Synopsis: The recent passing of renowned Hawaiian knowledge expert and native Hawaiian speaker Malia Craver foreshadows the imminent extinction of our native speakers. As such, it behooves us to declare as national treasures those few who remain.

E like nō me ka hō'ike a Larry Kimura ma kāna kolamu o Kauakūkalahale o ka lā 31 o 'Okakopa ihola, 'o ke “aloha 'ōlelo Hawai'i a me ke aloha no ka 'āina nei” kekahi mea nui loa iā Aunty Malia Craver i kona noho honua 'ana, a nānā nui 'ia nō 'o ia ma kona 'ano he kumu o ka 'ike no nā mea o Hawai'i 'ike manomano. Ua ola nō 'o ia i kekahi wā i nui ai ka po'e hoa wala'au Hawai'i ma ke 'ano 'o ia ka 'ōlelo mua o ko lākou mau 'ohana me ka hō'oki 'ole 'ia a hiki loa i kona moe hope 'ana i kekahi wā i pau ai ka po'e hoa wala'au kūkā ma ka 'ōlelo Makuahine o kona 'ano o ka 'ike a me ka mākaukau.

He hō'ailona nō ho'i ka ne'e palanehe 'ana o Aunty Malia no kēia au a me ka nalo loa 'ana o ka po'e i hānai 'ia ma ka 'ōlelo Hawai'i mai ka 'ōpū mai. He mea maopopo, 'o ke kaiāulu Ni'ihau wale nō ka po'e mālama i ka 'ōlelo Hawai'i mai kahiko loa mai a hiki i kēia wā e holo nei.

No ke kūlana kūpiliki'i 'ino o ka 'ōlelo Hawai'i kumu i kēia wā, he pono loa nō e kuahaua 'ia e ke aupuni he momi makamae loa ka po'e 'ōlelo Hawai'i kumu e koe maila me ka ho'ohiki pū e hana 'ia nā mea a pau e mālama ai i ko lākou 'ano o ka 'ōlelo Hawai'i, e like ho'i me ka ho'opa'a nui i ko lākou 'ano wala'au 'ana ma ka mīkini 'oki leo a me ka mīkini ho'olele ki'i. E paipai 'ia ke a'o 'ōlelo ma nā papa a'o 'ōlelo e like loa me ko lākou 'ano wala'au 'ana, 'a'ole ho'i e ho'olalau i ka 'ōlelo ma kahi 'ano i 'oko'a mai kā kēia po'e 'ōlelo Makuahine maoli.

Hō'ike 'o Reinecke i ka MH 1910 ua loa'a he 'eiwa kaukani a 'oi po'e 'ōlelo Hawai'i i 'ike 'ole i ka 'ōlelo Pelekānia. I kēia wā nei, 'a'ohe wahi po'e me kēlā koe no kekahi o ka po'e o'o o ke kaiāulu Ni'ihau i piha ke akamai i ka 'ōlelo Hawai'i a emi ka 'ike i ka 'ōlelo Pelekānia. Malia paha aia ma O'ahu a me Hawai'i ka nui loa o ka po'e 'ōlelo Hawai'i kumu ma waho o ke kaiāulu Ni'ihau, a he kaka'ikahi kēlā. Ho'okahi a 'elua a 'ekolu wale nō paha po'e 'ōlelo ma Maui a me Moloka'i.

'Ōlelo nui 'ia i kēia wā no ka ulu 'ana o ke kaiāulu 'ōlelo Hawai'i ma muli o ke a'o 'ia ma nā kula, a nui nō ka po'e i hele a akamai ma ka 'ōlelo pēlā, akā, ua kākau 'ia nō e Laiana Wong lāua 'o Keao NeSmith no ka 'oko'a o ka 'ōlelo a kēia po'e i a'o 'ia i ka 'ōlelo mai ka ‘ōlelo a ka po'e e like me Aunty Malia. Mohala maila he 'ano 'oko'a o ka 'ōlelo. He kōkua nō ia 'ano o ka 'ōlelo i ka ho'omau 'ana i ka 'ōlelo Hawai'i ma kekahi 'ano, akā, 'ike 'ia nō ho'i kona 'ano 'oko'a.

Eia ke mānewanewa nei kēia i ka hele loa 'ana o ka po'e 'ōlelo Hawai'i kumu me ka waiho mai iā kākou, nā pua e koe nei, i ka hāpapa hele me ko kākou ho'ā'o nui e ho'omau aku e like me ka mea hiki.

E ho'ouna 'ia mai nā leka iā māua, 'o ia ho'i 'o Laiana Wong a me Kekeha Solis ma ka pahu leka uila ma lalo nei:
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a i ‘ole ia, ma ke kelepona:
» 956-2627 (Laiana)
» 956-2624 (Kekeha)
This column is coordinated by the Hawaiian Language Department at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, supported by the Initiative for Achieving Native Hawaiian Academic Excellence.