Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 3, 1 March 1988 — Some Express Mana'o on Hawaiian Unity Day [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Some Express Mana'o on Hawaiian Unity Day

Dancers Kamalani Ho, Rachel Francisco and Cyndie Takamoto of Kumu Hula Leimomi Ho and Tony Conjugacion's Keali'ika'apunihonua Ke'enaaohula shared these thoughts on Ho'olokahi with Ka Wai Ola O OHA. Francisco: "It's exciting. This brings us all together and it makes me happy. We worked hard to get ready." Takamoto: "It felt really good dancing together." Ho: "lt gave me a great feeling. I was glad to be a part of it and I won't ever forget it." A1 Machado, still friendly and smiling after a long day of distributing box suppers, praised his fellow workers who also kept going although obviously tired. "A lot of people have eome out to help, from the Operating Engineers who donated trucks and labor, to HC&D, Hawaiian Bitumuls, Grace Pacific and many other companies," Machado declared.

Also sharing their thoughts were: Hazel Stephenson, retired state employee: "It was great having a Hawaiian emphasis in a year's program of events. This emphasizes Hawaiian eulture. Onee we hid it." Stephenson grew up in Hana, Maui, and still recalls a time when some considered being Hawaiian to be shameful, and when learning about one's heritage and language was discouraged. She added: "Since recent times, awareness of being Hawaiian has led to emphasizing all the skilled things Hawaiians did in the past — the fishermen, farmers, healers — and ean do today. Hawaiian culture really is a living culture." Ellen Bloede, Bishop Museum dacent: "In high school they wanted us to be 'good Americans' so

we were not taught Hawaiian except as extracurricular activities. Really, onee there was a real denial of one's background. The new generation is taking more interest. Ho'olokahi is an expression of pride in our ethnic background." Pilialoha Lee Loy, school teacher: "We should do this again next year; every year." David Lyman, harbor pilot and Hokule'a crew member: "We should do this again and next time give out more tickets to make sure the stadium fills up." Ka Wai Ola O OHA extends mahalo to these people who were willing to share their mana'o. Photos were taken of them but unfortunately one of Ka Wai Ola O OHA's cameras malfunctioned and alas the pictures did not eome out.

While others joined in with the entertainment, this Hawaiian in foreground is engrossed with reading the special Ho'olokahi issue of Ka Wai Ola O OHA.