Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 4, Number 1, 1 January 1987 — Campus Program, Mauna ʻAla Services, Tree Replanting, Coin Minting Mark Founder's Day [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]
Campus Program, Mauna ʻAla Services, Tree Replanting, Coin Minting Mark Founder's Day
The Bishop Estate/Kamehameha Schools ohana observed centennial year Founder's Day Dec. 19 with an early morning program by the students at Kekuhaupi'o on the sprawling Kapalama Heights campus, another at Mauna 'Ala, a tree replanting before noon at the new Kamehameha Chapel and Heritage Center back on campus and the minting later in the afternoon of the first in a series of three commemorative coins. The ceremony at Kekuhaupi'o was performed entirely by the student body. It consisted of scriptural readings, recitations, hymns, hula and songs honoring the Schools' founder. Some of the students, alumni, Schools' officials, Trustees of th Bishop Estate and members of various Hawaiian organizations gathered at Mauna 'Ala on a beautiful clear morning to honor Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop at the 100th Founder's Day. Although the first Founder's Day was established by the Trustees in June 1888, and celebrated Dec. 19, 1888 — 99 years ago — thisdate marks the 100th anniversary of the Princess' birth since the opening of the school in November 1887. Office of Hawaiian Affairs Chairman Moses K. Keale Sr., Trustee for Kauai and Niihau, is well-known for his regular attendance throughout the years at Mauna 'Ala services honoring other members of the royal family. On this occasion, however, he was more prominently conspicuous and given a seat of honor up front because for the first time in public he was wearing his Na Ahu'ula O OHA, the same gold and green eape he was given at the Dec. 6 investiture for OHA Trustees.
The Mauna 'Ala program featured selections by the Royal Hawaiian Band under Bandmaster Aaron Mahi and featuring soloist Nalani 01ds Napoleon; Bishop Memonal Church and Centennial Choirs; and brief addresses by Kamehameha Chaplain David Kaupu; Schools' President Jack Darvill who retired Dec. 31; Senior Trevor Maunakea, a 13-year student at Kamehameha; and Bishop Estate Trustee and Board Chairman Richard Lyman. The Princess' grave was then decorated by the Kamehameha ohana, including Keale. lt was back to campus for the replanting of a young, healthy tamarind tree said to be a favorite of the Princess. The tree was originally planted on Founder's Day, 1981, in observance of the sesquicentennial of the Princess' birth. It was replanted in its permanent loeahon in front of the heritage hale. Virtually the same Mauna 'Ala participants took part in the replanting with one different aspect. Graduates or ohana members of graduates during the years ending with the number "7" were especially called out to do the honors in replanting the tree. After Kaupu blessed the already prepared puka, all participants lifted a big net holding the tree and put it into plaee. Everyone then took their turn shoveling or throwing dirt into the puka. At the Royal Hawaiian Mint on Koula St. that afternoon, the first gold eoin was struck by Lyman, assisted
by Governor John David Waihee III who then pressed the two large buttons to activate the machinery whieh produced the first silver eoin in the series. The honor of minting the first bronze eoin went to Lt. Gov. Ben Cayetano. The first eoin in the series bears a likeness of Kamehameha the Great with the reverse side showing the Hawaiian island ehain with the inscription said to be the last words uttered by the King: "E 'one wale no 'oukou i ku'u pono" . . . "endless is the good I have given you to enjoy." An image of Pauahi herself is featured on the second eoin with the final eoin in the series featuring her husband, Charles Reed Bishop. The Pauahi eoin will be available in June and the Bishop eoin will be minted in January 1988. The coins may be ordered through the Kamehameha Schools campus book store at a cost of $900 for the gold, $39 for the silver and $15 for the bronze. For an additional $25, a special koa presentation box is available. The book store, whieh contains a wide assortment of centennial memorabilia, T-shirts, sweaters, jackets, bags, school supplies, key chains, car window and bumper stickers and many more items, is located in new and more spacious quarters under the all encompassing massive Akahi Dining Hall on the upper campus.
Office of Hawaiian Affairs Chairman Moses K. Keale Sr., wearing Ahu'ula, awaits his turn with others to plaee ho'okupu at the Princess' tomb.
Up, up and inside the puka she goes is this young tamarind tree being replanted and carried by some of those who graduated in the years whieh ended with the number "7."
The Rev. David Kaupu, ehaplain at the Kamehameha Schools, talks about the life of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop at Mauna ' Ala. Office of Hawaiian Affairs Chairman Moses K. Keale Sr. ean be seen with his Ahu'ula to right of photo.
Suzanne Kaupu, one of the chaplain's daughters and a 1978 Kamehameha graduate, offers a chant at the tomb of the Princess while a member of the Schools' ROTC unit stands at attention. Suzanne, ineidentally, became Mrs. Frederick Soon on Dec. 27 at Kawaiahao Church.