Larry Kimura, a tohunga reo of the Hawaiian language, has recalled Queen Te Atairangikaahu’s appreciation for language at Tūrangawaewae.
Kimura is known as the godfather of the Hawaiian language revitalisation movement, which started in the 80s.
He was last at Turangawaewae marae for the World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference in 1990.
He says it ties back to Kiingi Tuheitia’s mother, Te Atairangikaahu.
“Our ties have always been, the inspiration from your people here in reviving our languages,” Kimura said.
“Te Ata always said ‘it’s a gift from gods - why are we not caring for it?’. It’s a god-given gift for all of us for our people, for the strength of our people, for the strength of our place, our homeland in Hawaii and here in Aotearoa.”
Kimura helped found ʻAha Pūnana Leo, the leading entity in Hawaii and the US for indigenous language revitalisation. He directed Ka Leo Hawaii, a radio show consisting of interviews with native speakers and he established Hale Kuamoʻo, the Hawaiian language centre at Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani at the University of Hawaiʻi.
In an interview with Julian Wilcox, Kimura acknowledged the 40 years since the Hawaiian language revitalisation began and acknowledged Tamati Reedy of Ngāti Porou.
Reedy was the head of the Department of Maori Affairs but the people of Hawaii knew him beforehand. Kimura remembered the speech Reedy gave in 1982.
“He gave us a kick in the you know where, and said ‘let’s get going’,” Kimura said.
Since 1983 they had focused on the language in homes with children to regenerate the language from grandmothers, their children to grandchildren.
He talked about pūnana leo, kula kaiapuni, Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani, and all of the programmes working towards continuing the regeneration of the language.
“Language is key, it’s the strength of who we are and what we are, giving our place, our home an essence that we are all concerned about.”