Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 22, Number 7, 1 July 2005 — Learning from many sources [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Learning from many sources

The Rev. Joel Hulu Māhoe Resource Center's family research workshops open new worlds of historical records By Francine Kananionāpua Murray

In 1994, the Māhoe family created an 'aha kūkā (eouneil) to perpetuate their history, genealogy and family legacy. In 2003, the project manager, Analū Kame'eiamoku Josephides, and several Māhoe elders formed a nonprofit organization, the Rev. Joel Hulu Māhoe Resource Center, to perpetuate the Hawaiian culture and empower Hawaiians through education and historical research. In November, the center's Nāpapahanaokalololo Project received a grant of $25,000 from OHA to educate Native Hawaiians in accessing and retrieving land and genealogical information at various governmental repositories. Currently, most Hawaiian service providers do not assist beneficiaries in researching Hawaiian ancestry, although such information is necessary to qualify for benefits or programs. Many Hawaiians, including approximately 20 percent of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands applicants, have complex genealogies that are difficult to research and verify. Josephides teaches such individuals how and where to look for information specific to their ancestors. "I am here to ease the search and to introduce the tools of access and retrieval," he said.

With the establishment of a new Native Hawaiian government on the horizon, native ancestry will likely need to be documented for people who want to participate. "How will our nation move forward?" Josephides said. "Many people don't know how to incorporate their traditional Hawaiian culture with this contemporary approach. We are trying to incorporate the two." Participants in the center's free workshops are introduced to the land and genealogy resources located in many different repositories here in the state. The rich collection consists of indexes; books; birth, marriage and death certificates; microfiche; computer databases; and more. An 'ōleleo no'eau (proverb) says: "'A'ohe pau ka 'ike i ka hālau ho'okahi," meaning "not all knowledge is found in one school." In other words, one ean learn from many sources. Besides vital statistics, other helpful records include land titles, tax maps, deeds, Land Commission

awards, court transcripts, wills, adoption records and census documents. Through U.S. Census records, for example, it may be possible to learn where your kūpuna lived, with whom, and what profession they were in. Kuleana land awards, too, ean help verify Hawaiian ancestry since maka'āinana (commoners) had to be Hawaiian to receive parcels of land under the Kuleana Act of 1850. Records of land awards housed in the state Bureau of Conveyances go back to 1845, after the Māhele. Josephides said that everyone who participates in the Rev. Joel Hulu Māhoe Resource Center's programs comes away with greater knowledge and empowerment. "When our kūpuna, mākua and 'ōpio walk away from this workshop, their eanoe has been filled," he said. "They are content." Upcoming Nāpapahanaokalololo workshops July 12 & 14 Aug. 2 & 4 July 26 & 28 Aug. 8 & 9 All workshops are from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. at the Hawai'i State Archives and Hawai'i State Library. īhe workshops are free of charge, but pre-registration is required. For more information, eall 677-5513 or email reverendjoelhulumahoe@yahoo.com.

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Analū Josephides shows workshop participants Leihua McColgan and Mary Ululani Chu-Hing an 1840s record book at the Bureau of Conveyances. Photo: Francine Murray