Who Would Have Known?

Randy and I arrived early for a 10:00 meeting in Manoa so we decided to take a walk. We came upon a cemetery in front of the Manoa Valley Theatre; we had no idea it was there. There was an elderly man raking leaves, so we approached him to ask questions. He said he goes there every Thursday to clean up because his great-great-great grandparents are buried there. He said that once a year, they have a clean-up day at the site and that it was one of three Kawaihao churches, the main one being the one we all know in Honolulu. He pointed to areas where there are borders of rocks in a rectangular shape. This was the burial place of someone, but there were no markers or headstones to indicate who was buried there. There are very old headstones - some from the 1800’s - with “HANAU” and “MAKE” or “Birth” and “Death”. It reminded me of our travels three years ago when we visited cemeteries in Boston and Philadelphia where many American patriots are buried, and it made me wonder about those who are buried in this cemetery. I remember reading about using cemeteries as part of a project-based curriculum with students going to a cemetery and researching the life of someone buried there. (These are Matters of Grave Importance) With so many resources available today, this could be a great project for our students. As we left, I told Randy that after the volunteers are gone, there may be no one who will take care of the property. That’s why projects like this - Mid-Pacific Institute Students Encounter the Significance of Preservation through Historic Cemeteries - are so important. Learning about the lives of people buried in our cemeteries or learning about our ancestors through the stories our elders share can be a way to preserve our history and to ensure that our cemeteries will be cared for in the future.

We had no idea that Kawaihao Manoa Cemetery existed. I would love to know more about the people who are buried there. 

After completing our business at the bank, we were able to take a tour of  Washington Middle School, thanks to Michael Harano. He has been the school principal for 20 years and also served 5 years as its vice principal. Randy was talking story with him and shared that he had attended the school for 7th, 8th, and 9th grade when it was still Washington Intermediate School, and Principal Harano agreed to take us on a tour. There is so much history at that school that I was not aware of. The school sits on a piece of land that was gifted by King Kamehameha I to Anthony D. Allen, a former slave from New York who later became an advisor to the King. (Hidden piece of Hawaii history revealed at Washington Middle School) What a remarkable story! The site was sold to the Hawaii Department of Education in the 1920s. There is now a sign at the school, a collaboration between Washington Middle School, the Obama Hawaiian Africana Museum, and the National Park Service. Washington Middle School was also the first intermediate school in Hawai`i, opening in 1927, hence its name after the first president of our country. Apparently, subsequent intermediate schools were going to be named in honor of the next successive presidents, but that never happened. In the office, there is a photo of the first graduating class in 1928 in front of the school; that building burned down sometime later. Enrollment at the school has dropped in recent years as more families move to the newer developments in West Oahu, but students continue to have many opportunities to engage in activities. Their Math Team has won 10 State Championships in a row, beating out teams from elite private schools in Hawaii. We met the teacher, and he was unassuming but obviously proud of his students. Washington Middle School has a long-standing partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Hawaii, and they provide opportunities for tutoring, mentoring, and after-school activities for students in the community. I was struck by the artwork around the campus that were created by the students. Principal Harano said that these works of art are a source of pride for students.

Principal Harano pointed out that students included him in this mosaic. He is the astronaut, and because he sometimes plays the guitar, students added one in this art piece. 

“To soar with eagles, all you have to do is believe that you can.”

Principal Harano said this mural was created by at-risk students with assistance from a graffiti artist. Students are very proud of this piece, rightfully so! 

AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination, and its purpose is to prepare students to be eligible for college and to be successful in college. 

All of these works of art were created by the students with guidance from their art teacher. They are outstanding! 

When we left home this morning, I thought we were just going to the bank to get an account transferred. When we got home, I realized that we had such an amazing day, learning things I never expected. I think we need more days like this!