Hawaiian Sign Language Revives Native Identity

Kekai Kaaumoana-Cummings, a student at the University of Hawaiʻi, initiated a community-led effort in 2024 to create ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Kuhi Lima, Hawaiian Language Hand Signs, to connect Deaf Native Hawaiians with their culture. For decades, Deaf Hawaiians relied on American Sign Language or lip-reading, lacking a sign language rooted in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi.

Researchers also identified a separate Hawaiʻi Sign Language, but it developed from plantation-era languages rather than Native Hawaiian culture. The new initiative aims to develop signs reflecting Hawaiian vocabulary, concepts, and grammar.

While still in development, the group has established signs for basic words like “yes,” “no,” and “house.” Researchers are also working to document previously used Indigenous signs, recognizing that prior generations developed informal systems before ASL became common. Several advocates, including Maile Keamoai-Kane and Nikki Kepoʻo, envision a future where Deaf students can learn ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Kuhi Lima within Hawaiian immersion schools, fostering both Deaf and Native Hawaiian cultural identities. The project hopes to create resources and programs for future generations.