University of Hawai'i
Committee for the Preservation and Study of
Hawaiian Language, Art and Culture
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Hamilton Library 327
2550 The Mall
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel. 808.956.7357
Fax. 808.956.6345
email: iwasa@hawaii.edu
Henry Iwasa, Executive Secretary
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE COMMITTEE:
WHAT IT DOES
The Committee was established 35 years ago by the last Territorial legislature, just months before the advent of statehood, because it was felt that Hawaiian language and culture might be adversely affected by this change of political status. On June 9, 1959, the Committee was formally appointed by the President of the University of Hawai'i.
During its early years, it was housed at the Bishop Museum, where it helped fund many projects associated with the Museum, including Tutu Pukui's "'Olelo No'eau". It funded, also, non-Museum projects, as the English-Hawaiian section of the Pukui-Elbert Hawaiian/English Dictionary, perhaps the foremost lexicon of Hawaiian available today. It championed the development of an advanced Hawaiian language and literature curriculum at Manoa, so that a degree program could be established. It also fought successfully for the establishment of the Hawaiian Studies degree program.
WHAT HAS IT ACCOMPLISHED
Throughout its history, it has funded over 200 projects--all considered essential to the preservation and promotion of Hawaiian language and culture. Recently, for example, it funded for reference purposes the re-publication in limited edition of two early grammars, the first, published in 1818 in New England, which has been attributed to Henry Opukahaia, and the second, to Mary Whitney, a missionary's wife on Kaua'i, in 1825. In an attempt to bring l9th Hawaiian scholars out of obscurity, it helped fund the printing of a biography of S.N. Hale'ole, a Lahainaluna historian, who was predecessor to Samuel Kamakau.
"Seed money" for research is another funding objective. And the subjects are varied but vital to the resurgence of the Hawaiian presence in Hawai'i. Two recent topics were: Hawaiian as a contact language (a study of the extent to which Hawaiian was used as a primary language amongst late l9th century immigrants to Hawai'i) and the poetics of the hula ku'i (a study of the development of a poetic form that was used by Hawaiians during the reign of Kalakaua and Lili'uokalani, as well as during the periods of Provisional Government and the Republic, to express cultural and political sentiment in affirming the native Hawaiians' right to rule their own country). Included is a list of projects funded during 1992-1996.
WHO IT IS
The Committee's past and present membership is said to read almost like a Who's Who in Hawaiian Culture. Past members have included Isabella Abbott, U.S. Senator Dan Akaka, Marguerite Ashford, Dr. Kekuni Blaisdell, John Charlot, Anes Conrad, Samuel Elbert, Kenneth Emory, Ben Finney, 'Ioli'i Hawkins, Flora Ka'ai Hayes, Homer Hayes, Dorothy Hazama, Dorothy Kahananui, Rubelite Kawena Johnson, Adreinne Kaeppler, Ekela Kaniaupi'o William Kea, Rowena Keaka, Gard Kealoha, Monsignor Charles Kekuamano, Bruss Keppeler, Pauline King, John Lake, Naomi Losch, Noelani Mahoe, Esther McClellan, Donald Mitchell, Kiki Mo'okini, Nathan Napoka, Puakea Nogelmeier, Lynette Paglinawan, Richard Paglinawan, Abe Pi'ianaia, Napua Stevens Poire, Sarah Quick, Susan Shaner, Kalena Silva, Lokomaika'i Snakenberg and Ka'u pena Wong.
Other notable members have been former University of Hawai'i President Thomas Hamilton, former Executive Director of the University of Hawai'i Press Thomas Nickerson, former head of Hawai'i Visitors Bureau John Simpson, and former Bank of Hawai'i Economist James Shoemaker
Present members include Beatrice Krauss, Edith McKinzie, Malia Craver, Nalani Olds, Nahoa Lucas, and Barbara Smith, the last of whom is designated a Life Member, because she has served on the Committee since its inception!
Comments to: Henry Iwasa, Executive Secretary