Hirono, Hawaii Congressional Delegation Leads Resolution Celebrating Mahina Olelo Hawaii

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Brian Schatz (D-HI), and U.S. Representatives Jill Tokuda (D-HI) and Ed Case (D-HI), introduced a resolution celebrating Mahina Olelo Hawaii, also known as Hawaiian Language Month.

“Indigenous languages are critical to the perpetuation of any culture,” said Senator Hirono. “However, decades of policies banning the teaching of olelo Hawaii, including an outright ban of the Hawaiian language in 1896, led to its near-extinction. I was proud to vote to reinstate olelo Hawaii to Hawaii public schools when I was in the State Legislature. We have made significant progress in reviving this critical part of Native Hawaiian history and culture, but olelo Hawaii is still considered an endangered language today and our work is far from over. I am proud to introduce this resolution designating February as Mahina Olelo Hawaii along with the rest of the Hawai‘i Congressional delegation as we work to further preserve and promote olelo Hawaii.”

The full text of the resolution is available here.

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