I Ka ʻŌlelo Ke Ola (There is life in language)

February 24 – March 17, 2023 
Honolulu Hale 

Opening event: February 24, 4:30pm – 6:00pm.

The Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts proudly presents a new exhibition dedicated to Mahina ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i (Hawaiian Language Month) entitled  I ka ʻŌlelo ke Ola (There is Life in Language) on view in Honolulu Hale from February 24 through March 17, 2023.  

ʻO Pepeluali ka Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, ka mahina hoʻi e paipai ʻia ai ka hoʻopuka ʻia o ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. I loko nō naʻe o ka holomua o kēia neʻepapa ʻana e ola ai a e māhuahua aʻe ai hoʻi ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi i nā makahiki 40 i hala iho nei, he waiwai ka hoʻoulu mau ʻana i ka lāhui ʻōlelo a me ka mālama ʻana i nā wahi e hoʻopuka ʻia ai ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi.

February was designated as Mahina ‘Ōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian Language Month) to celebrate and encourage the use of the Hawaiian language. While the Hawaiian language revitalization movement has made major strides in the last 40 years for ‘Ōlelo Hawaiʻi to not just survive, but to also thrive, more people need to speak Hawaiian and have spaces and occasions to celebrate and use it.

Ma o kēia hōʻikeʻike e ʻike ai kākou i ke ola o ka ʻōlelo ma nā māhele like ʻole o ka nohona. ʻO ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi ke kahua o ka mōʻaukala, ka moʻomeheu, ka ʻike kupuna, a me ka ʻike ʻāina. Pēlā e hoʻopaʻa ʻia ai ka pilina o ko ke ao nei i ka ʻāina.

This exhibit features artworks that are guided by ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi and recognize ways language is intertwined in all aspects of life.  The incorporation of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi grounds these artworks in Hawaiʻi’s history, cultural practices, ancestral knowledge, and place-based knowledge, and creates a deeper connection to land and the environment.  

Ma I ka ʻōlelo ke ola e hōʻikeʻike ʻia ai nā hana noʻeau a Ualani Davis lāua ʻo Kauwila Mahi, a me nā hana noʻeau mai ka hōʻiliʻilina o ka Art in City Buildings. Mālama ʻia nā hana noʻeau a Henry Kila Hopfe, Bruce Johnson, Kapualani Landgraf, Anne Miura, a ʻo Dietrich Varez.

I ka ‘ōlelo ke ola includes new work by Ualani Davis and Kauwila Mahi and artworks from the Art in City Buildings permanent collection including Henry Kila Hopfe, Bruce Johnson, Kapulani Landgraf, Anne Miura, and Dietrich Varez.