The Comeback of the Hawaiian Language — Preserving Hawaiian Language & Culture
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“THE COMEBACK OF THE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE PRESERVING HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE & CULTURE”
covered 2026-07-11 ▶ Be on the air with ABCWatch the moment
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Topic poll · all networksAt its lowest point, how many children spoke Hawaiian as a first language?
- Fewer than 50
- Around 500
- About 1,200
- Nearly 3,000
Guess, then reveal the answer
Fewer than 50
Hawaiian nearly died — fewer than 50 kids spoke it in 1983!
In 1983, ʻAha Pūnana Leo launched Hawaiian immersion preschools to save the language. Today thousands of students learn in Hawaiian. Explore the revival at NPR
In 1983, fewer than 50 children spoke Hawaiian as their native language.
Pūnana Leo immersion preschools, launched in 1984, helped reverse near-extinction. Today thousands speak ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. Learn more at Wikipedia
Topic poll · all networksIn the 1980s, how many children spoke Hawaiian natively?
- Fewer than 50
- Around 500
- Around 2,000
- Around 10,000
Guess, then reveal the answer
Fewer than 50
Hawaiian was nearly extinct — only ~50 kids spoke it natively in 1983!
Immersion schools called Pūnana Leo helped reverse the decline. Today, thousands of students learn in Hawaiian. Disasters like hurricanes threaten fragile cultural recovery efforts. Explore more at NPR
Topic poll · all networksWhat year did Hawaii ban Hawaiian language in public schools?
- 1876
- 1896
- 1919
- 1941
Guess, then reveal the answer
1896