Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 13, Number 7, 1 July 1996 — OHA Update [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA Update

Ka Hā Naupaka The Ka Hā Naupaka program, OHA's education division's latest project, held its second annual retreat at the Kīlauea Military Camp (Volcanoes National Park) on the Big Island. Twelve Hawaiian couples were invited this year to spend three days documenting genealogies, recounting childhood memories, discussing Hawaiian medicines their families used and other Iife experiences. Kūpuna Betty Jenkins, OHA's Kūpuna Alaka'i, helped organize the program. She networked and searched for Hawaiian couples who had been married for a long time and had something special to share. Some couples had been married for 40 years. One eouple in the program is raising their grandchildren; another eouple, married

after they both lost their spouses, are raising eaeh other's children. The Mitchell 'ohana held a workshop on the very first family ipu. Eaeh eouple designed an ipu together. Auli'i Mitchell, a cultural specialist at the Lyman Museum, did a presentation on hula ki'i, a hula performed with puppet figures. On the closing day, the group eolleetively wrote a mo'opuna (grandchildren) story about the honu (sea turtle) and they plan to have it illustrated and published. The symbolism of Ka Hā Naupaka program (the breath of the naupaka) is based on the seed of the naupaka plant whieh travels great distances on the oeean currents and never dies. When the seed is cleansed with freshwater it ean start new life. Jenkins felt that as

long as the seed ean survive, Hawaiians will never die. Operation 'Ohana Operation 'Ohana will be at the Prince Lot Hula Festival on Saturday, July 20, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Moanalua Gardens. Operation 'Ohana is enrolling Hawaiians worldwide in a comprehensive database. Enrollment is free and all Hawaiians qualify. Bring a photocopy of your birth certificate to the Operation 'Ohana enrollment booth and you will be issued an 'Ohana ID card on the spot. The card identifies the bearer as Hawaiian and entitles him or her to discounts at participating businesses and services. Operation 'Ohana will also be registering Hawaiians at the Kōloa Plantation Days celebration on Kaua'i

on Saturday, July 27 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. They will be at the Kōloa baseball park near the fire station. They also plan to have a table at the statewide eanoe races at Ke'ehi Lagoon on August 3. An important event for Hawaiians on the Mainland will be the Aloha '96 festival in San Francisco California. Operation 'Ohana will be there to register Hawaiians at Crissy Field at the Presidio in Golden Gate Park. For more registration information eall Operation 'Ohana at 594-1960. Operation 'Ohana is also interested in anyone who wants to volunteer to help with the effort in their community. Those interested in volunteering ean eall the Operation 'Ohana registrars or telephone the Honolulu office at 5941895.