Google Does What’s “Pono”, Adds Hawaiian to Search Engine Languages

posted on August 20, 2009

Sometimes I cheat on you.

I’m sorry.

You see, I don’t always live and breathe search, social, and reputation. I’m also passionate about Hawaii and, well, I cheat on you by moonlighting as the photographer for GoVisitHawaii.com.

Well, today I get to blend my two favorite topics thanks to news that you can now get Google in the Hawaiian language.

Keola Donaghy of the Ke Haka ‘Ula O Ke’elikolani College of Hawaiian Language estimates he spent 100 hours creating the translation…Keola provided Hawaiian versions of 2,500 “strings” — words, sentences or paragraphs used by Google’s search engine.

Right now, you have two choices. Use the web version–which is limited to providing instructions in Hawaiian, but results in English–or add the Hawaiian version to your Safari browser and get the full Hawaiian experience,

I’m sure my Hawaiian ohana are glad to finally get the recognition they deserve. If Elmer Fudd and Klingon can get their own versions of the world’s largest search engine, then Hawaii’s was very much overdue.

(Thanks to Dave!)