Synopsis: Hawaiian songs and Hawaiian language should be taught in public schools from kindergarten until 12th grade.

Aloha mai e nā makamaka e heluhelu maila iā Kauakūkalahale. Mahalo nui ‘ia ka heluhelu ‘ana mai o ‘oukou i ke kino lahilahi o kēia nūpepa.

I ka heluhelu ‘ana i kekahi mo’olelo a Mika D. Keaweamahi o ka makahiki 1876 no kona huaka’i māka’ika’i ‘ana iā Kaua’i, kaumaha ihola ka na’au o ko ‘oukou mea kākau nei, no ka mea, ua nui nō nā lālani mele āna i puana a’e ai, ‘a’ole na’e i ho’omaopopo iki ko ‘oukou mea kākau i kekahi. I ia manawa, ho’omana’o ihola i ka Papa Mele Wahi Pana a ‘Anakala Kimo Alama Keaulana o ka makahiki 2003. Ha’i maila ‘o ia nei, i ka wā e kamali’i ana ‘o Aunty Muriel Lupenui, ‘o ke Kula ‘o Moanalua kāna kula e hele ana. A ‘o ke mele o ia kula, ‘o ia ‘o Moanalua Gardens, ke mele ho’i e ho’ohenoheno ana iā Moanalua, “Kilakila ‘o Moanalua, kīhāpai pua ‘ala, ke ‘ala hu’ihu’i ho’ohihi a ka malihini…” A hīmeni ‘ia ua mele nani nei e nā keiki o ia kula i kēlā lā kēia lā ma mua o ka ho’omaka ‘ana o ke kula. Auē ka nani ē. E ho’oheno ana nā keiki i ko lākou ‘āina, ka ‘āina ho’i e kū ana ko lakou kula. He Aloha ‘Āina ‘i’o nō.

A no laila nō i ulu ai ka mana’o i loko o ko ‘oukou mea kākau, e a’o ‘ia nā pua o Hawai’i nei i nā mele Hawai’i mai ka papa mālaa’o mai a i ka papa ‘umikumamālua, i mea e mau ai nā mele nani o ke au i hala. He nui nō nā ‘ike o ia mau mele. A e pōmaika’i nō ho’i nā keiki o kēia hope aku, e like me Aunty Muriel Lupenui mā.

‘Eā, aloha nō ko ‘oukou mea kākau, i kona wā e hele aku ana i ke kula ha’aha’a, ‘o nā mele lapuwale wale nō kai a’o ‘ia mai, e like ho’i me “My Country Tis Of Thee,” “The Star-Spangled Banner,” ka Ho’ohiki Kūpa’a ‘Amelika. He keu ia a ka ho’olaha mana’o ‘Amelika. E aho ke a’o ‘ia ‘ana aku o nā mele Hawai’i ma nā kula aupuni o Hawai’i nei. Ma Hawai’i wale nō e a’o ‘ia ai ia mau mele, ‘a’ole ma nā ‘āina ‘ē.

A ‘o kekahi mana’o i komo i loko o ko ‘oukou mea kākau, ‘a’ole wale nō ‘o nā mele Hawai’i ke a’o ‘ia mai ka papa mālaa’o mai a i ka papa ‘umikumamālua, akā, ‘o ka ‘ōlelo Hawai’i nō ho’i, i laha pū ia ‘ōlelo, i puapua’i ho’i ka ‘ōlelo a nā kūpuna mai ka waha mai o nā kānaka a pau o Hawai’i nei mai ke nui a ka li’ili’i. ‘Eā, ma Palani, ‘o ka ‘ōlelo Palani ka ‘ōlelo o ko laila po’e kānaka. A ma Kina, ‘o ka ‘ōlelo Pākē ka ‘ōlelo. A pēlā nō ma ka nui o nā ‘āina (a inā ‘a’ole pēlā, he pono ke loli).

‘O ke a’o ‘ia ‘ana o ka ‘ōlelo Hawai’i ma nā papa a pau o ke kula aupuni, ‘o ia paha ka mea e pau ai ka hie o ka ‘ōlelo haole, a e mau ai ho’i ka ‘ōlelo a nā kūpuna a me nā mele a lākou. ‘O ia ihola ka mana’o i lohe ‘oukou. Ke ho’i aku nei ke keiki o Mānana Uka, ua ahiahi.

[‘O ka mo’olelo o kēlā pule aku nei, e hō’ike ana ia, inā mākaukau loa kekahi moho Hawai’i no kekahi kūlana hana, e koho ‘ia ‘o ia. Eia nō ke māhuahua a’ela nā kānaka Hawai’i mākaukau a i ke alo nō kā ho’i, a ‘o ka hala ihola kā ia. A ‘o Elijahhawaii3 kekahi mea maika’i ke lilo i kumu kula ma Hawai’i nei. LH]

E ho’ouna ‘ia mai nā 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:

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