Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 1, 1 January 1988 — Genealogy Board Highlights Reunion [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Genealogy Board Highlights Reunion

Slightly more than 350 attended the first Pilikoko Pe'elua, Kamali'i O Moloka'i reunion Nov. 14 at Haiku Gardens in Kaneohe. Descendants of the first Pe'elua eame from Alaska, California, Washington, Oregon, Colorado and from every major island. Geneaology night on Nov. 13 at the home of Gregory Keli'inui in Ewa Beach turned out to be an eye-opening event for many ohana members. A

large board filled one side of the yard where family members looked for their ancestors and the relationship to themselves. The chart proved such a big success that it was carted the next evening to Haiku Gardens so those who were not able to make it the night before could observe it and trace their lineages. Good food, music and stories

of ancient family chants highlighted genealogy night. A breakfast prepared by the Paia-Kapela-Wiliis branches of the family was held the next morning at Ala Moana Beach Park. The Kanahele family line made the leis for all the kupuna on banquet night. They also made the favors representing "The Bowl of Light." KHON Channel 2 TV newsman Ray Lovell and his wife were special guests at

the banquet. Loveli, who had done a documentary of the ohana, was presented with a kukui nut lei and a koa bowl representing "The Bowl of Light." The Pe'elua ohana also made him a hanai cousin. It was announced that reunions will be held hiennually. The ohana, however, has scheduled a tour of Moloka'i and family historical sites in 1988.

The genealogy chart was an lmportant part of the banquet, filling up the entire area behind the table of working Elders. A part of the reunion ohana is in foreground.

The Pe'elua and Bishaw families from Moloka'i vlsit wlth thelr Oahu cousins during a breakfast held at the Ala Moana Beach Park.

KHON Ohannel 2 TV newscaster Ray Lovell, right, accepts his "Bowl of Light" from Koko Willis, wlth microphone, during Pe'elua ohana reunion at Haiku Gardens. To Willis' right is Theodore Mahi'al.