Molokai Celebrates Prince Kuhio Day

Photo by Dan Emhof

Molokai residents took to Kiowea Park to celebrate the citizen prince, Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaʻole, last Saturday, March 23.

Amongst the venders, food and music, Molokai community members took time to reflect on the lasting legacy of Kuhio.

“For us, the importance is the resilience and the legacy that we are trying to teach our opio to carry on, the gift that we’ve been given by the Prince of our homestead,” said Lu Ann Faborito, treasurer of the Ho’olehua Homesteaders Association and one of the organizers of Saturday’s event. “We are very fortunate that we are lessees.”

Prince Kuhio became a politician and served 20 years as a non-voting delegate from the Territory of Hawaii to the United States Congress. His final legislative effort was to lead the passage of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, which set aside over 200,000 acres of trust land for Native Hawaiians. Molokai, and Kalamaula specifically, was the first homestead selected as a result of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1921.

“Our grandparents came here as the first settlers,” said Faborito. “What a legacy.”

Kuhio Day is an opportunity for all the different Molokai homesteaders associations to unite in celebration of their founder.

“It’s a way for all of us to come together,” explained Alice Ka’ahanui, another event organizer.

The Kuhio Day celebrations were made possible by a grant from the Hawaii Tourism Authority, as well as support from Sen. Lynn DeCoite.