Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 4, 1 April 1988 — 'Hawaii Aloha' Details Dramatic Events of Hawaii's Turbulent Era [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

'Hawaii Aloha' Details Dramatic Events of Hawaii's Turbulent Era

By Deborah Lee Ward, Assistant Editor Ka Wai Ola O OHA "Hawaii Aloha," a first novel by Hilo-born Keith S. Abe, is a fictional work whieh catches the spirit of Hawaii in the 1890s and describes with ingenuity and realistic detail the dramatic events leading to the turbulent days in January, 1893, whieh eulminated in the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii, under Oueen Lili'uokalani.

While mueh has been written about this time, author Abe's approach brings alive the times through its characters and authentic details of daily life. Abe's love of Hawaiian history and his prodigious reading and research created a story whieh looks at the social, eeonomie, and political times as well as the ideological and political eonflicts that led to the the destruction of the Hawaiian monarchy.

Abe says, "As a Hawaiian at heart, I wrote this for the Hawaiian people, with hopes the book would open the eyes of Hawaiian people and Americans with a realistic picture of Hawaiian then and now." Keith Shogo Abe was born in Hilo, Hawaii on May8, 1913, son of Tomekichiand Saku Abe. Following the untimely death of his parents while he was very young, he became the ward of Harriet Hitchcock of the kamaaina Hitchcock family of Hilo.

Following his education at Mid-Pacific Institute and the University of Hawaii, Abe was a speech teacher in the public schools of Hilo and Honolulu. He first put his flair for creative-writing to work composing original plays with a loeal flavor for his students. He also wrote feature articles as a reporter for the Tribune Herald in Hilo, for a year and a half, henee his inspiration for the character of Margo Kronig in "Hawaii Aloha."

Today, Abe is a consultant for the Wickert Tile Co. Ltd. in Hawaii, having retired from a long career as an agent and national manager of Franklin Life Insurance Co. Abe is a former chairman of the Big Island Hawaii Visitors Bureau (HVB), and was on its Board of Directors. He is married to the former Margit (Peggy) Gorson of Malmo, Sweden. The eouple has lived in Honolulu since their marriage in 1953. In his free time he immerses himself in his historical research and writing projects.

His next novel being prepared for publication is about the famous Hawaiian iconoclast, Henry Opukaha'ia, (sometimes spelled Obookiah) who was instrumental in inspiring Protestant missionaries to eome to Hawaii in 1820. Abe chose to write about Opukaha'ia, "Because he was the greatest Hawaiian. We would not be here today if it was not for him . . . It was because of him that American missionaries eame to Hawaii and completely changed the course of history of Hawaii . . . We might have become a German or Russian colony instead."

As it did for "Hawaii Aloha," Abe's research tor this novel took him to original documents including eyewitness accounts, memoirs and diaries, as well as microfilmed early newspapers and histories of Hawaii. The manuscript was actually finished before "Hawaii Aloha" but underwent revision to fill in historical detail and the realistic "sights and sounds" that characterize Abe's writing style.

Opukaha'ia was born in Ninole, Hawaii about 1792, raised in Napo'opo'o, and left for America in 1809. A fervent Bible student, Opukaha'ia inspired American missionaries to eome to Hawaii to preach and convert his fellow Hawaiians to Christianity. He died at age 26 in Cornwall, Connecticut on February 17, 1818, and was buried there, leaving behind his memoirs and a part in affecting the destiny of Hawaii.

Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees Chairman Moses K. Keale Sr., who also is Trustee for Kauai and Niihau, congratulates Keith Abe on his new book.

Life insurance executive and author Keith Abe signs book for Genevieve R. Alexanderson during autograph session.