Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 4, Number 6, 1 Iune 1987 — Trask, Pukui, Lucas Get Awards [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Trask, Pukui, Lucas Get Awards

YWCA Annual Event Honors Three Hawaiian Women

Honolulu Attorney Mililani Trask, administrative counsel to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, was one of seven of Hawaii's outstanding women honored by the Oahu Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) at its 10th Annual Leader Luneheon May 13 in the Ilikai Hotel's Pacific Ballroom. An overflow crowd of more than 800 people attended the event whieh eaeh year recognizes outstanding achievements by women in five separate categories. In recognition of Ho'olako 1987 as the Year of the Hawaiian, the sponsoring YWCA established aspecial Ho'olako award, presented posthumously to two outstanding Hawaiian women who died in 1986. Trask received her award in the Outstanding Achievement category of professions. The other awards went to: • Harriet Bouslog, employment advocacy. • Winifred Buckley, business. • Patsy Mink, government. • Barbara T anabe, arts and humanities.

In presenting her award, YWCA President Lynda Johnson said: "Mililani is a role model for women and especially for native Hawaiian women. As one of the leading native Hawaiian attorneys, she has distinguished herself in a traditionally male field, representing Hawaiian interest to the Legislature, from the Governor's office to the office of the President in the legal business communities and internationally at conferences on native water and land rights. Mililani served as a researcher in the 1978 Constitutional Convention and as a city prosecutor. Her community involvement includes work as a planning member of the Northwest Indian Women's Circle, organizations involved with traditional Hawaiian religious practices and work with the Task Force on Hawaiian Home Lands. She was honored as one of the Outstanding Young Women in America in 1982 as well as an Outstanding Hawaiian Woman by Alu Like ine. Mililani is also a talented musician and singer, having led her all women group, Na Wahine Leo Nani, to first

plaee in the 1984 Na Himeni 'Ana competition at the University of Hawaii." Harriet 0'Sullivan, leader luneheon chairperson, presented the Ho'olako awards to Mrs. Myron (Laura) Thompson, daughter of Mrs. Clorinda Low Lucas and mother of Hokule'a navigator Nainoa Thompson. The other award for Mrs. Mary Kawena Pukui was accepted by Martha Poepoe Hohu, a close friend and counselor. 0'Sullivan explained the Ho'olako awards were created to give special recognition to two women who have made noteworthy contributions to both the YWCA and the community at large. She said it is fitting that the awards were given to two people who have lead their lives in the spirit of Ho'olako whieh means " We are Enriched." "It means to celebrate the Hawaiian in all of us . . . to acknowledge that we hold in eommon and cherish beliefs and practices derived from our host culture . . . (See "YWCA" Fg. 3)

Honolulu Attorney Mililani Trask accepts her award from Harriet 0'Sullivan, chairperson of the Leader Luneheon at the llikai Hotel.

Mrs. Myron (Laura) Thompson, daughterof Clorinda Low Lucas. accepts posthumous award for her mother (inset).

Martha Hohu beams happily in accepting award for close friend Mary Kawena Pukui. Lynda Johnson, Oahu YWCA president, makes presentation.

YWCA, from Pg. 1 We reaffirm the mutual respect we have for our differences and celebrate the contrasting threads of existence and beauty and strength to the fabric of our life," 0'Sullivan concluded. Clorinda Low Lucas, who died in February, 1986, devoted her life to the social welfare of the people of Hawaii, especially its children, and to the people of the Pacific and Southeast Asian cultures. Lucas' maternal grandmother was Chiefess Pamahoa; her maternal grandfather was a descendant of the Pomare Kings of Tahiti. Lucas was born in Kohala on the Big lsland, daughter of the famed cowboy Eben Parker Kahekawaipunaokauaamaluihi "Rawhide Ben" Low of the Parker Ranch family. Her mother was Elizabeth Napoleon, hanai daughter of Sanford B. Dole, the president of the Republic of Hawaii and its first territorial governor. Lucas was a graduate of Punahou School and Smith College in Massachusetts. Within her lifetime, both schools recognized her for her outstanding accomplishments. One of her early jobs was serving as the executive secretary of the Hawaiian Humane Society, while her interest in social work began during her years at Punahou when she worked with low-ineome youngsters from Kakaako. As a result, she pursued and received an advanced degree in social work from the New York

School of Social Work. She worked for one year in New York for the National Board of the YWCA and also worked for the Strong Foundation Dental Clinic for underprivileged children. After returning to Hawaii, Lucas' achievements included being named chief of the Territorial Department of Public Welfare, director of the school social work service in what is now the Department of Education, and being named the first woman member of the Board of T rustees of the Lili'uokalani Trust. Eventually, she was named a life trustee of this trust, and also served as chairman of the Kamehameha Schools Advisory Council and chairman of the State Commission on Children and Youth. In 1979, Lucas was named a "Living Treasure of Hawaii" by the Honpa Hongwanji Missic ' l ' " Mary Kawe. :,.ed in May, 1986, was internationally . i ,er work in the fields of Hawaiian life, litc. mguage. She was born Mary Ab: :! Kaweiia- uia-o-ka-lani-a-Hi'iaka-i-ka-poli-o-Pele-ka-wahine-'ai'honua Na-lei-lehua-a-Pele Wiggin at Haniumalu in the Ka'u district of the island of Hawai'i. Her parents were Mary Pa'ahana Kanaka'ole of Ka'u and Henry Nathaniel Wiggin of Salem, Mass.

After her birth, in whieh her maternal grandmother Nali'ipo'aimoku (Po'ai) assisted, Pukui was given to her grandmother as a keiki hanai. Po'ai spoke only Hawaiian. However, Pukui was in continuous contact with her parents, particularly her father, who spoke only English. Her father would read her stories from the Bible and tales of his New England birthplace. Pukui's knowledge of the Hawaiian language was reinforced by Pa'ahana after the death of her grandmother, Po'ai. Pukui is best known today for her role in the preparation of Hawaiian dictionaries and a Hawaiian grammar book published in 1979. In addition, she was the author of many Hawaiian songs although she could not read music. Pukui worked with the Hawaiian Mission Board and taught at the Hawaiian YWCA, the Kamehameha Schools and Punahou School early in her career. At the time of her death, she was Associate Emeritus in Hawaiian Culture at the Bishop Museum, where she had worked for 26 years. Among her numerous awards were designation as "A Living Treasure of the State of Hawaii," an honorary doctorate from the University of Hawaii, and the Award of the Order of Distinction for Cultural Leadership from the State Council on Hawaiian Heritage.