Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 8, Number 2, 1 February 1991 — Contest open for Nanakuli youth [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Contest open for Nanakuli youth

A kupuna's dream

To encourage children of the Hawaiian homesteads to understand the role of Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole in establishing the Hawaiian homestead program, a song and essay contest is being held in the Nanakuli homestead area. Kupuna Katherine Maunakea, a pioneer homesteader in Nanakuli since 1931, is organizing both an essay contest and a song competition for Nanakuli homestead youth in grades 5 and 6 and in high school.

The contest is sponsored by Aha Haku Mele O Nanakuli, an organization she directs whieh is dedicated to perpetuation of Hawaiian language and culture. Maunakea is also being assisted by students and parents in the Nanakuli homestead to organize the contest and a program planned in March.

Maunakea's goal for the "Prince Kuhio and the Homesteads" contests is to encourage Nanakuli homesteader 'opio to leam about the history of Prince Kuhio's efforts on behalf of Native Hawaiians and the story of the homestead act. Essays should be 100 words or less. Send entries, neatly printed, to Mrs. Katherine Maunakea, 89-134 Haleakala Ave., Nanakuli, Hawaii 96792. Contest closing date is March 10.

In the song competition, students are invited to sing in groups, or solo. The competition songs are "Na Kuhio Mai" and "Aloha Ku'u Aina Ho'opulapula," composed by Katherine Maunakea. They may also sing a third song of their ehoiee. Students will be judged on their presentation and appearance. To enter the competition, students should contact Larry or Donna Awana (evenings at 668-7267) to get the song words and music in time to practice. The Awanas and Maunakea (phone 688-1965) may also be called for information about the essay contest.

Maunakea will invite students in the contests to participate in mea Hawai'i activities with Aha Haku Mele O Nanakuli to raise funds for contest prizes. She is also inviting community members to donate prizes or to share their music and dance talent in the competition program she hopes to

hold before Kuhio Day, March 26. Kupuna Maunakea is now compiling her notes and songs on Kuhio and the homesteads, and hopes to publish them some day. She said she got the idea for the contest when after years of teaching Hawaiian culture to children, she realized few

of the homestead children knew their history. She believes in the importance of teaching the 'opio to know their language and culture. "Ne walaau ole, lohe ole ia," is her philosophy. "If it's not spoken, it's not heard. If it's not heard, the language of Hawai'i dies," she said. This kupuna, who remembers the early days of Nanakuli homesteading — "algaroba blossoms, kukus and centipedes" — is still going strong at age 83 to share her love of Hawaiian culture and the Hawaiian homesteads. She hopes her contest idea will spread among other homesteads in Hawai'i.

Katherine Maunakea