Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 4, Number 6, 1 June 1987 — Kalaupapa Contacts Established by OHA [ARTICLE]

Kalaupapa Contacts Established by OHA

For more than a century, the patients of Kalaupapa were taken from their families. And then, if they found love between the shrouded cliffs and rough seas of Kalawa'o, their families were taken from them. How deep and continuing that separation of son from mother ean be was revealed in a recent eall to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. One such case is that of Richard Cabane who was born at Kalaupapa in the 1930s and taken at birth from his parents, Maximo and Katie. But with changes in the understanding and treatment of Hansen's Disease, he had returned to visit the parents he loved and the land of his birth. Katie Cabane died in 1983. Her wish, like those of so many of the residents of Kalaupapa, was to be buried on the peninsula that had become home. Richard eontinued to return to his mother's side but it was difficult. The State Department of Health requires that guests to the settlement be escorted. This rule protects the privacy of the patients and assures the safety of tour visitors. It also denies Richard and other members of Kalaupapa families the opportunity to visit graves in quiet reunion. Richard is getting too old to be comfortable riding the Moloka'i mules into Kalaupapa as part of a tour. He called DOH for permission to visit the grave on his own and was told it was impossible. OHA got the same answer. However, upon being pressed further, DOH in Honolulu provided the name of Marybeth Maul, administrator of the Kalaupapa office. She acknowledged the Department has no arrangements for cemetery visits, citing the laek of staff and time. It was noted that arrangements for private grave visits ean be made through the churches at Kalaupapa. Catholic faith members may contact the Rev. Nobincio Fernandes, 567-6238. Mormon followers may contact Ku'ulei Bell, 567-6479. All other Protestant denominations may eall Kahu Deardorf, 567-6313. For Richard, this means he will soon visit his mother again, ending another separation whieh threatened to keep them apart even after death. — Linda Delaney