Reunion links seven generations of 'ohana to remarkable past

By Lee Cataluna
Advertiser Columnist

Archibald Scott Mahaulu made quite an impact during his remarkable life. He was the first magistrate of the historic Waialua courthouse back when it was brand-new, the first judge of Hawaiian ancestry, golfing buddy of Prince Kuhio and member of Queen Kapi'olani's guard as commissioned by King Kalakaua. When he died in 1916, his obituary listed his many accomplishments, and called him "a brilliant orator, an earnest church worker and a splendid specimen of the Hawaiian race."

Archibald Mahaulu continues to make an impact, even today.

Last week, his descendants and the descendants of his brother Horace Mahaulu, an engineer, gathered for a family reunion. All together, the 'ohana includes more than 500 people.

Everyone from the Horace side of the family wore yellow T-shirts that read "Mahaulu 'Ohana O Hale'iwa". Everyone from Archibald's side wore red shirts with the same design.

Aunty Jay Gabriel, the kupuna of the group, made enough of her special haupia to feed them all. At 81, she still makes the haupia from scratch, husking and scraping the coconuts all by herself. Aunty Jay is the youngest daughter of Horace Mahaulu and the only one left of her generation. She looked out at the sea of red and yellow shirts and marveled at branches of the family that now spans seven generations.

"That's the way we were brought up by our parents. Our family was always together," she said.

There was a time when the Mahaulu family lost touch. Branches of the family clung close to their immediate relatives, but lost track of cousins. Two years ago, afraid that the family ties would be lost forever, the grandchildren of Horace and Archibald put together their first family reunion, a potluck at Hale'iwa beach park.The Mahaulus proudly say they had enough food to feed all of Hale'iwa that day. More importantly, it was a time to make connections. Millie Blau, granddaughter of Archibald, said, "Before we made the first reunion, we didn't know one another."

Now, the family is organized. Very organized. They pay dues to a reunion fund. They made different color crocheted lei, one for every 'ohana member, to signify each generation. They even had feedback and comment sheets to fill out in preparation for the next reunion.

At one point, the Leeward-side of the family, a large contingent, took to the stage to share a few songs. An uncle leaned into the microphone and quipped, "You are looking at what Nanakuli can do for you."

There were many moments of laughter during the day, and the kind of things you only hear being said among family:

"Dis is braddah, dis braddah's daughta', dis his first wife..."

"You smile like Uncle Jimmy! Only thing, Uncle Jimmy no smile too much."

"I gotta' go, so I saying goodbye to you guys, all one time! Goodbye! You too, Charlene!"

"I just introduced them so now they know they related."

"Yeah, I'm Poodgie's cousin. From Maui. Before."

But along with the good humor were moments of deep reverence. The family started the day by paying respects to the graves of Archibald and Horace Mahaulu and their parents, Paul and Kalehua Kalakona Mahaulu in the Queen Lili'uokalani Protestant Church cemetery. The reunion was held on the church grounds so the ancestors were close by. During the daylong event, family members would wander away from the tents and coolers, the lu'au tables covered with butcher paper and decorated with laua'e, the kani ka pila and the endless Hawaiian food buffet, the shave ice and the touch football game, and make their way to the cemetery to gaze upon the Mahaulu name on the headstones and marvel at the legacy.

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.