Posted on: Sunday, September 16, 2001

Hawai'i Days, Hawai'i Ways
Growing up in Lanakila remembered

By Roger Chang
Special to The Advertiser

Lanakila, where dat? It is an area nestled between Liliha and Kapalama Heights, just above School Street.

I vividly remember growing up in the neighborhood in the 1970s. We were a tight-knit Chinese family. Many of my neighbors were of Filipino ancestry. But our minds were not influenced by such nonsense as race, wealth or religious belief. You lived life as it should be, and along the way, you soaked up your life experiences.

Delivering newspapers was a great way of knowing the nooks and crannies of the neighborhood. I have this knack for remembering names. So every time I hear about a Pokepala, Miguel or Miyoi, my mind takes me back to my old stomping grounds.

I remember owning a yellow bike with a banana seat. My friends and I would ride all during the weekends and summer to such places as the Kam Shopping Center, Lili'uokalani stream, Liliha Bakery and Honda Delicatessen. And let's not forget the dogs. It seems dogs can sense a former paperboy forever.

Playing football with the neighborhood kids was a weekly ritual. We had a huge back yard in which many battles were waged. Although it was our home field, it was by no means an advantage for my brothers and I because some of the kids in Lanakila were really big.

Fireworks were serious, serious business. Not only did you have to have the most red paper in your driveway, you needed to be the noisiest house on the block. Duck was the choice brand. When you bought Duck, all the other brands — Peacock, Lantern, Camel — were nonessential come Dec. 31.

Lower 'Alewa playground was the common area for the community. I can still see the play turtles and swings in the park. But I also remember a trail right above the park. If you could scale the mountain from one end to the other, you were a true member of the Lower 'Alewa gang.

Who can forget Kammie store? Everyone would buy their favorite snacks and treats from the store at the top of Lanakila Avenue. My personal favorite was a bag of Ruffles potato chips for 25 cents and a cup of ice cake, with a li hing mui in it, for 10 cents.

Alas, the memories tend to fade as the years go by. But some do remain. I ran into Boy-lee recently and he flashed me an "L" with his thumb and index finger. To a stranger, this may seem odd. But to alumni of Lanakila, we hold our fingers up with pride.

Roger Chang lives in Mililani.

The Advertiser welcomes stories of life in Hawai'i then and now. Submissions can be handwritten, typed, faxed or e-mailed; about 600 words (longer pieces may be edited down or divided into two parts). Include name, the neighborhood in which you live and your daytime phone number (not for publication but so we can reach you if we have questions). Send to: Hawai'i Ways, Hawai'i Days, Island Life, Honolulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802. E-mail islandlife@honoluluadvertiser.com or fax 525-8055.