Kualono

Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani, College of Hawaiian Language

Language is the fiber that binds us to our cultural identity

Established in 1997, UH Hilo's College of Hawaiian Language, Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani, was named in honor of Ruth Keʻelikōlani Keanolani Kanāhoahoa, the 19th century high chiefess known for her strong advocacy of Hawaiian language and culture.

Building upon the vast repository of traditional knowledge left by our elders before us, Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani faculty, staff and students seek to realize its vision statement for the benefit of all of Hawaiʻi's people.

Our New Home: Haleʻōlelo!

Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani officially moved into its new home at the start of the Spring semester 2014.

Read the news and see the video here.

From project initiation, the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo aimed to design and construct Hale‘ōlelo for Ka Haka ‘Ula O Ke‘elikōlani College of Hawaiian Language to significantly reduce its impact on natural resources, maximize efficiency, and create a high-quality work environment for students and staff. Read about our efforts to attain the highest level of LEED certification.

The new Hawaiian language building, view from oblique side

Departments, Programs, and Resources

Hawaiian Studies

Undergraduate, Graduate

B.A. in Hawaiian Studies, M.A. in Indigenous Language and Culture Education, Ph.D. in Hawaiian and Indigenous Language and Culture Revitalization, Minor in Hawaiian Studies, Certificate in Hawaiian Language, Certificate in Basic Hawaiian Culture, Certificate in Multidisciplinary Hawaiian Studies

Linguistics

Undergraduate

B.A. in Linguistics, Minor in Linguistics

Kahuawaiola

The mission of Kahuawaiola is to prepare mauli ola Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian identity-nurturing) teachers of the highest quality who are grounded in Hawaiian language and culture to serve in Hawaiian language medium schools, in Hawaiian language and culture programs in English medium schools, and in schools serving students with a strong Hawaiian cultural background.

Hale Kuamoʻo

The Hale Kuamoʻo is the Hawaiian Language Center within Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikolani, College of Hawaiian Language of the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. Established by the Hawaiʻi State Legislature in 1989, the center supports and encourages the expansion of the Hawaiian language as a medium of communication in education, business, government, and other contexts of social life in the public and private sectors of Hawaiʻi and beyond.

Wehewehe

Search Hawaiian to English and English to Hawaiian dictionaries, as well as place names.