This article by Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language Assistant Professor Pililuaikekaiohilo Keala was first published in Ka Wai Ola on February 2.
I kēlā me kēia mahina ʻo Pepeluali, ka mahina ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, mālama ʻia nā hanana e hoʻokuluma ai i ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi ma o ka hoʻolauleʻa a hoʻonaʻauao ʻana i ke kaiāulu.
He wā paʻahana maoli nō kēia no nā kula kaiapuni, nā papahana hoʻonaʻauao ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, a me kekahi wahine kūpaʻa mau i ka hoʻoulu ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi ʻana, ʻo Ekela Kaniaupio-Crozier.
Mai nā ʻaha Lā Kūkahekahe, i nā ʻaha mele Hoʻomau, i ka papahana kīwī ʻo Kulāiwi, ā i nā hanana Ola Ka ʻĪ o kēia mau lā, aia nō ʻo ʻAnakē Ekela e ʻauamo ana i ke kuleana nui o ka hoʻōla ʻana i ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi a me ka hōʻike ʻana i ke aloha i loko o ia ʻōlelo hiwahiwa nei.
He wahi leo mahalo a hoʻohanohano kēia iā ʻoe, e ʻAnakē Ekela, no ka nui o nā makahiki o kou aʻo, paipai, a hoʻoulu ʻana i ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi.
ʻO ka pahuhopu o Ola Ka ʻĪ ka hoʻokuluma ʻana i ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi ma o nā pāʻani, nā mele, nā hanana aʻo ʻōlelo, a me nā hoʻokūkū haʻiʻōlelo no nā haumāna kula haʻahaʻa a i ke kula kiʻekiʻe.
He aloha ʻōlelo e ʻī mai ana
Every February, Hawaiian language month, there are a multitude of events put on to normalize the use of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi through celebration and education across communities.
This is indeed a busy time for many Hawaiian immersion schools, organizations that provide Hawaiian language education, and one woman who has remained steadfast in her purpose to strengthen and grow ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, Ekela Kaniaupio-Crozier.
From the Lā Kūkahekahe events, to the Hoʻomau concerts, to the TV program Kulāiwi, to the Ola ka ʻĪ events of today, Aunty Ekela is there, continuing efforts to revitalize the use of the Hawaiian language while showing the aloha that is present in our esteemed language.
This is but a humble voice of gratitude and honor for you, Aunty Ekela, for all of the years of dedication to the education, encouragement, and the overall increase of Hawaiian language.
Ola Ka ʻĪ aims to normalize the use of Hawaiian language through games, songs, educational activities, and speech competitions for students from elementary through high school.
