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  • Home
    • Upcoming Events
    • About hakalauhome
    • Contact Us!
  • Yesterday
    • Timeline
    • Camps
    • People >
      • The Ross Families of Hakalau
      • Satoru Kurisu
      • Toraichi Morikawa
      • Waichi Ouye
      • Aigoro Uyeno
    • Schools >
      • Hakalau School
      • John M. Ross School
    • Churches & Cemeteries >
      • Churches >
        • Hakalau Jodo Mission
        • Honohina Hongwanji
      • Cemeteries >
        • Honohina Cemetery
    • The Voice of Hakalau
    • Sugar Production >
      • Hakalau Mill & Other Buildings
      • Wailea Milling Company
    • Infrastructure and Transportation >
      • 19th Century Hamakua Roads
      • Bridges
      • The Railroad
  • Today
    • Hakalau Farmers Market
    • Hakalau Jodo Mission Today >
      • Newsletters
      • Obon Festival
      • Memorial Day
      • Celebrations at Hakalau Jodo Mission
    • Honohina Hongwanji Today
    • Hakalau Reunions
    • Wailea Village Historic Preservation Community >
      • Cemetery Stewardship
      • Reviving Hakalau School
      • Senior Luncheons
      • Mochi Pounding
  • Tomorrow
    • Arsenic Remediation
    • Cliff Failures
    • Hāmākua CDP & the CDP Action Committee

​​​Remembering Waichi Ouye

Born: May  8, 1914 in Umauma  Died: July 9, 2015 in Hakalau 
This website contains extensive photos from the Waichi Ouye Collection, courtesy of his family.  Waichi Ouye carefully chronicled his life and his community. In preparing this brief biography, we also reviewed newspaper articles  from 1929-2011. He was covered often, and for good reason.

From these written records and feedback from children, a description emerges: smart, committed, focused, curious, persistent, honorable, proud, and humble.

Picture
Carefree times: Waichi Ouye and friends at Kolekole, circa 1930. Photo from the Waichi Ouye collection, courtesy of his family.
From 1929 to 2011, Waichi Ouye's activities and roles were frequently reported, including:
  • ​Historian, Reporter, Editor 
  • Agriculturist and Agricultural Leader: Hakalau Plantation, Pepeekeo Sugar Company, Hilo Coast Processing Company; Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii County Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Committee
  • Beekeeper, Big Island Beekeeping Association
  • Boy Scout Leader and Mentor
  • Community Participation and Leadership: PTA, Hakalau Recreational Council, Volunteer Fire Squad, Hakalau-Wailea Water Project, Hakalau-Wailea Kumiai, and Mochi Pounding
  • Japanese Heritage and Buddhism
  • Photography and Videography
  • Senior Volunteer
  • ​Historic Preservation

Early Years

Picture
Near Umauma Falls, circa 1928-1930. WaichI is in the front, right side. Next to him is his brother, Shigeru. Other boys unknown. Photo from the Waichi Ouye Collection, courtesy of his family.
Picture
Hanging out near Umauma Falls, circa 1928-1930. Photo from the Waichi Ouye Collection, courtesy of his family.
Waichi grew up in Umauma, where his father was a sugar cane farmer and his mother managed a store (Source: 1930 census). 

​Waichi was the sixth of eight children born to Zenkichi and Okichi Ouye. His older brothers were (Hatsuyuki (1900-1989), Shigeru (1903-1952), Satoru (1905-1906), Kingoro (1909-1924) and Yoichi (aka Jack, 1912-2009). Younger siblings included his sister Tsumayo (1916-2015) and brother Denichi (1921-1963).
Picture
Waichi with his brother Shigeru, assumed to be in Los Angeles circa 1933. Photo courtesy of Elin Ouye.

Picture
Photo from the Waichi Ouye Collection, courtesy of his family.
Picture
Waichi Ouye plowing, circa 1930-1931. Photo from the Waichi Ouye collection, courtesy of his family.



Waichi graduated from Hakalau School in 1930, then continued at Hilo High School, graduating in 1932.  Eugene Capellas, Hakalau School principal, John M. Ross, manager of the Hakalau Plantation, as well has his teachers encouraged their dedicated student.






​His father died in 1931 and Waichi grew sugar cane on their land to help support his family. This was the beginning of his agricultural career, which continued until 1977.

​Family and Friends

Picture
Waichi Ouye married Jane Tsutako Eto on November 7, 1942. Photo courtesy of Elin Ouye.
They both wanted a large family and all of their 6 children received college degrees, a source of great pride for Waichi and Jane. ​They travelled many times to the mainland and attended the graduations of all of their children.
Picture
Waichi and Jane, circa 1941. Photo courtesy of Elin Ouye.
Waichi met Jane Tsutako Eto  at a YBA (Young Buddhist Association) convention in 1941 and they married in November 1942. ​
While Jane took a backseat to all of Waichi’s activities, she was definitely a powerful force in his life.  ​
Picture
Ouye family picture taken in 1999. Children in back row from Left to Right: Donn Ouye, Elin Ouye, Eva Chun, Neal Ouye, Gale Ouye, Randy Ouye. Photo courtesy of Elin Ouye.
Friends and family mentioned his great sense of humor and curiosity. Newspaper articles frequently noted the new interests he pursued. 
Picture
Photo courtesy of Elin Ouye.
He always had a sense of humor, especially with his grandchildren who always encouraged him to keep up with his stretching and exercise. Obviously, he did very well!
Picture
Akiko Masuda and Waichi Ouye, circa 2005. Photo courtesy of Elin Ouye.
Akiko Masuda remembers his dry sense of humor.

There's more to Waichi Ouye's story:

Boy Scouts
Future Farmers of America and Working in the Sugar Industry
Japanese Heritage and Buddhism
Active and Long Retirement
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!