Kanaka Maoli Lahainaluna Boarders

Between 2022-2024, the Center for Oral History (COH) in the Department of Ethnic Studies conducted a mo‘o‘ōlelo (oral history) project focused on the memories of Native Hawaiian Lahainaluna boarders from approximately 1950-1999. There have been many challenges that the boarding department has faced in recent years, which has led the Lahainaluna Boarders Association to advocate for their history to be told. As more and more of the interviews for this project were conducted, the rich history and value of this program shone through, emphasizing the need for their stories to be documented.

The Center for Oral History had the opportunity to visit the Lahainaluna Campus, and meet many of the wonderful staff, alumni, and current students. Our goal was to form long-lasting relationships with the Lahainaluna community, to ensure that we may accurately tell the stories of its beloved boarders in a way that they would want to be represented. We had the privilege of looking through the archive room in the Lahainaluna Library to learn about some of the historical events that took place throughout the past 100 years.

From there, we were able to establish some relationships with boarder alumni and reach out to potential narrators, or those who might be interested in being interviewed for the project. This project has allowed us to talk story with a total of 21 boarder staff and alumni, like Eddie Espiritu below, who we had the honor of talking stories with in 2022.

View the boarder  transcripts  here!

As we have wrapped up this project in 2024, we reflect on the beautiful memories made and shared with all of the boarders and staff we had the honor of speaking with, who hail from all across the island chain; Hawai‘i Island to Kaua‘i.

Monica Akamu was born and raised in Ka‘ū, Hawai‘i and attended all 4 years of high school at Lahainaluna, graduating in 1995. Monica reflects on her experiences as a girl boarder at Lahainaluna in the nineties as extremely formative and some of the most memorable years of her life. She currently resides in Ka‘ū, Hawai‘i with her keiki and husband.

Earl Kalawai‘a was born in Wailuku, raised in Kahului, and has ties to Maliko and Kula, Maui. Earl attended Lahainaluna as a boarder, and graduated in 1986. He participated in sports such as football, and started "Sour Poi" with his roommate John Palos, a music group for students at Lahainaluna. He currently resides in Waiakea Uka, Hilo, Hawai‘i.

John Palos was born in Wailuku, Maui, and grew up in Hali‘imaile. He has ‘ohana ties to Hāna, Maui. John attended Lahainaluna as a boarder and graduated in 1984, playing football and playing music along with his roommate Earl in Sour Poi. He currently resides in Waikoloa, Hawai‘i and still plays music with Earl in their free time.

Althea Magno was born and raised on Maui, Hawai‘i, and has roots in Kamuela, Hawai‘i. She attended Lahainaluna as a boarder, graduating in 1983. She was heavily involved with the Future Farmers of America (FFA) program, and held multiple leadership positions one notable one being Student Body President. She returned to Lahainaluna first as a dorm counselor and then later to teach and spearhead the FFA program after college. Althea currently resides in Mountain View, Hawai‘i.

Zadoc Kekuewa was born and raised in Hōnaunau, Hawai‘i, graduating from Lahainaluna in 1962. He was very involved in sports such as football. He is a proud Veteran of the Vietnam War, crediting Lahainaluna with preparing him to live a military lifestyle with ease. He lived overseas for a number of years, eventually returning to Honaunau to live with his wife.

Craig Murakami was born and raised in Kahului, Maui, and descends from the Marciel family of East Maui. He was an all-star athlete at Lahainaluna playing football and track, and a boarder graduating in 1971. He currently serves proudly as president of the Lahainaluna Boarders Alumni Association, and still lives in Maui.

David Hewahewa was born in Kailua, O‘ahu, leaving to attend Lahainaluna from 1977 to 1980. He was an all-star football athlete, and proud boarder. He currently lives in Waikapu, Maui, with his ‘ohana. Hewahewa credits Lahainaluna with shaping the trajectory of his life, especially relating to the ‘āina work that he does now in Makawao.

Eddie Espiritu was born in Honolulu and raised in Kaumuloa, Moloka‘i, attending Lahainaluna as a boarder, graduating in 1971. He participated in sports such as baseball and track. He currently still lives in Maui, and serves as the secretary of the Lahainaluna Boarders Association.

Susan D. Yap, originally from Berkeley, California was a dorm matron from 1996 until about 2016. She retired from Lahainaluna, but is still very involved in the Lahainaluna and the Lahaina community.

Lori Gomez-Karinen has had an undeniable impact on the boarder community. She is head of the Boarders Chorus which became mandatory every Sunday the boarders, and she was kumu of the Hawaiiana class and club. Although now retired, she is still involved with the boarders chorus at Lahainaluna today.

Antonette Yamamoto was born and raised on Molokai, and hails from the Akiona ‘ohana of East Moloka‘i. She attended Lahainaluna as a boarder from her sophomore year, and was the first girl boarder from Moloka‘i to graduate from Lahainaluna in 1984.

Chad K. Ka‘ahanui was born and raised in Moloka‘i, he has ‘ohana ties to Kaua‘i and Moloka‘i. He left Moloka‘i to attended Lahainaluna as a boarder, graduating in 1986. He speaks to how his life in Moloka‘i greatly complimented the experiences and lessons that he learned as a boarder at Lahainaluna. He currently lives in Kaunakakai, Moloka‘i.

Brent K. Nakihei was born and raised on Moloka‘i in Kalama‘ula, having ‘ohana ties to Kohala and Moloka‘i. Brent attended Lahainaluna as a boarder for his junior and senior years graduating in 1987. He was an athlete, playing basketball, and attributes many of his lessons learned in life to his time at Lahainaluna. He currently lives in Molokai with his ‘ohana.

Uncle Black Dudoit was born in Ho‘olehua, Moloka‘i, in 1948, growing up in Kainalu. He attended Lahainaluna as a boarder, graduating in 1966. Black moved on to join the military during the Vietnam War era, and speaks to how he carried the experiences and lessons he had learned as a boarder throughout his life. He currently lives in Kaunakakai, Moloka‘i with his ‘ohana.

Uncle Abner Kauwekane DeLima was born in Kula, Maui, growing up in Makena. He attended Lahainaluna as a proud boarder, graduating in 1955. He was an all-star football athlete, going on to attend UH Mānoa with a scholarship for football. He accredits Lahainaluna for many of the lessons learned throughout his life and in his career. Abner also played a big role in one of our other narrators, Keli‘i, on his journey to Lahainaluna. Abner now lives in Kalama Valley, O‘ahu.

Haunani K. Haia was born in Kailua, O‘ahu, and raised in Wai‘anae, where she currently resides in her childhood home. Haunani has ‘ohana ties to both Ka‘ū and Lahaina. She left Wai‘anae to attend Lahainaluna as a boarder, graduating in 1994. She was a student of Althea Magno during her time at Lahainaluna, as well as an avid FFA member and Hawaiiana club member as well. She has many fond memories of Lahainaluna which she holds dear.

Lei Aken was born in Honolulu and raised in Nānākuli, having roots that extend also to Kipahulu, Maui. She attended Lahainaluna as a boarder and graduated in 1986. She was an avid member of FFA, and held many leadership positions, one notable one being the first girl boarding department president. Lei accredits Lahainaluna with preparing her for her career later in life, where she is a distinguished Wai‘anae High School educator. She currently lives in Makakilo, Hawai‘i.

Sherman Maka was born in Kaua‘i, and raised on the North Shore of Kaua‘i in Hā‘ena, Anini, and Hanalei. Sherman attended Lahainaluna as a boarder for his last two years of high school in 1977 to 1979. He was a proud member of the Hawaiiana club, and recalls playing music in Lahaina which eventually would foster and shape the trajectory of his career as a musician. He holds many fond memories of his boarder experience, living still in Hā‘ena, Kaua‘i.

Keli‘i Alapa‘i was born in San Francisco, California, raised in Hā‘ena, Kaua‘i. He attended Lahainaluna with encouragement by Uncle Abner, for his last two years of high school graduating in 1976, then returning home to Kaua‘i. He speaks fondly of his experiences at Lahainaluna with his boarder classmates, eventually watching his son, Kanoe, go on to also board at Lahainaluna.

Kanoe Alapa‘i-Hashimoto was born and raised in Kaua‘i, leaving the island to attend Lahainaluna in the year 1998 as a boarder before becoming a day student. Kanoe speaks to how he will forever carry the experiences and lessons he learned at Lahainaluna with him for the rest of his life.

Nanea Sproat-Armitage is a kupa of Kalihiwai, Kaua‘i, where her family has lived for 7 generations. She left Kaua‘i to attend Lahainaluna as a boarder, graduating in 1999. She was involved in FFA, and other extracurriculars at Lahainaluna, and reflects on fond memories created there and how the lessons she learned there shaped the trajectory of her career. Lahainaluna is also where Nanea met her husband, Nelson. They both now reside in Kalihiwai, Kaua‘i with their keiki.

Nelson Armitage was born in Maui, and raised in Ha‘ikū. Nelson has strong family roots in Wai‘anae, hailing from the Ka‘aha‘āina ‘ohana. He attended Lahainaluna as a boarder, graduating in 1998. He participated in sports such as soccer, football, basketball and wrestling. Nelson also speaks to how his experiences as a boarder has shaped his life, which he and Nanea often reflect on together.

We traveled across the pae ‘āina to talk to boarders, below is a map of all of the interviews we did on each island!

All across the state, and for many years, Lahainaluna is known for its sports, especially football. The entire community comes together to celebrate wins and support their Lahainaluna Lunas! Many of the boarder students played sports, and some of our narrators were even all-star athletes in their respective sport. Each of them expressed that if you played sports, you could leave work in the afternoon 30 minutes early!

Lahainaluna has an incredible legacy, and there is no boarding program like that of this esteemed school. A theme that has arose within many of our interviews are the sense of pride that each attendee has felt during their experiences at Lahainaluna, and how important it is for this legacy to continue.

Although there are no longer many of the same jobs that the older boarders used to have during their time there, the Lahainaluna Boarding Association is helping to bring back some of the kuleana that they held as boarders to the campus. Starting with the new orchard blessing in 2022, the current boarders had the opportunity to partake in planting new fruit trees in the location of the old orchard, alongside many other boarder alumni and Lahainaluna faculty and staff.

There is no refuting that Lahainaluna Boarders are proud of their boarding experiences, their department, and Lahainaluna overall. Some of the major takeaways from our boarder narrators about their Lahainaluna boarding experiences include the importance of the many values that being a boarder in this department has taught them, which have stayed with them ever since. Many even assert that some of these values stem from their identities as Hawaiians, and how the boarding department emphasized a lot of the Hawaiian values that they grew up with.

Black Dudoit speaks to how he learned many of his core values at home in Moloka‘i, but they were fostered during his time at Lahainaluna. One of the biggest values that he touches on is the importance of respect.

Kanoe Alapa‘i-Hashimoto speaks to some of the dynamics of the boarding department and the school overall, and how the closeness of the boarding department emphasized values such as loyalty, and having each other's backs.

Keli‘i Alapa‘i speaks to the values he learned at Lahainaluna, including how to sustain yourself, learning how to work hard, to be independent, and more. The lessons learned at Lahainaluna brought the community, school, and even more so the boarding department together. He says, "that school is history itself, there is no other school like this." He explains that these are values that you pass on to the next generation.

We at the Center for Oral History are so incredibly humbled and honored to have received funding for this project from the HK West Maui Fund. We want to extend our deepest mahalo and aloha to the Lahainaluna Boarders Association, all of our wonderful narrators, and the Lahainaluna Library and Archives. We extend our gratitude to COH students Shayla Spotkaeff and Urban Halpern for transcription support, as well as Danielle ‘Ānela Smith for camera and recorder work, and last but not least our COH faculty Davianna McGregor, Ty Tengan and Micah Mizukami. We would also like to extend our warmest aloha to Jerome Kahele, Umi Perkins, Kahu Anela Rosa and Napili Surf Beach Resort, Jen Mather, Kawehi Kina, Jacquelyn Cabarrubio, and ES 221 Spring '24 students for their kāko‘o in this project. Most importantly we want to thank the Lahainaluna and greater Lahaina community, we cannot say thank you enough for your support, warmth, love, and vulnerability. E ola mau e Lahaina, e ola mau e Lahainaluna!