Lee A. Tonouchi

Lee A. Tonouchi stay known known as “Da Pidgin Guerrilla” for his activism in campaigning for Pidgin, aka Hawai‘i Creole, for be accepted as one legitimate language. In one front page story entitled “Long Dismissed, Hawaii’s Pidgin Finds Place in Classroom,” The Wall Street Journal wen recognize him for starting da firstest eva Pidgin Language and Pidgin Literature courses at Hawai‘i Pacific University. For preserve and perpetuate da language, Tonouchi wen organize Da Kine Dictionary: Da Hawai‘i Community Pidgin Dictionary Projeck which wuz featured insai The Washington Post. Tonouchi’s creative works written in Hawai‘i Creole wen gain national recognitions. His Pidgin poetry collection Significant Moments in da Life of Oriental Faddah and Son won da Association for Asian-American Studies book award. His Pidgin children’s picture book Okinawan Princess: Da Legend of Hajichi Tattoos won one Skipping Stones Honor Award. An’ den his Pidgin play Three Year Swim Club wuz one Los Angeles Times Critic’s Choice Selection. Ova da years he been invited for talk to hundreds of classrooms and organizations in Hawai‘i and beyond about da importance of Hawai‘i’s unique creole language, which some linguists worry stay coming endangered.

Some of Tonouchi’s local prizes include da grand prize in da 21st annual HONOLULU Magazine fiction contest for his story “Seven Deadly Local Sins.” An’ den hana hou, brah, in 2006, he won da grand prize again for “Legend of da River Street Gambler.” Be sure for read his HONOLULU Magazine classic “Da Untold Story of Hawaiian Santa.” Even though came out in 2014, it’s even more relevant today.