The Kalaupapa Memorial Act, which authorizes Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa to establish a Memorial listing the names of those who were sent to the peninsula because of government policies regarding leprosy, was signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 30, 2009.
“I’m just so excited knowing that maybe our vision will come to light,” said Clarence “Boogie” Kahilihiwa, newly elected president of the ‘Ohana and a longtime supporter of a memorial honoring the estimated 8,000 people sent to Kalaupapa.
Makia Malo, a member of the ‘Ohana Board of Directors, had a similar reaction.
“This is fabulous news, so fabulous,” said Malo, an accomplished storyteller and musician. “This memorial is for the entire community, it’s for everyone who was sent to Kalaupapa. In many ways, they are all my family.”
A memorial located on the Kalaupapa peninsula has been talked about by the community since the mid-1980s, said Kahilihiwa. It was a top recommendation at a 1996 workshop at Kalaupapa where residents, officials, family members and friends discussed the future of the settlement and how to best preserve the history.
The Memorial will recognize the sacrifices and accomplishments of those who lived and died at Kalaupapa while bringing to life the mission statement of the ‘Ohana: “E Ho`ohanohano a E Ho`omau….To Honor and To Perpetuate.”
The Kalaupapa community asked Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa to make pursuing a Memorial a priority during the ‘Ohana’s organizational meeting in August, 2003. A Memorial Committee was established, its members mostly Kalaupapa residents or family members whose ancestors are buried on the peninsula. Two of the original members of the committee – Piolani Motta and Bunnie Reeser – wanted to see a Memorial built because, despite numerous searches, they could not find the graves of their ancestors who had died at Kalaupapa. Motta wanted to make sure that her grandmother, Becky Perry Huleia, would always be remembered and Reeser wanted the same for her great-grandmother, Rosina Weber.
Using a proposal prepared by the Memorial Committee, The Kalaupapa Memorial Act was introduced to the US House of Representatives by then Representative Ed Case in December, 2005. Case’s Chief of Staff, Esther Kia`aina, helped the ‘Ohana draft the language. Having Kia`aina involved made the process even more special: her great-grandparents, John Kia`aina, Jr. and Mary Lucas Lujon died at Kalaupapa and are buried there.
Case left the House of Representatives before the law could pass. His successor, Congresswoman Mazie Hirono, re-introduced the bill and worked tirelessly until it was passed on the floor of the House of Representatives on Feb. 12, 2008. Senator Daniel Akaka introduced a companion bill to the Senate which passed the Kalaupapa Memorial Act as part of The Omnibus Public Lands Act of 2009 on March, 25, 2009. Days later, President Obama then signed the bill into law.
“We Deserve To Be Remembered.”
Cathrine Puahala, 80
International advocate for the rights of people
affected leprosy. Mrs. Puahala was sent to Kalaupapa
at the age of 12 in 1942
“The passage of this law should be a proud moment for all Americans. We will now be able to recognize the Hansen’s disease patients of Kalaupapa for the way they led dignified, inspirational lives under extremely challenging circumstances,” said Hirono.
|Congresswoman Mazie Hirono places ho`okupu at the base of a tree on the site of the Old Baldwin Home at Kalawao that is the preferred location of Ka 'Ohana O Kalaupapa for the Kalaupapa Memorial. The exact site for the Memorial will be determined during an Environmental Assessment. Valerie Monson photo
The completed Kalaupapa Memorial will list the names of the estimated 8,000 people who were isolated on the peninsula beginning in 1866. The Memorial will not only serve as a permanent tribute to these individuals, but also as a type of tombstone for many of them.
The National Park Service has been able to identify just 1,300 marked graves at Kalawao/Kalaupapa, meaning that nearly 6,700 people who died there have no tombstone. Family members lookin