A remarkable project is underway in Hawaii, one that should be heartily greeted and supported by Hawaii's history educators, historians, students, history buffs, indeed, everyone.
Today's Honolulu Star Advertiser features an editorial on the outstanding work by Puakea Nogelmeier and Awaiaulu. See our news-blogs list of links. Nogelmeier and volunteers are transcribing to electronic format the contents of Hawaiian language newspapers published since the 19th century.
The editorial, 'Support effort to fill in blanks on Hawaii history,' in part says:
Newspapers have been called the first draft of history. However, many of our islands' first drafts have been virtually inaccessible, locked away in musty, bound volumes and written in a language most of us don't understand — Hawaiian.
But the history and knowledge hidden in those
volumes are vast and priceless. Thanks to the early adoption of a
written alphabet, Hawaiians developed a high level of literacy less
than 60 years after Capt. James Cook's arrival in 1778. As a result,
these newspapers, dating from the 1830s, contain a "written record of
the whole transition from stone age into modern age," said Puakea
Nogelmeier, executive director of Awaiaulu Inc. The hard part will be
preserving and unlocking those treasures for future generations.
Note: You will need paid online access to read the entire text of the editorial.
History Education Hawaii, Inc., salutes the efforts of all those involved in the Awaiaulu project. It's on-going mission to preserve the Hawaiian language and its history deserves our support.
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