Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 28, Number 5, 1 May 2011 — Reflections on a national disaster [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Reflections on a national disaster

On March 4, 2011, 12 students and two teachers, Dara Lukonen and Vicki Newberry, from Aka'ula School on Moloka'i traveled to Kyoto, Japan. They had just started their trip home on March 1 1 when the fourth-larg-est earthquake ever recorded struck off the coast of Japan, unleashing a devastating tsunami and a nuclear emergency. The natural disaster delayed their trip home, but the Aka'ula group, consisting of seventh- and eighth-graders and one sixth-grader, returned safely to Moloka'i. Here are some of the students' recollections. My strongest memory is of the eerie silence in the airport waiting area. . . . Watching everyone else watch the news calmed us because no one panicked or cried. On one hand it was a relief that I couldn't

understand what the Japanese reporter was saying, but on the other hand I really wanted to know. -Naholowaa Nakayama We were about 15 minutes into our flight to Tokyo when the pilot made the announcement that we were returning to Osaka because there had been a major earthquake. -Kori-Lee DeRouin Iwasn't scared because the flight attendants showed us where the earthquake was and where we were. I knew we were far away. . . . While we watched the news, our teachers were rebooking our flights and flnding us a hotel. I was wondering how long we were going to have to stay in Japan. Many people were trying to get flights and everyone was

rushing, but there was no panie. -Kulani Iaea Ididn't leain about the earthquake until we returned to Osaka because I was sleeping on the plane. I asked, "Why are we back at the same airport?" I saw everyone watching the tsunami on the TV and I was shocked because we were in the country where this was happening. -Jamie Mahiai-Paleka The images of the tsunami sweeping over crops and homelands were scary because the waves were fast moving and I doubted anyone could escape. -Luke Kikukawa Iespecially remember seeing a car in the pathway of a wave and we saw it get washed away. -Shampayne Kaai Iwas scared for the people in Japan and for myself because I was closer to the earthquake than to my family. I was worried that my family wouldn't have time to evacuate (in case a tsunami hit Hawai'i). Later I learned they would have at least eight hours. Then I felt better. -Hepuakea Falealii We were very lucky because we were able to get reservations to fly home the next day. Most hotels in Osaka were full, but an All Nippon Air agent named Yuka spent an hour flnding us rooms even though it wasn't her job. I want to say thank you to the Japanese people and to ANA, for their help so we could sleep safely and get home quickly. ... To get to the hotel we took a monorail, two trains and a subway, and then we wa1ked four blocks. It was rush hour and very crowded. We stopped at a McDonald's between train rides and got something to eat. It took over an hour to reach the hotel,

but it was niee and we were happy to sleep knowing that we were going home soon. -Jamie Mahiai-Paleka When we were leaving the airport I heard someone talking on his eell phone and he mentioned the damage to the nuclear plant and that's how I leamed about that danger. -Kalehiwa Dudoit It's different when you are actually there during an emergency, because you are connected to the situation. I wish I could tell the Japanese people that everything will be OK, but I know they are still dealing with the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami, especially at the power plant in Fukushima. I know their country is strong and they will recover from this tragedy. -Alexandra Gilliland It was sad watching the television, because you're seeing the tragedy unfold. Imagine how it would be if it were Hawai'i and this was happening to our families. . . . I think I'll be prepared if a natural disaster occurs in Hawai'i. I will know not to freak out but would stay ealm and not worry about possessions, just get my family and myself to safety. It's hard to explain, but onee I arrived in Japan I had this emotional connection. I felt like I knew the plaee and it felt like home. I definitely want to retum. If I were able, I'd go back now and help with the recovery. I want Japan to know that everyone is praying for you and for those you lost. A lot of love is being sent your way. -Kaylie l anaka ■ This article was eompileā by Vicki Newberry. She teaches grad.es 5 to 8 at Aka 'ula School.

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LAND & WATER

The Moloka'i sludenls at Kinkaku-ji īemple in Kyoto, Japan, the day before the 9.0-mag-nitude earthquake struck off the country's northeastern coast. Pictured in front row from left are Cherith Joao, Alexandra Gilliland and Tanner Mosher. Back row from left are Kulani laea, Shampayne Kaai, Naholowaa Nakayama, Hepuakea Falealii, Kaylie Tanaka, Luke Kikukawa, Kalehiwa Dudoit, Kori-Lee DeRouin and Jamie Mahiai-Paleka. - Photo: Courtesy of Aka'ula School