Hawaiians in Utah

By Charlene Vincent Lui

In 1990, five clubs established the Mainland Council Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs (MCAHCC) at the 31st Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs (AHCC) Convention, which included Hui Hawaiʻi o Utah.

Then in 1993, Kauwahi Anaina Hawaiʻi Hawaiian Civic Club (KAHHCC) was chartered and become a part of the MCAHCC. The presence of both clubs in Utah contributes to the Hawaiian community by promoting Hawaiian culture, language, and civic involvement, as both clubs continue to be active in preserving Hawaiian culture and identity outside of Hawaiʻi.

Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole aimed for Hawaiians to engage with government and the community at large, fostering civic responsibility essential to the development of Hawaiʻi and its people. In Utah, several civic club members are actively involved in local and state government, fulfilling this vision.

During the 2024 Utah General Legislative Session, a resolution was passed titled “Honoring Utah’s Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Cultures and Communities” which acknowledges NHPI contributions to the state’s prosperity.

The resolution helped to spearhead three projects in Utah that illuminate the presence and contributions of Native Hawaiians in Utah. These include an oral history project, inclusion of Native Hawaiians in the state’s K-12 social studies curriculum, and the dedication of a park to commemorate the first Hawaiians living in Warm Springs.

The first project aims to broaden Utah’s history by including stories from underrepresented communities in Utah’s Historical Society’s collections. The oral history interviews include several of our Native Hawaiian kūpuna and longtime residents of Utah.

The K-12 social studies curriculum includes the history of Iosepa, a colony established in 1889 for the benefit of Hawaiian members of the LDS Church who came to Utah to assist in the work to build the Salt Lake Temple. The church helped them settle in Iosepa, located in Skull Valley about 75 miles from Salt Lake City.

The church purchased the John T. Rich Ranch. Members of the colony ranged from nearly 50 at its inception to about 226 just before Iosepa closed. The community thrived for 28 years until the building of the Lāʻie Temple was announced in 1915 and Iosepa was abandoned as the Hawaiian saints returned home to help build the temple there.

The Iosepa Historical Association continues to maintain the property through grants and private donations, and they invite everyone to attend the annual Memorial Weekend Celebration to honor the faith and sacrifice of our kūpuna who lived here long ago.

Finally, the Warm Springs Park project is currently being designed and includes several Native Hawaiian committee members. This space will provide an opportunity for visitors to see where and how Native Hawaiians lived in 1873.

Although we are not home in Hawaiʻi, we cherish our Native Hawaiian culture. We strive to embrace our homeland and share the aloha spirit with others on the continent, especially as Hawaiians in Utah.