Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 31, Number 8, 1 August 2014 — Nou kēia mahalo, e Apolei ... moe me ko maluhia lani [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Nou kēia mahalo, e Apolei ... moe me ko maluhia lani

Aloha e nā 'ōiwi 'ōlino, nā pulapula a Hāloa. It is a profound blessing when someone passes through this Life and leaves a remarkable and indelible impression on all the lives they touched. Beloved Aunty Apolei Kaha'i Bargamento, a woman of strong conviction, and even stronger Faith was a true "hulu kupuna," a treasured and esteemed elder who entered this world on Sept. 6, 1927. At the Office of Hawaiian Affairs we worked alongside her

and benefited daily from her irrepressible spirit, as she graced us with her presence and industrious work ethic for 26 years. Aunty Apolei's career at OHA began as a clerk in our Governance unit, advanced to a secretary level where she helped spearhead a Native Hawaiian Voter Registration in the mid-1990s, culminating in new voter registrations from our Native Hawaiian community. She went on to join Native Rights, Land and Culture, where she delved into all

aspects of advocacy, from shoreline access, gathering rights, historic sites and burials, and many other pressing issues facing our community. Her dedication, her quest for the best available advocacy tools and her service to our beneficiaries, was, and still is, highly respected among our OHA 'ohana. Advocacy at its finest. Her expertise with parliamentary rules led her to assist the Native Hawaiian Historic Preservation Council, where she served dutifully assisting the eouneil with recommendations on many historic preservation issues impacting our greater 'ohana and community. In 2009, Aunty Apolei retired from OHA but immediately returned as an OHA volunteer, continuing to help our people, until her passing on July 8, 2014. A strong matriarch of her beautiful 'ohana, Aunty Apolei blessed our Lāhui

with five children, 20 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. Her dedication to Ke Akua, and Iesū were paramount as was her dedieahon to her beloved 'ohana. She taught seminary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for 14 years. Apolei also obtained her Associate of Arts degree at age 65. She remained an active member of the Hawaiian Civic Club of Honolulu, she enrolled in Hawaiian language classes, Hawaiian chant, listened to audiotaped lectures before bed

and sought out enlightenment regarding all things Hawaiian. Just as quickly as she learned about an important historic event or cultural practice, she would be sharing with all who would listen, in her excitement, to perpetuate our history and culture. Her presence, her character and her wonderful sense of humor would liven up any conversation, and her calming and dignified peaee often helped soothe the built up 'eha, or pain, of many a contentious meeting. Aunty Apolei knew the

power of the word. She chose her words wisely, to lift up, to praise, to encourage, to bring Light into the darkest of times and places. As we move forward to unite our people, her kind words and deeds will not be easily forgotten. They should serve as a daily reminder of the daunting tasks whieh lay ahead, and the strength, conviction, faith and love needed to persevere. Beloved Aunty Apolei, you will shine as our heaeon. We will strive to eontinue your legacy of love and caring to help raise our beloved Nahon. And as we moum the absence of your bright, beautiful smile, we know your new journey will be equally as bright and beautiful. You now take your plaee among the ancestors . . . E moe aku 'oe me ka maluhia lani i ka moe kau a ho'oilo. 20/48 Jkai contributing ■

Editor's note: In accordance with an Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board ofTrustees policy based on state ethics guidelines, any trustee runningfor re-election is suspended from publishing his or her regular eolumn until the elections are complete, e.xceptfor those trustees running unopposed.

Haunani Apnlinna, MSW

Trustee, At-large

Aunty Apolei Kaha'i Bargamento, a longtime OHA employee and volunteer, is remembered as a true hulu kupuna, an esteemed elder. - Photo: Frandne Murray