A Hawaiian proverb: I ka ‘ōlelo no ke ola, i ka ‘ōlelo no ka make. (In language there is life, in language there is death.) In Hawaiian culture, language is seen as a sacred gift. It is believed that the words we speak have the power to create or destroy, to heal or harm. This is why it is important to be mindful of the words we use, and to choose them carefully.