Language Culture and Curriculum
Editor and Book Reviews Editor: Eoghan Mac Aogain (St Patrick's College)
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Volume: 11 Number: 3 Page: 325–338
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The Sociopolitical Context of Establishing Hawaiian-medium Education
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William H. Wilson
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The Hawaiian language revitalisation effort is the most developed of any indigenous language revitalisation in the United States. The language has a unique status as the single indigenous language of the
state and a history as an administrative language spoken by all ethnic groups during the time of the independent Kingdom of Hawai'i. During the past fifteen years, Hawaiian language revitalisation has centred
around establishing indigenous medium/immersion education and implementing the official status of the language in the State of Hawai'i. The current revitalisation has its roots in a broad cultural movement
of the 1970s called the Hawaiian Renaissance and has benefited politically from the unification of various ethnic groups in Hawai'i under a 'local' consciousness that has a strong indigenous base. In spite
of higher level political support, the revitalisation movement has required strong grassroots activism in its efforts to seek accommodation within the Hawai'i public school system.
© Multilingual Matters 1998
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