Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 31, Number 6, 1 Iune 2014 — Honoring 'living legends' Buffalo and Momi Keaulana [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Honoring 'living legends' Buffalo and Momi Keaulana

On May 21, Duke's Waiklkl restaurant honored Buffalo and Momi Keaulana with its 2014 Ho'okahiko Award, whieh honors individuals whose lives exemplify the finest in Hawaiian cultural traditions. "We want to honor these living legends while they are still alive," says Dylan Ching, general manager of Duke's Waikīkī. 2014 marks the 16th year that Duke's has been presenting the award, and past recipients include such notable Hawai-

ians as Genoa Keawe, Wright Bowman, Winona Beamer and more recently Nappy and Anona Beamer. Several of Buffalo's friends and family in attendance told stories about the eouple and their many achievements, including Buffalo's participation as a steersman on Hōkūle'a's first voyage from Hawai'i to Tahiti in 1976, the innumerable lives he saved during his 34 years as a lifeguard on Mākaha Beach and Momi's gifts as a healer. Every speaker talked about Momi's aloha, inviting strangers into her home and feeding

them and making them feel like family. Buffalo, a former beachboy who founded Buffalo's Big Board Surfing Classic at Mākaha in 1977, is a surfer, bodysurfer, diver, fisherman and eanoe paddler, among his many oeean accomplishments. "Being in Waikīkī, here at the Duke's brings back memories because we all used to surf together, play together," Buffalo said about the event held facing the turquoise waters of Waikīkī. "It makes me feel good to see all the pictures of the beachboys here." — Lurline McGregor ■

Buffalo and Momi Keaulana were honored wilh Duke Waikīkī's Ho'okahiko Award. - Courtesy: Kelli Eulloek