I’ve been learning ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi through some apps, books, and videos bc my mom never taught any of her kids how to speak her native language and it’s kind of a joy being able to message her like this.
She hasn’t had anyone speak or write in Hawaiian to her since she was a kid, so when we were at dinner for the in-laws to meet and she asked me if I wanted something I responded with “ ʻAʻole, mahalo māmā.” her eyes almost bulged out of her head.
It's not surprising that ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi is an endangered language, thanks to it being banned for 3 generations (approximately 75 years)... Today, weʻre able to perpetuate the language of our homeland through speaking, reading, writing, composing, and creating content. And, the future is even brighter, with the number of native speakers gradually growing 💡 E mau ka ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi o ka ʻāina, ka ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi 💯
Thanks for starting the conversation about learning endangered languages. I recently started learning Hawaiian. I was so pleasantly surprised to see it offered on Duolingo along with other endangered languages like Navajo. I do not want to be disrespectful to the Native Hawaiians who were treated so terribly by colonizers. I think perhaps what we can/should be doing when learning endangered languages is to learn the history of the people who originally spoke it & advocate for them.
I also started learning Hawaiian on Drops (which side note is an excellent language learning app that is similar to Rosetta Stone, has a comprehensive + worthwhile free version, and is great for visual learners and those who thrive with flash cards), but your question is valid. A recent querent information on many Native Americans demanding privacy of their culture and language, of which we should all observe.
But most Hawaiians I have met (I lived in Hawaii for a bit working on a farm) have seemed by and large more open about their culture. They worked hard to amend the false perceptions (although it was not their responsibility to do so -- we should do the work and research in amending our own cultural bias and prejudice). They also wouldn’t classify themselves as Americans. They’re Hawaiians, a people of their own. There are Americans and migrants that have come to Hawaii, but those people are not Hawaiian.
I would like to open this topic up to Hawaiian folx. I am aware that Hawaiian was a dying language in the 1970s, but Hawaiian was made the official language of Hawaii in 1978. There were groups who pushed for language immersion within the school systems, especially focusing on younger kids to help re-integrate the language in more malleable brains (kids can learn multiple languages at equal speeds up until the age of 8).
UH also began offering Hawaiian at their university, and with Hawaiian now in many schools at varying levels, the language is seeing a comeback from the brink of extinction, but still, according to the Endangered Languages Project, Hawaiian only has ~300 native speakers worldwide, and is still classified as severely endangered. About 75% of the Hawaiian population say English is their dominant language, followed by Tagalog and Japanese.
So my question is... how do we advocate for these people and the Hawaiian language? Is it socially and culturally acceptable to learn this language? Would Hawaiians prefer that non-Hawaiians leave their language alone? Should we instead support organizations like ‘Aha Punana Leo, who push for Hawaiian in schools?
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