Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 4, Number 10, 1 October 1987 — Continuing Care of Hawaiian Orphan Children [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Continuing Care of Hawaiian Orphan Children

Kupuna Reflects on Queen Lili'uokalani Legacy

By Kenny Haina, Editor Ka Wai Ola O OHA A kupuna who gave 41 years of service to Hawaiian orphan children and to Hawaii's abused children reflected on the legacy of Queen Lydia Kamakaeha Lili'uokalani through the Lili'uokalani Trust. Rade C. Awana, a kupuna with the Honolulu District of the Department of Education, was hired by the ehildren's agency fresh out of the University of Hawaii Class of 1937. The Children's Service Association was a private child welfare agency affiliated with the then Lili'uokalani Trust. Mrs. Awana, still spry at 72, was guest speaker at the 149th birthday commemoration service of Queen Lili'uokalani Sept. 2 at Mauna 'Ala. It was sponsored by what is known today as the Queen Lili'uokalani Childrens Center. "Fifty years ago, Hawaiian orphan children eame in twos, threes, in one case six, to a family and from all parts of O'ahu. At that time, most of our foster family homes were Hawaiian with children of their own and with mamas who stayed home to raise the family," Mrs. Awana recalled. "These families lived in homes with good-sized yards in Kaimuki, Palama, Kaneohe, Hauula and Wahiawa. Besides housing and feeding our children, we expected foster families to care for, teach and love them. The beautiful thing about having our children in Hawaiian foster homes was their being in their own cultural setting. Most of these foster parents not only spoke fluent Hawaiian but most importantly they all lived and practiced with their and our children the 'ohana values that we hear so mueh of today." After taking a eouple of years off to take advantage of a scholarship to study for her Master's in social work at Columbia University, she rejoined the agency in 1940 and left in 1945 "to do social work with children needing help in other areas." "I renewed my association with Lili'uokalani for three months in late 1961 and with the Trustees' approval, I staffed a survey of the status and problems of today's Hawaiians for the newly created Lili'uokalani Trust Advisory Board. That survey's first recommendation was that Lili'uokalani Trust Advisory Board. That survey's first recommendation was that Lili'uokalani establish a branch office first in Nanakulu and next on Moloka'i," she reflected. She added that it is great to know today that the Queen Lili'uokalani Childrens Center has nine branches on 'Oahu, Moloka'i, Hawai'i, Maui and Kauai. Mrs. Awana also observed that during the 1960s and 1970s QLCC staff took time to study and bring out the meaning, value and use of ho'oponopono. Along with that, they got to know about Hawaiian practices, beliefs and values from Mary Kawena Pukui to whieh was tied psychiatric interpretation by Dr. E. W. Haertig and then printed in Nana I Ke Kumu, Volumes I and II. In 1969, Mrs. Awana was named supervisor of the Department of Social Services and Housing child abuse unit. She remembers that when abused Hawaiian ehildren were orphans or half orphans, there was no trouble getting QLCC to accept the child for service. It was from DSSH that Mrs. Awana retired in 1978. She notes that today QLCC annually serves 2,000 out of an estimated 12,000 Hawaiian orphan children through its nine centers and that since Jan. 1, 1986, only Hawaiian orphan children are accepted. "As the Center begins its 54th year, I wish you eontinued success in serving Hawaiian orphan children. I cannot help but put in a plea for social service to Hawaiian children living with their parents and in need of eounselling and advice to eope with their problems. To me a Hawaiian social agency with Hawaiian know-how and 53 years of experience such as Lili'uokalani might be just the plaee," Mrs. Awana concluded. The Royal Hawaiian Band, under Bandmaster Aaron Mahi, entertained with Nalani 01ds as soloist. There were the Royal Guard bearing the colors, QLCC O'ahu unit managers, QLCC Executive Director Charles Nakoa, QLCC beneficiaries and Hawaiian organizations participating in the program. April Peoples Chock, a former beneficiary who is today a kumu hula and a kupuna in the Honolulu District, gave the oli kahea and oli inoa. The weleome address was given by Monsignor Charles Kekumano, chairman of the Board of Trustees, Lili'uokalani Trust. Mildren Kawaa, QLCC supervisory clerk steno, gave the closing pule with the ho'okupu procession following. QLCC Trustees led the ho'okupu and they were followed by friends and members of several Hawaiian organizations, including the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, 'Ahahui Ka'ahumanu and Daughters and Sons of

Hawaiian Warriors. Entertainment and a reception followed the Mauna 'Ala program at Mu'olaulani, QLCC headquarters. There was singing by the ladies of 'Ahahui Ka'ahumanu, entertainment by Kaimana (Haunani Apoliona, Haunanai Bernardino, Aaron Mahi), hula by sisters Desiree and Bobbie Campbell and songs by Lillian Kruse, Ka'ahumanu president, and Lila Medeiros, president of the Oahu District Council, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs. There was also hula by Kamehameha Schools' Na Wahine Helela O Kaiona under Kumu Hula Mapuana deSilva. One of the Campbell sisters, Medeiros and Hawaiian

artist Imakalani Kalahele's daughter observed joint birthdays that day. Kalahele, along with other artists Sam Kamuela Chun Hoon, Dave Parker, Ipo Nihipali, Bob Freitas and Kawai Aona-Ueoka, had some of their works on diSplay at the center in conjunction with the Queen's birthday. There were other exhibits and displays for visitors. A light luneh and refreshments were served.

Rade C. Awana

Office of Hawaiian Affairs Oahu Trustee Clarence F. T. Ching enroute to placing ho'okupu at Oueen Lili'uokalani crypt. Behind him is llima Pi'ianai'a, executive director and chairman of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.