Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 3, Number 12, 1 Kekemapa 1986 — Proud Hawaiians Look to Future [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Proud Hawaiians Look to Future

Na Mele O Maui Ine. was founded in 1973 as a nonprofit organization to preserving time-honored traditions of Hawaiian culture for generations to eome. In this special recognition, profits from the festival go towards providing scholarships for County of Maui high school graduates with an interest in continuing their Hawaiian cultural education.

T wo such persons are the 1986 recipients of Na Mele O Maui scholarships — cousins LaSalle Noelani Ka'auamo of Kea'nae and Jessie-Ellen Kapeka Kekiwi of Haiku. Neither knew of eaeh other's application to the Na Mele O Maui scholarship committee until the awards were made. They eaeh received $500 scholarships. Noelani, who graduated from Hana High School, and Maui High graduate Jessie are currently enrolled at Maūi Community College where the ' are students in the Hawaiian language class in addition to carrying the required classes. They plan to continue their education at the University of Hawaii Hilo campus.

The two students, who commute to MCC daily from their respective communities, were among those in attendance at the Nov. 7 Keiki Song Contest whieh kicked off the 14th Na Mele O Maui three-day festival. Noelani and Jessie are related through their grandfathers. Ku'ulei and Solomon Ka'auamo are Noelani's parents while Jessie's parents are Pua'ala and Jerome Kekiwi. Mrs. Kekiwi and Ka'auamo's fathers were brothers, making Noelani and Jessie second cousins.

They look to the future when they ean do their part to perpetuate the Hawaii they love so dearly. "We're proud to be Hawaiians," they say, noting that their Na Mele O Maui scholarships have a Godsend. Both are determined young Hawaiian women who are intense about doing their part to perpetuate their culture. They like to see this through more intensive study in the areas of Hawaiian language with emphasis on its daily usage and the art of communicating knowledge through the dances and chants of Hawaii.

OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS 567 So. King Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96813

Jessie-EUen Kapeka Kekiwi, second from left, and her cousin, La Salle Noelani Kaauamo, second from right, are the 1986 Na Mele O Maui scholarship winners currently attending Maui Community College. Here they are shown with three officials of the annual festival. From left to right are Manu Kahaialii, master of ceremonies and Maui Trustee-elect for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; General Chairman Dick Bacon; and Lori Sablas, managing director of the Kaanapali Beach Operators Association, sponsors of the three-day festival.