Notable Hawaiians of the 20Th Century

Notable Hawaiians of the 20th Century Notable Hawaiians • Notable Hawaiians Hawaiians • Notable Hawaiians • Notable Hawaiians When the second issue of ‘Öiwi: A Native newspaper and magazine articles, television Hawaiian Journal was being conceptualized news reports, and an occasional book profile in 1999, it was difficult to ignore the highlighted a few Hawaiians now and then, number of “best of” lists which were being no one had taken account at any length of announced on almost a daily basis. It seemed Hawaiians who were admired by and who as if we couldn’t get enough—What were inspired other Hawaiians. the most important books of the millennium? The one hundred most significant events? We began discussing this idea amongst The best and worst dressed movie stars? ourselves: Whom did we consider noteworthy While sometimes humorous, thought- and important? Whom were we inspired by provoking, and/or controversial, the in our personal, spiritual, and professional categories were also nearly endless. Yet all lives? These conversations were enthusiastic the hoopla was difficult to ignore. After all, and spirited. Yet something was missing. there was one question not being addressed What was it? Oh yes—the voice of the in the general media at both the local and people. We decided that instead of imposing national levels: Who were the most notable our own ideas of who was inspirational and Hawaiians of the 20th century? After all the noteworthy, we would ask the Hawaiian attention given over the years to issues of community: “Who do you, the Hawaiian Hawaiian sovereignty, native gathering people, feel are the most inspirational and rights, and endless statistics on Hawaiian notable Hawaiians of the 20th century, and health, education, and social problems, what why?” To help get the word out, Honolulu did we know of the contributions individual Star-Bulletin staff writer Pat Omandam Hawaiians had made to society? While wrote an article entitled “Who were the 224 most notable Hawaiians?” (5 July 1999:A-3), The list is alphabetical by family name (with and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs ran a the exception of the initial collective entry of small blurb in the August 1999 issue of their Nä Haumäna Hanohano o ke Kula Kaiapuni), paper, Ka Wai Ola o OHA. We also put the followed by the categories we felt best call out through email and word of mouth. describe the area of achievement: Because we wanted the list to be as arts & humanities—traditional, modern, and broad-based and all-inclusive as possible, the Western forms of artistic expression. “ground rules” for nominations were quite simple. In order to be nominated, the person business & industry—including agriculture had to: (1) have been living (but not (traditional and modern), fashion, necessarily have been born) in the 20th restaurateurs and food industry, tourism, century; (2) be of Hawaiian ancestry (any computers, and others. blood quantum); and (3) have made a significant contribution to the Hawaiian com- community leadership—covering a wide munity or community at large; or have exem- range of areas, from sovereignty and plified Hawaiian culture or lifestyle in their environmental activism, to social welfare familial, spiritual, and/or professional life. All and building community pride. we asked of those who nominated someone was that they, too, be of Hawaiian ancestry. (Hawaiian) culture—with emphasis on traditional practitioners of such arts as hula, Over the next months, we tracked down lä‘au lapa‘au, lomilomi, fishing, taro farming, leads, encouraged people to put down in chant, and religion. words the reasons for their nominations, and did some background research. Every education—educators in State-related as well reasonable effort was made to insure as in independent programs and that the information was factually correct. institutions. Because the information provided varies, there is a disparity in length and detail entertainment—performers in the tourist between entries. Some of the people industry and commercial sectors. nominated are controversial in that there is disagreement about whether their activities government service—in city & county, state, or achievements were beneficial or harmful federal, and international capacities where to the Hawaiian community. Yet others they are not holding political office but have might not typically be considered contributed towards the general good of the “notable”—they were not famous, did Hawaiian community. not receive accolades, and did not perform history-moving feats; but they served as men- health & medicine—health care professionals, tors, sources of inspiration, and role models such as doctors, nurses, administrators, social for their families or small communities. What workers and social service agencies, and com- comes through in all the nominations is the munity outreach workers. sense of personal presence and influence that has made these Hawaiians “notable.” (Hawaiian) language—those who have concentrated on ‘ölelo Hawai‘i in their work. 225 law—those working within the legal system (archipelago) as well as from Moku Honu as judges, attorneys, police officers, and (the North American continent). Some are related positions who have contributed still living, while others have passed on. significantly to the Hawaiian community, Some have spent their entire lives on one or who exemplify Hawaiian achievement. island or in one rural community, while others have traveled the globe. Some have mana wahine—this term could be loosely advanced in Western education, while others translated as “woman power!” and refers have little or no Western education. here to Hawaiian women who have excelled in their fields. A truly comprehensive list of this kind would be the size of an encyclopedia. But military service—in all branches and levels of in an effort to include all those nominations the military. Despite strong criticism by that were sent to us, yet about whom more segments of the Hawaiian community in time was needed to gather information, we regard to the detrimental effects of the U.S. will continue this list as Part II in the next military in Hawai‘i, others consider such issue (volume 3) of ‘Öiwi. service an honor that benefits the Hawaiian community, or a new expression of Hawaiian patriotism and warrior spirit. When the 20th century began, our popula- tion had been decimated by foreign politics—those who have held political diseases, our sovereign government had office, from community boards to Congress, been overthrown, our language banned, our as well as those who have actively choice to pursue our traditional culture and campaigned for and championed Hawaiian practices forcibly wrested from us. As the rights through community activism. 21st century dawns, there is renewed hope and promise that we can undo at least some religion—leaders in traditional Hawaiian and of the wrongs: Hawaiian-language immer- non-Hawaiian spirituality. sion schools have been established across the pae ‘äina; Hawaiian sovereignty is no longer sports—athletes who have excelled in just a vague dream, but is being worked out foreign-introduced sports such as football, in real, concrete ways; and Hawaiians once volleyball, golf, and sumo wrestling, or in again have taken pride in our resolve to such traditional Hawaiian sports as surfing, continue customary cultural practices such as swimming, and canoe racing. taro farming, gathering from the land and sea, and long-distance canoe voyaging. In “Hawaiian firsts”—pathbreakers in various the face of the great adversities of the past areas of life. century, the fact that we are still here makes us all notable. But we have not merely sur- The Hawaiians named here represent a wide vived. Hawaiians have contributed so much and diverse spectrum of the Hawaiian to the world, and have so much more to community: there are käne (men) and contribute. In the words of our ancestors: wähine (women), küpuna (elders) and ‘öpio I mua ë, i mua ä, i mua aku nö, a ki‘ina i ka (youth), individuals and hui (groups), lei, ka lei o ka lanakila, go forth, go forward, Hawaiians from all islands of the pae ‘äina go forward indeed, and grab hold of the lei, 226 the lei of victory. Wilson, and Kalimahana Young. E ola mau ka ‘ölelo Hawai‘i! KU‘UALOHA HO‘OMANAWANUI COMPILER Eddie Aikau—community leadership, sports (born 4 May 1946; died 17 March 1978). From the late 1960s through the 1970s, Notable Hawaiians Eddie Aikau was a lifeguard stationed at Waimea Bay on the North Shore of O‘ahu. of the 20th Century Although quiet and humble, he distinguished himself time after time by venturing into the Part I ocean at its most out-of-control moments to Nä Haumäna Hanohano o nä Kula make seemingly impossible rescues of people Kaiapuni—language, Hawaiian firsts. Two who misjudged the ocean’s power. Hundreds decades ago, a small group of mostly are alive today only because of Aikau’s Hawaiian parents had a dream: that their remarkable abilities and willingness to children could grow up speaking Hawaiian immerse himself in horrendous conditions as their first language. They worked tirelessly that would keep most lifeguards out of the to make that dream come true by lobbying water. the legislature to change the Hawai‘i law that, despite Hawaiian being an official When he wasn’t making rescues, the ocean language of the state (along with English), was Aikau’s playground. When he was a continued to uphold the 1896 ban on the teenager, as a newcomer to giant surf, he teaching of Hawaiian in the Department of startled experienced bigwave masters one Education (DOE). They lobbied for funding day when he began surfing the largest for the pilot Hawaiian immersion program; waves of the year at Waimea. In the months for expansion of the program from kinder- ahead, while he continued to leave onlookers garten only to K-12th grades; and for teach- speechless with daring rides, it became clear ers, equipment, curriculum, and campus to everyone that Eddie Aikau, a full-blooded space.

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