February 23, 2026: The Thirteen Letters

Amazingly, the Hawaiian alphabet contains only 13 letters.

And the little upside-down comma you see in words like Hawaiʻi is called an ʻokina. It counts as a real letter, and if left out, another word can accidentally emerge.

When missionaries helped develop the written system in the 1820s, they removed letters representing sounds Hawaiians never used. With fewer choices, rhythm matters more.

Hawaiian carries an almost musical quality when pronounced correctly.

Thirteen letters, endless meaning.

Whatever you tackle, remember simplicity creates clarity. Depth does not require complexity.