In honor of Mahina ʻ?lelo Â鶹´«Ã½ (Hawaiian Language Month), University of Â鶹´«Ã½ at Hilo¡¯s Native Hawaiian engagement director, Pelehonuamea Harman, highlights key Hawaiian language milestones in her latest ʻ?lelo Resource of the Month column, exploring Native Hawaiian protocols, traditions and Indigenous learning practices.
Aloha Mahina ʻ?lelo Â鶹´«Ã½! (Happy Hawaiian Language Month!)
Pepeluali (February) in Â鶹´«Ã½ has become synonymous with the Hawaiian language. You may have attended a festival or a concert this month where you heard people speaking in Hawaiian. The State of Â鶹´«Ã½ is one of three states that have o?cially recognized languages besides English. (The other two being South Dakota and Alaska.)
Here is a timeline of significant milestones in Hawaiian language in Â鶹´«Ã½, with key events related to the UH System.
1820: Introduction of Written Hawaiian
- Protestant missionaries introduced the Latin alphabet to Â鶹´«Ã½, creating the foundation for written Hawaiian. This marks the beginning of Hawaiian language preservation in a written form. Citation: .
1834: First Hawaiian-Language Newspaper Published
- The ?rst Hawaiian-language newspaper, , was published. It helped promote literacy in Hawaiian.
1896: Language Ban in Schools
- The Republic of Â鶹´«Ã½ passed Act 57, an as a medium of instruction in public schools. This marked the beginning of a signi?cant decline in the use of Hawaiian.Â鶹´«Ã½
1919: The Hawaiian Dictionary Published
- In 1919, Mary Kawena Pukui and Samuel Elbert published in the ?rst comprehensive dictionary of the Hawaiian language. It was republished several times with a revised and enlarged edition published in 1991.
- Mary Kawena Pukui and Samuel Elbert published Hawaiian Dictionary: Hawaiian-English English-Hawaiian (), the first comprehensive dictionary of the Hawaiian language. It was crucial in preserving the language in its written form.
1921: Hawaiian Language Courses at UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹
- UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ began offering Hawaiian language courses, signaling the start of formal efforts to teach Hawaiian at the university level.
1985: Establishment of Hawaiian Studies Department at UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹
- The was established at UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹, offering a Bachelor of Arts in Hawaiian.
1997: Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani at UH Hilo
- , the College of Hawaiian Language, was established at UH Hilo, making it the ?rst college in the world to offer higher education in an Indigenous language.
2006: Hawaiian Language Dissertation
- The was completed at the UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹, highlighting the language¡¯s academic capability.
2007: Doctoral Program in Hawaiian Language at UH Hilo
- UH Hilo began offering a , advancing the language¡¯s use in academia and scholarly research.
Harman joined UH Hilo¡¯s Office of the Chancellor in June 2024 as part of the growing Â鶹´«Ã½ Papa o Ke Ao team established throughout the 10-campus UH System to develop, implement and assess strategic actions to enhance the higher education needs of Native Hawaiians.
For more ʻ?lelo Â鶹´«Ã½ milestones, go to .