Hū ka Wā

Many languages celebrate complexity and word play, but ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi takes those things to another level completely. Kaona, multiple meanings, moʻolelo and ʻōlelo noʻeau references, and allusions to ʻāina and the natural world are par for the course, and sometimes those layers even appear in a single word.

All of that rich manaʻo and language play mean that ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi can be hugely challenging to learn and decipher, but it also means that you have multiple paths to excavating meaning.

It is never too late to connect to the Hawaiian language. It is the language of this ʻāina, and if you have aloha for this land, learning its language is a powerful way to express that aloha. There is no better time than now to learn, and there have never been more resources readily available. Whether you are just learning how to respond to “pehea ʻoe?” or kahe walewaha aku ka ʻōlelo ma ke alelo, there is something for everyone.

Dawn has broken, and the light is coming.

Eia nō, moku nō lā ka ʻelemoe.

A hiki maila hoʻi ka ʻeleao.

Hū ka wā o kā kākou ʻōlelo.

Me ke kūliʻu o kā kākou ʻōlelo,

e ʻike ai i ke ala e holomua ai.