Hawaiian
Hawaiian is a member of the Polynesian group of the Austronesian family of
languages. Of the fewer than 10,000 people who speak Hawaiian, only a few hundred
are native speakers, but the language is taught in some Hawaiian schools and
remains important as a symbol of ethnic identity. Approximately 19% (237,000
people) of the population of Hawaii is ethnic Hawaiian.
Hawaiian was an oral language until 19th century missionaries created a writing
system for it. The Hawaiian language then became the language of government
and remained the most commonly used language in daily life, serving as a common
language for the numerous different ethnic groups who had come there to work
the plantations. Eventually the increasing influence of the United States on
Hawaii pushed English forward as the language of choice, and with the overthrow
of the Kingdom in 1893 and the following annexation in 1898, the Hawaiian language
was entirely banned from schools and government. In the 1970's a renaissance
of the Hawaiian culture emerged, and, within it, a renewed respect for the native
language of the Hawaiian people was born. In 1978 Hawaiian was again made the
official language of the state and Hawaiian became a mandated course in public
schools. Today, Hawaiian language immersion programs are spreading rapidly with
the Pünana Leo (Nest of Voices) schools, federally funded since 1989. These
are now running through 10th grade. About 1400 students are being taught in
Hawaiian, and another 4000 are learning Hawaiian as a second language.
Sources:
Bartleby.com
Coffeetimes.com History of
the Hawaiian Language
Ethnologue
Independent Study Courses Available at UCSD:
Other Local Resources:
UCSD International Center
Mingei museum of folk art
SD cultural events
Hano Hano Canoe Club
UCSD Asian and Pacific Islander
Club