Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 26, Number 10, 1 October 2009 — Support the languages act [ARTICLE]

Support the languages act

Quebec considered secessionism while an expanding English-lan-guage economy threatened their existence. What preserved union with Canada 40 years ago was their adoption of an Official Languages Act, ensuring system-wide protection of French in puhlie services. We have yet to establish education in Hawaiian as a right. Language rights are grounded in the essential role that language plays in human nature, development and dignity. Through language, we are able to form concepts, to structure and order the world around us. Language bridges the gap between isolation and community, allowing humans to delineate the rights and duties they hold in respect of one another, and thus to live in society. Although the State Constitution was amended in 1978 to declare Hawaiian as having "official" status, unlike English, its status is eonditioned to protect the hegemonic relationship that exists between English and Hawaiian. Should we be surprised that our children who, finding insufficient support for their revitalization efforts in existing Hawaiian institutions, resort to secessionist schemes? Current revitalization programs facilitate teaching professions, however a Hawai'i OLA will also secure additional appropriate professional and govemment jobs for speakers of 'ōlelo Hawai'i. Although the Assoeiahon of Hawaiian Civic Clubs has not yet endorsed the Hawai'i OLA, civic clubs may koho pono this November, supporting a new generation of 2,000-plus language revitalization leaders. For information on Hawai'i OLA, visit scribd.com/doc/19522779/ Hawaii-Official-Languages-Act-Appeal. Imua! Miehael F. Malulani K. Odegaard (Maertens 'ohana) Honolulu