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- - - -s . ~ - .n. <br /> . , ..fax. r... <br /> `A h a P n a L e o <br /> ...__...~,.a.,~.. ~ <br /> November 17,1997 <br /> RECEIVED <br /> Houorable Chairman Aaron Chung & Members _ <br /> nR'°------'------ BY--- <br /> Hawaii County Council Committee oo Finance pate _--.!'ll fr"~'1...._.___ <br /> 25 Aupunl Street ,y~t~nty Counclll,,P - FC <br /> Hllo,HI 96720 <br /> Dear Honorable Members of the Committee on Finance: <br /> Thank you for this opportunity to provide testimony on BID No. 162 which encourages the <br /> proper speWng of Hawaiian words in the Coauty o[ Hawaii. We appreciate this effort and <br /> would like to thank Councilman Tyler for introducing the Bill. <br /> `Aha P-unana Leo is a non profit organization which strives to re-generate and perpetoafe the <br /> Hawaiian language as a living language. Our mission Ls "E ols mau ka `bleb Hawaii" (1be <br /> <br /> Hawaiian language shall ilve.) Over the last decade, `Aha Pbnana Leo has worked with <br /> dedicated parents and other organizations, such as the Office of Hawailan affairs, to develop <br /> ten Hawaiian language pre-schools across the state. `Aha Punana Leo has also worked with <br /> the Department of Education to establish Hawaiian immersion programs throughout the state. <br /> We were recently recognized at the Native Indian Education Association as the leader in oalive <br /> language revitalization in the United States. <br /> Bill No. 162 points out that the Hawaiian language is an official language of the State of <br /> Hawaii. Numerous other references and examples could be made to demoasti'ate that <br /> Hawailan has been recognized as a legitimate and important language in Hawaii. We hope <br /> that this fact need not be further established. Any hesitation over the approval of this B~ will <br /> probably revolve around fears that spelling Hawailan words rnrrectly takes a great deal of <br /> time, effort and mouey. As au organization that conducts it's day to day operation entirely m <br /> the Hawaiian language, we would like to ensure you thaltspelling Hawaiian words correctly <br /> can be done and does not require an unreasonable amount of time or money. All it really <br /> takes is tbe rnmmitment to do so. <br /> It must be emphasized that using the appropriate markings in llawailan words is not a <br /> decorative fature or a "nicety:' When macrons and glottal stops are left out of Hawaiian <br /> words the meaning can change dramatkally. For example, the Hawaiian word li`a mesas the <br /> desire you have for your sweetheart. Lia without the glottal stop, on the other hand, means the <br /> egg of an uku. You would never leave the "r" out of shirt. Please don't leav the glottal stop <br /> a+0. SG 7. o ~ <br /> out of words like ti`a. <br /> ~>e iro. Mcc <br /> [tot, ,~troseafeti FG <br /> t~,~I8 1 <br /> Hale Ksko'o • 1744 Kino'ole. Hilo. Hawaii 96720-5245 • ke/epona (808) 959-4979 • ket<patl (dod)954i72i.~.~,~,r~ <br /> <br />