HISB94H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Adelbert Von Chamisso, Queen Kapiolani, Lorrin Andrews
tural spoken languages, the Hawaiian language was originally just an oral language. The native
people of the Hawaiian language relayed religion, traditions, history, and views of their world through
stories that were handed down from generation to generation. One form of storytelling most
commonly associated with the Hawaiian islands is hula. Nathaniel B. Emerson notes that "It kept the
communal imagination in living touch with the nation's legendary past".[32]
The islanders' connection with their stories is argued to be one reason why Captain James Cook
received a pleasant welcome. Marshall Sahlins has observed that Hawaiian folktales began bearing
similar content to those of the Western world in the eighteenth century.[33] He argues this was caused
by the timing of Captain Cook's arrival, which was coincidentally when the indigenous Hawaiians
were celebrating the Makahiki festival. The islanders' story foretold of the god Lono's return at the
time of the Makahiki festival.[34]
Written Hawaiian[edit]
In 1820, Protestant missionaries from New England arrived in Hawaiʻi.
Adelbert von Chamisso might have consulted with a native speaker of Hawaiian in Berlin, Germany,
before publishing his grammar of Hawaiian (Über die Hawaiische Sprache) in 1837.[35] When
Hawaiian King David Kalākaua took a trip around the world, he brought his native language with him.
When his wife, Queen Kapiʻolani, and his sister, Princess (later Queen) Liliʻuokalani, took a trip
across North America and on to the British Islands, in 1887, Liliʻuokalani's composition Aloha
ʻOe was already a famous song in the U.S.[36]
Headline from May 16, 1834, issue of newspaper published by Lorrin Andrews and students
at Lahainaluna School
In 1834, the first Hawaiian-language newspapers were published by missionaries working with
locals. The missionaries also played a significant role in publishing a vocabulary (1836)[37] grammar
(1854)[38] and dictionary (1865)[39] of Hawaiian. Literacy in Hawaiian was widespread among the local
population, especially ethnic Hawaiians. Use of the language among the general population might
have peaked around 1881. Even so, some people worried, as early as 1854, that the language was
"soon destined to extinction."[40]
Suppression of Hawaiian[edit]
The decline of the Hawaiian language dates back to a coup that overthrew the Hawaiian monarchy
and dethroned the existing Hawaiian queen. Thereafter, a law was instituted that banned the
Hawaiian language from being taught.[41] The law cited as banning the Hawaiian language is
identified as Act 57, sec. 30 of the 1896 Laws of the Republic of Hawaiʻi:
The English Language shall be the medium and basis of instruction in all public and private schools,
provided that where it is desired that another language shall be taught in addition to the English
Document Summary
Tural spoken languages, the hawaiian language was originally just an oral language. The native people of the hawaiian language relayed religion, traditions, history, and views of their world through stories that were handed down from generation to generation. One form of storytelling most commonly associated with the hawaiian islands is hula. Nathaniel b. emerson notes that "it kept the communal imagination in living touch with the nation"s legendary past". The islanders" connection with their stories is argued to be one reason why captain james cook received a pleasant welcome. Marshall sahlins has observed that hawaiian folktales began bearing similar content to those of the western world in the eighteenth century. [33] he argues this was caused by the timing of captain cook"s arrival, which was coincidentally when the indigenous hawaiians were celebrating the makahiki festival. The islanders" story foretold of the god lono"s return at the time of the makahiki festival.
