Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 5, 1 May 1988 — Washington's Hawaiian Matriarch Recalls Old Days [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Washington's Hawaiian Matriarch Recalls Old Days

Keaukaha is Special Plaee for Former Resident

By Kenny Haina, Editor Ka Wai Ola O OHA Myrtle Higgins Nelson, known affectionately in Washington, D. C. circles as the Hawaiian matriarch or Aunty Myrtle, is a product of a special plaee just outside Hilo, Hawaii, called Keaukaha. She won't let you forget she eame out of this 'aina pulapula set aside for Hawaiians by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. "I don't think I will ever forget my Keaukaha. I was born and raised there. Keaukaha will always have a special plaee in my heart. I ean never forget my Keaukaha roots," says the former Kalanianaole Avenue resident in a recent visit to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. A longtime resident of Annandale, Va., just outside the nation's capitol, Nelson visited the Ka Wai Ola O OHA office and had a long reunion with its editor who also grew up in Keaukaha and lived on the same Kalanianaole stretch. It has been well over 40 years since the two former Keaukahans last saw eaeh other. Nelson left Hawaii shortly after graduation from Hilo High School in 1939 to attend the University of Hawaii. After three years on the Manoa campus she went to work for the Hawaiian Medical Depot at Ft. Shafter. While in Honolulu, she met Orvin Nelson who was studying law. They moved to Minneapolis in 1948 where Nelson continued his study of law. But the Minnesota winters were too severe for his wife so they moved to Washington, D. C. where he received his law degree. Nelson, who died in 1978, retired as a member of

the legal staff of the federal government's Indian Claims Commission and then went to work as legislative assistant for Congressman Daniel K. Akaka. His wife was also a federal employee, working as management analyst for the Army Surgeon General. She retired in 1976 after 30 years of service. Aunty Myrtle points out that OHA Administrator Kamaki A. Kanahele III gave a beautiful Hawaiian prayer at her husband's funeral. She reported that Hawaiians living in Washington, Maryland and Virginia form a tight-knit eom- " munity. "When families get pu'olo from home from someone visiting or someone returning after a visit

to Hawaii, we get together and have a potluck. Us Hawaiians on the mainland eat the Hawaiian food and those visiting us eat the blue pincher crabs and clams," she laughed. Aunty Myrtle said life is not lonely as many in Hawaii may think. "This is because there are so many Hawaiians in the area. Every so often we have our own little parties," she declared. She does fund raising for Congressman Akaka and keeps busy with the Hawaii State Society whieh is chartered by Congress. She holds a lifetime honorary membership. Among the many Hawaiian transplants in Washington, she mentioned two who also hail frorp Keaukaha. They are Emmitt Lee Loy, who works with the special committee on Indian Affairs out of the State office (Sen. Daniel K. Inouye is chairman of this committee) and Lemona Whitney, who works for a computer company. Whitney is one of the sons of Hawaii Kupuna Nani Whitney who was mentioned in the Kahuwai story appearing in the March issue of this newspaper. Aunty Myrtle is the mother of Don Ipo Nelson, a munieipal judge in Medford, Okla. She has one mo'opuna, Blaine Kalani Nelson, II. She comes home every other year but will make an exception next year because it will be the 50th reunion of her Hilo High class. "I'll be home for that one," she enthusiastically declared. As for her Keaukaha, she says the plaee hasn't changed mueh and doubts that there will be any major changes. "It still looks the same. Just the way 1 remember it. I just love my Keaukaha," she concluded.

Myrtle Higgins Nelson