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In 2025, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi speakers and students in the UH community shared their favorite Hawaiian words. Mahalo to the students, faculty and staff members who shared words that inspired them, and we look forward to more words in the new year!
This year the UH Hilo Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani, College of Hawaiian Language chose kāhuli as the 2025 Huaʻōlelo (Word) of the Year. Kāhuli conveys the meaning “to change, to alter, to overturn.” In the Kumulipo, kāhuli describes the transformation that warmed the earth and unfolded the heavens, catalyzing the formation of the universe itself.
