Olelo Kupuna: Passing in Silence brings traditional Native Hawaiian speakers to the forefront. While many recent films have explored the Hawaiian language, they have largely focused on new speakers. Yet, many traditional speakers—often elderly—find themselves disconnected from this new language.
During the Hawaiian Renaissance of the 1970s, young Hawaiians sought to learn the language of their grandparents’ generation. The goal was to learn and then perpetuate Hawaiian for future generations. However, the gap between traditional and new speakers has only widened. Resulting in a language breakdown between traditional and new speakers.
Through interviews with native speakers, experts, and new speakers, this film examines the current state of Hawaiian and asks a pressing question: What will the language become once its last traditional speakers are gone?
