In This Section

E ola ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi!

"The Hawaiian language shall live!"

Department-Wide Guidance Underscores Commitment to Further Integrating Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Practices Into Conservation Stewardship


Secretary and young person pointing at plant in grassy area.

Release: Interior Announces Guidance for the Department and its Bureaus and Offices to Honor and Elevate Hawaiian Language

Guidance: Departmental Manual Chapter - 513 DM 3: Use of Hawaiian Language, ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi

Consultation: Development of ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Use Guidance through Consultation

Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi - Hawaiian Language Month (every February)

Hawaiian is an official language of the State of Hawaiʻi - Article XV, Section 4 of the Hawaiʻi Constitution.

February is designated as ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Month under the Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes (HRS) - HRS § 8-24.

A dashboard of Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi events may be found at https://www.mahinaolelohawaii.org/.

Highlights from Interior Bureaus and Offices

Hawaiian Forest Birds Report by the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations Elevates Indigenous Knowledge and Includes Abstract in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi

Haleakalā National Park Preserves Native Hawaiian Language through Hawaiian Immersion Educational Materials

Resources

Online Dictionaries - Nā Puke Wehewehe ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi
Includes Hawaiian Dictionary by Mary Kawena Pukui and Samuel H. Elbert.

U.S. Board on Geographic Names - Domestic Names in Geographic Names Information System
"The U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) Domestic Names Committee (DNC) is at the hub of a national network of State and academic names authorities." The Hawaiʻi Board on Geographic Names is responsible for designating the official names and spellings of geographic features in Hawaiʻi and submits them to the BGN.

Directory of ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Translators - Ka Papa Kuhikuhi Poʻe Unuhi
"[A]n online directory of professional Hawaiian language translators created to help meet the growing demand from the government and private sectors to have websites, technical documents, signage, and public notices, etc. translated into Hawaiian."
 

Tools and Tips

Hawaiian keyboards with the ʻokina (ʻ) and vowels with the kahakō (Āā, Ēē, Īī, Ōō, Ūū) are available on various operating systems such as Windows, macOS, iOS, Chrome OS.

Hakalama Chart to practice pronunciation