January Is Now Kalaupapa Month

By Catherine Cluett Pactol
Last Wednesday, Gov. Ige signed into law a bill that designates January as Kalaupapa Month in Hawaii. It will “serve as an annual reminder of the importance of Kalaupapa and the significant sacrifices and contributions of its residents throughout the history of Hawaii,” the bill reads.
Kalaupapa resident John Arruda, who was sent to the peninsula in 1945 and is now 97 years old, stood next to Gov. Ige as he signed the bill. Ige presented Arruda with the pen he used.
“Freedom was taken away from us and it means a lot that the State — the Legislature and the Governor — want to honor our people in this way,” said Arruda.…