Council committee agenda written in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi for first time

The agenda for today’s Efficiency Solutions and Circular Systems Committee meeting has been produced in both English and ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. It’s. the first for the council, according to Council Member Keani Rawlins-Fernandez, and a step toward implementing a 2022 charter amendment that takes effect the week.

At the Nov. 8, 2022, general election, voters approved a proposal to establish Maui County as “a bilingual government,” effective July 1, 2024. The charter amendment says the council is authorized to determine by ordinance which type of county documents will “be prepared and made available in both official state languages,” English and ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, and establishes the Department of ʻŌiwi Resources.

“With ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi being the native language of Hawaiʻi and an official language of the state, perpetuating ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi in county-government will open up more opportunities for language revitalization within our communities,” said Rawlins-Fernandez, who chairs the committee. “I would like to mahalo those before us who paved the way to ensure ka ʻōlelo o kēia ‘āina and culture live on today. I look forward to working with the Department of ʻŌiwi Resources to create and preserve more ‘Ōiwi resources in our county.”

Monday’s meeting starts at 1:30 p.m. Rawlins-Fernandez said the committee will receive a presentation on circular systems from Kamuela Enos, director of the University of Hawaiʻi’s Office of Indigenous Knowledge and Innovation.

To view the agenda, visit mauicounty.us/agendas. In-person, online and phone testimony is welcome at all meetings. Testimony instructions are on the meeting agendas.