Synopsis: State Rep. Faye Hanohano made some remarks that she has since apologized for. But were they racist or ethnic slurs?

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Welina e nā makamaka heluhelu o Kauakūkalahale. Ua ku’i aku ka lono a laha loa paha ma nā mokupuni a pau o Hawai’i nei no kahi mau ‘ōlelo kūamuamu a kekahi lunamaka’āinana i ho’opuka ai i ka Pō’akahi nei. ‘O Faye Hanohano ka inoa o ua lunamaka’āinana nei. A ke ‘ōlelo ‘ia nei nō ho’i ma ka nūpepa a me ka waha o kekahi mau kānaka, “He ho’okae ‘ili ia hana a ka Lunamaka’āinana Hanohano.”

Eia na’e ka’u nīnau e hāpai nei, he aha ia mau ‘ōlelo ho’okae ‘ili?

Penei kāna ‘ōlelo e like me ka mea i pa’i ‘ia i loko o ka nūpepa, “any work done by haoles, Japs, Pālangis, Pākēs …” He aha nā hua ‘ōlelo kūamuamu, a ho’okae ‘ili paha? ‘O nā hua ‘ōlelo lāhui paha kā ‘oukou e kuhi nei, e nā makamaka heluhelu. Pēlā nō paha, akā, ‘ekolu o ia mau hua ‘ōlelo lāhui, he hua ‘ōlelo Hawai’i a he hua ‘ōlelo Kāmoa paha. A ‘o haole a me Pākē, ‘a’ole ia he mau ‘ōlelo kūamuamu ma ka ‘ōlelo Hawai’i. A ke kuhi nei ko ‘oukou mea kākau, ‘o Pālangi, ‘a’ole nō ho’i ia he ‘ōlelo amuamu. He ho’okahi wale nō hua ‘ōlelo koe, ‘o ia ‘o “Japs,” a ‘a’ole nō ia he hua ‘ōlelo kūpono, he mea maopopo wale ia iā kākou. Akā, pehea, ‘o ke Kepanī wale nō kā Hanohano i kūamuamu ai? Ke kuhi nei ko ‘oukou mea kākau, ‘a’ole ‘o Hanohano i ho’opuka aku i ia hua ‘ōlelo me ka loko ‘ino a me ka mana’o hō’ino i ia lāhui, e helu papa wale ana nō ‘o ia i nā lāhui.

‘A’ole paha ‘o Hanohano i mahalo i ia mau hana no’eau e kau ana ma ka paia, akā, ‘a’ole ia he hana ho’okae ‘ili.

A ‘o kekahi pilikia, ua huki ‘ia mai kāna mau hua ‘ōlelo mai loko mai o kahi mo’olelo nui, ‘o ia ho’i, ka hana ‘ino ‘ia ‘ana o ka Hawai’i ma kona one hānau. Kipaku ‘ia ka Hawai’i mai kona ‘āina aku; ‘o ka hapa nui loa o nā pa’ahao o ka hale pa’ahao he Hawai’i, he kanaiwa paha pākeneka; hana ‘ino wale ‘ia aku nā iwi o nā kūpuna. A i kēia wā e mālama ‘ia nei kahi papahana e hō’ike ana i nā hana no’eau a nā kānaka like ‘ole, ‘a’ohe wahi ki’i a ke Kanaka Maoli i pena ai, i kaha ai, a i pa’i ai paha. Pehea lā i ho’opoina ‘ia ai ke keiki o ka ‘āina. Eia ko ‘oukou mea kākau ke ha’i aku nei iā ‘oukou, ua nui nā Kānaka Maoli hana no’eau. Āhea lā e pono ai?

‘A’ole i ho’opuka ka Lunamaka’āinana Faye Hanohano i ka ‘ōlelo kūamuamu lāhui a i ka ‘ōlelo ho’okae ‘ili paha. ‘A’ole paha ‘o ia i nāukiuki i ia mau lāhui. ‘O ia papahana a me nā luna o ia papahana hana no’eau, ‘o ia kona mea i nāukiuki ai. A no ia mau lāhui i luna, he helu papa wale nō kāna, ‘a’ole me ka loko ‘ino a me ka mana’o hō’ino i ia mau lāhui.

‘O ka hua ‘ōlelo no ke Kepanī, ‘a’ole i kūpono, akā, ‘a’ole ‘o ia i ho’opuka me ka mana’o ‘ino o loko iā lākou. A ‘o kekahi mea nui, ua mihi ihola ka Lunamaka’āinana Faye Hanohano i mua o ka lehulehu a no laila, e holo mua kākou. A e ho’omau i kāu hana maika’i e ka Lunamaka’āinana Hanohano.

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