Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 4, Number 6, 1 June 1987 — 71 st King Kamehameha Celebration June 6 [ARTICLE]

71 st King Kamehameha Celebration June 6

Martha Hohu, Dr. Mills are ParadeGrand Marshals

Martha Kaukamaokalani Aoe Poepoe Hohu and Dr. George Hiilani Mills are the grand marshals for the colorful and spectacular 71st Annual King Kamehameha Celebration Parade on Saturday, June 6. It will start at 9:30 a. m. from downtown Honolulu's civic center on S. King St. It will go down Punchbowl St., along Ala Moana Blvd., onto Kalakaua Ave. through Waikiki and end at Queen Kapiolani Park. Decorating of the King's statue fronting Ali'iolani Hale will be held starting at 5 p. m., Friday, June 5, the same time when many members of Hawaiian Civic Clubs and other organizations will be decorating their respective floats. There will also be entertainment at the statue activity. Joseph De Fries, Honolulu Fire Department firefighter, has been selected by the sponsoring King Kamehameha Celebration Commission to portray Kamehameha the Great whose official birthday is generally recognized on Thursday, June 11, whieh is a state holiday. This promises to be one of the biggest parades ever staged because of the added participation of parents, alumni and staff along with the students of the Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Estate in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Schools and in eonjunction with Ho'olako 1987 ās the Year of the Hawaiian. A first-time entry in any major parade anywhere by the Schools will be a full-sized koa eanoe carried on the shoulders of an all-Hawaiian team. Plans eall for three 11-man shifts with team members wearing traditional garments and leis. The Schools will be entering several marching units, including their highly acclaimed marching band, two floats and decorated cars. The Kamehameha ohana should be very prominent in its centennial participation. De Fries is no stranger to celebration parades, having portrayed the king in several Kailua-Kona Kamehameha Day parades. This will be his first Oahu appearanee. He and his all male court will ride on a float being built by the Kailua Hawaiian Civic Club at the request of the Commission. Allan Mahuka is coordinator of the court. Pa'u Marshal and Queen are William Kakalia Kupuka'a Sr. and his wife, Grace Mapuana Kupuka'a. Originally from Hawaii, they have resided in Kahaluu for 16 years. Kupuka'a is a heavy equipment operator for the City and County of Honolulu and his wife operates Alaka'i Tours. Both have been involved with the KingKamehameha Celebration Parades for several years. They are the parents of two children and their unit will include family members and close friends. Five mainland bands will join loeal high school units to add to the color and festive mood of the day. Visiting bands are Columbus High School and Plainfield High School, both from lndiana; Valley High School, Colorado; John Marshal High School, Minnesota; and Jeffersontown High Schooi, Kentucky. Another treat will be the appearance of a precision drill team from Utah cal!ed the Bear River Hi-Steppers. Also entered in the parade are several hula halau with their floats honoring various islands. The halau include Hui Nani Dancers from Waianae; Joan Lindsey Hula Studio; Halau Hula 'O Maiki; and Pukaikapuaokalani Hula Studio. Pa'u riders will again highly accent the parade with their beautiful mounts and colorful regalia. These stately and gracious women will be wearing the traditional pa'u in the colors of the respective islands. Princesses are Edith Pilialoha Brown, Hawaii; Puamana Crabbe, Maui; Candy Pavao, Oahu; Dedra Balfour, Kauai; Coreen Puanani Mata, Molokai; Ernestine Lindsey Jiminez, Lanai; LaVerne Phillip, Niihau; and Diane Kealohi Luttrell, Kahoolawe. The two grand marshals have been long active in the community. Mrs. Hohu, a 1925 graduate of the Kamehameha School for Girls, has been a musical director for numerous clubs, businesses, institutions and community groups for more than 50 years, including the Honolulu Poliee, Hawaiian Telephone Company and Hawaiian Electric choral groups and the Kaumakipili Church choir. She was honored as Mother of the Year in 1969 and other awards include the David Malo Award, Kamehameha Schools Alumni Award and recognition by the Nahonal Arts and Letters Society. Mrs. Hohu also served as an editor for two hymnals — Leo Ho'onani Hou and Himeni Haipule Hou. Dr. Mills is a respected Honolulu physician who has had a long and distinguished medical career, serving as physician for the Kamehameha Schools for many years. He is also the medical director of Maunalani Hospital.

Dr. Mills has and is still very mueh involved in eommunity projects. He served as president of the State and County Medical Societies, Hawaii Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Koolauloa Hawaiian Civic Club and is president emeritus of the Association of Ha-

waiian Civic Clubs. Na Hana No'eau, displays and demonstrations of Hawaiian arts and crafts, will be held at Kapiolani Park starting at 10 a. m. Presentation of parade awards will be made around 2:30 p. m. at the Waikiki Bandstand.