UH Hilo’s He ʻōlelo Ola to host Indigenous language experts

Reading time: 2 minutesPūnana Leo students learn from their kumu (teacher).

The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo will once again host He ʻŌlelo Ola, a conference that unites Indigenous language specialists from around the world to witness efforts in revitalizing ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) through education. After being held online during the COVID-19 pandemic, the biennial conference returns in person March 10–11, providing a unique opportunity to observe Hawaiian as a medium of instruction from preschool to the PhD level.

This year’s theme, “No ʻAneʻi Ko Kākou Ola” (Our Identity Is From This Place—Connecting Back to the Homeland), highlights the link between ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi revitalization and similar efforts among Native American and Indigenous communities globally.

A student greets visitors during a hoʻokipa (welcome ceremony) at Ke Kula ʻo Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu..

“It is exciting to join so many others in discussing the future of Indigenous and endangered languages around the world,” said William H. “Pila” Wilson, a Hawaiian studies professor and linguist at UH Hilo’s Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language.“By working together, we can create a brighter future for all.”

The conference is held following UH Mānoa’s International Conference on Language Documentation & Conservation Linguistics held March 6–9.

ʻŌlelo lives

Participants from around the globe visit classrooms to learn about Hawaiian language immersion education.

Known as the “Hilo Field Study,” participants will explore UH Hilo’s Hawaiian language college, home to the nation’s only BA to PhD ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi medium program. The tour will also include a visit to Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu, the largest Indigenous language medium school in the U.S., where students receive a full preschool-through-12th-grade education entirely in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. Additionally, attendees will visit the UH Hilo ʻImiloa Astronomy Center, which blends Indigenous knowledge and modern science.

Preserving Indigenous languages

Panel discussions will focus on supporting Hawaiian-speaking communities and connecting with the Native Hawaiian diaspora. Discussions will also highlight how UH Hilo prepares students to navigate life in communities where Indigenous languages remain minority languages in their own lands, similar to ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. According to UH Hilo linguists, Hawaiian-speaking communities in Hilo share many similarities with diaspora communities in large cities, where families often have mixed racial and linguistic identities in an increasingly globalized world.

Indigenous language revitalization

In 2023, UH Hilo received a $6.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to establish a National Native American Language Resource Center. The award is the first of its kind to lead, advocate for and implement training and resource development for Indigenous language education pathways in the U.S.

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