HONOLULU (HI Now) - HI Now Daily is launching a new series to celebrate and showcase ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. Kaʻiuokalani Damas and Keʻalohi Reppun were the Hawaiian language hosts of the 2025 Merrie Monarch festival, and they visited the Hawaii News Now studios on Tuesday to talk about the importance of normalizing the language in mainstream media.
“Weʻre asking permission, a blanket permission over the television,” said Reppun. “The permission is important because we’re here for the ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi speakers to have representation in mainstream media. But also, this is an opportunity for learning.”
The Hawaiian hosts say they’ve realized the appetite for the language is growing, as more and more viewers of the Merrie Monarch Festival have chosen to view the event over the ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi stream. When they received an invitation from Hawaii News Now to join the lifestyle show HI Now Daily as regular contributors, they were honored to accept.
Damas says he recognizes the importance of delivering information that connects with the community, and hopes that the public will get involved in suggesting content and storytelling for their segments.
“If you have a story or if you have Hawaiian language experiences that you think are valuable and you want to share them, let us know,” offered Damas.
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For those who are interested in learning ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, Reppun offers this first step. “Your ears are your first learning space. Listen to Hawaiian music and train your ear to hear ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, because your mouth will then mimic what your ears are taking in,” she said.
Exact dates for the language segments are still being planned out, but the goal is have weekly representation on HI Now Daily, which is broadcast and streamed Monday through Friday at 3 p.m.
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