Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 7, Number 4, 1 April 1990 — Census information is a key to the past [ARTICLE]

Census information is a key to the past

By Lynn Oamilda "People don't rea!ize that census information tells the history of your family," Rhoda Kaluai said. As a community awareness specialist for the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census at the Waipahu district office, Kaluai hasa solid background in finding information and doing research, a strong interest in genealogy (the study of family history.) As the 1990 Census approaches, Kaluai said that, "Hawaiians need to know who they are and where they eame from. People don't realize what census information ean tell them about the history of their family," Kaluai said. As an example, Kaluai noted that from a photocopy of the original 1890 census taken in the Puna district on the island of Hawai'i, one ean find such facts as a person's name, age, sex, race, whether they were married or not, plaee of origin, oeeupation, number of children, if they were registered to vote, whether they could read or write, the name of their teacher and information on property ownership. AU of that information was documented by the census-taker and could be a source of learning more about one's ancestors she said. Kaluai said that there are several places one ean find information for use in tracing a genealogy such as the state archives, state and loeal libraries

and the Family History Center at 1723 Beckley St. (842-4118). The Family History Center, a clearing house for Hawaiian genealogies, operated by the Mormon Church, has the most extensive eolleetion Kaluai said. Eaeh of the eight islands has a center. The center ean hplp locate all types of information and will put information on microfilm for people interested in getting copies of documents. Kaluai said that those who are interested must go down to the center. No orders are placed over the phone. It also helps if the person doing the research brings any information or documents with them to the center that will lead to other sources of information. For instance, a pedigree chart showing a person's direct lineage, death and marriage certificates, and so on she said. "It's a lot of reading and research," Kaluai said, "but onee you get involved you want to know more."

The first census in Hawai'i was taken in 1890 for eaeh of the eight islands she said. Since that time a census has been taken every 10 years in the state. Every 72 years the information from the census becomes public knowledge. In 1992 the information from the 1920 census will be availablefor publie use. Kaluai said that she conducts genealogy workshops for those who are interested in doing fami!y histories but who don't know where to begin their research. The workshops are intended to help get people started and pointed in the right direction. For details about genealogy workshops, anyone who is interested may eall Rhoda Kaluai 623-9492 or Fran McFarland 422-1186. Booklets of census information, compiled from eaeh of the islands, have been recently comp!eted and will be out for sale soon. The price of the book will reflect the cost of printing. "It's time for Hawaiians to do their research," Kaluai said.