā?

Nui nō ka po’e “lae’ula” ma ka ‘ike pō’aiawaiwai a nui ho’i nā mana’o like ‘ole. ‘O au na’e, he kanaka wale nō. He hele i ka hale kū’ai a he uku ho’i i nā pila. ‘O ka mea i maopopo ia’u, ‘o ia wale nō ka’u e ‘ike maka ai. I loko o kēlā mau pule ‘elua i hala aku nei, ua hiki mai ko’u kaikaina lāua me kāna wahine mai ‘Amelika mai no ka ho’omaha ‘ana i ka mahana ma mua o ka ho’i aku i ka hana a me ke anu. Ke kipa mai lāua, he mea ma’a mau ka hele ‘ana i ka hale ‘aina e pā’ina pū ai. Ua maopopo, ‘a’ole ia he hana ho’omakauli’i, eia na’e, he mea kūikawā wale nō ia ‘oiai ‘o ia ihola nā pule ‘elua o ka makahiki a’u e ‘ike maka ai iā lāua.

Aia i laila ka mea ‘āpiki. He nui nā ‘ano hale ‘aina like ‘ole a mākou e hele ai, a ‘o ka hapanui, ua piha a e puka ana ka laina i waho o ke ala pīpā. Kohu mea ua lē’ī Kohala i ka nu’a nā kānaka. I kekahi manawa, ‘o ka nui o ka pōloli, ‘a’ole o mākou ho’omanawanui i laila a ‘o ka huli ho’i aku nō ia ma kahi ‘ē. ‘O kekahi mea ‘āpiki, he mau lā noa ia, ‘a’ole ia ‘o ka hopena pule. Eia kahi mau hale ‘aina a mākou i hele ai a i ho’ā’o ai paha e hele, ‘o Ray’s ma Kalihi, ‘o Helena’s ma Kapālama, ‘o Bob’s ma Kapālama, ‘o Bangkok Chef ma Mānoa, ‘o Teddy’s ma Kailua, ‘o Sumo Ramen ma Kalihi, ‘o Rainbow Drive-Inn a Kapahulu, a ‘o Romy’s (he mahi ‘ōpae ma Kahuku).

‘O ka nui o nā kānaka e hele ana i nā hale ‘aina e pa’ina ai, me he mea lā, ‘a’ole kēia he wā wī a he wā ho’i e mālama ai i ke kālā. Mali’a he mau hale ‘aina maika’i wale nō kēia a ka lehulehu e hele ai pehea ka wā wī a me ka wā kū’ono’ono paha. No’u iho, he wā wī wale nō paha kēia ma ka lehelehe.

E ho’ouna ‘ia mai n? leka i? m?ua, ‘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:
» 956-2627 (Laiana)
» 956-2627 (Kekeha)

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