Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 2, Number 11, 1 Nowemapa 1985 — Cemeteries are Neglected Part of Hawaiian Heritage [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Cemeteries are Neglected Part of Hawaiian Heritage

By Nanette Napoleon Pumell Editor's Note: The writer was recently awarded a grant ■ from the Ojfice of Hawaiian Affairs to research and suruey s eueral graueyards statewide for genea!ogy purposes. She ,was one of 22 indiuiduals, agencies or groups who were •awarded OHA Community Grants). Cemeteries in Hawaii, prior to World War 11, were onee respected as colorful focal points in Hawaiian communities where many families would gather on a sunny Sunday to sing, pull weeds and to pass on family genealogies to youngsters. But in recent years, interest and pride in these sites have decreased markedly, as descendants of those buried have moved away from their old ethnic neighborhoods and lifestyles. Subsequently many older sites receive very little maintenance or care, and have become overgrown with grass and iweeds, or in some cases large sections have been completely destroyed by vandals, the weather or by high-rise developinent. Cemeteries today remain fragile links with the past, whieh are rich with artistic beauty and cultural significance, yet they have become a neglected part of our Hawaiian heritage. Preliminary surveys indicate there are well over 100 public and private cemeteries on the island of Oahu where Hawaiians are buried. In an effort to document these treasures before they are lost forever, a one-year investigation will be conducted on Oahu to identify and catak>g cemetery sites (including small family cemeteries whieh are not listed in public records) where Hawaiians are buried, and to eompile a master list of Hawaiian persons buried in these sites. The primary goaI of the project will be to revive interest in preserving individual cemetery sites and cultural traditions. This Cemetery Research Project is being sponsored by the Hawaiian Historical Society, and is being funded by the

Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and the Committee for the Preservation of Hawaiian Culture, Language and the Arts. Anyone having information about cemeteries is encouraged to eall the writer at 262-2723. She is project director for this study.

This is a portion of neglected Puea Cemetery on North School St. in Kaiihi. The cemetery is spruced up in preparation for Memorial Day but then returns to its neglected state soon after the flowers die off.