Bilingual Journal Launched at 'Iolani Palace

Kamehameha Schools Press, in association with the University of Hawai'i Press and Alu Like, has published a new bilingual Hawaiian and English journal titled Ka Ho'oilina: Puke Pai 'Olelo Hawai'i (The Legacy: Journal of Hawaiian Language Sources). The twice-yearly publication was launched Wednesday, June 5, 2002 with a ceremony at 'Iolani Palace in Honolulu.

Dr. Kalena Silva, professor of Hawaiian and Hawaiian studies and director of Ka Haka ʻUla O Ke'elikolani College of Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawai'i at Hilo, is editor-in-chief of the new publication.

"The aim of this bilingual journal is to make accessible to the public archival Hawaiian language materials from the 19th and early 20th centuries not otherwise generally available," Silva said. "Our best estimate is that there are over a quarter million pages of such materials in the form of newspapers, journals, books, government documents, etc., thought by many scholars to be the largest collection of written materials of any indigenous people in the world. The journal seeks to publish all of these in the format that we can talk about and that will make these materials easily accessible to both Hawaiian and English speakers."

Lulani Arquette, CEO of Alu Like, told those at the publication launching celebration that Ka Ho'oilina represents "a major step forward for our Hawaiian language and culture."

The journal is printed in four columns: the original Hawaiian language version of the anthologized piece; a modern Hawaiian version; an English translation and bilingual footnotes.

Kamehameha Schools CEO Dr. Hamilton McCubbin said that the journal will "enable modern day students and researchers to access and understand the panorama of our history from an earlier viewpoint. Ka Ho'oilina will open the minds, hearts and cultural sensitivities of the researchers of today, the scholars of tomorrow and the truth tellers of generations to come."

"Never before has an endeavor of this scope been attempted," Silva said. "This journal would not be possible but for the lives, knowledge and sacrifice of the Hawaiian language authors who have passed on and whose works are published here."