By Valerie Monson
The new year ushers in Kalaupapa Month, a time to remember the people of Kalaupapa, their families and this important history.
In 2021, Ka ʻOhana O Kalaupapa (Ka ʻOhana) proposed to the state legislature that January be designated “Kalaupapa Month” as a permanent way to honor the nearly 8,000 individuals who were taken from their families and sent to Kalaupapa because of government policies regarding leprosy. The legislature unanimously approved the bill that was signed into law by then-Gov. David Ige.
Since then, Ka ʻOhana has urged descendants, friends, schools, churches and the general public to observe Kalaupapa Month with reverence and respect.
“Kalaupapa Month is a time to think about our kūpuna, how they were forced to leave their ʻohana, their communities at a time when they needed them most – and how many of them overcame those circumstances,” said Charmaine Woodward, Ka ʻOhana president whose great-grandparents were both sent to Kalaupapa and are buried there.
Woodward’s kūpuna, David and Alana Ahlo Kamahana, were married on Jan. 1, 1911. They went on to start a business in the settlement that evolved into the Kamahana Store, a general store that sold a variety of merchandise and even offered haircuts. They had nine children, two of whom died in infancy, and seven who were taken from them at birth and raised by relatives or in group homes on Oʻahu.
“We often forget how strong and resilient the people of Kalaupapa were and are,” said Woodward. “Nainoa (her 13-year-old son) and I are proud to be descendants of Kalaupapa; descendants of these amazing people.”
All are encouraged to take time this month to reflect on the hardships – and triumphs – experienced by those separated from their ʻohana and exiled to Kalaupapa. There are many resources, including a website maintained by Ka ʻOhana that includes a recommended reading list. Visit www.kalaupapaohana.org.
Those interested in learning more can also sign up to receive additional information or to register for special webinars during January at: info.kalaupapa@gmail.com.
