Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 31, Number 8, 1 August 2014 — Grateful for an NPS tribute to my brother [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Grateful for an NPS tribute to my brother

By Gladys Brigham My brother Clarence Hulihe'e Hauanio is known by everyone as "Aku," a name he was called in school up to this very day. Our dad didn't like it, but what ean we say? I'm so proud of my brother, who retired recently after almost three decades with the National Park Service. The NPS wrote such a niee tribute to him upon his retirement, that I'd like to share it here: "Clarence 'Aku' Hauanio retired May 30 after 29 years of service with Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Aku worked for the Natural Resources Management division as a pest control worker, and was devoted to protecting the endangered species within the park, including the nēnē (endemic Hawaiian goose), and the 'ua'u (Hawaiian petrel). "Residents of Kalapana, Aku and his 'ohana (family) created a legacy at the park by serving the NPS for four generations. His grandfather John Ka'aipa'i Hauanio Sr., worked here, as did Aku's father, John Ka'aipa'i Hauanio Jr., who built the rock wall and park sign that weleome visitors entering from the south. The much-photo-graphed grove of coconut palm trees on the makai (oeean) side of the end of Chain of Craters Road was planted by John Jr., and marks the ancient Hawaiian village of Pānau. Aku's sons, Kainoa and Ikua, have both worked and volunteered at the park. "Aku's inHuenee on the park community is extraordinary. He worked in several program areas, including Protection, Maintenance, and Natural Resources Management. He worked on backcountry trails, built miles and miles of fence, and removed invasive, non-native weeds to protect native plant and animal communities in the park. According to his field supervisor, Nēnē Recovery Project Manager Kathleen Misajon, Aku's hard work and dedication to the program over the past 10 years has greatly eontributed to an increase in the park's

population from 152 to 250 wild birds. "Aku contributed his skills to many aspects of our program, from fencing projects and feral animal control to monitoring nests and helping band the endangered geese," Misajon said. "Aku is also a eanoe builder, and inspired a community of outrigger

eanoe paddlers, dedicating countless hours to coaching teams that paddled together competitively, and for fun. An avid fisherman who uses traditional Hawaiian as well as modern techniques, Aku is looking forward to spending more time on the oeean during his retirement. He will continue to live in and care for Kalapana with family." For those who haven't been to Aku's retirement pā'ina in Kalapana at Unele Robert's, you missed all the love of 'ohana, enjoyment, fellowship, good food as well as a CD of photos from the NPS of the four generations of Hauanios. What a blessing! Congratulations, my brother! Aloha kekahi i kekahi ... nui ka mahalo ame aloha. ■

Gladys Brigham is a community outreach coordinator in OHA 's Hilo office.

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Kalhleen Misajon and Aku Hauanio tag a nēnē a monlh before Aku retired. - NPS Photo

Aku Hauanio with a young nēnē he banded the month before he retired. - NPSPhoto