Kalaupapa Celebrates Halloween

Community Contributed

By Father Pat Killilea, St. Francis Church, Kalaupapa

They stepped through the doors and looked around the hall at those seated at tables, like Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday as they entered the saloon in the days of the old west. They were not, however, wearing 10-gallon hats or armed with holstered guns. They were dressed in robot-like outfits and strutted around the hall for all to see. One showed bulging biceps while the other displayed the legs of a model.  It was Mary Jane and Mark and they had come to McVeigh Hall to participate in our annual
costume party sponsored as always by our own beloved Edwin Lelepali.

Halloween brings back mostly happy memories of childhood days, of door to door visits while dressed in creative costumes, of candy and other treats. In my own childhood days, we gathered with family and neighbors and bobbed in water for apples. Halloween in Kalaupapa is a time to relive those happy memories as we gather with the community to celebrate our togetherness and for a few hours to be as children again. There are always creative, funny, or daring costumes. I came as Hula Hana and received a few compliments on my outfit from a couple of the guys (beer will do that). Thank the Lord that no one made a pass at me or I would have felt obliged to slap him!

Then there was of course the best part, the delicious food provided by Pali. Some of us left for our homes relatively early while others stayed to celebrate until midnight. I do not know whether all of the beer was consumed by that hour but I do know that all of us enjoyed our Halloween celebration. For this we give thanks to the Lord and we salute our good friend and benefactor, Lelepali.