Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 5, 1 Mei 1988 — Hawaii Ethnic Records Survey Project [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hawaii Ethnic Records Survey Project

Preserving Hawaiian Church Records is Big Task

By Deborah Lee Ward, Assistant Editor Ka Wai Ola O OHA Among the earliest written documents of the Hawaiian people are the records of Hawaiian churches, whieh were often the center of their community. Through fire, flood, neglect or other accident, many records whieh contained important family and social information have been destroyed over time, erasing perhaps forever knowledge of people and places now unrecognizable with change. Yet many records have survived and preserving these pages of Hawaiian history is a growing eoneem for many churches, community groups and individuals. Facing this challenge is the work of the Hawaii Ethnic Records Survey Project, where community volunteers and staff on eaeh island are undertaking the painstaking task of inventorying church records in the first phase of a projected long-term effort. The other phases involve preservation, and possible long-range archival collecting and oral history recording. Records of Hawaiian churches on O'ahu, such as Kaumakapili, Pauoa, Lili'uokalani, Hau'ula Congregational and Kawaiaha'o, were first to be examined, and this work is continuing, says Hawaiian church records survey coordinator Mona Nakayama.

On the island of Kaua'i, the family of an Oahu field surveyor has joined in until a loeal coordinator ean be found. They are now compiling names of individuals who know about the old Hawaiian churches of that island, such as Koloa Church. This month Nakayama will visit to launeh the survey project there. In late May, she will join Maui loeal coordinators Hokulani Holt Padilla of the Maui Historical Society and Alvin Naeua of Alu Like ine., who have been contacting pastors and individuals, to begin the survey there. The project is still in the organizing stages for the islands of Hawai'i, Moloka'i and Lana'i. Miss Nakayama emphasizes this is a grassroots project. "There are still many small chiirches, still lots of records, such as pastors' journals, whieh ean tell stories of the community. Many are being kept in private homes. They are personal "diaries" of church and community events. People need to hear what this is about, so they ean eome forth with records. We ean show them how to preserve this important historical information." Personal contacts and acquaintances are tremendously valuable to this process, she notes. One project field surveyor went home to Kaua'i for a family gathering and found an aunt who knew a certain pastor's daughter. That weekend he found many persons who onee were connected with a now-defunct church, but who knew where its records were kept.

Project workers inventory records, noting the type of document — such as a photograph, diary, lease or deed — the years covered, names of individuals. They also look for any signs of deterioration due to insect, mold, water or other damage. By knowing the quantity and type of documents, and their physical condition, plans ean be carefully made for conservation and preservation, and safe storage. Nakayama explained the project will only survey records whieh a church provides and will respect the privacy of confidential items. Records are surveyed on site and will not be removed. In order to accomplish the project on eaeh island, community volunteers are now needed as field surveyors and coordinators, especially those who ean read and translate handwritten Hawaiian records. A few paid staff positions are open for qualified persons. Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer should eall or write Dr. Marie D. Strazar, Statewide Coordinator, Hawaii Ethnic Records Survey

Project, e/o State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, 335 Merchant St., Rm. 202, Honolulu, HI 96813, phone 548-4657. The Hawaii Ethnic Records survey project is a two-year endeavor funded jointly by the National Historic Publications and Records Commission, the Hawaii State Legislature and the University of Hawaii. It is part of the Humanities Project of the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. Summer workshops on archival preservation are planned on the neighbor islands by the SFCA. In addition to the survey of Hawaiian church records, the first year of the project covers records of Chinese, Okinawan and Black/Afro-American organizations in the state. The second year of the survey project will bring in other ethnic groups. The project is directed by the UH Manoa School of Library and Information Studies, in cooperation with the University's Center for Chinese Studies, Ethnic Studies Program, and Hawaiian Studies Program, and with the assistance of Alu Like ine. and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Field surveyor Alfred Kina looks on as church member and volunteer Mrs. Mary Joe Kinnison makes an entry. Kina wears mask because of the dust and musty conditions of some of the records at Kawaiaha'o Church.

Coordinator Mona Nakayama points out a reference to church member and volunteer Mrs. Pat Warren while working on Kawaiaha'o Church records.