Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 23, Number 11, 1 November 2006 — Kupuna Kawao Durante [ARTICLE]

Kupuna Kawao Durante

With the passing of Elsie Sarah Kawaonaheleopā'ī'ī Durante on Sept. 22, Hawai'i has lost another one of its living treasures. Kawao Durante personified aloha, pono, ha'aheo, ha'aha'a, kōkua and so mu ch more. She was a woman of nohle lineage, who carried the kuleana of those who preceded her by sharing her extensive knowledge with others. Her pioneering work with the state Department of Education's kūpuna program is part of her legacy, as is her dedication to the work at Ulupō Heiau and her membership in the Daughters and Sons of Hawaiian Warriors, Māmakakaua. Her iinwavering commitment to her 'ohana and wide circle of friends will never be forgotten. I, for one, am having a difficult time adjusting to life in a world where she no longer resides. E ku'u sweet lei poina 'ole, lei nani i ka wēkiu. E never fading bloom iā 'oe, e Kawaonaheleopā'ī'ī; e ola īiiau kou inoa. Robin Makapagal Kāne'ohe, O'ahu

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