Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 30, Number 8, 1 August 2013 — A homecoming 175 years in the making [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]
A homecoming 175 years in the making
ByT. Ilihia Gionson On an uncharacteristically gray day in Kealakekua in August 1993, a small fleet of canoes headed for the shore. As soon as the canoes eame around the point at the mouth of Kealakekua Bay, the skies opened. The bright red, nearly setting sun burst through and shone on the biggest of the canoes - and its precious cargo. "It was a hō'ailona. It was speeial," said Deborah Li'ikapeka Lee. "Ke Akua was saying, 'Weleome home, Henry.' " That homecoming was for the earthly remains of Henry 'Ōpūkaha'ia, Hawai'i's first known Christian and scholar. On a leap of faith, he left Hawai'i aboard a merchant ship in 1808 bound for the East Coast. He learned English, Latin, Greekand Hebrew atYale University and heeame immersed in Christianity. 'Ōpūkaha'ia's deathbed wish, to one day return home to Hawai'i, would go unfulfilled for some time. The extended 'ohana led by Lee that realized his final wish some 175 years after his death will eelebrate the 20th anniversary of his homecoming on Aug. 17 at
Kahikolu Congregational Church in Nāpo'opo'o, Kona, Hawai'i. 'Ōpūkaha'ia died Feb. 17, 1818, of typhoid fever in Cornwall, Connecticut. His
meticulously kept journals provided a treasured record of his experiences there, including his two final wishes. The first: for his newfound brothers and sisters in Christ to bring the good news of Jesus to his Hawaiian
people. The second: to eome home. "O how I want to see Hawai'i, but I think I never shall," 'Ōpūkaha'ia wrote in his memoirs. "God will do right. He knows what is best." On an October morning in 1992, Lee - who was living in Seattle at the time - was moved to brush up on her genealogy. She is a first cousin of 'Ōpūkaha'ia, seven generations removed. As she read, five
words kept resonating in her head: "He wants to eome home." Those five words set off a mission that led Lee to link up with Christians in New England for whom 'Ōpūkaha'ia was an important part of the community in the early 1800s - Rev. David Hirano and Rev. Carmen Wooster of Cornwall played crucial roles, as did Rev. Tom Walter of Connecticut, another relative of 'Ōpūkaha'ia. Lee also had to reach out to family and friends back home in Hawai'i - her parents Kwai Wah and Elizabeth Lee and Unele Billy Paris were early, strong supporters. The legal obstacles that such a homecoming would have faced just a few years previous were effectively removed by the freshly passed Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act - another sign that the time was right to bring 'Ōpūkaha'ia home. Archaeologists unearthed 'Ōpūkaha'ia's remains from their 175-year resting plaee, and discovered his iwi intact. He was placed in a koa casket and began a tour of memorial services - the first at the United Church of Christ in Comwall. He was then llown to Honolulu for memorials at the United Church of Christ headauar-
ters, Kawaiaha'o Church, Bernice Pauahi Bishop Memorial Chapel at Kamehameha Schools-Kapālama, and Kaumakapili Church. After a flight to Hawai'i Island, 'Ōpūkaha'ia's casket was loaded onto a eanoe and paddled by members of Keoua Canoe Club into
Kealakekua Bay - where he took his leap of faith. Dolphins began to circle the canoes as they entered the bay, and Henry Keau Kamoha'ula 'Ōpūkaha'ia Keli'i Ho'omanawanui - namesake and cousin of 'Ōpūkaha'ia -jumped in for the final swim to shore, a spiritual return nearly two centuries in the making. 'Ōpūkaha'ia was also celebrated in services at the Henry 'Ōpūkaha'ia
Memorial Chapel in Punalu'u, Haili Congregational Church in Hilo, Mokuaikaua Church and the University of the Nations in Kailua, and Lanakila Church in Kainaliu. He was laid to rest at Kahikolu Congregational Church in Kepulu, South Kona on Aug. 15, 1993 -just 10 months after the journey began. "Opening the door for him to return home was truly the Lord's doing. It was a wonderful tribute to Henry," Lee said. "It's now our kuleana to share his story." Many of the people who played a part in that historical homeeom-
ing will be on hand to celebrate the 20th anniversary on Aug. 17. The day will include a memorial service, chants and songs from loeal churches, and fellowship. "He was an intelligent, educated, remarkable young man," Lee said. "All of Hawai'i should know how big a difference Henry made in our history." ■ T. Ili.hia Gionson is a writer, communications consultant, ai.de to Hawai.'i. County Mayor Bi.Uy Kenoi, and distant relative ofHenry 'Ōpūkaha 'i.a.
Henry 'Opūkaha'ia's 20th Homecoming Anniversary WHERE: Kahikolu Congregational Church, Nāpo'opo'o, Kona, Hawai'i WHEN: Saturday, Aug. 17, 10 a.m. INF0/RSVP: Contact Deborah Lee at keoheola hou@ya hoo. eom or (808) 443-1268. Also, find 'Ahahui 'Ūpūkaha'ia on Facebook at facebook.com/ AhahuiOpukahaia.
j KAIĀULU ^ % COMMUNITY /
www.oha.org/kwo | kwo@OHA.org NATIVE HAWAIIAN » NEWS | FEATURES | EVENTS
Henry 'Ōpūkaha'ia's headstone in Cornwall, Connecticut. - Courtesy photos
A small fleet of canoes launched for the 1 993 homecoming in Kealakekua Bay of the earthly remains of Henry 'Ōpūkaha'ia, Hawai'i's first known Christian and scholar.
A portrait of Henry 'Ōpūkaha'ia is draped in lei.