Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 3, Number 3, 1 March 1986 — Sixth Annual La Hoʻoulu ʻOlelo Hawaii [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]
Sixth Annual La Hoʻoulu ʻOlelo Hawaii
Medicinal Plants, Language Grab Spotlight
It was another day of conversation, entertainment and fellowship exclusively in the Hawaiian language at the sixth annual La Ho'oulu 'Olelo Hawaii Feb. 15 in the campus activities center of Kauai Community College in Puhi. Attendance was a bit smaller this year at a reported 120 kupuna, adults, keikis and college and high school students in Hawaiian language programs throughout the state. The enthusiasm, spirit and deep feeling of aloha, however, remained contagious. Perennial master of ceremonies Moses Kapalekilahao Keale Sr., who also is the Kauai and Ni'ihau trustee for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, got the program off to a punctual start at the appointed hour of 9 a. m. following registration. The program ended as scheduled at 3 p.m. despite the Rev. David Kaalakea of Maui going overtime during his ha'i'olelo on "Ka La'au Lapa'au Hawaii" or Hawaiian medicinal plants.
The crowd didn't mind it one bit as Kaalakea made a very interesting presentation, using samples of the many plants in describing his subject matter. The entire presentation, of course, was in the Hawaiian language. Among some of the plants he described were laukahi whieh he explained Hawaiians used for mimi kopa'a (diabetes); wapine or lemon grass whieh is still used today for ho'opulolo'u for aching bodies and fever; noni for bellyaches or upset stomach; akoko for epilepsy; and plants for rheumatism, cancer, asthma and other illness. Such traditional activities as speech contests, games, eonversation groups, music, door prizes and auction were again very mueh a part of the program. The speech contests included memorizing a one minute speech for beginning students.
Only three high schools were represented this year — St. Louis and Kalani of Oahu and Kauai High School. Those giving their one minute talks appeared to be beginning students who all identified themselves, their schools, families and activities or interest. Hawaiian versions of charade were played out by studlents, teachers and kupuna. Everyone had fun and this is what it was all about. The drawing of lucky numbers for door prizes and the auction also evoked plenty of laughter from the crowd, obviously enjoying themselves to the fullest. Kupuna Lydia Kaipo Hale of Waimanalo's Halau Likolau-
• lani was called by Keale during the ho'okuku for her observations about La Ho'olulu 'Olelo Hawaii inasmuch as this was her first one. She said she enjoyed herself and appreciated the fact she was able to attend. However, she cautioned, the language should be learned the right way. As an example, she used the word hamburger. In today's Hawaiian language, she noted, it is passed off as hamabuga. Actually, Kupuna Hale reminded her listeners, it should be i'o pipi 'i wili i'a. There were lots of nodding heads, apparently in agreement. "The Hawaiian Bible is the meat of the Hawaiian language. In the Bible you have the right way of speaking Hawaiian. Don't ho'o hauka'i the Hawaiian language because that's all we have left," she advised.
Jean Ileialoha Beniamina, Ni'ihau native and outreach counselor at KCC, presented a slide presentation on Ka Pupu O Ni'ihau or Shells of Ni'ihau. She also acted as auctioneer and got some spirited bidding on the awa plants. Proceeds from the auction and sale of leftover laulau from luneh were earmarked to help defray expenses for the day. The laulau luncheona!so featured ehieken long rice, lomi lomi salmon, poi, eake, puneh and coffee. It was quite a bargain for the $5 registration fee when taken into consideration the fact that pastries, coffee and tea were a!so offered at registration time. It was indeed a day dedicated to preserving and perpetuating the Hawaiian language for those speaking Hawaiian, leaming to speak Hawaiian or who spoke Hawaiian long ago.
David Kaalakea of Maui displays a eouple of Hawaiian medicinal plants during his talk on the subject. Other Hawaiian plants ean be seen on table before the Maui kupuna and lay minister.
Office of Hawaiian Affairs T rustee Moses K. Keale puts poi in bowl during preparations for luneh. Keale, one of the founders of the event along with Byron Hokulani Cleeland, was again the master of ceremonies.