Category Archives: Leprosy

Poi made from wheat flour in Kalawao and Kalaupapa, 1879.

Posted on by
Reply

Poi Palaoa.

O Kuokoa Newspaper; Aloha oe:—

Here in the colony of the leprosy patients in Kalawao and Kalaupapa, flour is used to make poi [poi palaoa]; it is similar to poi made of breadfruit [poi ulu] in the yellow color, and it is truly delicious; it is a lot like taro poi [poi kalo]: your stomach doesn’t get sore, and you become full indeed; we have no poi because the taro won’t arrive to these Koolau cliffs because of the terrible weather during these months.

This new poi began at Iliopii, by a Hawaiian who lived in California who was used to making it there, and that is how he spread this new poi here; and the benefits of this poi is now known, and therefore, our poi problems are over during this stormy period, and should calm weather return, the patients will get their paʻi ʻai¹ [pai kalo].

Poi palaoa is very appropriate when working because you stay full, and it is fun to make when you get used to it, and so too with rice mixed with crackers and stirred up in a pot; when it boils and is cooked, it is time for to fill the stomach, and you will be always full.

The Superintendent of the Leprosy Patients.

In my observations, our Superintendent, Mr. N. B. Emerson [Emekona], M. D. is quick with filling the storehouse [hale papaa] with flour [palaoa], rice [raiki], crackers [barena], bags of sugar [eke kopaa], and salmon [kamano]; there is nothing to complain of Kapuukolu.²

Worship. Worship always happens now: Protestants [Hoole Pope], Mormons [Moremona], and Catholics [Katolika]; their meetings on Sundays are always full; life of the patients is peaceful now, not like before when Damien [Damiano] and when W. K. Sumner were Superintendent; there were uprisings from drinking okolehao and other alcoholic drinks made of ti, sweet potato [uala], and so forth.

Bell of the Church of Kalaupapa. On the 5th of Feb., the Bell arrived on the Warwick; a very fine bell which was a gift from the Sunday School of Kaukeano and the brethren of that church; and now it hangs proudly in its honored steeple with its ringing voice in the cliff faces of Kalaupapa, and it points out the movement of the hands of the clock, and the Sunday School of Kalaupapa fully appreciates the gift of the Sunday School of Kaukeano.

S. K. K. Kanohokula.

Kalaupapa, Feb. 18, 1879.

¹Although i tend not to use ʻokina and kahakō, i marked “pai ai” here for added clarity.

²Kapuukolu is a place on Kauai, figuratively used to represent abundance of good food.

(Kuokoa, 3/15/1879, p. 2)

Ka Poi Palaoa.

Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke XVIII, Helu 11, Aoao 2. Maraki 15, 1879.

Post Brown Bag: “The People of Kalaupapa as Active Participants in Their Own History.” 2012.

Posted on by
Reply

Much appreciation goes out to all the good people at the Center for Biographical Research at UHM! And to Anwei Skinsnes Law and Henry Law for their presentation today!! I came out of it feeling upbeat, and excited that there are people out there looking at Hawaiian-Language source material for a window into the past (outside of the University).

I encourage people to go check out the talk, questions and answers, and book signing put on by Native Books from 3 to 5 in the afternoon this Sunday.

Kalaupapa: A Collective Memory

Kalaupapa: A Collective Memory

Nelson P. Watson’s son dies at Kalaupapa, 1924.

Posted on by
Reply

AN EXPRESSION OF LOVE FOR MY DEAR CHILD MANLEY DEDRICK WASTON.

Mr. Solomon Hanohano, Editor of the Newspaper Kuokoa, Aloha oe:—Please be so kind as to insert in some vacant space of your paper, so that the family, intimates, and friends may know that my dearly beloved child, Manley Dedrick Waston has left this life.
He was ill for just a few days, when on the 28th of Friday in the month of this past May at dawn, he grew weary of this life in Kalaupapa, Molokai.
He was born in Kahana, Koolauloa, Oahu on the 27th of December 1906, therefore, he made 17 years, 4 months, and 5 days.
Within one year or so of life after he was born…

MANLEY DEDRICK WATSON

…his mother left him and his two sisters, Lillian and Emma Waston.
From the loins of mine and my wife, there were 4 children: 2 were taken away, and 2 girls are left living. So he was burdened by me without a wife for almost 14 years.
He was separated from me because of the “disease which separates families” [mai hookaawale ohana]. Alas for my grief for my dearly beloved child! My burden that I bear alone; who’d be without aloha; he is with me wherever I go.
Aloha to that blossom who began to bloom but faded soon after!
O Kalaupapa, you all will never see the youthful face of my son again, passing before your faces; I sit with grief and sadness, but I find solace in the Lord Jesus, for he is sleeping in the Lord Jesus, for I know that one day I will be with him again in this body, in that life, and we will kiss, with all of my children, and their mother, after that great terrifying day of Jehovah.
I am grateful for all those who attended his funeral and for all their assistance.
Sincerely,
Nelson P. Watson,
Colburn Street, Honolulu.

(Kuokoa, 6/5/1924, p. 6)

HE HOALOHALOHA NO KUU KEIKI MANLEY DEDRICK WASTON.
Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke LXIII, Helu 23, Aoao 6. Iune 5, 1924.

Commentary on the state of leprosy, 1879.

Posted on by
Reply

Those with Leprosy.—In the afternoon of this past Wednesday, more leprosy patients were taken to a place set apart for those unfortunate people, at Kalawao, Molokai. One reason for the lack of eradication of this disease eating away at the lives of our people, is that friends hide away their sick. Here in this town and areas right outside are those with leprosy who were hidden for many months. In Ewa there are people living, afflicted with this disease but have not been found by the agent of the Board of Health [Papa Ola]. They went into the mountains to live, and perhaps it has been over a year that they have lived in the forests; or maybe some months, descending to the houses of friends at night. It is as if they are carrying the disease where they go and are spreading it amongst the healthy people. This is not right. And that is perhaps one of the reasons that this disease keeps multiplying between us.

(Kuokoa, 7/19/1879, p. 4)

Na Lepera.

Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke XVIII, Helu 29, Aoao 4. Iulai 19, 1879.

Ka Ohana O Kalaupapa to Host Educational Workshops, 2012.

Posted on by
Reply

I neglected to post this related information about workshops being held by Ka Ohana o Kalaupapa in conjunction with the exhibits at Iolani Palace and the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. They say: “The workshops will provide a new perspective on the history of Kalaupapa and will encourage teachers to include the history in their curriculum.” This indeed sounds like a good thing! There in fact was one just yesterday evening. Did anyone get to attend? If yes, how did it go?

There is another one scheduled for the evening of the 2nd of October. For more information, check out the link below.

Teachers Workshops

“The People of Kalaupapa as Active Participants in Their Own History,” 2012.

Posted on by
Reply

Tomorrow at noon, there is a Brown Bag Presentation put on by The Center for Biographical Research at University of Hawaii at Manoa. The topic is looking at the Leprosy Colony on Molokai through Hawaiian-Language Material. It sounds like an immense but priceless project! If you are interested, find the details in the link below!!

“The People of Kalaupapa as Active Participants in Their Own History.”

Patients of the leprosy settlement present gift to the Waipa Trio, 1922.

Posted on by
1

Presented by the Patients of Molokai

By way of the director of the leprosy settlement on Molokai, Mr. J. D. McVeigh, the patients gave a gift to the Band of John Waipa (The Waipa Twintett) [Waipa Trio]; that singing and musical group that travelled with Representative H. A. Baldwin, to Molokai, in his effort to increase voting; and on this past Monday, Director J. D. McVeigh carried out the duty given to him, by him appearing before Mr. John Waipa and presenting him with this gift, a sum of money donated by the patients of Molokai.

There are three people in that band: Mr. John Waipa, Mrs. Waipa, and Miss Flora Waipa; and because of the great joy and admiration that the patients had in the band, they showed this through the sending of this present; the gift was grasped by Mr. John Waipa and his family with pleasure, and they were filled with awe at this act done for them by the patients.

For this esteemed gift given by the patients of Kalawao and Kalaupapa to the singing group of Mr. Waipa, he and his family extend the endless appreciation to all of them, along with their request to all those who gave the gift, to accept their thanks and to always remember that their gift will be something for them to remember throughout their lives.

They also give their great appreciation to Director J. D. McVeigh for the warm hospitality extended to them while they were at the settlement on Molokai; and above all else, it is God who gives his highest blessings from above.

(Kuokoa, 4/28/1922, p. 1)

Haawi Makanaia Mai e na Ma'i o Molokai

Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke LXI, Helu 17, Aoao 1. Aperila 28, 1922.

Kalawao bodies exhumed for study, 1884.

Posted on by
2

We’ve received word that more bodies were exhumed of patients in Kalawao, Molokai, under the orders of the German [Eduard Arning], because of his great desire to find the reasons for the deaths by the disease of which it is said:

1 E aha ia ana Hawaii
E nei mai o ka lepera.
Mai hookae a ka lehulehu
Ili ulaula ili keokeo.

2 Kuhikuhi mai hoi na lima
A he mai pake koiala
Kulou au a holo
Komo ka hilahila i ka houpo.

[1 What is up with Hawaii
With this disease, leprosy
Disease hated by the masses
By the dark skinned and the white skinned.

2 The hand points this way
“That one there has leprosy [mai pake]”
I look down and flee
Shame filling my heart.]

[“Ke Ola o Hawaii” is yet another newspaper that is available on microfilm that ulukau for some reason chose not to digitize. Hopefully this will be corrected soon!]

(Ola o Hawaii, 3/22/1884, p. 3)

Ua loaa mai ia makou kekahi lono...

Ke Ola o Hawaii, Buke I, Helu 11, Aoao 3. Maraki 22, 1884.

Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum’s Government and Governance Digital Initiative, 2012.

Posted on by
1

I was at a presentation tonight by DeSoto Brown of the Bishop Museum on some of their treasures held in the Museum’s archives. Of particular interest to you all might be the number of new material that is available online and is word searchable!

Here is the search page for their Government and Governance: A Digital Initiative page.

One of the great many topics of interest is Leprosy.

Listing of earliest deaths in Kalawao, 1868.

Posted on by
Reply

Those who died of Leprosy

ON MOLOKAI.

O Kuokoa Newspaper; Alohe oe:—

Tell all friends, from Hawaii to Niihau, the number of leprosy patients who died from their arrival here in Kalawao, Molokai, from the beginning until today. Here are their names and their total.

Apr. 15, 1866, Kaanaana m. died, from Heeia, Oahu. May 4, Makaio m. died, from Lahaina, Maui. May 23, Kaupena m. died, from Lahaina, Maui. May 30, Kaneakua m. died, from Lahaina, Maui. May 31, Kawaakai m. died, from Honolulu, Oahu. June 3, Waiwaiole m. died, from Honolulu, Oahu. June 12, Kaolelo m. died, from Maliko, Maui. June 27, Kapoka f. died, from Lahaina, Maui. June 24, Kaneakua m. died, from Honolulu, Oahu. July 4, Makaele m. died, from Lahaina, Maui. July 16, Kaia m. died, from Lahaina, Maui. July 20, Noa m. died, from Ewa, Oahu. Aug. 5, Nahuina f. died, from Honolulu, Oahu. Aug. 6, Koalakai m. died, from Lahaina, Maui. Aug. 8, Waipio m. died, from Lahaina, Maui. Aug. 11, Napahu m. died, from Lahaina, Maui. He was a helper [kokua] for his wife, but he died before her there. Aug. 12, Kalaikane f. died, from Lahaina, Maui. September 27, Puu m. died, from Hawaii. October 22, Kaili m. died, it is not clear where he lived. November 1, Kaaipuaa f. died, it is not clear where she lived. November 9, Kaaipoi m. died, it is not clear where he lived. November 19, Kea died, from Lahaina, Maui. November 27, Malaka f. died, from Lahaina, Maui. November 28, Kainaina m. died, from Lahaina, Maui. December 2, 1 Moo m. died, from Honolulu, Oahu. December 7, Iosepa m. died, from Honolulu, Oahu. December 15, 2 Moo m. died, from North Kona. December 24, Kauwehawa m. died, it is not clear where he lived. December 25, Kane m. died, it is not clear where he lived.

January 1, 1867, Lono m. died, it is not clear where he lived. January 20, Kaleo m. died, from North Kona. February 14, Kaluaioahu f. died, it is not clear where she lived. March 16, Kahananui m. died, it is not clear where he lived. March 22, Kauahaao m. died, it is not clear where he lived. April 15, Mauliole f. died. April 20, Kahakauila m. died, from North Kona. April 27, Kimo m. died, it is not clear where he lived. May 16, Kaena f. died, it is not clear where she lived. May 31, Kaheana m. died, it is not clear where he lived.

(Kuokoa, 2/29/1868, p. 3)

Ka Poe make i ka mai Lepera

Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke VII, Helu 9, Aoao 3. Feberuari 29, 1868.