Courtesy of Bobby Fujimori
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2018 Hakalau School and Community Reunion in HakalauReunions are a good time to remember nicknames and the names of favorite places.
The 2018 Hakalau School and Community Reunion in Hakalau on September 28 and 29 was attended by approximately 140 former Hakalauans and their families. Highlights of the reunion were visits to Hakalau School to witness the cleanup and restoration in progress, visits farms of John Cross and Clyde Chinen, both with long histories in Hakalau, a wonderful Thai lunch at the Hakalau Jodo Mission, and a bus ride to the Plantation Museum and to Hilo Coast United Church of Christ in Honomu as well as some old haunts. Of course, dinner gatherings in Hilo at Auntie Sally's provided lots of opportunities to swap stories.
Hakalau tea farmer, John Cross, explains the finer points of growing and picking tea. Photo courtesy of Norma and Robert Yara.
Clyde Chinen shares the history of his farm and the details of his current crops: lychee, logan, rambuton, and mangosteen. Photo courtesy of Susan Forbes.
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Akiko Masuda shares the story of reviving Hakalau School...the next stop in the day's activities. Photo courtesy of Susan Forbes.
A magnificent lunch prepared and served by Luckana, Dao and Ubon at the Hakalau Jodo Mission. Photo courtesy of Norma and Robert Yara.
Rest stop at the Hilo Coast United Church of Christ in Honomu. Robert Yara, Eugene Sunakoda, and Cal Motoda. Eugene is a church member from Honomu and attended Hakalau School. Robert is one of Eugene's first students at Hakalau School. Photo courtesy of Cal Motoda.
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Akiko Masuda explains the transformation of Hakalau School as the attendees tell her about their memories of these classrooms. Photo courtesy of Norma and Robert Yara.
Lunch was a delight thanks to our Thai Angels, Luckana, Dao and Ubon! Photo courtesy of Norma and Robert Yara.
Dinners at Aunty Sally's provided lots of opportunities to catch up with friends. Photo courtesy of Robert and Norma Yara.
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2017 Hakalau School and Community Reunion in Las Vegas
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Photos and video courtesy of Valerie Poindexter, Hawaii County Council Chair and Hakalau's Representative (District 1)
Former Hakalau Up Camp resident, Ken Shimabukuro, reports:
Recognizing the Reunion Committee It took a lot of work by the Las Vegas Reunion Committee. The great thing about Hakalau people is the spirit of helping each other. Have had a lot of comments on how the committee is like a professional organization. The committee was composed of Max Cadabona, Toby and Dave Fusato, Ruby Yoshizumi Iwamoto, Calvin Motoda, Ed Toguchi, Robert Yamada, Robert and Norma Goto Yara and myself. The great thing is that we all come from different camps and were not classmates except for a couple of people. I can't say enough about how the Hakalau people just have that Spirit of Kokua. Overview of the Reunion The 2017 Hakalau School and Community Reunion was held on Sept 12 – 14 at the California Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. This year’s reunion saw a lot of returning attendees as well first-time attendees. Also in attendance were numerous members of the younger generation. There was a lot of reminiscing of “Hakalau Days of old” and lots of “talk story time” with long-lost friends in the hospitality suites and during the banquet. The reunion really showed the Hakalau Ohana spirit is strong and full of life. There were numerous Hakalau family reunions that took place during the event as well. About 150 Hakalauans, spouses, children, relatives and friends attended the 3-day event at the California Hotel and Casino. As in the past reunions we had attendees from all corners of the country. Even Hurricane Irma did not deter those from Florida and Georgia from attending. This year we were surprised by two guests who represent Hakalau from the past and Hakalau today; former teacher Joe Kuroda who taught at Hakalau School for one semester in 1953 and Councilwoman Valerie Poindexter who currently represents the Hamakua district today. Both of these people were impromptu attendees who heard about the reunion while in Vegas and wanted join in the reunion. In attendance were people from all the different camps and surrounding communities that make up the “Greater Hakalau” community. Former residents of Honomu, Wailea, Hakalau Up Camp, Hakalau Down Camp, Chin Chuck, Chin Chuck Mauka, Kamae, Kamae Mauka, Sugimoto Camp, Umauma and Honohina were in attendance. The first two days were spent in the hospitality suites so people could spend time catching up on old times or making new connections. 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. There were first time attendees who were born in Hakalau and moved away at early ages, but felt the pull of the Hakalau spirit to attend and find their true roots. The third day was devoted to a banquet 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. Mahalo to the attendees and all the people who helped make the reunion a success! It really showed the true Hakalau Ohana and spirit! |
Wailea/Honomu
1st Row: Rita (Barcena) Alcosiba, Lynn (Fukushima) Sekiya, Betty (Miyatake) Katzmann, Kay (Kunimitsu) Firebaugh, Sumie (Yamasaka) Fairburn, Fumiko (Hamada) Nishimura 2nd Row: Mabel (Miyamoto) Momohara, Kazuko (Ogawa) Hamada, Cindy (Barcena) Baring, Mildred (Barcena) Kiyan, Sally (Otake) Sullivan, Sandra (Shimabukuro) Yamada, Francis Oshiro, Curtis Ochiai 3rd Row: Edward Murai, Kazumi Hamada, Dennis Nishiyama, Eugene Capellas, Jose Barcena, Sadao Ogawa, Hideo Hamada Lynn Betty, and Kay are from Honomu and attended Hakalau School Missing: Keith Ouye 
Up Camp
1st Row: Barbara (Endo) Miyose, Lois (Shimabukuro) Parks, Diane (Woo) SooHoo, Saranne (Leong) Chandler 2nd Row: Ken Shimabukuro, Thomas Kawamoto, Richard Hirai Missing: Genevieve (Paiva) Nishi 
Down Camp
1st Row: Marylou (Santiago) Abregano, Wilfred Morikawa, Ruby (Yoshizumi) Iwamoto, Josephine (Mamhot) Yokoyama, Elizabeth (Salcur) Miller, Priscilla (Medeiros) Nuevo 2nd Row: Arthur Ortiz, Michael Ortiz, Diane (Kimura) Machida, Herbert Yoshida, Tomiko (Kimura) Almeida, George Kunihiro, Trudie (Shimizu) Nakamura, Calvin Motoda, Gary Morishita 
Chin Chuck
1st Row: Carrol (Goto) Tokuda, Glenn Yabiku, Hiroshi Arakaki, Yeiko Arakaki 2nd Row: Arlene (Goto) Yonamine, Amy Arakaki, Norma (Goto) Yara 3rd Row: Ted Toguchi, Shigeru Teruya, Ed Toguchi, Robert Yara Missing: Richard Fujimori |
Kamaee, Kamaee Mauka, Honohina
1st Row: Peggy (Kitagawa) Yoshizumi, Bob Yamada, Max Cadabona, Lillian (Kitagawa) Sakae, Nellie Simeon, Ted Inoue 2nd Row: Henry Oshiro, Elmer Yada, Buster Uyejo, Richard Oshiro, Maria (Simeon) Kunihiro, Bobby Oshiro, Leonardo Simeon, Ken Sakae |
Chin Chuck Mauka
1st Row: Lillian (Oshiro) Nakasone, Audrey (Shimabukuro) Noahr, Elaine (Arakaki) Gushiken, Betty (Arakaki) Taira, Nancy (Kaneshiro) Capellas, Jane (Hiyane) Nako 2nd Row: Ralph Morita, Reggie Morita, David Fusato, Janet (Shimabukuro) Maesaka, Joanne (Uehara) Toyama, Violet (Tsuchiyama) Yoshimura, Robert Kaneshiro, Van Alan Fusato |