HONOLULU — The Hawaii Tourism Authority is starting to publish its meeting agendas in Hawaiian as well as English. ADVERTISING HONOLULU — The Hawaii Tourism Authority is starting to publish its meeting agendas in Hawaiian as well as English. Both
HONOLULU — The Hawaii Tourism Authority is starting to publish its meeting agendas in Hawaiian as well as English.
Both are official languages of the state of Hawaii, but the tourism authority is the first state agency to publish agendas in Hawaiian.
The tourism authority wants to normalize the use of the Hawaiian language, the agency’s director of Hawaiian cultural affairs, Keliihoalani Wilson, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
“Language is at the foundation of any culture, and HTA is keen on supporting the perpetuation of Hawaiian language into the future as it relates to continuing to make sure that Hawaiian is a living language in Hawaii, the place of its origin,” Wilson said.
The tourism authority wants culture to permeate all of its programs, she said. The agency is adding Hawaiian language in places it thinks will have an impact, she said.
“We’ve been working hard to ensure that we have the Hawaiian culture in our values of what we do,” said Mike McCartney, the tourism authority’s CEO. “Hawaii’s host culture is what makes our islands unique and sets us apart from any other destination in the world.”
The tourism authority already offers information and training on Hawaiian language to tourism industry companies.
Three years ago, the agency supported an initiative to greet airport visitors in Hawaiian.
A 40-second welcome message, recorded in Hawaiian and English, has been broadcasting every 30 minutes since it was released in 2011 during the birthday month of Princess Ruth Keelikolani, who was one of the royal family’s strongest perpetuators of the Hawaiian language.
Agency staff also helped develop an in-flight destination video in Hawaiian.
For some time, HTA staff have used bilingual business cards and stationery that put Hawaiian first and English second. In addition, last year the agency partnered with Bank of Hawaii to assist the bank in adding Hawaiian as a language choice on their ATMs.
