University of Â鶹´«Ã½ at ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ alumnus Lee A. Tonouchi has been selected as the new Poet Laureate of Â鶹´«Ã½ by the Â鶹´«Ã½ State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, Â鶹´«Ã½ Council for the Humanities, and Â鶹´«Ã½ State Public Library System. Tonouchi will serve through February 2029.
Tonouchi is widely known as “Da Pidgin Guerrilla” for his passionate advocacy of Pidgin as a legitimate language for creative and academic expression. He earned his Bachelor¡¯s and Master¡¯s degrees in English at UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ and has taught classes at Kapiʻolani Community College.
“B-U. Das my vision. I stay looking forward to serving da community as Â鶹´«Ã½‘s Poet Laureate. For da past chree decades it’s been my mission to show Local people that dey should be proud of their Pidgin,” said Tonouchi.
The American Association for Applied Linguistics awarded Tonouchi the 2023 Distinguished Public Service Award for his work in raising public awareness of important language-related issues and promoting linguistic social justice.
“Through da technique of talk story, I believe everybody can find their poetic voice,” said Tonouchi, “I see my role as being able for empower people, for give ’em da tools dey need for be writers demselves so dey can represent their own communities and life experiences. Da goal is for have one greater diversity of voices as part of Â鶹´«Ã½¡¯s Local literature. No sked for B-U.”
The Â鶹´«Ã½ Poet Laureate program promotes appreciation of poetry and literary life in Â鶹´«Ã½ while inspiring new writers from all walks of life. The selected poet receives an annual grant from the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts to carry out readings and workshops across the islands.
Visit the for more about upcoming Â鶹´«Ã½ Poet Laureate programming and events.