Wattie Mae Hedemann

Special to Hawaii 24/7

A descendant of Hawaiian royalty and well-known Kona realtor has succumbed to heart disease. Wattie Mae Hedemann, 84, died Nov. 15 at Kona Community Hospital.

One of the first flight of female attendants for Hawaiian Airlines, mother of a Vietnam War hero and widow of an award-winning paniolo, Hedemann claimed descent to the royal chiefs of Hawaii through her mother, Annie Ilikea-a-Moana Robinson Owens of Honolulu.

Hedemann was married for 57 years to the late Edmund Hedemann, a paniolo and polo horse trainer at Kualoa on Oahu and the Big Island who died in 2005. She is survived by a sister, Harriet (Francis) Tom of Honolulu; daughter Meta (Shane) Eckart of Keauhou, son George (Debbie) Hedemann of Honalo; stepson Edmund (Ruth) Hedemann Jr. of New York City, stepdaughter Jeremy Hedemann Heath of Canterbury, England; seven grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service is planned for 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 3 at Christ Church in Kealakekua.

The Hedemanns lost Wattie’s first-born, son Wayne H. Hedemann, when he was shot down over Cambodia in May 1970. The couple received word of the 24-year-old Army helicopter gunner’s death the same day local newspapers published a letter from the Hedemanns supporting President Nixon’s expansion of the Vietnam conflict into the neighboring country.

Wattie Mae Hedemann and son Wayne (circa 1948)

Hedemann’s maternal grandmother, Heleaka Napuaenaena Kawananakoa Kahalewai Robinson — Ada, as she was familiarly known — was the grandniece of Mataio Kekuanaoa, royal governor of Oahu from 1839 to 1864 and the last kuhina nui of the Hawaiian Islands, and the niece of Kekuanaoa’s sons, Kings Kamehameha IV and Kamehameha V.

Robinson’s mother and Kamehameha IV and V shared the same grandfather, Nahiolea, brother of Kaiana and Namakeha.

Hedemann was born May 21, 1927 to Annie and Edward G. Owens of Honolulu. Mrs. Owens was soon left a widow with five children to raise on her own and Hedemann remembers a life of poverty, despite the family’s royal heritage.

Other branches of the Hawaiian family did what they could to help the Owens children. Hedemann said she wasn’t too proud to accept “the family hand-me-downs” and she found her first job at age 12, bringing a neighbor’s first grader safely to and from school “so I’d make five cents every day, enough to pay for my school lunch.”

Her mother spoke only Hawaiian until she was forced to learn English when she went to Kamehameha Schools. But Hedemann and her siblings were never allowed to speak Hawaiian and she died regretting that she had never learned her native language.

She said she didn’t really take any interest in her Hawaiian heritage until her mother was dying in 1973. It was then that Mrs. Owens insisted Hedemann learn the family’s royal genealogy.

She was a young teen when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. She was with a friend attending church when people started coming into the church, crying and gathering their children.

“We just thought it was maneuvers,” Hedemann said. “Then the priest told us to go home immediately because we were under attack from enemy planes. We weren’t sure who was attacking us.”

She stayed with her friend as her mother was far across town and that evening, the two girls accompanied the friend’s mother who was a midwife as she drove to deliver a baby near Fort Shafter. “We sat in the car and watched the fires at Pearl Harbor.” She said everyone was issued gas masks at the beginning of the war and they had to dig shelters in their yards.

During the war years, anyone aged 16 and older had to have some sort of occupation, either a job or picking pineapples, or if nothing else, rolling bandages at the Red Cross. Her first real job was at the YMCA where she was a waitress for a month before getting a job at Ford Island in Pearl Harbor. “I had to go on the ferry to work and we could see the graveyards of the ships.”

She and her sister soon were assigned to the USO (United Service Organizations Inc.) where they performed dance for two shows a day, six days a week at military camps around Oahu. The assignment helped them survive the war years because they were chaperoned and had dinners at the officers’ clubs “every single night … we could give away our rationing.”

On their days off, they went to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel to dance with the officers. She met Wayne’s father at one of those dances when his date didn’t show and he talked her into going to dinner with him “since he’d made all these dinner arrangements.”

They were married six weeks when he was shipped off to Saipan. “I felt he married me because he felt so sorry for my family’s circumstances.”

Presuming he’d die in the war, Hedemann said, “He figured I could use the $10,000 life insurance to better myself.”

The couple divorced shortly after the war and Hedemann was in the offices of Hawaiian Airlines within two months of her son’s birth seeking a job.

Her charm and personality skills first developed as an entertainer and supporter of the military served her throughout her professional life, first with Hawaiian Airlines, then in advertising and insurance sales, a stint with the Hawaii Visitors Bureau and travel consulting before moving to Kona in 1961 and becoming a realtor.

In 1965, she established her own business, West Hawaii Realty Inc.,

It was while working with Hawaiian Airlines that she met her second husband, Edmund Hedemann, a U.S. Marine during the war, and gave birth to her daughter, Meta, and second son, George.

Hired by Ruby Pua, Hawaiian Airlines’ chief hostess when the airliner had three planes, DC3s carrying 21 passengers each, she thoroughly enjoyed being one of the first female flight attendants.

Soon pushing her developing interests in education and the preservation of Hawaiian culture, it was Hedemann who created an unofficial dictionary of Hawaiian place names and their meanings that flight attendants and the HVB used for many years.

Taking her young son with her to the library on her days off to do the necessary research, she eventually spent half a century researching Hawaiian history.

She said she completed her family genealogy back to 190 A.D., corrected and confirmed by the Hawaii State Archives. As a result of her research, Hedemann became obsessed in her later years with what she termed “setting the record straight” regarding Hawaiian history.

It was a cause promoted initially by her maternal grandfather, George D. Robinson, who challenged historical accounts of royal paternity and documented collusion by Hawaii’s 19th Century business community leading to Hawaiian disinheritance through flawed land titles.

Hedemann said her studies of the Hawaiian monarchy and subsequent research into land titles immediately preceding and as a result of the Great Mahele led her to see the irony of her family’s marriages with plantation owners and other foreign-born businessmen of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

In a meeting held with representatives of state agencies and Hawaiian organizations at the Royal Mausoleum in the 1990s, Hedemann pushed for the disinterment of the bodies of Princess Ruth Keelikolani and Kekuanaoa for DNA testing to prove Princess Ruth’s paternity. A Sept. 14, 1999 letter from the state attorney general suggested Hedemann hire a private attorney to pursue DNA testing of the royal bones, citing “the special status of bones in Hawaiian belief and tradition.”

According to Hedemann, she believed she had standing as an ancestor of the royal line to seek DNA testing but didn’t have necessary financial resources to do so and Hawaii media at the time were dominated by news of the scandal involving Bishop Estate trustees, which led to the removal of all but one of the trustees.

Hedemann kept up her quest for correcting history until her final days in 2011. In addition to working on a book giving her version of Hawaiian history, she continued her commitment to the perpetuation of her native culture.

“I had a vision about a year ago,” she said, and organized a meeting with a representative of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, with the goal of getting OHA to put all Hawaiian Crown lands into food production.

Hedemann was a past member of Daughters of Hawaii, the Kona Hawaiian Civic Club, Kona Historical Society, Kona Outdoor Circle, Kona Salvation Army, Kona Soroptimist International Club, Kona Christian Women’s Club and the American Association of Retired Persons’ Chapter 3475.

She was a founding member and officer of the Hawaii Island Board of Realtors, the Kona Board of Realtors and the dissolved Kona Local Development Corp. She also initiated real estate classes in Kona.

MEDIA RELEASE

Jon Van Dyke

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) issued the following statement on the passing of University of Hawaii Law School Professor Jon Van Dyke.

“I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of my very dear friend, Jon Van Dyke, a celebrated legal scholar, ardent defender of human rights and the environment, and beloved educator, husband, and father.

“Hawaii has lost a steadfast advocate for Native Hawaiian and civil rights, a leading expert on Hawaiian land and water rights law, and a tireless defender of public lands and natural resources.

“The world has lost a man with a brilliant legal mind and compassionate heart, readily willing to travel great distances to promote and uphold international human rights and to preserve and protect the environment.

“Jon always stood up for what he felt was pono – right and just. He was an inspiration for our community and his students. Because of Jon’s work, the principle of protecting our cultural and historic resources has been preserved, and the tradition of sharing our beautiful beaches and other natural resources with all continues to be honored.

“He will be deeply missed by his family, students, colleagues, and all those whose lives he has affected around the world. On behalf of Millie and our ‘ohana, I extend our warm aloha, heartfelt sympathy, and prayers to his wife, Sherry Broder, and the rest of his family.”

By Hawaii 24/7 Staff

Herbert T. Matayoshi

Former Hawaii County Mayor Herbert Tatsuo Matayoshi, 82 passed away on July 11, 2011 at Straub Clinic & Hospital. Matayoshi was born on November 21, 1928 in Hilo. He was first elected as a supervisor to the County of Hawaii in 1962, and continued as a county councilman from 1968 until he was elected as Mayor. He was the Mayor of Hawaii County from 1974 through 1984 when he resigned for an unsuccessful bid for a Hawaii State Senate seat. Matayoshi was Hawaii County’s longest serving mayor with a decade of service.

Matayoshi graduated from Hilo High School in 1946, the University of Michigan in 1950, did graduate studies at Temple University and received an MBA from the University of Hawaii.

He is survived by wife, Mary Y. Matayoshi; sons, Jerold (Paula Devens), Ronald (Coralie) and Eric (Aleza); daughter, Kathryn (Tod Tanaka); brother, James Matayoshi; sister, Edith (Tetsuo) Harano; 11 grandchildren and a great grandchild.

Services are being held at:

Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Borthwick Mortuary in Honolulu
Visitation: 4:00pm – 9:00pm
Memorial Service: 6:00pm – 7:00pm
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to: The Herbert & Mary Matayoshi Scholarship Fund. Aloha/casual attire.

Borthwick Mortuary
1330 Maunakea Street, Honolulu Oahu, HI 96817
(808) 522-5200

Monday, August 15, 2011
Church of the Holy Cross in Hilo
Visitation: 2:30pm – 6:00pm
Memorial Service 4:00pm – 5:00pm
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to: The Herbert & Mary Matayoshi Scholarship Fund. Aloha/casual attire.

Church of the Holy Cross
440 West Lanikaula St., Hilo, HI 96720
(808) 935-1283

Mayor Billy Kenoi’s Statement on the Passing of former Mayor Herbert Matayoshi

(Hilo, Hawai’i) “Mayor Herbert Matayoshi was a community leader who possessed great intelligence, unquestionable integrity and treated everyone with aloha. As a former Hawai‘i County Councilman and mayor, he was a big supporter of Downtown Hilo and instrumental in creating significant public facilities. He put the County’s full support and financial resources into identifying and creating crucial community services including the popular Elderly Activities Division which continues to provide vital nutritional, transportation and recreational services to our island kupuna.

Having served as Mayor for 10 plus years, he left a legacy of fiscal responsibility and true compassion for all the people of Hawai’i County and was greatly admired for his unwavering dedication to his wife Mary and their 5 children. We are grateful for the many contributions of Mayor Matayoshi to our community.”

Former Mayor Stephen K. Yamashiro with wife Della (left) and Mufi Hannemann at the County of Hawaii Inaugural Ceremonies on December 1, 2008 at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium in Hilo, Hawaii. Photo by Baron Sekiya | Hawaii 24/7

Stephen K. Yamashiro

Former mayor Stephen Kai Yamashiro passed away Tuesday (May 24) at Hilo Medical Center. He was 69.

Yamashiro had been in failing health for several years and was being treated for pneumonia.

Yamashiro was born July 15, 1941 in Honolulu and attended University Elementary School. He graduated from Punahou in 1959 and the U.S. Army Artillery Officer’s Candidate School, Fort Sill, Okla. in 1964.

In 1965, Yamashiro received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Hawaii and in 1969 he was awarded a law degree from Willamette University College of Law.

Yamashiro served as a State Deputy Attorney General, a County of Hawaii Deputy Corporation Counsel, and Hearings Officer for the Hawaii Public Employment Relations Board. Yamashiro served on the Hawaii County Council from 1976 to 1990, 11 of those years as Chairman.

Yamashiro was sworn in as Hawaii County Mayor on Dec. 7, 1992 and served until December 2000.

Yamashiro served on the Hawaii County Council from 1976 to 1990, 11 of those years as chairman.

Yamashiro was sworn in as mayor Dec. 7, 1992 and served until December 2000. Notably, the county had a budget surplus when he left office.

Yamashiro had a tough, no-nonsense style as a politician, although that bluntness sometimes rubbed people the wrong way.

Diane Quitiquit, who worked in the county’s Research and Development Dpartment under Yamashiro, credited him with getting Japan Airlines to fly direct flights from Narita to Kona. He also was instrumental in getting customs and immigration at
Kona International Airport as well.

Yamashiro also introduced the 100% Kona Coffee seal and was a tireless supporter of agriculture, the visitor industry, the film industry, the University of Hawaii and Big Island agriculture.

Yamashiro is survived by wife Della E. Allison.

Mayor Billy Kenoi statement on the passing of former Mayor Stephen Yamashiro
“Mayor Yamashiro loved this community, and was a loyal friend and mentor to many. He was always ready with advice and suggestions, sharing generously of his many years of experience as a community leader. He will be missed, and I want to offer my condolences to his wife Della.”

“As Hawai‘i County Council chairman and mayor, Mayor Yamashiro led our community through a very difficult transition period. As the last of the plantations closed in the 1990s, the Big Island was searching for new directions, and Mayor Yamashiro helped steer our island community into the future. His support and advocacy of sectors such as diversified agriculture, forestry and geothermal power are still paying dividends for our residents today. He knew where we needed to go, and he led the way. We are grateful for Mayor Yamashiro’s many contributions to our community.”

U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka’s statement on Mayor Stephen Yamashiro
“Steve Yamashiro was conscientious and worked tirelessly at problems that needed solving. I enjoyed working with him during his tenure as mayor. Among his many accomplishments, he was a strong supporter of the visitor industry, agriculture, the University of Hawaii, and the film industry on Hawaii Island. Stephen Yamashiro was a dear friend and I will always cherish his friendship. He will no doubt be sorely missed by the people of the Hawaii Island and the state.”

Mobile version of slideshow here
Photos special to Hawaii 24/7 by Colin Gould

Karin Stanton | Hawaii 24/7

Friends, family and a slate of musicians gathered Saturday in Ocean View to celebrate the life of Buddy Fo, Hawaiian entertainer and 2003 Na Hoku Hanohano Lifetime Achievement Award winner.

Fo died April 30 at age 78 following a heart attack.

Fo was a founder of four-part harmony group called, The Invitations, which was big in Waikiki in the 1960s. Prior to The Invitiations, he was Martin Denny’s bongo player.

The Invitations was the first Hawaiian group to go to Los Angeles and record in a major recording studio. The Invitations recordings are still considered a major achievement in the history of Hawaiian music.

For a time, the top three entertainers in Waikiki were: Don Ho, Buddy Fo, and Kui Lee.

Fo moved to Maui where he once again became a headliner at the Kaanapali Beach hotel for five years, starred in a Hawaiian cowboy show at the Maui Tropical Plantation for 10 years, and was known as ‘the Maui Bud’ radio personality.

Later, Fo joined the Don Ho show and went on to perform with his wife, Sammi, at the Royal Hawaiian Hotels’ Mai Tai Bar.

In his later years, Fo played ukulele and sang lead, while his wife Sammi sang back-up vocals, played conga drums and danced hula.

Fo is survived by wife Sammi, and son Kanai.

— Find out more:
www.buddyfo.com

Karin Stanton | Hawaii 24/7

The artist Herb Kane. (Hawaii 24/7 photo by Karin Stanton)

Herb Kane, world-renowned Hawaii artist, historian and author, died Tuesday, March 8, Hawaii 24/7 has learned. Kane, who recently had been ill, was 82.

Kane lived with his wife, Deon, in South Kona.

In September 2010, Kane spoke with Hawaii 24/7 during the unveiling of a new display of his paintings at King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel.

Selected as a Living Treasure of Hawaii in 1984, Kane summed up his nearly 60 year career this way:

“I’m very intrigued by history, as we all should be,” he said. “If my art can contribute to the comprehension and understanding of Hawaii’s past, I have succeeded.”

Drawing his inspiration from past generations of Hawaiians, Kane said he could not claim a favorite work.

“They are all my children,” he said. “What parent can pick just one favorite?”

Born in 1928, Kane spent his childhood in Waipio Valley, Hilo and Wisconsin. After Navy service, he studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and at the University of Chicago.

His life’s work included stints in advertising art, publishing art, architectural design, painting, writing and sculpture, but he is best known for his vast collection of historically accurate, epic and iconic paintings of ancient Hawaiian scenes. His paintings are packed with detail and emotion, flair and finesse.

His client list includes scads of private collectors around the world, the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, the National Park Service, National Geographic, and major publishers of books and periodicals.

His art has appeared on seven postage stamps for the U.S. Postal Service, as well as stamps for the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and French Polynesia.

Books he authored include “Pele, Goddess of Hawaii’s Volcanoes,” “Voyagers” and “Ancient Hawaii.”

Kane served as the voyaging canoe Hokulea’s first captain. The honor came in 1975 after he helped research, design and build the sailing canoe Hokulea.

Among Kane’s many other honors:

• 1987 — Year of the Hawaiian Celebration. One of 16 chosen as Pookela (Champion).
• 1988-1992 — Served as a founding trustee of the Native Hawaiian Culture & Arts Program, a federal program at Bishop Museum.
• 1998 — Awarded Bishop Museum’s Charles Reed Bishop Medal.
• 2002 — Received an award for excellence from The Hawaii Book Publishers Association.
• 2008 — Awarded an honorary doctorate by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
• 2009 — Designed a commemorative stamp for the U.S. Postal Service, celebrating 50 years of Hawaii statehood.

— Find out more:
www.herbkanestudio.com

Akaka mourns the passing of artist Herb Kane

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) issued the following statement today:

“Herb Kane helped the world recognize the history and culture of the Native Hawaiian people through his art.  He showed ancient Hawaiians as they were: explorers, seafarers, trailblazers in land and resource management.  His beautiful portraits displayed on stamps, in National Parks, and in museums continue to inspire people around the world.  Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time.”

Statement by Mayor Billy Kenoi on the passing of Herb Kane

“I am deeply saddened by the passing of our respected and beloved kupuna, Herb Kawainui Kane. His deep respect and reverence for the culture of our islands, reflected by his talent as a world-renown artist, secures his place among history’s most influential Native Hawaiians.

Among his many important accomplishments was his participation in the renaissance of Hawaiian culture and pride through his leadership in the Polynesian Voyaging Society, where he served as captain of the first voyage of the Hokule’a.

Current and future generations of Hawaiians will always owe a debt of gratitude to him. I offer my sincere condolences to his ohana. We have all lost a true Hawaiian treasure.”

Lt. Gov. James 'Duke' Aiona and his mother, Frances. (Photo courtesy of the Lt. Governor's Office)

MEDIA RELEASE

The Office of the Lieutenant Governor has announced Lt. Governor James “Duke” Aiona’s mother, Frances Helena Lum Aiona, passed away due to natural causes Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2010, at the age of 93.

“My mom was my hero and our entire ohana is deeply saddened by her passing,” Aiona said. “She was an extraordinary woman and a compassionate, tireless educator who instilled in me a lifelong love for learning and mentorship. I am at a loss for words to describe how important she was in my life and the lives of countless others. During this difficult time, Vivian and I humbly ask for privacy while we make final arrangements.”

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to the Reid J.K. Richards Foundation, which was Frances Aiona’s favorite charity.

The foundation was established on behalf of the Lt. Governor’s nephew Reid, who passed away at the age of 33. He was survived by his wife and his two young children.

The foundation assists those who have lost a mother or father to cope with the grieving process.

Reid J.K. Richards Foundation
(808) 220-3491

Services have been announced for two Big Island hula luminaries who died within a day of each other last month.

* A funeral service for long-time Merrie Monarch Festival executive director Dorothy “Auntie Dottie” Thompson has been scheduled for Saturday, April 17 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Hilo.

Friends are invited to call from 8 a.m. until Mass at noon. Entombment will follow at Homelani Memorial Park Mausoleum.

Thompson, who died March 19 at the age of 88, served as the Merrie Monarch Festicval executive director almost from its inception nearly five decades ago. She also served as culture and arts director for the Hawaii County Department of Parks and Recreation and managed the Aloha Week Festival on the Big Island from 1970 to 1975.

* A public celebration of life for kumu hula Rae Fonseca is scheduled for Friday, April 16 in Hilo.

Fonseca, who founded Hula Halau O Kahikilaulani, died March 20 at age 56 after collapsing following a performance at the Lei O Lanikuhonua Hula Festival in Ko Olina.

The celebration of life is 1-3 p.m. at Sangha Hall. A private scattering of ashes will follow.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Fonseca’s memory may be made to Hula Halau O Kahikilaulani, 121 Banyan Drive, Hilo, HI 96720.

Rae Fonseca and his Halau Hula O Kahikilaulani at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, May 2009. Photography by Dan and Lin Dzurisin | Special to Hawaii 24/7

More photos by Dan and Lin Dzurisin

Karin Stanton | Hawaii 24/7 Contributing Editor

Less than 24 hours after the death of Dottie Thompson, the Big Island lost yet another hula standout in kumu hula Rae Kahiki Fonseca, aka Ray Fonseca. He was 56.

News of his sudden death first traveled across the Big Island and through hula circles Saturday afternoon. Fonseca reportedly collased following a performance at the Lei O Lanikuhonua Hula Festival at Ko Olina and was pronounced dead at an area hospital. It is believed he had a heart attack.

With his Halau Hula O Kahikilaulani of Hilo, Fonseca was a perennial front runner at the Merrie Monarch Festival for the last three decades, winning numerous awards. Just last year, the wahine of Halau Hula O Kahikilaulani took second place in wahine kahiko and third in wahine overall.

The halau is scheduled to participate in next month’s 47th annual Merrie Monarch Festival.

In 1980, he established Halau Hula O Kahikilaulani. He was given the name Kahikilaulani by his own kumu hula, the late hula master and festival founder George Naope.

“Laulani” was added to his hawaiian name “Kahiki.” In essence, “Kahikilaulani” (the staff of heaven) soon became “Halau Hula O Kahikilaulani”.

Fonseca will be best remembered for his dedicating his life to living and preserving the Hawaiian culture.

Halau Hula O Kahikilaulani appeared at a concert with Cyril Pahinui and the Kaimu Sons at Palace Theatre in Hilo about six weeks ago.

Services for kumu Rae Fonseca will be held 1-3 p.m, Friday (April 16) at Sangha Hall in Hilo.

Luana Kawelu (left), Mayor Billy Kenoi and Auntie Dottie Thompson. Mayor Kenoi proclaimed Saturday, Feb. 13, 2010 "Auntie Dottie Thompson Day."

Karin Stanton | Hawaii 24/7 Contributing Editor

One of the Big Island’s best beloved matriarchs has died.

Dottie Thompson, co-founder of the prestigious Merrie Monarch Festival, reportedly died Friday, March 19 in Hilo. She was 88.

Just five months ago, the world of hula lost another of its shining lights. Uncle George Naope, who along side Thompson is credited with founding the hula showcase, died Oct. 26, 2009.

Within an hour of the news of Thompson’s death, tributes and mahalos were popping up on social media networks, as friends and fans recalled her drive and determination to make the Merrie Monarch Festival the world’s premier hula event. Although she often stayed behind the scenes, she was credited as the backbone and true spirit of the festival.

Thompson, who appeared last year at the festival, had been its executive director since its early years.

She was honored in February 2010 as the YWCA Hawaii Island Remarkable Person. The YWCA ceremony was attended by more than 100 people and was one of Thompson’s last public appearances, as she had been in failing health for some time.

Citing her longstanding leadership of the festival, YWCA President Lorraine Godoy said, “Auntie Dottie’s gift of vision, honor of culture, and devotion to preserving our traditions have been unselfishly shared with the people of Hawaii and beyond. Auntie Dottie has enriched our cultural, artistic, and business spheres and united our community through this singular event.”

Mayor Billy Kenoi also hailed Thompson’s leadership and tenacity: “Dottie, because of you and all the blood, sweat, tears, and love you poured into Merrie Monarch for over the last 40 years, you have put Hilo on the map and spread the warm spirit of aloha to people from all over the world.”

Thompson received the 2000 Outstanding Non-Hawaiian Perpetuating the Hawaiian Culture award by the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, and she was named a Living Legend in 1996 by the County of Hawaii Department of Parks and Recreation

The festival evolved through the years, but remains true to hula’s origins and the culture of ancient Hawaiian people.

In addition to cultural demonstrations, craft fairs and art exhibits, entertainment, performances and a parade, the competition now spans three days and features about two dozen halau from across Hawaii and the mainland.

The first night, usually the Thursday after Easter, young women compete for the title of Miss Aloha Hula. The Friday night performances feature the hula kahiko, or traditional dance. Dancers perform the hula auana, or modern dance, on the final night with award presentations.

In 1976, the competition was opened to men (kane) and the festival only grew in popularity.

The festival was televised live for the first time in 1980. In recent years, the festival has been live streamed over the Internet.

This year’s event, the 47th annual Merrie Monarch Festival, is scheduled for April 4-10 at Edith Kanakaole Tennis Stadium
in Hilo.

— Find out more:

www.merriemonarchfesti…

A panoramic view of the 2006 Merrie Monarch Hula Festival. Click on image to enlarge. Photography by Baron Sekiya.

Lt. Governor Aiona Issues Statement On Passing Of Auntie Dottie

HONOLULU – Lt. Governor James R. “Duke” Aiona, Jr. today issued the following statement regarding the passing of Dorothy “Auntie Dottie” Thompson, co-founder and executive director of the Merry Monarch Festival:

“Auntie Dottie exemplified a life of aloha, and she will be sorely missed by all of Hawai‘i.

“Critical to the future of life in these islands is the perpetuation of our host culture, and through the art of hula and the Merrie Monarch Festival, Auntie Dottie established a legacy that will live on for generations to come.

“My ‘ohana, especially in Hilo, is deeply saddened to learn of her passing, and our thoughts and prayers are with Auntie’s family and friends.”

From the office of Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi

“Aunty Dottie” Thompson Passes Away

We are deeply saddened by the passing of “Aunty Dottie” Thompson and extend our aloha and gratitude to her family, her many friends, fans and supporters here in Hawai’i nei and throughout the world who loved and honored her. Her monumental passing marks the end of an era for our community and for the Hula world.

Best known as the Executive Director and co-founder of the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival for 47 years, she was a visionary who embodied the heart and soul of the festival and worked passionately and tirelessly for many years to build the Merrie Monarch Festival into the world’s premier celebration of Hawaiian culture and Hula. She will be greatly missed.

- If you have any thoughts you’d like to express in the passing of ‘Aunty Dottie’ Thompson feel free to leave a comment below here on Hawaii 24/7.

MEDIA RELEASE

Gov. Linda Lingle has ordered the Hawaii state flag to fly at half-staff at state and county buildings Saturday, Dec. 19, from sunrise to sunset, in honor of former state Sen. Stanley Hara, who died Dec. 1 at his Hilo home.

Hara was elected as a representative to the Hawaii Territorial Legislature in 1954 and served in the State Senate until 1980. He also worked in real estate for many years.

Hara’s son, Glenn, is a Circuit Court judge in Hilo.

Hara is survived by wife, Diane; sons, Glenn and Bradley; sisters, Sadako Tokoro, Kaneko Mikami, Gladys Mikami, Violet Chung and Mary Morisugi; and three grandchildren.

Services are set for 6 p.m. Thursday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary, with visitation from 5 p.m. Services also are planned at 11 a.m. Satruday at Dodo Mortuary chapel in Hilo, with visitation from 9 a.m.

The family requests no flowers; aloha attire.

The text of the governor’s proclamation:

The people of Hawaii mourn the loss of Stanley I. Hara, former state senator, who passed away on Dec. 1, 2009 at the age of 86.

Senator Hara devoted his life and career to the people of our state. From 1954 to 1980, he served tirelessly in the territorial Legislature and later in the state Legislature. First elected in 1954, he served as the chair of the House Finance Committee for six years.

Appointed by former Governor John A. Burns to the state Senate in 1969, he later took on the chairmanship of the Senate education committee and the ecology, environmental and recreation committees.

A dedicated and devoted supporter of the University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hara received the school’s Distinguished Alumni and Service Award in 2008. In August of 2009, a UH-Hilo student received a scholarship in Senator Hara’s name from the Two-Ten Golf Club, enabling him to pursue his dream of becoming a physician.

Senator Hara was one of the visionary leaders who helped forge the foundation of our state into what we cherish today. His broad smile, hearty laugh, quick step and signature bowties will be missed in the halls of our legislature. Our state is thankful for his service and dedication.

Hawaii is a richer place because of dedicated people like Stanley I. Hara, and he will be deeply missed by his wife, Diane; sons Judge Glenn S. Hara and Bradley S. Hara; sisters Sadako Tokoro, Kaneko Mikami, Gladys Mikami, Violet Chung and Mary Morisugi; three grandchildren; and the many people whose lives he touched.

With deep respect and gratitude, we honor the memory of  STANLEY I. HARA

THEREFORE, I, LINDA LINGLE, Governor of the State of Hawaii, do hereby order the lowering of the Hawaii State Flag to half-staff on all state and county buildings from sunrise to sunset on Dec. 19, 2009, and encourage our residents and visitors to offer their condolences to the Hara family. I further encourage the people of Hawaii to display the Hawaii flag at half-staff at their homes and businesses on that day.

DONE at the State Capitol, in the Executive Chambers, Honolulu, State of Hawaii, this fifteenth day of December 2009.

Linda Lingle

Governor, State of Hawaii

Services for hula master George Naope are Friday, Nov. 6 and Saturday, Nov.  7 at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium in Hilo.

The “Celebration of His Life” is 1-9 p.m. Friday, including a Roman Catholic service from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Following at 6:30 p.m. is a “Gift of Words,” a time when anyone is invited to share a special memory.

The celebration continues 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, including a Hawaiian service at 1 p.m. conducted by the Rev. Kaniela Akaka.

The celebrations are open to the public.

Naope, 81, died Oct. 26 at his Waiakea Uka home. He was a kumu hula, singer, dancer and chanter, and also was the co-founder of the world renowned Merrie Monarch Festival.

Uncle George Naope smiles and poses last year with Darlene Ahuna. (Hawaii247 photo special by Tim Wright)

Karin Stanton/Hawaii247.com Contributing Editor

George Lanakilakekiahiailli Naope, co-founder of the Merrie Monarch hula festival, died Monday, Oct. 26 in his Waiakea Uka home after a long illness.

He was 81 and last year had lung surgery.

Tributes already are pouring in from across the state and around the world, hailing the pint-sized man with the giant heart and unwavering passion for Hawaii’s performing arts.

‘Uncle George’ was internationally famed and renowned as a hula master, chanter and performer, as well as co-founder of the world’s premier hula festival and ambassador for Hawaiian culture.

Naope, with Dottie Thompson and Agnes “Aunty Agney” Kalanihookaha Cope, founded the Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo in 1963 after a trip to a Whaling Festival on Maui.

Naope, in a wheelchair, and Thompson were in attendance at the 2009 Merrie Monarch Festival.

He was born Feb 25, 1928, in Hilo and was already beginning his hula career at age 3.

He began teaching hula by the time he was 13. Over his lifetime, the kumu hula taught the kahiko hula, or ancient hula, in Europe, Japan, Australia the mainland and South America.

Naope also recorded several albums, but mostly was know for his deep love of the pageantry, protocol and pomp of hula.

His passion shined in the presence of at least two U.S. presidents as he greeted Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy on their island arrivals. Naope also was called to share the aloha at the wedding of (then crown prince) Emporer Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan.

He was honored with the “Living Golden Treasure” designation by the governor and state Legislature of Hawaii in 1960, and named in the Smithsonian Institute as a “Treasure of Hawaii” by President George Bush, Sr.

In addition to thousands of students and fans, Naope is survived by three sisters, Eileen, Bernie and Emma, a brother, Frank, numerous nieces and nephews, and a hanai grandson, Hoapili Bower.

Services are tentatively set with a Nov. 6 viewing, and a Nov. 7 celebration and memorial, at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium in Hilo.

photos and video from the service
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Lyman Medeiros invites everyone to call KonaFM between 5:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27 to share memories of Uncle George Naope. Call 296-5422.

Uncle George Naope 1928-2009 (Hawaii247 photo special by Tim Wright)