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<br /> SENT 3Y:Xerox Teiecopier 7021 ;12- 2-57 4~23PM 6065941665 9693291,# 2 <br /> PHONE (BOB) 594-1688 - FAX (808) 594.1885 <br /> ~ <br /> 9 <br /> CO <br /> STATE OR HAWAII n <br /> OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS ~n ~ _ <br /> 711 KAPI'OL4NI BOULEVARD, SUITE 500 ~ ~ n <br /> HONOLULU, HAWArt 98813 ~ 7 <br /> O <br /> ~ i <br /> - J <br /> TESTIMONX SUPPORTING THE PASSAGE OF ~ -a' - <br /> BII.L 162, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 2 ~ w <br /> OF THE HAWAII COUNTY CODE 1983 (1995 EDITION) <br /> TO ENCOURAGE THE PROPER USE AND SPELLING <br /> OF HAWAIIAN WORDS AND TERMS <br /> December.3, 1997 <br /> Aloha mai kakou, Chairman Arakaki and members of the Hawaii County Council. I am Jamie <br /> Moans Kawauchi, Hawaii Island Community Affairs Coordinator for the Office of Hawaiian <br /> Affairs (OHA) and I speak in support of BILL 162, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER <br /> Z OF THE HAWAI `I COUNTY CODE 7983 (1985 EDITION TO ENCOURAGE THE <br /> PROPER USE AND SPELLING OF HAWAIIAN WORDS AND TERMS <br /> Section 4, Article XIV ofthe Constitution of the State ofHawai' mandates that "English and <br /> Hawaiian shad! be the official languages of Hawaii, except that Hawaiian shall be required <br /> for <br /> public acts and transactions only as provided bylaw." OHA believes, further, that it is in the <br /> best interest of the State and each of its Counties, to perpetuate, cultivate and convey the <br /> indigenous language ofHawai`i. <br /> Perpetuation of the Hawaiian language is the preservation of Hawaiian culture. Pre-contact <br /> Hawaiians did not have a written language. All significant Hawaiian history, accounting of <br /> significant events and recording of all genealogy was communicated verbally and passed down <br /> orally from generation to generation. ARer 1778, as the Hawaiian language evolved from an <br /> verbal to a written language, the proper usage of the diacritical marks, the kahako (macron) <br /> and the `okina (glottal stops)--- is a crucial aspect of the written language, necessary to preserve <br /> the verbal integrity of the language. <br /> "I ka olelo ke ola. I ka odelo ka make." "In the word (the language) dhere is life. In the word <br /> (she language) there is death." <br /> E naue pololei kakou. Let's move ahead in the right direction. <br /> Mahalo a nui ]os for the opportunity to share our mana`o with you. I will be happy to answer any <br /> questions you have, <br /> ]/I1. Ifs. tic c ~-1 D t <br /> <br />