February 23, 2026: The Thirteen Letters

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.

Missionaries helped develop the written system in the 1820s. They removed letters representing sounds Hawaiians never used. Because of fewer choices, rhythm matters more.

Hawaiian carries an almost musical quality when pronounced correctly. Thirteen letters, endless meaning.

Remember simplicity creates clarity. Depth does not require complexity.