Thousands to be Honored With Kalaupapa Memorial

A series of Kalaupapa family workshops begins this week to help people find information about ancestors that were forcibly relocated to the remote Molokai community.  There were an estimated 8,000 individuals who were sent to the Kalaupapa Peninsula between 1866 and 1969 because of government policies regarding Hansens disease.

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The meeting times are as follows:

• The first meeting is on Oahu at the Kaumakapili Church, located at 766 North King Street in Honolulu. The family workshopbegins at 6 p.m. Friday, September 18, 2009 followed by a public scoping session regarding the Kalaupapa Memorial from 7 to 9 p.m.
• The Lanai meeting begins at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, September 19, 2009 at Hale Kupuna O Lanai at the Hale Mahaolu Senior Complex. That will be followed by a memorial public meeting from 2 to 4 p.m. at the same location.
• The Maui meeting will be held from 6-9 p.m. Monday, September 21^st at the Paukukalo Hawaiian Homes Community Center. The family Workshop begins at 6 p.m. and the Memorial Public Scoping Session runs from 7-9 p.m.
• The Molokai meeting is on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at the Kulana O’iwi Conference Center in Kaunakakai. The family workshop begins at 6 p.m. and the Memorial Public Scoping Session runs from 7-9 p.m.
• The Kalaupapa meeting is on Saturday, September 26^th at McVeigh hall. The Family Workshop begins at 9 a.m. and the memorial Public Scoping session runs from 10 a.m. to noon.

Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa and Kalaupapa National Historical Park welcome the public to learn about and share their thoughts about the Kalaupapa Memorial.  The public meetings are being held in conjunction with the preparation of an Environmental Assessment to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act.  Before each meeting is an hour-long family workshop to help anyone find information about ancestors who were sent to Kalaupapa.

Earlier this year, President Barack Obama signed into law the legislation that included the Kalaupapa Memorial Act.  The law states that “The Secretary of the Interior shall authorize Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa, a non-profit organization consisting of patient residents at Kalaupapa National Historical Park, and their family members and friends, to establish a memorial at a suitable location or locations approved by the Secretary at Kalawao or Kalaupapa within the boundaries of Kalaupapa National Historical Park…to honor and perpetuate the memory of those individuals who were forcibly relocated to the Kalaupapa Peninsula from 1866 to 1969.”

Kaumakapili Church was chosen as the site for the first meeting since this was the home church of Kahauliko, who was sent to Kalaupapa on January 6, 1866, and is listed as No. 1 on the Admission Register of persons sent to Kalaupapa.  Consequently, Kahauliko’s name will be listed first on the Kalaupapa Memorial, which will contain the names of the estimated 8,000 individuals sent to the Kalaupapa peninsula because of government policies regarding leprocy.

Comments in writing from individuals on the Big Island and Kauai or anywhere else, can be mailed to:  Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa, P.O. Box 1111, Kalaupapa, HI 96742.

Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa is a non-profit organization that was organized in 2003 and is made up of Kalaupapa residents, their family members, descendants and longtime friends.  Kalaupapa National Historical Park was established in 1980 at the request of the Kalaupapa community.

(Posted by Wendy Osher, Information provided by Valerie Monson, Secretary/Coordinator for Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa)