At the end of this month, we’re releasing Passport Hawaiian, a traveler’s introduction to the Hawaiian language. While the official languages of the state of Hawaiʻi are both English and Hawaiian, many visitors will report not hearing more than a sprinkling of Hawaiian phrases over a several-day trip to the islands. So, you might wonder, why should I go to the trouble of learning the language? We have 5 answers for you:
1) The Hawaiian language is a window into the Hawaiian culture.
Like any language, the Hawaiian language is closely linked to the culture of the people who have been speaking it for centuries. For example, when you learn how to address others in Hawaiian, you also learn about the welcoming, open nature of Hawaiian society. When you learn how to ask for and give directions in Hawaiian, you also can see how present the mountain and the ocean are in the minds of Hawaiians. Through a mixture of cultural information and language instruction, Passport Hawaiian is not only an essential tool for beginning to speak Hawaiian, it’s also an enriching experience for people interested in Hawaiian culture.
2) The Hawaiian language is one of the most compelling comeback stories of all time!
In learning Hawaiian, you are part of something bigger than just a language course. You’re part of a renaissance of an ancient language brought back from the brink of extinction by an ever-growing movement in Hawaiʻi and beyond. In Passport Hawaiian, you’ll learn more about how this language went from being spoken by less than 0.1% of the population in the early 80s to being a thriving language spoken by more than 27,000 people according to the 2000 census.
3) The Hawaiian language is a language lover’s dream. It’s unique in so many ways!
With its infamous small inventory of sounds (only 13 total: 5 vowels and 8 consonants), Hawaiian has very cool but mind-boggling to pronounce words like Hiʻiakaikapoliopele (an epic whose title means literally Hiʻiaka in the bosom of Pele). Even plain old phrases like kēia mau kaikamāhine (these girls) are quite a mouthful. Luckily, Passport Hawaiian comes with a pronunciation guide and native speaker audio for all Hawaiian words and phrases so that you can work on getting these and less complicated words to flow more naturally.
4) For visitors who are interested in Hawaiian music and dance, the language gives a fuller appreciation of any performance.
If you plan to attend a hula performance or a slack-key guitar show, you should know at least this simple phrase: “Hana hou!” (Encore! lit., Do it again!). In Passport Hawaiian, you’ll learn not only the most important vocabulary related to Hawaiian mele (music) and hula, but you’ll also learn grammar and vocabulary by analyzing the lyrics of a traditional chant and a contemporary song in Hawaiian.
5) Say “Mahalo,” make some friends.
It’s the golden rule of traveling: show interest and respect for the culture of the land you’re visiting and you’ll get the same in return. Learning a few polite phrases (e.g. Thank you is Mahalo with stress on the second syllable) will show right away that you are not just there to take up space on the beach, but to get to know the beauty of all parts of Hawaiʻi and its people.
Keep an eye out for Passport Hawaiian, our newest addition to the Passport series, coming at the end of August!