Baibala Hemolele

Indigenous languages, such as Hawaiian, mirrors a unique people group and requires champions to ensure preservation, revival, and education with future generations.

The relevance of this project is unending. Searchable image files have been created to preserve the original Palapala Hemolele published in 1839, the 1868 Baibala Hemolele, and the 1994 Baibala Hemolele. These images and searchable text files of each Baibala, are available on this website. Audio tracks have been created to assist in pronunciation, cadence, and intonation and can also be found on the website.

In 2012, after 10 years of research and work and with the help of many scholars, teachers and volunteers, the project printed the first Baibala Hemolele in the modern Hawaiian orthography, which includes ‘okina and kahakō. This was followed in 2014 with the publication of the bilingual Ke Kauoha Hou me Ka Buke o Nā Halelū a me Nā ‘Ōlelo Akamai a Solomona, the New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs. And finally in 2018 the project completed Ka Baibala Hemolele: The Holy Bible, the first full bilingual Hawaiian-English Bible. Released in November, 2018 at the Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives, the full bilingual Baibala was celebrated by numerous community, faith and business leaders.

People are taking notice that indigenous languages, such as Hawaiian, are important and in need of efforts to preserve, revive, and share with future generations. We believe that the completed Hawaiian Bible will function as the Baibala traditionally did in the 19th century: as a focal point for families, faith, and as a vital resource for practicing and perfecting Hawaiian language skills.

Financial support for Baibala Hemolele has come from government and charitable funding. A broad fellowship of church, educational, museum, social, and publishing interests have come together to support and encourage the republishing of the Baibala Hemolele. The project would not be possible without the generous support of the Atherton Family Foundation, Kamehameha Schools, and Kalihi and Moanalua Church.