Synopsis: Everybody’s finances are dwindling, but prices are going up, with the possibility that University of Hawai’i tuition is going to increase again.

Aloha mai kākou e nā makamaka heluhelu mai ka pi’ina a ka lā i Ha’eha’e a kona welo loa ‘ana aku i ka mole ‘olu o Lehua.

‘O ia ‘ōlelo e kau a’ela ma luna, he ‘ōlelo no’eau ia mai nā kūpuna mai, a he ‘oia’i’o nō ho’i, ‘oiai, ‘a’ole nō i nui loa ke koena ‘opihi i kēia mau lā e like me ka wā ma mua. Akā, he kaona nō ho’i ko ia ‘ōlelo. ‘O ka ‘opihi, ‘o ke kālā nō ia. A no laila, ‘o kahi mana’o o ia ‘ōlelo no’eau, ua ‘u’uku loa maila ke kālā o ka pākeke a o ka waihona kālā paha.

A ua kūpihipihi loa paha kahi koena ‘opihi a ka nui o kākou e noho nei ma Hawai’i nei. A i ke kā’alo ‘ana aku nei i kahi kū’ai ‘aila ma ke alanui ‘o Mō’ī, ‘ike ‘ia aku nei ke kumu kū’ai o ka ‘aila, pohā ka lae. He $4.01 o ke kālani. Kainō, e emi hou ana a ka ‘ekolu kālā, eia kā, ke pi’i hou a’ela. A pēlā nō nā mea like ‘ole o nā hale kū’ai, ke pi’i li’ili’i a’ela ke kumu kū’ai. ‘O ka mea ‘āpiki, ua ‘oki ‘ia ka uku makahiki o nā limahana o ke aupuni. Pēlā nā kumu kula aupuni, ‘oki hou ‘ia ko lākou uku. (Ke lana nei ka mana’o, e lanakila nā kumu ma ka ho’opi’i ‘ana aku nei i ke aupuni.)

I loko nō o ia pi’i ‘ana o ke kumu kū’ai a me ke kūpihipihi loa ‘ana mai o kahi koena ‘opihi a nā kānaka, eia nō ka Papa o nā Kahu Kula o ke Kulanui o Hawai’i ke mana’o nei e ho’opi’i aku i ka uku kula. A ‘o ka nui o ia pi’i ‘ana no ke kama’āina ma ke kahua kulanui o Mānoa, he $528 i ka makahiki kula 2012. I hāpai ‘ia a’e ia pi’i ‘ana no ke kū like ‘ana o ke Kulanui o Hawai’i i ka pilikia, ua emi loa ka ‘opihi. Ma nā makahiki ‘elua i ka’ahope aku nei, ua ‘oki ‘ia he $86 miliona a ‘oi o ka mo’ohelu kālā o ia kulanui o kākou. Wahi a ka pelekikena o ke Kulanui o Hawai’i, M.R.C. Greenwood, ua makepono nō ia pi’i ‘ana, a ‘o ia ke emi loa i hiki. He ‘oia’i’o paha ia, akā, he hiki i nā ‘ohana ke uku aku? ‘O ia ka nīnau nui a ‘o ka mea ho’i e hopohopo nei ko ‘oukou mea kākau. ‘O ka mea ma’a mau ma mua, i ka wā i pi’i ai ka uku kula, ‘o ke emi ihola nō ia o nā haumāna. ‘O au paha kekahi e mana’o he makepono ka pi’i ‘ana he $528, inā ‘o ko’u uku makahiki, he $400,000, a he manuahi ko’u wahi e noho ana. ‘A’ole na’e pēlā. ‘O ke kūnānā wale aku nō paha ka hopena o kēia mea kākau nei, inā he haumāna e mana’o ana e ho’omau i ka ho’ona’auao ‘ana.

‘O ka mea maika’i, ‘a’ole e ho’opi’i wale ‘ia aku ka uku kula. E mālama mua ‘ia ana he 11 mau hālāwai a puni kēia pae’āina mai ka lā 16 o Kepakemapa a i ka lā 21 o ‘Okakopa, no ka hō’ike ‘ana o ka lehulehu i ke kūpono a me ke kūpono ‘ole paha o ka ho’opi’i uku kula. A no laila, inā he mana’o kou, e naue aku i kekahi o ia mau hālāwai a hō’ike aku i ia Papa Kahu Kula. A ‘o kekahi mea nui paha, e alu like kākou a pau ma ka ‘imi ‘ana i wahi e pono ai ke aupuni a pēlā pū me kākou a pau loa.

Me ke aloha iā ‘oukou e nā makamaka heluhelu. Ke ho’i aku nei ko Mānoa keiki, ua ahiahi.

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.