Ke Keiki Ali’i Li’ili’i – in Hawaiian.
Hawaiian is an Austronesian language that belongs to the Polynesian subgroup. It’s the indigenous language of the Hawaiian Islands, located in the central Pacific Ocean. Hawaiian has a rich cultural and historical significance as the language of the native Hawaiian people and is closely tied to the traditions, history, and identity of the islands.
Hawaiian is a member of the Polynesian language family, which is a subgroup of the larger Austronesian language family. Polynesian languages are known for their linguistic and cultural connections across the Pacific islands.
Hawaiian is written using the Latin script. Vowels are pronounced consistently, and there are a limited number of consonant sounds. The modern Hawaiian alphabet consists of 13 letters: A, E, I, O, U, H, K, L, M, N, P, W, and ‘okina (ʻ), a glottal stop marker that indicates a brief pause in speech. Hawaiian has a melodic quality, with emphasis on certain syllables known as “macrons” (kahakō) that indicate vowel length.
Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the State of Hawaii in the USA. King Kamehameha III established the first Hawaiian-language constitution in 1839 and 1840. In the late 20th century, there was a resurgence of interest in Hawaiian culture and language known as the “Hawaiian Renaissance.” This movement played a significant role in revitalizing traditional practices, including the use of the Hawaiian language.
