Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 4, Number 4, 1 April 1987 — OHA Kupuna Workshop Draws Overflow Crowd; Next Session on Tap April 9 [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA Kupuna Workshop Draws Overflow Crowd; Next Session on Tap April 9

An overf!ow crowd of more than 65 kupuna from throughout the state turned out for the first brown bag workshop on "The Hawaiian Pohaku Kinship" Feb. 20 in the Office of Hawaiian Affairs conference room at 1600 Kapiolani Blvd. on the 15th floor of the PanAm Building. It was another educational, interesting and activityfilled session programmed by OHA Kupuna Oommunity Coordinator Betty Kawohiokalani Jenkins who was again assisted by Hawaii kupuna Pearl Ulunui Garmon of Waimea and Maile Lum Ho Vargo of Hilo. Moses K. Keale Sr., chairman of the OHA Board of Trustees, and OHA Administrator Kamaki A. Kanahele III greeted the capacity crowd and welcomed them. They both noted the tremendous response and said they were filled with happiness and thrilled to see this kind of gathering. Objectives of the workshop, first to be held in the new OHA headquarters, were to: • Explore the Havv/aiian relationship to pohaku. • Leam of the diverse use of pohaku in the Hawaiian island culture. • Enjoy learning from and with eaeh other. Jenkins, Garmon and Vargo were joined by Historian

Rudy Mitchell of Waimea Falls Park in giving the subject matter thorough coverage. Among integral uses of pohaku by Hawaiians are food preparation, fishing, hula, ceremonies, games, petroglyphs, tools, housing and many others. The workshop Ieaders exhibited some of the pohaku and demonstrated their various uses. Several in the crowd were unaware of the many ways pohaku were used. Kupuna who attended were from the Department of Education and the community. Another workshop is planned for Thursday, Apr. 9, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the OHA conference room. The subject matter has not yet been selected. Fortynine evaluation forms were returned following the Feb. 20 workshop. Of this number, nearly one-half (23) said they found out about it from reading Ka Wai Ola O OHA. They all agreed it was a "great, terrific and excellent" workshop. Many cited drawbacks like the conference room's configuration, laek of a public address system and the posture of speakers wherein they should be standing instead of seating when makingtheir presentations.

OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIHS 1600 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1500 Honolulu, Hawaii 96814

Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees Chairman Moses K. Keale Sr. speaks tokupunaattending Feb. 20 workshop on pohaku in the OHA conference room. Standing to his right is Betty Kawohiokalani Jenkins, OHA Kupuna Community Coordinator.