Hakalau Japanese Language School:The first Hakalau Japanese Language School started in the Hakalau Lower Camp (Down Camp) bakery owned by Shotaro Shimizu in 1904. Between late 1904 and October 1927, a total of 4 Hakalau Japanese Language Schools were built on the one acre site in Hakalau Upper Camp (Up Camp) now occupied by the Hakalau Jodo Mission and the "Stairs to Nowhere" . These language school buildings met the needs of the increasing Japanese population for both childcare and teaching their children. Japanese language and culture.
The use of the last building changed over time to include, in addition to the Japanese Lanaguage School, the Plantation Personnel Office, the ILWU Office, an Aikido Studio, the Hakalau Karate Club. The educational needs also changed.
With the demise of the sugar industry and the depopulation of Hakalau in the 1960s and 1970s, the school was no longer relevant. The building (the one built in 1927) was demolished in late 1984 or in 1985. Now, all that is left are the "Stairs to Nowhere", a monument to Hakalau's population of Japanese ancestry during the sugar era. |
Updates: November 27, 2023Upcoming Events:
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For the Hakalau Kuleana, our responsibility is to care for the land, the people, and the culture. We are guided by cultural values of YESTERDAY: Engage in collective effort. Look out for each other. Honor hard work. Show respect for those who came before us. Aloha and Mālama `Aina. In 2021, Akiko Masuda added two more values to the list: Consistently show up. Whatever has to be done, jump in and do it!
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