Synopsis: Ali’i knew their words were heeded. Therefore, they usually made statements with the idea of a better life for their people.

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Aloha mai e nā makamaka heluhelu. He mea maopopo wale, he mea nui nō ke Ali’i a me ka Mō’ī nō ho’i i ke au i hala. Penei ka ‘ōlelo a Moses Nakuina ma ka mo’olelo o Kalapana, “O ke ano iho la keia o ka noho ana o ka wa kahiko, no ke kanaka ka ike lilo aku la no ke alii, aia ka pono o ke kaulana ae o kau alii.” He Aloha Ali’i ‘oia’i’o nō ia. A he mea nō ho’i ia i maopopo i nā ali’i, a no laila paha ka ‘ōlelo a kekahi mau Mō’ī, ‘o ka po’e kānaka e hahai ana i ka mākia o kona aupuni, ‘o kona kanaka ia. Ke kuhi nei ko ‘oukou mea kākau, he ‘ōlelo ikaika loa ia i ke au i hala ma muli o ia mea i kapa ‘ia he Aloha Ali’i. A penei ka mākia a ka Mō’ī Kamehameha III, “He aupuni palapala ko’u. ‘O ke kanaka pono, ‘o ko’u kanaka ia.” A ua kō nō ia ‘ōlelo i nā kānaka o kona aupuni. A penei ka ‘ōlelo a ka Mō’ī Kalākaua, “Ke manao nei au, ina o ka hooulu lahui ka’u hana, alaila e hoolilo au o ka makia ia e paa ai ko kakou aupuni, a pomaikai kakou, a e mau ai ko kakou noho kuokoa ana. Nolaila o ka makia o ko’u aupuni, o “ke kanaka a wahine e malama pono a e hoohua nui mai ana i na keiki o ko’u kanaka ia.” A ‘o ia nō ho’i kekahi mākia i ho’okō ‘ia e ka Lāhui Hawai’i.

A ke nānā aku kākou i ke au iā Kamehameha IV, penei ka ‘ōlelo a ua Mō’ī aloha lā i ka makahiki 1862, “Ua hoopuka aku no au mamua ia oukou i ko’u manao, he mea nui ka hoololi ana o na kula Hawaii a pau i mau kula olelo Beretania, a ke waiho hou ia’ku nei ia manao imua o oukou…” Ma muli kāna ‘ōlelo o ke au o ka manawa. A ua kō nō ia ‘ōlelo ma nā makahiki ma hope mai, e like me ka hō’ike ‘ana mai a Nālani Balutski ma kāna pepa laeo’o. [He mau kānaka nō i kāko’o i ke kula ‘ōlelo Hawai’i i ia wā.]

‘Eā, ‘a’ole ‘o ‘Iolani (Kamehameha IV) i ‘ōlelo, ‘a’ole hiki ke ‘ōlelo Hawai’i ma nā kula. ‘A’ole nō ho’i ‘o ia i ‘ōlelo, e ho’opa’i ‘ia aku nā keiki e ‘ōlelo Hawai’i ma ke kula. ‘A’ole loa. Akā, i ka hiki ‘ana mai o nā makahiki ma hope mai paha o ka makahiki 1900, a ma mua iki aku paha o laila kekahi, ho’opa’i ‘ia iho nō kekahi po’e keiki no ka ‘ōlelo Hawai’i ‘ana ma ke kula. ‘O kekahi, ‘o ia nō ‘o Mary Kalehua Kaleikoa, i hānau ‘ia mai ma Moanalua i ka makahiki 1897, ha’i maila ‘o ia, “Ko’u hele ‘ana i ke kula, inā ‘oe e lohe ‘ia, ‘ōlelo Hawai’i ana ‘oe, a, ho’opa’i ‘ia ‘oe. Noho ‘oe a pau ke kula, kākau ‘oe ‘elima haneli laina i luna o ka papa ‘ele’ele, Mai ‘ōlelo Hawai’i ‘oe.”

A eia mai ka mo’olelo o Rose Manu, i hānau ‘ia ma Pepe’ekeo i ka makahiki 1902, ha’i maila ‘o ia, “’Ōlelo mai ke kumu ia’u e kākau i ko’u inoa, ‘a’ole hiki ia’u. Mamake au e hele ho’opau pilikia, ‘a’ole hiki ia’u ke namu. No laila, ua ‘u’umi a ho’i i ta hale, a pulu loa ka lole.”

‘O ka mea minamina, he nui hou aku nā kūpuna i hana ‘ino ‘ia ma muli o ka ‘ōlelo ‘ana i ka ‘ōlelo Hawai’i ma ke kula. Ke kuhi nei ko ‘oukou mea kākau, ‘o ia paha kekahi kumu i a’o ‘ole ai ia mau kūpuna i kā lākou po’e keiki i ka ‘ōlelo Hawai’i.

‘Eā, inā i maopopo i ka Mō’ī ilihia, Kamehameha IV, pēlā ana ka hana ‘ino a ka po’e kumu kula, inā paha, ua loli kona mana’o, a i ‘ole ia, ua wehewehe paha ‘o ia, ‘a’ole e ho’opa’i ‘ia nā haumāna no ka ‘ōlelo ‘ana i kā lākou ‘ōlelo makuahine ma ke kula.

‘O ia ihola i lohe ‘oukou. Ke ho’i aku nei ko Mānoa keiki, ua ahiahi. Ke aloha.

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E ho’ouna ‘ia mai na ā 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:

>> 956-2627 (Laiana)
>> 956-2627 (Kekeha)

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