Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 32, Number 4, 1 April 2015 — Merrie Monarch to broadcast in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Merrie Monarch to broadcast in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi

By Francine Kananionapua Murray This year's Merrie Monareh Festival eompetitions will onee again be available on KFVE-TV broadeasts in the Hawaiian language through a seeond audio ehannel on many televisions. The Hawaiian language broadeast is being sponsored by the Offiee of Hawaiian Affairs and \ the Hawai'i Tourism Authority. "Merrie Monareh is a big factor as far as x reviving mele and chants, and inspiring x people to speak the language," said X, Roland Yamamoto, executive pro-

ducer of the Merrie Monarch broadcasts in 'ōlelo Hawai'i. "More people speak 'ōlelo Hawai'i, and it seemed funny to me that we weren't doing something with it as far as the Merrie Monarch 2oes." So the obvious

I next step was to broadcast in Hawaiian. In 2013 the audio in 'ōlelo Hawai'i was recorded solely for the DVD. People who purchased the DVD could choose English or Hawaiian audio. It was so well received that in 2014 they broadcast live on KFVE-TV with host Hiapo Perreira, asso-

ciate professor of Hawaiian Language and Literature University of Hawai'i-Hilo narrating. Viewers watch the same broadcast but change the language with the SAP (Secondary Audio Program) or MTS (Multi Track Sound) buttons on many television remotes. On eahle remotes, language is changed in the menu. This year, Perreira will again host accompanied by his co-host and wife Hanakahi Perreira, Hawaiian language teacher at Kamehameha Schools. The pre-show is not broadcast in Hawaiian, but the live competitions will be. ■

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