“E Ho‘ohanohano a E Ho‘omau. . . . . . To Honor and To Perpetuate”

The Restoration of Family Ties

The search went on for decades. A clue here, a

detour there, a question that led to an unexpected doorway. At long last, Wiliama Namahoe found himself at the culmination of his quest: He was standing at the foot of the grave of his great-grandmother who had died at Kalaupapa in 1920.Wiliama had prepared for this moment for years, but was still caught off-guard. He fell upon the headstone and wrapped his arms around it. They were finally together: he and his great-grandmother, Kawaikoeahiokekuahiwi Wong-Hoe Kahoukapu.“I do not know why this woman is so special to me,” he later said. “The emotions that came out of me that day I didn’t even know I had. My wife said she had never heard me cry like that except when someone else special had died.”And, yet, it was like his great-grandmother had life again. Wiliama’s first day at Kalaupapa was unlike any other in his 68 years. The next morning, he walked into the dining room of the comfortable

Visitors Quarters that overlooks the sea.“I woke up a changed man,” he announced. “By coming here, I thought my journey was ending, but I realize now it’s only beginning. I’m now on this journey with great-grandma.”

When Wiliama was growing up on Oahu, his family tree seemed to have many empty branches.

He visited his grandmother, Violet Namahoe, every year in Hilo, but she never spoke of her own mother or any part of her upbringing. Wiliama’s father was equally quiet about his childhood. Wiliama wondered who he was. A few years after marrying and moving to California, Wiliama and his wife, Kathy, learned they were expecting a girl. Wiliama, proud of his Hawaiian culture, returned to the islands to ask his grandmother about her Hawaiian name and if he could pass it on to his daughter. “When I asked, she broke down and cried and cried and cried,” he said. “Soon after, we received a handwritten letter from Grandma Violet explaining

what the name meant and that it was her mother’s name which had been given to her.”The name that would connect the generations was Kawaikoeahiokekuahiwi.Wiliama saw his past slowly unfold. His grandmother was just 7 years old in 1907 when her mother was suddenly taken from the family. “And that was the word she used: ‘taken.’ Great-grandma Kawai was taken from them,” said Wiliama.The little girl had no idea why her mother was forced to leave her. It would be years before she was told why her mother was taken away and where she was sent. The anguish of losing her mother in such a traumatic way at such a young age would affect Violet the rest of her life. Her pain

Wiliama Namahoe at the grave of his great-grandmother, Kawaikoeahiokekuahiwi Wong-Hoe Kahoukapu.

continued on page 10

Story and photo by Valerie MonsonCoordinator, Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa

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The Pride of a Nation

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Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa Board of Directors

Clarence “Boogie” KahilihiwaPresident

Pauline Ahulau ChowVice President

Pauline Ka‘iulani HessTreasurer

Gloria MarksDirector

Mark EllisDirector

Glenn HaradaDirector

Sol Kaho‘ohalahalaDirector

Colette MachadoDirector

Charmaine Woodward Director

Sister Davilyn Ah Chick, OSFDirector

Valerie MonsonCoordinator and Secretary

In Memoriam

Bernard K. Punikai‘a Honorary Chairman of the Board,

2004-2009

Kuulei Bell President, 2004-2009

Appropriately enough, this newsletter of Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa, which focuses on the proud descendants of Kalaupapa, will be mailed to more than 500 families who have contacted the ‘Ohana in recent years for

help in learning more about their ancestors. It was always our hope that the families would evolve into leaders of the ‘Ohana, but we had no idea the interest would become so widespread.It was nearly 20 years ago when Bernard Ka‘owakaokalani Punikai‘a began talking about the need to bring together family members and friends to make sure the voices of Kalaupapa would always be heard. At that time, we thought the majority of this new network would be friends because we still believed the often-repeated myth that the people of Kalaupapa had been forgotten by their family members.

The descendants themselves have shattered that fallacy as they contact the ‘Ohana in search of information from the digital library we have created. They come to us with only a single name or they come with photographs, birth certificates, death certificates, letters and memories. As we have provided them with information from our files and welcomed them into the ‘Ohana, they have given us personal stories that make the overall history of Kalaupapa a richer and more inclusive history. . . a living history.

We are finding that many, many families cared about their loved ones who were sent away. Parents wrote to Father Damien inquiring about their children, a father confined at Kalihi Hospital in 1868 sought employment to pay for his son’s schooling, a young husband begged the Board of Health to let him serve as kokua (helper) to his new bride being forced to Kalaupapa (he was denied).

Through their families, the people of Kalaupapa are being returned to the history they helped to create. Hardly forgotten, those sent to Kalaupapa are now being recognized, in the words of descendant Mercy Bacon, as “the pride of a nation.” — Valerie Monson, Coordinator, Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa

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Our masthead was designed by Kalaupapa artist

Henry Nalaielua.Newsletter editor: Valerie Monson Design: Yellowbird Graphic Design

Ka ‘Ohana O KalaupapaP.O. Box 1111

Kalaupapa, Hawai‘i 96742 email: info@kalaupapaohana.org

www.kalaupapaohana.org©2014 Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa

Descendants of Kalaupapa with Coordinator Valerie Monson at St. Andrew’s Cathedral: From left to right, Kahu Kaleo Patterson, Reid Loo, Valerie, Zelka Harvest and May Holokai.

Memories from Our President

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M ost people don’t realize that many of us at Kalaupapa had family here, too. I was the fourth child my parents were forced to give up because of this disease.

I grew up in Kalapana. We had a big house and I used to go upstairs and see pictures of these two girls and a boy I didn’t know. I asked my mother who they were and she said, “Those are your sisters and brother.” I asked where they stayed and she said, “Just pray for them.”

At the age of 9, I was diagnosed as having leprosy (ma‘i pake). I had a little red spot on my cheek and I can remember my Mom was crying and so was my Dad. We were told I would have to go to Honolulu and my Mom told me, “That’s where your brother and sisters were at.”

Mom and Dad took me on the plane from Hilo, it was an old DC-3 and it took us about an hour to get there. I was happy to be riding on an airplane, not knowing what was really going to happen to me. It was June 8, 1950.

We went to Hale Mohalu and it was when my Mom and Dad were leaving, when I couldn’t get back in the car, that it really hit me. I felt so alone when they left. It was scary.

My sisters and brother were no longer at Hale — they had already been sent to Kalaupapa. My oldest sister, Beatrice, was the only one of my sisters who I never did see. She was taken away in 1940, the year before I was born, and she died in 1942 at Kalaupapa.

Miriam was the second oldest. She worked as an orderly in the Kalaupapa Hospital doing various chores. She was

a good artist and liked to sing old songs. She married James Jeong and gave him two sons. They divorced and she later married John Mina. She died in 1985 when she was 55.

My brother Harry “Alama” Keua Kahilihiwa was the fourth oldest. He took care of me and a good friend of mine. My brother worked on the rubbish truck. He later went back to Hale Mohalu to attend school. He passed away in 1979 not long after he married Mary. I made his tombstone.

When I moved to Kalaupapa in 1959, I learned that I had an uncle, Rayomond Kaina, at Kalihi.

I felt I should write about my family who was at Kalaupapa, too. Aloha my ‘ohana. Aloha no.

— Clarence “Boogie” Woody Kekaula Kahilihiwa President of Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa

Boogie Kahilihiwa was one of the movie projectionists at Kalaupapa. He poses with the old projector in Paschoal Hall in 2005.

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Boogie Kahilihiwa:

“Aloha my ‘ohana. Aloha no.”

Are you looking for an ancestor at Kalaupapa?

The ‘Ohana wants to hear from you so we can help.

Hopefully, we can provide information that should get you on the path to finding any ancestors you might have had at Kalaupapa. The ‘Ohana believes that the descendants of Kalaupapa are one of our organization’s greatest strengths.

Please contact us at info@kalaupapaohana.org and let us help you bring home your Kalaupapa ancestors. They are not lost. . . they are waiting for you.

Kalaupapa Sunday

Adjourned With a Prayer: The Minutes of Siloama and Kanaana Hou Churches, 1866 –1928

Compiled by Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa, this book shows how these church leaders worked together to shape their community through their mutual faith in God; $20 (add $6 for postage and handling). Order: Adjourned With a Prayer, Hawai‘i Conference UCC, 1848 Nu‘uanu Avenue, Honolulu 96817. (Checks payable to United Church of Christ) Proceeds benefit Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa.

Church in Makena, Maui, and a founding member of Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa. Taka’s late brother Paul was sent to Kalaupapa in 1945.

A devout Catholic, Paul introduced Taka to Siloama where he pointed out the brass plaque in the sanctuary that lists the names of the first 35 members and words that recalled how they turned to God to find hope.

“Paul would always conclude that those were eternal words describing the patients in Kalawao, Makanalua and Kalaupapa,’” said Taka.

Long an admirer of the work of Saint Damien and Saint Marianne, Taka realized that these Siloama pioneers were the “first Saints of Kalawao.” He wanted to spread the word to all the UCC churches.

And so, on that first Kalaupapa Sunday, the names that rang out from the pulpits were those not usually heard in homilies around Hawai‘i: they were the names of Kalaupapa Protestant leaders who have since died, but continue to inspire: William Uwelealea Humphreys, Helen Keao, Rachel Kamaka Souza, Samuel Kauwalu. . . and even two Catholics, Johnny Cambra and Paul Harada. The hymns, sermon and prayers all soared with the message of Kalaupapa.

The next Kalaupapa Sunday — the fourth Sunday of each January — will be January 25, 2015. To take part, contact the Rev. Diane Weible at dweible@hcucc.org (phone 808-791-5633 or (outside Oahu) 800-734-7610.

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The First Saints of Kalawao

The congregation of Keawala‘i Church in Makena, Maui, leaves the services on Kalaupapa Sunday where they honored the members of Siloama and Kanaana Hou Churches for their contributions to their community and the church history.

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The Catholic Diocese of Honolulu has long acknowledged how the history of Kalaupapa is interwoven throughout its history,

especially through the work of Saint Damien and Saint Marianne. Siloama Church — a Congregational Church — was the first church established at Kalawao in 1866 and those early leaders became prominent in the community, not simply because of their love of God, but also for speaking out against injustices that were all too common. Their contributions, however, had not been publicly saluted by the church as a whole.

On January 26, 2014, that changed with the inaugural Kalaupapa Sunday where participating churches in the Hawai‘i Conference of the United Church of Christ celebrated their Kalaupapa brethren. Kalaupapa Sunday was the idea of Taka Harada, a member of Keawala‘i

The Kalaupapa Memorial

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a n e v e r l a s t i n g P r e s e n c e :

“ The Memorial will be their everlasting presence in Kalaupapa, memorialized as a profound chapter in the history book of Hawaii, The United States and the World.” — Ka‘iulani Pauline Puahala Hess, daughter of longtime

Kalaupapa residents Jubilee and Cathrine Puahala

Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa made significant progress in the past year with plans for The

Kalaupapa Memorial, thanks in large part to the strong support of the State Board of Land and Natural Resources and Maui County on two key components needed to move forward. The Memorial will list the names of the estimated 8,000 people sent to Kalaupapa.

The Land Board unanimously approved a 65-year lease to the

‘Ohana for a 5.9-acre site where the Memorial will be located across from St. Philomena and Siloama churches. Final approval and issuance of the lease will occur once the ‘Ohana has completed Chapter 343, the state’s environmental assessment process. The 65-year lease provides descendants with a presence at Kalaupapa for generations. The ‘Ohana is also developing a Memorial Management Plan as requested by the Land Board.

After receiving lease approval, the ‘Ohana turned to securing funds for the final planning and design of the Memorial. Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa recognized the need to honor the 2,000 citizens of Maui, Molokai and Lana‘i who were sent to Kalaupapa — and included $100,000 for the ‘Ohana in his FY2015 budget. The Maui County Council unanimously approved the appropriation.

Especially supportive was Council Member Stacy Helm Crivello from Molokai, who had family at Kalaupapa, and Budget Committee Chairman Mike White, whose roots in Hawaii stretch back seven generations.

Council Members were moved by the heartfelt stories shared by family members of those whose names will be on the Memorial. A letter from ‘Ohana President Boogie Kahilihiwa was read into the record by friend Zianna Kaulia while other testimonies were offered in person by descendants.

The people of Kalaupapa first started talking about a Memorial in 1985. Nearly all of the many residents who supported the Memorial have died. The ‘Ohana truly hopes that the dedication of the Memorial can take place while there is still a living community at Kalaupapa. We urge everyone to move forward with our Kalaupapa kupuna in mind.

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Kamehameha Schools Maui student Maika‘i Kapahe‘e Kaufman testifies for support of funding for planning and design of the Kalaupapa Memorial before the Maui County Council Budget Committee.

Pauline Ahulau Chow, Vice President of Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa, looks through the 700 names of men and women of Kalawao and Kalaupapa who signed the Ku`e Petition against annexation in 1897.

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Spreading the Message of Kalaupapa

Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa has made it a priority to reach out to all the other islands.

This year, we have done this through our traveling exhibits and family gatherings that were held in conjunction with them. Our photo exhibit, “A Reflection of Kalaupapa: Past, Present and Future,” features 100 photographs of the people of Kalaupapa and their family members. Our historical exhibit, “A Source of Light, Constant and Never-Fading,” which focuses on the relationship between the Royal Family of Hawai‘i and the people of Kalaupapa, was presented with a Media Preservation Award by Historic Hawai‘i Foundation.

We are proud to say the ‘Ohana visited every island in the past year — sometimes more than once. We often see familiar faces of family members who have become strong ‘Ohana supporters — and we see new faces of those who just heard about us.

Perhaps the highlight of the year was when our photo exhibit spent a

month at historic Paschoal Hall in Kalaupapa. The exhibit drew 572 visitors, far above anyone’s predictions. Not only was the exhibit popular among day tourists on Damien Tours, but also among Kalaupapa

Reaching Out Across the Islands

Wayne Levin (left), whose photographs are featured in the traveling photo exhibit, and Molokai contractor Timmy Leong hang the show at the Molokai Museum & Cultural Center. Timmy’s ancestors were sent to Kalaupapa in the late 1800s.

The photo exhibit, “A Reflection of Kalaupapa: Past, Present and Future” at Kaua‘i Community College.

Ed Weight and Robert Ho‘opi‘i, who were both born at Kalaupapa and sent to the same orphanage on Oahu when they were infants, meet at a presentation by Ka ‘Ohana O Kaluapapa in Honolulu. They had not seen each other in more than 80 years.

The historical exhibit by Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa at the Lyman Museum in Hilo.

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Spreading the Message of Kalaupapa

residents, staff, overnight visitors and volunteers. We were especially happy to honor Danny Hashimoto, who delivered the community’s mail and newspapers for more than 30 years — and who allowed us to use a photograph of him on the cover of our exhibit booklet.

We thank the major supporters of these exhibits: Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Young Brothers, Ltd.

Reaching Out Across the Islands

The photo exhibit, “A Reflection of Kalaupapa: Past, Present and Future” at Kaua‘i Community College.

Onaona Maly (left) joins Kahu Keola Freitas and his wife, Moana, for the opening of the photo exhibit “A Reflection of Kalaupapa: Past, Present and Future” at the Queen Lili‘uokalani Children’s Center in Lāna‘i City.

Danny Hashimoto, who delivered the mail and newspapers at Kalaupapa for more than 30 years, pauses on a bridge at the edge of town.

Taka Harada, whose brother Paul was at Kalaupapa, (left) and John Arruda, Paul’s best friend, lead a discussion at Kaua‘i Community College for family members and others interested in the history of Kalaupapa.

More than 60 people attended a presentation by Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa at the Lyman Museum in Hilo where families were also asked to share their memories or thoughts about their Kalaupapa loved ones.

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‘Ohana Connections

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Although we knew our grandmother Ella Bridges Kaai was sent to Kalaupapa as a young

girl, the ‘Ohana provided us with documentation of Grandma Ella’s years at Kalaupapa from 1889 to 1899 and her release as a young woman of 20. The ‘Ohana also sent us a photo of Grandma Ella as a young woman that no one in our family had ever seen before, a very special gift for all of us.

We learned that Grandma was made a matron at Bishop Home where women and girls resided and was described as “kind to the girls” by one of those under her wing. This confirmed for me how she came to be the self-reliant and caring adult who later raised her own eight children on the Kalamaula Homestead awarded to her in 1922. Grandma Ella married David Kukapu Kaai, adopted son of our great-grandparents David and Sarah Kaai in 1906.

The Rev. David Kaai and his wife, Sarah, served the Protestant churches in Kalawao and Kalaupapa (1896-1899 and 1905-1918). In Ka ‘Ohana’s publication, “Adjourned With A Prayer,” a 1907 photograph portrays the Rev. Kaai, wife Sarah, their daughter and the congregation of Kanaana Hou Church.

In 1907 the first-born grandchild of Rev. Kaai, my mother, was named Kahoakakulani to memorialize his heavenly vision; it translates, “a heaven-like vision.” The second grandchild was named Kahaieuaneliu, which means “to spread the good news.” Together these names memorialize my great-grandfather’s work to spread the gospel. My oldest sister was named Kahoakakulani after our mother, and my daughter Rosie also shares the name as does her daughter, Kulani.

haliimaile goo:

“ Our family continues to perpetuate these names. . .”

Ella Bridges, circa 1900

Historical Photo: Courtesty Hawai‘i State Archives

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Rosie Goo stands on the steps of Kanaana Hou Church located on the grounds of the former church (smaller photo) where her great-great grandfather, the Rev. David Kaai and his family (center) served.

Our family continues to perpetuate these beautifully prophetic names with children born today. We find it remarkable that our great-grandparents contributed to the spiritual life at Kalaupapa while our Grandmother Ella was growing into adulthood there.

This past summer, Rosie had the opportunity to visit the grounds of Bishop Home where Grandma Ella lived — and walk through the doors of Siloama and Kanaana Hou Churches just like my great-grandparents did. I hope to make my own journey soon.

Me ke aloha nui, Ka ‘Ohana ‘O Kalaupapa for your work on behalf of the residents, their families and those of us endeavoring to respect, honor and celebrate the lives of our kupuna and all of the people of Kalaupapa, past and present. — Haliimaile Goo, granddaughter of Grandma Ella

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There is an old Hawaiian proverb, ‘ōlelo no‘eau,* that says Mai kaula‘i wale i ka iwi o na kupuna: “Do not dry out the bones of the ancestors.”

In other words, it is a warning not to discuss one’s ancestors too freely with strangers. It would be like exposing their bones for all to see. While I believe this to be true, I also believe there is an appropriate time and place to speak of our ancestors, and this is one of those places.

My name was given to me by my great-grandmother, Ana Kapiioho, who was born at Kalaupapa to Lui Kapiioho and his wife, Kamala. As a child, she was sent to the Kapiolani Home for Girls on Oahu and was raised there. She married Clendis Lee Bishop and had two children, one being Audrey Bishop Kollars, my paternal grandmother.

Our family did not know much about these kupuna until early 2011, when (with the advice of Sol Kaho‘ohalahala) I contacted Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa. This was a watershed moment for our ‘ohana. We discovered the complete names of Ana Kapiioho’s parents and found out they had six children, two of whom died and are buried in Kalaupapa along with their mother. We also learned that Lui Kapiioho’s mother, Maunalei, was sent to the settlement in 1873.

With this information, my sister Mapuana and I found the names of our kupuna on the Ku’e Petition and it is awesome to think of our ancestors, living in the perceived isolation of Kalaupapa, taking great

measures to ensure their voices were heard and to show their love for our Lahui. After contacting the Department of Health, we obtained a picture of Lui Kapiioho taken in 1909, just before he was discharged after spending 20 years in Kalaupapa. No one alive in our family had a picture of him. We were able to see the face of our kupuna, 102 years ago. He is very handsome with kind eyes.

I used to think I was supposed to be born long ago, in old Hawaii, so that I may know my kupuna and walk the

same path as our ancestors. I think now that this is the time where I’m supposed to be. This is the time where we can re-establish what had been severed

for generations. This might be the time where our kupuna as well as our descendants look to us and smile.

I am reminded of another ‘ōlelo no‘eau.* Ola na iwi: “The bones live.” The bones of our ancestors still have all the mana they were born with and have acquired throughout the course of their lives. Their bones and mana live on in us. E ola!

— Kalapana Kuhio Kollars, great-great grandson of Lui & Kamala Kapiioho

* Mary Kawena Pukui, ‘ōlelo no‘eau

‘Ohana Connections

KalaPana Kuhio Kollars:

“ Their bones and mana live on in us.”

Kalapana Kollars holds up an enlarged page of the Ku‘e petition against annexation signed by his great-great-grandfather, Lui Kapiioho, in 1897 at Kalaupapa. Kalapana was part of a presentation, “Remembering Kalaupapa,” at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. ‘Ohana President Boogie Kahilihiwa sits next to him.

Audrey Bishop Kollars, grandmother of Kalapana, holds a photo of her mother, Ana Kapiioho, who was born at Kalaupapa.

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The Restoration of Family Ties

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Wiliama Namahoe: A Changed Man Continued from Page One

would be passed down to her son, Wiliama’s father, who was raised by his great-grandmother’s sister. It wasn’t until Wiliama began his own search that he was able to find the answers to begin healing the family that had been torn apart so many years ago. The healing would come from his growing relationship with the great-grandmother he never knew.

With her name, but little else, Wiliama began his search in earnest around 1984. By 2008, he was at a standstill when he learned of the research started by Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa in compiling the names of all those sent to Kalaupapa. At that point the ‘Ohana had only gathered information on people sent to Kalaupapa from 1866 through 1896 and was still assembling the information. So Wiliama had to wait.

The breakthrough came when, on the same day, ‘Ohana historian Anwei Law not only found

his great-grandmother’s name (misspelled in the records), but a photograph. Kawai now had a face. Today her framed picture hangs on a wall in the Namahoe home.

Unfortunately the search for her grave remained futile. There was no one named Wong-Hoe in the Kalaupapa Cemetery Directory. Like thousands of others, the stone that might have marked Kawai’s grave had most likely deteriorated over time or was washed out to sea by the 1946 tsunami.

Meanwhile, Wiliama’s interest in Kawai was spreading to his family,

especially to his daughter who bore her name. The first Kawai — Great-grandma Kawai or Kawai The Great as she is known to the Namahoes — was born on a ranch in Hanapepe on Kauai in 1879. She was named for an important event that coincided with her birth: the discovery of a long sought-after stream deep in a valley. Her father was among a party that had been searching for days without success. Finally, they could hear the water, but still couldn’t see it. They looked all day and, as night fell, they could still only hear it. Not wanting to leave when they were so close, a torch was lit that illuminated the dense forest and showed them the way to the hidden stream.

When her father returned home and learned he had a daughter, she was named Kawaikoeahiokekuahiwi: “Finding the water in the mountains by the lighting of a torch.”

The young Kawai joined Wiliama on his mission. She asked: Could great-grandma have remarried at Kalaupapa? She was only 28 when she was forced to leave home. Had she managed to overcome the sorrow of separation to find love again?

Fortunately, ‘Ohana board member Ka‘iulani Puahala Hess, whose parents were at Kalaupapa, had recently completed a volunteer project for the ‘Ohana: compiling the Marriage Records of Kalaupapa. Young Kawai’s question was the lighting of the torch that led to her namesake. The records revealed that the elder Kawai had married George Kahoukapu on March 12, 1910, and information from the Department of Health showed that the couple had three children: Kaleiheana, Lydia and John. Another search of the cemetery directory by Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa was equally fruitful.

Mary K. Kahoukapu (her stone had the same death date as the records for Kawai Wong-Hoe) was buried near the top of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints Cemetery with a view of the towering cliffs and the sea. Wiliama got more records as additional proof.

Plans began for a trip from California to the only place possible: Kalaupapa. Wiliama

asked the ‘Ohana to help with arrangements and on a sunny October day, he stepped off the little plane beneath the towering cliffs with Kathy at his side. He soon found himself at the foot of his great-grandmother’s final resting place, nearly 30 years after his mission began.

“I will always remember that moment like it is today,” Wiliama said a year later, his voice breaking. “Even though it was so emotional for me, a peace came over me and I felt nothing but calm. When I went to great-grandma’s stone, it was like I belonged there.”

Kawaikoeahiokekuahiwi Namahoe Tinio — known as Kawai — holds the photograph of her great-great-great grandmother, whose name she carries.

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Together Our Voices Are Strong

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How Can I Become More Involved with the ‘Ohana?Learn More About the History of Kalaupapa

We highly recommend reading “Kalaupapa: A Collective Memory” by Anwei Law. Anwei, the historian for Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa, has been studying the history of Kalaupapa for more than 40 years. Her book, the most comprehensive about the history of Kalaupapa, is based on the words of the people, using letters translated

from Hawaiian that were written by the earliest residents and interviews she did with people who were sent to Kalaupapa as long ago as 1914. This book was presented with the 2013 Samuel M. Kamakau Award by the Hawaii Book Publishers Association as Hawaii’s Book of the Year. Published by UH Press, it’s available at bookstores, Amazon and libraries.

Become an ‘Ohana Member!

Join our collective movement to honor and perpetuate the people of Kalaupapa. Your donations enable us to continue our existing programs and provide necessary matches for grants to start new programs. Without you, our generous supporters, our work would not be possible. Mail your donation in the envelope that is enclosed or by going to our website: kalaupapaohana.org

Attend ‘Ohana Gatherings on Your Island

The ‘Ohana tries our best to schedule at least one annual event on each island — attend these gatherings and meet others in your community who have ties to Kalaupapa. Check for news on our website or Facebook page. Get involved!

Spread the word about Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa

Talk about the ‘Ohana with other family members of Kalaupapa, friends, students or anyone you know who is interested in the history of Kalaupapa. Together, our voices are strong!

k a laupapaohana .org

The view looking makai from the planned site of the Kalaupapa Memorial, which will be located on the grounds of the former Baldwin Home for Men & Boys at Kalawao. The view looks over the field beyond the rock wall that contains more than 2,000 unmarked graves.

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Join Our ‘Ohana

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Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa “E Ho‘ohanohano a E Ho‘omau. . . . . . To Honor and To Perpetuate”

P.O. Box 1111Kalaupapa HI 96742Email: info@kalaupapaohana.orgwww.kalaupapaohana.org

Become an ‘Ohana Member

The ‘Ohana is in the midst of a membership drive to bring together those family members, friends and others who want to support the Kalaupapa community, educational programs and The Restoration of Family Ties where we help reconnect family members to their Kalaupapa ancestors. Please join today and become a part of the ‘Ohana.

Mahalo in advance.

Send your donations to: Ka ‘Ohana O KalaupapaPO Box 1111Kalaupapa, Hawai‘i 96742 Or donate by visiting our ‘Ohana website www.kalaupapaohana.org

“The ‘Ohana is doing such a good job of helping the families. For some of them, they never got to meet their Kalaupapa relatives because they didn’t know about them, but now the families are coming back and it’s good to see that.” — Gloria Marks, a resident of Kalaupapa for more than 50 years

and owner of Damien Tours

“Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa has been the source by which I have reconnected with my family in Kalaupapa. Through their efforts, the wishes of the remaining residents at Kalaupapa will be carried out. . .“ — The late Rev. Dennis D.K. Kamakahi, slack-key legend who visited

Kalaupapa through arrangements made by Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa and performed the songs of Kalaupapa with slack-key colleagues Stephen Inglis and Patrick Landeza.

“I had been looking for a picture of my mother for so long, but I always came up empty. Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa needed only a few days to find what I could not in all my years of searching.” — Ed Weight, who was born at Kalaupapa and immediately taken from his

parents. Ed had never seen a photograph of his mother, Marcia Ka-ne, until he was 81 years old after his wife, Naomi, contacted Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa.