February 6, 2025
Mayor’s Office of Innovation & Sustainability (OIS) hosts Mahina Olelo Ohana evening event featuring multiple form of entertainment while learning Hawaiian language, one of the official languages of the State of Hawaii.
During the monthlong celebration of Mahina Olelo, Maui County will feature Olelo Under the Stars on February 12 from 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. at Kalana Pakui O Maui. The evening event will feature musical performance and community game.
Beginning the evening, Kamaunu Kahaialii will perform songs for the audience and share wisdom and beauty of Olelo Hawai’i. After the performance, Ekela Crozier, Olelo Hawai’i Instructor, will provide historical overview of Hawaiian language and host Bingo in Olelo Hawaii.
The Mahina Olelo Ohana event supports the educational efforts to honor the Hawaiian language as part of the global movement for Indigenous languages.
The world recognized the significance of Indigenous Languages after the International Year of Indigenous Languages in 2019. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2022 - 2032 as the International Decade of Indigenous Languages to draw global attention on the critical situation of many Indigenous languages and to mobilize stakeholders and resources for their preservation, revitalization and promotion.
The UNESCO Decade of Indigenous Language is being commemorated and celebrated across Maui Nui with innovative initiatives. The Mahina Olelo Ohana event to cherish the language through creative games in a community gathering breathes life and knowledge in an evening setting.
The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN DRIP) enshrines the right to language for all. UN DRP Article 13 notes, “Indigenous peoples have the right to revitalize use, develop and transmit to future generations their histories, languages, oral traditions, philosophies, writing systems and literatures and to designate and retain their own names for communities, places and persons.”
For more information contact joshua.l.cooper@mauicounty.gov or (808) 318-0690.
In today's world, our natural environment faces numerous threats, from climate change to habitat destruction.
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Kristin Baja, who has worked on resilience hubs for more than a decade, will discuss the role of hubs in supporting sustainability during a lecture and a community forum on Thursday, Jan. 16, as part of the County of Maui Mayor’s Sustainability Series. Baja, co-chief executive officer of Embodied Ecosystem and the Resilience Hub Collaborative, will speak on “Comprehensive Community Action and Human Rights-Based Approach to Increase Resilience in Our Islands: Transformative & Trust Building Hubs” at 11:30 a.m. in the Mayor’s Conference Room at the Kalana O Maui County building in Wailuku. The community forum will cover “Shaping & Shifting Power to Communities Through Action Centered Resilience Hub” at 5 p.m. at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College Open Air Hale. Resilience hubs are community-focused facilities designed to support residents by coordinating communication, distributing resources and reducing carbon emissions, while improving quality of life. These hubs operate at the intersection of community resilience, emergency management, climate change mitigation and social equity. They empower communities to become more self-reliant, socially connected and successful before, during and after disruptions. Baja, a pioneer of the resilience hub concept, has implemented hubs across North America and internationally. She specializes in transforming local government processes, empowering communities and centering racial and environmental justice. Baja has master’s degrees in Urban Planning, Science and Biomimicry and was recognized by the Obama Administration as a Champion of Change in 2016 for her work on climate and equity. She is also a coach and facilitator. The monthly Mayor’s Sustainability Speaker Series, now in its second year, features individuals dedicated to caring for our planet, sharing their stories and strategies to protect Maui Nui for future generations. This series aims to facilitate essential conversations on climate change and how we can come together to create a more sustainable Maui Nui and a collective world. For more information, call the County of Maui Office of Economic Development at (808) 270-7710. About the County of Maui Office Innovation & Sustainability (OIS) OIS, under the Office of the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, is committed to driving environmental and social progress in through policies, programs and initiatives, building a resilient community for sustainable prosperity and economic health for current and future generations.
