the modern Hawaiian text.” Kaowili, the daughter of former KS Chaplain David Kaupu KSK’51, said the Hawaiian Bible project was originally begun in 2002. “The Hawaiian Bible project began in 2002 to preserve the Bible and make it available online, free of charge, for anyone interested in reading and studying scripture in Hawaiian. At the time, the American Bible Society, the publisher of record since the early 1800s, had decided to discontinue printing the ‘Baibala Hemolele’ (Holy Bible). Ten years later, in 2012, the project printed the first Hawaiian Bible in the modern Hawaiian orthography. The publication we just completed marks the second printed work of the project,” she said. Kaowili said Kamehameha Schools was a supporter of the Hawaiian Bible project prior to this current phase. “Keola Wong KSK’83 worked with the Baibala Hemolele project during the 2009-10 school year while he was on sabbatical and again the following year, 2010-11, on special assignment from his duties as Hawaiian language teacher at KS Kapälama High School,” she said. “During the current phase of the project, which began in the spring of 2013 and culminated in the printing
From left, former KS Hawai‘i Kahu Ruth Farrell, KS Vice President of Hawaiian Cultural Affairs Dr. Randie Fong, KS Maui Kahu Kalani Wong, Vice President for Campus Education Dr. Rod Chamberlain and KS Kapälama Kahu Kordell Kekoa celebrate the arrival of the new bilingual Baibala Hemolele (Holy Bible) which were distributed to KS students in school year 2014-15.
Kaniaupio-Crozier, and Kahu Wong; for Partners in Development Foundation the committee members included Jan Dill KSK’61, Laura Dang and Kaowili. “From my initial conversation with nä kahu and Jan Dill three years ago, this has been a wonderful journey from concept to reality,” Chamberlain said.
“ 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.” – Kahu Kalani Wong, KS Maui Chaplain
and distribution of the bilingual New Testament and Psalms and Proverbs, Kamehameha supported the undertaking with Keola’s full-time work on the project on special assignment during the 2013-14 school year, and by placing staff on the advisory committee.” The advisory committee for Kamehameha Schools included: Campus Education VP Dr. Rod Chamberlain, Keola Wong, KS Maui Hawaiian Protocol Facilitator Ekela
“This New Testament is a marker of what we hold dear as an organization – and I am hopeful it will be one more way that we nurture the ‘good and industrious men and women’ envisioned by our founder.” Kaowili said the best thing about the project is that the Hawaiian Bible is once again in wide use in the Hawaiian community. “Soon after the release of ‘Ka Baibala Hemolele’ in October 2012,
a second printing a month later was necessary to keep up with demand,” she said. “In addition, our website at baibala.org, which includes complete text and images of the 1839 ‘Ka Palapala Hemolele,’ the 1868 revision ‘Ka Baibala Hemolele,’ and the 1994 ‘Ka Baibala Hemolele,’ along with the full text of the recently completed 2012 ‘Ka Baibala Hemolele,’ is regularly accessed over 10,000 times a month by users around the world.” Mutual Publishing is making these Bibles available to anyone interested in reading the scriptures in Hawaiian and/ or English. They can be ordered online at www.mututalpublishing.com. “With the Baibala Hemolele, our students are able to read God’s word in the Hawaiian language,” Kahu Wong added. “Kamehameha’s goal is to have our students proficient in the Hawaiian language upon graduation. While some are, others are not quite there. “The bilingual Baibala Hemolele will help our students see scripture in both English and Hawaiian. This will hopefully provide them with a deeper understanding of the rich lessons that the Bible offers.”
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