Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 33, Number 1, 1 January 2016 — Huahua nā pulapula ʻāina [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Huahua nā pulapula ʻāina

nn Oct. 28, 29 and 30, descendants of the homestead settlements in Ho'olehua and Pala'an hosted an

^ event for the eommunity to eome out and learn of the history of the third Hawaiian Homestead established by the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act in 1920. They celebrated the 90th Anniversary of the Ho'olehuaPala'au Homestead. The theme of the event was Huahua nā pulapula 'āina, whieh means fruitful and productive are the descendants of this land, Ho'olehua. The Hawaiian Homes Commission Resolution

recognized the thirtyfour native Hawaiians that were allocated these agricultural lots in Ho'olehua and Pala'au on October 27, 1924. Because of the success of these thirty-four families the Commission opened up the rest of this area to about forty more families. When homesteaders first took up residence on Moloka'i lands, they had to start from the ground up. Families worked hard together to put in roads and set up large wooden tanks to catch the rainwater for

drinking andfarming. They combined labor and resources to sow crops and purchase farming equipment. The 1925 Hawaiian Homes Commission report states that these first settlers of Ho'olehua and Pala'au "... are happy and contented, enjoying for the first time the great privilege of cultivating

their own land" Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaole's portrait sat draped in lei in the center of the oe1ehration hall Prinee

Kūhiō's passion for the 'aina as well as his wish for the betterment of his people brought about Hawai'i's first homesteads on Moloka'i. Prince Kūhiō served as a delegate to Congress and advocated strongly for the rehabilitation of the Hawaiian people. He helped pass the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act in 1921, whieh awarded land to Native Hawaiians of at least 50 percent blood. The first homestead was established in Kalama'ula

and they celebrated their 90th anniversary last year. Residents faced the pressure of succeeding in a dry land of salty soil, poor conditions for growing crops, but these first settlers in Kalama'ula flourished. The Ho'olehua Homestead Association shared presentations of the past and remembered those now gone that have influenced and paved the way for all homesteaders in the State of Hawai'i. Families at the celebration told stories of living

off the land and making do with what they had. It was a great time for families to eome together to share genealogy as well as reminisce. The event ended with a pā'ina with food and entertainment celebrating those of the past as well as those who now live on these homesteads. ■

Cūlette Y. Machadū TrustEE Mūlūka'i and Lāna'i

Halealoha Ayau, Jobie Masagatani, Kalama Ohana, Beverly Pauole-Moore, Gene Ross Davis. - Photo: Kapua Lauifi