Hawaii Island – Breakfast –
Hawaii Island – Climate –
Hawaii Island – Living Things –
Hawaii Island – Dolphins –
Hawaii Island – People –
I wrote the above blogs in series about my travel to Hawaii Island, today is the last one. It is about “Language”.
I often hear “Aloha!” and “Mahalo” at my hotel, restaurant or shops and the announcement on the plane of Hawaii Airlines. Here are worlds that I have known before I visit to Hawaii; Hawaii, Oahu, Waikiki, Aloha, Mahalo, Mana, Ohana, Kauai, Hula, Lei, Loco, Mahi-mahi, Ukulele. I only thought about they sound pretty, so I learned about it by this trip.
– The vowels are five: a, e, i, o, u
– The consonants are seven: h, k, l, m, n, p, w
– Symbol indicating stuttering called ʻokina : ” ‘ ”
– Symbol emphasize sound and pronounce it slightly longer called kahakō: ” ¯ ”
*The meaning becomes different if it’s with ʻokina or kahakō
ono → fish name
‘ono → yummy
kau → put
kāu → your
I wondered what is ʻokina in my blog.
English: State of Hawaii
Hawaii: Mokuʻāina o Hawaiʻi
For Japanese people, it is easy to pronounce because the way of pronounce is almost same as Japanese, but perhaps it is difficult to pronounce Hawaiian for English speakers.
How do you pronounce them? *It is very hard to explain about pronunciation with writing and my English skill!
– ao
– hilo
– poke
Anyways, I’m going to write about 3 wonderful things to Hawaiian language.
First, it used to be the language of only sound before American missionary came to the islands (The first printings in Hawaiian was the Bible). It means they didn’t have characters before, the language was passed down by word of mouth. They communicated by expressing with sounds what they saw or what they felt as things were.
The second, there are tons of words relate to nature in Hawaiian because the people live with nature closely. It is said that there are 130 words to express rain, and 160 words to express wind. The name of the rain is different depending on the place and how it feels in each place. There are tons of words to express rain in Japanese as well but maybe Hawaiian has more?
The third, the pronunciation. They sound very calm and makes me happy. I think it is close to song more than language. It is not to explain than things come up from heart. And they have many repeated words, it sounds pretty. ‘Ula’Ula (red), Ke’oke’o (white), melemele (yellow), OliOli (joy), hāhā (feel). By the way, Kamehameha I pronounces “Ka mehameha” not “Kame hame ha” (Japanese people use this way often”. Ka means like the.
Hawaiian language is organic and very beautiful, let’s exercise to have simulated experience!
Please pronounce some pictures I put below, as you feel. Please make sounds something comes up in your heart like the ancient Hawaiian people did.
1. (this color)
2. (this natural phenomenon)
3. (this animal)
4. (this creatures in the ocean)
5. (this fruit)
How were they? Hawaiian pronunciations are the followings.
1. kura: gold
2. ānuenue: rainbow
3. pōpoki: cat
4. naia: dolphin
5. pea: avocado
They are totally different from English (and also Japanese).
By the way, Hawaiian is the only language in the US that is recognized as an official language besides English. Although the existence of that language was being compromised since the number of people who speak decreased for a while at a time, but the Hawaiian language restoration campaign occurred about 30 years ago, and it is said that learners are increasing now.
Today’s blog is the last one for the Hawaii Island travel series, it was fun to learn about Hawaiian culture.
I would like to visit the island again and there are many things that I want to leann about Hawaii more. Also I’m interested in other Hawaiian islands.
Hawaii attracts me deeply. I introduce the book I referred a lot.
This book is a kind of bible for Hawaiian lovers in Japan. It is a thick but a lot of knowledges.
The main image I designed today is part of lyrics of the famous song “Aloha `Oe” which was made by the last Hawaiian Queen Lili’uokalani. Translation in English is following (from Wikipedia)
Sweet memories come back to me
Bringing fresh remembrances
Of the past
Dearest one, yes, you are mine own
From you, true love shall never depart
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