Why I ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i

Photo: Olivier Koning

I became fluent in ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i when I was 2, after my parents enrolled me in the Pūnana Leo program near my family’s home in Ko‘olauloa. It was part of our family’s bigger effort to revive the lost language; several of my mom’s younger sisters and cousins were enrolled in the Hawaiian Language Immersion Program at Hau‘ula Elementary in the late ’90s, and my grandma’s sister learned ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i at UH Mānoa.

After Pūnana, I was enrolled in the immersion program at Hau‘ula in papa mālaa‘o, or kindergarten, through sixth grade. Seventh grade is when I began attending ‘Iolani, where I continue my growth in Hawaiian language and ‘ike.

Although I’m no longer being instructed in ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i every hour of every school day, like in Hau‘ula, I’m still able to retain the language through interactions with my kumu and fellow students in my Hawaiian 5 Honors class, where 95% of the class is conducted in ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i. In immersion, we were not just taught the language but were taught to view the world through a Hawaiian perspective. Continuing to speak our mother tongue plays a crucial role in perpetuating and restoring the Hawaiian values etched into Hawai‘i’s now diverse and resilient soul.

Hawai‘i’s soul, in my eyes, is an unusual blend of resilience, love and kindness, centered around the aloha spirit.

‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i is a vessel for preserving the traditions, stories and cultural heritage of our Islands. By continuing to speak Hawaiian, I can honor the wisdom of my ancestors, their deep connection to the ‘āina and their appreciation for it. In this way, the Hawaiian language serves as a bridge that links us to our roots and promotes respect and love for our culture and heritage. It’s a means of preserving the culture of Hawai‘i, fostering the spirit of aloha and ensuring the values that make Hawai‘i special remain at the heart of our unique community.

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Hawai‘i’s soul, in my eyes, is an unusual blend of resilience, love and kindness, centered around the aloha spirit. As a crossroad between Asia and the Americas, Hawai‘i is a melting pot of so many different cultures and values, and because of that, it is different, special. The plantation era was marked by the tireless labor of immigrant communities from various parts of the world, and from these experiences, a spirit of perseverance and unity emerged. The challenges these communities faced, including learning to work together and to communicate despite different cultures, religions and languages, fostered the beginnings of a new Hawai‘i’s soul, expanding from the simple ‘āina-based values of kānaka maoli to incorporate the work ethic and traditions of Eastern, Western and other Pacific cultures.

Hawai‘i is a place where aloha extends beyond ethnic and cultural boundaries, and its rich and harmonious blend of traditions and values is integral. It’s a testament to our resilience through the struggles of American colonization and continued exploitation of Native peoples and the enduring hardships of the plantation era. It is proof of the idea that diversity can be a source of strength and that the fusion of different cultures can create a spirit that is unique, precious and binding.

Kaniela Spalding is a junior at ‘Iolani School.