A FUN-FILLED TIME WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILIES WHO ATTENDED HAKALAU SCHOOL AND WHO LIVE OR LIVED IN THE HAKALAU PLANTATION COMMUNITY. REUNIONS ARE USUALLY HELD EACH YEAR, OFTEN IN LAS VEGAS! ABOUT EVERY OTHER YEAR, THE REUNIONS TAKE PLACE IN HILO AND HAKALAU.

2020 and 2021 Hakalau School and Community Reunions on the Big Island--CANCELED

The 2020 and 2021 Hakalau reunions have been cancelled due to the uncertainties related to the corona virus.  The committee determined that it's better to be safe than sorry, especially for our kupuna.
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2019 Hakalau School and Community Reunion in Las Vegas!

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Hakalau Up Camp 1st Row, left to right: Ken Shimabukuro, Diane (Woo) SooHoo, Barbara (Endo) Miyose, Lois (Shimabukuro) Parks, Maureen (Ueda) Ishimoto 2nd Row: Allen (Rocky) Ferreira, Howard Shimabukuro, Thomas Kawamoto, Earl NIshimoto, Wil Shima, Richard Hirai
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Hakalau Down Camp 1st Row, left to right: Ruby (Yoshizumi) Iwamoto, Tomiko (Kimura) Almeida, Josephine (Mamhot) Yokoyama, Arlene (Andagan) Waugh, Conchita (Bungula) Cadiz, Betty (Tabata) Castro 2nd Row: Arthur Ortiz, Calvin Motoda, Michael Ortiz, Theodore Kenji Kimura, Chad Andagan, Monica (Andagan) Lyman, V Jody Andagan, Jerry Rabago
Ken Shimabukuruo sent his report on the most recent reunion:

 The 2019 Hakalau School and Community Reunion was held on Sept 23 - 25 at the California Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. As in the past, this year’s reunion saw a lot of returning attendees as well first-time attendees. In attendance were numerous members of the younger generation.  It was good to see more of the next generation who were not born in Hakalau interacting with those that were from the various camps and surrounding communities of the past.
 
The theme this year was to share some of the stories about experiences growing up in the Hakalau “Plantation Days”.  A selection of contributed experiences were read which covered communal outhouses and no need for flushing, Bon Dances and teeth brushing as a group at the trough in elementary school.  Also introduced was an initiative to trace some of the families’ histories from pre-Hakalau days and beyond.  Hopefully a book would be printed with these family histories and could be a sequel to “Sugar Town” by Yasushi “Scotch” Kurisu.
 
112 Hakalauans, spouses, children, relatives and friends attended the 3-day event at the California Hotel and Casino. We had attendees from across the country, from the East Coast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, West Coast and Hawaii.  In all, eleven states were represented. As always, there were numerous Hakalau family reunions that took place during the event.
 
We were honored to have Councilwoman Valerie Poindexter who represents the Hamakua district in attendance.  She gave an inspirational talk about the values instilled in us by growing up in the “Plantation Culture” of Hawaii.
 
The reunion consisted of a reception on the first evening in the Ohana room to allow for all attendees to talk story and eat/drink in a free-flowing format. The food and memorabilia were like the catalyst for many a conversation and connection among the attendees who ranged from the different generations and camps. The second evening was devoted to a banquet in the Ohana Room with good food and a full program including entertainment, provided by various Hakalau members, drawings of door prizes and ended by everyone singing Hawaii Aloha/Aloha Oe.  The hospitality room was open during the days and after the evening events to allow for further talk story and catching up.
 
Mahalo to the reunion committee of Max Cadabona,  David and Toby Fusato, Van Alan and Janet Fusato,
​Ruby Iwamoto, Calvin Motoda, Diane Soo Hoo,
Bob Yamada and Norma Yara. Mahalo to the people who generously donated cash and goodies for the hospitality room.  And most important, mahalo to all the attendees who made the reunion a success!  Everyone was deeply touched by the true Hakalau Ohana and Spirit!
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Honomu/Wailea 1st Row, left to right: Rita (Barcena) Alcosiba, Cindy (Barcena) Baring, Sumie (Yamasaka) Fairburn, Kazuko (Ogawa) Hamada, Mabel ((Miyamoto) Momohara, Sally (Otake) Sullivan 2nd Row: Kazumi Hamada, Sandra (Shimabukuro) Yamada, Sadao Ogawa, Dennis Nishiyama, Millie (Barcena) Kiyan, Francis Oshiro 3rd Row: Douglas Motonaga, Akira Takata, Roy Nakasato, Eugene “Buzzy” Capellas, Ralph Morita, Jose Barcena
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Chin Chuck 1st Row, left to right: Arlene (Goto) Yonamine, Bobby Fujimori, Glenn Yabiku, Carol (Goto) Tokuda, Lynette Miyashiro 2nd Row: Richard Fujimori, Elaine (Chinen) Oda, Norma (Goto) Yara, Robert Yara, Pauline (Fujimori) Chaparro, Shigeru Teruya
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Chin Chuck Mauka 1st Row, left to right: Nancy (Kaneshiro) Capellas, Jane (Hiyane) Nako, Nobuko (Ozaki) Nishimura, Audrey (Shimabukuro) Noahr, Janet (Shimabukuro) Maesaka 2nd Row: Patty (Kaneshiro) Mattson, Joanne (Uehara) Toyama, Amy (Chinen) Uemura, David Fusato, Ralph Morita, Van Alan Fusato
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Kamaee Mauka, Umauma, Honohina 1st Row, left to right: Bob Yamada, Aiko (Arita) Kiyohara, Max Cadabona 2nd Row: Elmer Yada, Richard Oshiro, Henry Oshiro
Click below for information, presentations and photos from previous reunions:
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!