Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 19, Number 3, 1 April 2002 — Tony Conjugacion directs Lunalilo kūpuna benefit [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Tony Conjugacion directs Lunalilo kūpuna benefit

By Manu Boyd £ really wanted to do something for Keahi I Allen," said entertainer/ kumu hula Tony JL Conjugacion, whose Hālau Nā Wainohia has participated in the King Kamehameha Hula Competition for a eouple of years. "Keahi heads the State Council on Hawaiian Heritage whieh produces the annual hula event. I really enjoy the feel of that competition, especially because it promotes oli (chant), but when I asked Keahi if there was any way I could help her support that event, she suggested another entity: Lunalilo Home." When Allen's mother, Nāpua Stevens, passed away a dozen years ago, Keahi was subsequently named to the three-member Board of Trustees of the King Lunalilo's estate, a post her mother held for 22 years. "My forte is in directing shows, and after further discussion with Keahi, 'Mālama e nā Kūpuna' eame to be." The benefit is produced by the State Council on Hawaiian Heritage and

directed by Conjugacion. Matt Souza is production manager, and Jodi Shiroma of Skyward Communications is handling publicity.

The home, established by the will of King Lunalilo, reopened last year after major renovations. There is an ongoing need for fund raising to maintain the home and defray costs of the residents, explained Conjugacion. "They are looking at developing an Alzheimer's unit," he said of the homes

long-range plans. According to Allen, another long-term goal is adding a nursing home wing. "Presently, residents need to be relatively independent, ambulatory and continent. If residents get to the point where they require nursing facilities, they move to that kind of home. A nursing wing would enable them to remain in familiar surroundings.

"We went to visit the home. It was beautifully renovated, so our secondary reason for putting on 'Mālama e nā Kūpuna' is to increase public awareness that the home is open, and that Hawaiians in need of that kind of care should go and eheek it out," A cast of performers has been assembled by Conjugacion, himself absent from the bill. "I want to be behind the scenes and put Keahi and the performers out front. We'll have a reunion of the Rodrigues 'ohana - Nina Keali'iwahamana, Lahela, Boyce and Ioane; the Cazimero 'ohana, (whose matriarch, Betty Mehe'ula Cazimero, was a former home resident); the Mākaha Sons, Moon John and Jerome; 0'Brian Eseslu; Kilinahe; Ho'okena; and Amy Hānaiali'i. The matinee concert event is scheduled for 2 p.m., Sun., April 14 at Hawai'i Theatre, Tickets are $25 and $35, and may be purchased by calling 528-0506. ■

Hanana Kūikawā

Conjugcicion