KS CAMPUSES
Hawaiian-English Bibles Enable
A Deeper Understanding of Scripture All three K-12 Kamehameha campuses are using the bilingual Bibles in classroom study
t’s a perfect learning tool for a school system that preaches Christian and Hawaiian values. The newly released Hawaiian-English Bible “Ke Kauoha Hou me Ka Buke o Nä Halelü a me Nä ‘Ölelo Akamai a Solomona – The New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs” is the result of a partnership between Kamehameha Schools and Partners in Development Foundation. The bilingual Bible with parallel text offers readers in both languages a better understanding of scripture and allows for comparative study. It includes Hawaiian diacriticals, biblical maps, The New American Standard Concordance, a 19th-century timeline for Hawai‘i, Psalms, The Ten Commandments and Proverbs. The Bible includes introductory material relating to the life and faith of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop and
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features a blue bonded leather cover with silver foil stamping on the front and spine. While each KS campus rolled out this new instructional tool in different ways –the Bibles debuted in time for the beginning of the 2014-15 school year – both students and staff have benefitted from its various components. “The desire of nä kahu (the chaplains) – myself, Kordell Kekoa KSK’80 at Kapälama, and Ruth Farrell at KS Hawai‘i – was to get the students into the word of God,” said KS Maui Kahu Kalani Wong KSK’74. “Through the study of scriptures, our students are able to develop their faith, find support and encouragement and to know the
promise of life eternal through Jesus Christ.” According to Partners in Development Foundation Project Director Helen Kaupu Kaowili KSK’79, this is not the first time a HawaiianEnglish bilingual Bible has been produced. “The first Baibala (Bible) to include both Hawaiian and English was a New Testament printed in 1857 and reprinted a number of times since then,” Kaowili said. “This, however, is the first time the Psalms and Proverbs has appeared in parallel Hawaiian-English form and the first bilingual edition to include The bilingual Bible includes the story of Princess Pauahi’s life and faith.