A Eulogy for Our Beloved Child Robert Kalei Momi Piimauna
("He Hoalohaloha no ka Maua Lei Aloha Heleloa Robert Kalei Momi Piimauna", Nupepa Kuokoa, December 20, 1923)
Mr. Solomon Hanohano, editor of the Nupepa Kuokoa, greetings:—Please allow us some space in the treasure of the nation for our message of tears and sorrow about our beloved deceased child, our lei, Robert K. Piimauna to inform the numerous friends living from where the sun rises at Kumukahi to where it sets at Lehua.
On Friday, June 1, our dear child was at school. That afternoon after school had been released by the teacher was when the trouble began. His foot became bumpy and swollen, but not significantly so.
All that night he was not able to sleep. The pain increased in the veins in his foot, and so his foot was elevated. We bought medicine, but it did not provide comfort.
On Monday morning, he was somewhat better and could put his foot down and hoped that the worst was over. But on Tuesday, the doctor was called from Hana.
That afternoon, the doctor arrived and operated at the wound site but it was too late. Before the doctor had come, he had trouble speaking and was talking incoherently. The doctor only had one instruction for us: wash it clean.
The doctor spent that night at the home of the Marciels. On Wednesday morning, the doctor came back to check in. “O, how my belly hurts! It’s worsening.” The doctor replied, “Poor Robert. It’s too late.”
Dr. Lichtenfels informed the Marciels that it was sepsis, a swift-moving disease.
Thus, our beloved child passed away at 8 in the morning on Wednesday, June 6, 1923, leaving us a heavy burden of grief to wear as a lei.
Our dear child was born at Halaulani, Kaupo, Maui on March 28, 1907, to me, his beloved mother, Mrs. Rebecca Piimauna, and his father, Joseph Piimauna. Therefore, he had breathed the cold air of this life for 16 years and some months. How heartbreaking!
He left behind his brothers and sisters.
Our child was caring toward his parents, gentle, humble and gracious. He patiently endured scarcity and poverty. God bestowed many good qualities upon him. He was a monument that we will never forget. Behold the love that cannot be extinguished. Who could fail to love him, as many had found.
When he was 8, his hand was disfigured in an accident. What happened was he fell and his right hand went into a fire. Because of this, he lost one finger. When he was 14, he was taken to Hana Hospital, under the care of Dr. Litchenfels. He was operated on six times, and he emerged in good health. The problem was that the tendons of the hand had been damaged and no longer worked. In accordance with the opinion of the doctor, the [left] hand was amputated. He lost another finger on the other [right] hand as well, leaving three.
We offer our endless gratitude to Dr. Litchenfels and Miss L. Choy. Please accept our unending thanks for your wonderful care.
Also to you, Mrs. Josephine Marciel, we will not forget you. You and I have lost our beloved pearl lei, gone on the road of no return.
Because of your assistance to the poor, offered with an open heart and love of your fellow man, the cliffs were not a challenge for our pearl. You patiently carried him on his journey three times. Josephine Marciel, you open-hearted girl, please accept our immeasurable gratitude.
Our thanks to you, Mrs. Louisiana Keawe and Mrs. Elena Smith, for standing watch with us in the hours of grief from Tuesday night until Wednesday morning when your brother passed away. Because of your aid and comfort while grief clouded our thoughts, you have performed acts of love that we will never forget. Please accept our unending gratitude.
Our thanks as well to the acquaintances, friends and family who gave a helping hand.
Thanks to all for your gifts of flowers that adorned our own beloved lei, our child. Please accept our boundless gratitude.
Our unending thanks as well to you, Mrs. Lily Marciel and Mrs. Emma Kalohelani, matriarchs of our child’s home for seeking wisdom. You touched our hearts by canceling school for two days, as well as for undertaking to rent the truck of Nicholas Soon1 to fill with bouquets and students, driving along the road with bouquets in the hands of every student.
I have lived in this area for over 20 years and have never seen anything as exquisite as that.
His schoolmates encircled his casket while the teachers sang hymns of lamentation with tears pouring down. It was touching and awe-inspiring to see.
After that, the brothers and sisters of the Congregationalist faith sang the hymn, “Hele mai na luhi, luhi kaumaha nei”.2
Thanks to Sister Josephine Kamai for her compassion and love.
His earthly remains were placed in a grave at the Catholic church [St. Joseph], thus fulfilling the words of the Good Book, “Dust shall turn to dust again”.3
What grief for my child, my friend, my traveling companion, my fellow laborer, the one who I huddled with in the cold! What grief for my pearl lei! What unending sorrow!
Therefore, we parents who have lost our child give our endless thanks to you family members, friends and acquaintances for joining us to mourn together.
We offer our enormous thanks to the friends who watched over him with us all through that final night, as well as to the gravediggers and the many who carried him along his final journey. What sorrow!
Please take these thanks, and may the Father in heaven have mercy on us all. Amen.
Our love to you, Solomon Hanohano, and with regards for the youths of your printing press.4
We being the parents deprived of our beloved lei.
JOSEPH PIIMAUNA,
MRS. R. PIIMAUNA,
Kaupo, Maui.
Below is the obituary in the original Hawaiian:
HE HOALOHALOHA NO KA MAUA LEI ALOHA HELELOA ROBERT KALEI MOMI PIIMAUNA.
Mr. Solomon Hanohano, Lunahooponopono o ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Aloha oe a nui:—E oluolu mai oe no maua kekahi wahi kaawale o ka hiwahiwa a ka lahui, no ka maua puolo waimaka a luuluu no ka maua lei heleloa Robert K. Piimauna i ike mai ai na kini ame na hoaloha e noho ana mai ka hikina a ka la i Kumukahi, a ka welona a ka la i Lehua.
Ma ka Poalima la 1 o Iune, i ke kula ka maua lei, auwina la, hookuuia mai e ke kumukula e hoi o ka hoomaka ana keia o ka pilikia, o ia hoi ma ke opuupuu wawae, pehu ae la, aole nae i ka nui loa.
Ma ia po a ao aole e hiki pono ke moe, holo ae la ka eha mahope o ke aa o ka wawae, iluna e kau ai. Ua huli no hoi i na laau hooluolu, a kuai, aole he loaa o ka maha.
Poakahi kakahiaka, ano maikai mai ana, hiki ke kuu ilalo ka wawae, me ka manaolana e pau ae ana la hoi, oia ka o ka oi loa ma ia. Poalua kahea i ke kauka o Hana.
Ma ia auwina la, ua hoea mai la ke kauka ua okiia no hoi ma kahi o ka pilikia, oiai no nae ua hala ka wa pono. Mamua aku o ka hiki ana mai o ke kauka, ua puu ka olelo, walaau olohewa no hoi; aole he huaolelo a ke kauka ia maua hookahi wale no, hoauau a maemae.
Ua moe ke kauka ia po ma ka home o na Marciel. Kakahiaka Poakolu ae, hiki hou mai ke kauka no ka nana ana. “Auwe no hoi ka mea ehaeha o ka naau e!” E hailiili wale ana no. O ka pane a ke kauka, Poor Robert.” It’s too late.
Ma ka hoike a Dr. Lichteulel i na Marciel he blood poison, he ma’i hikiwawe loa keia.
Nolaila ua haalele mai ka maua lei aloha i ka Poakolu kakahiaka hora ewalu la 6 o Iune 1923 a waiho iho la i ka ukana luuluu a ke aloha mahope nei na maua e lei aku.
Ua hanauia ka maua lei aloha ma Halaulani, Kaupo, Maui, i ka la 28 o Maraki 1907, mai a’u aku kona mama aloha Mrs. Rebecca Piimauna ame kona papa Joseph Piimauna, nolaila ua piha iaia na makahiki he 16 ame ka mahina keu o ka hanu ana i na ea huihui o keia ola ana. Auwe ka mea minamina i ke keiki e!
Ua haalele iho la oia mahope nei he kaikuaana na kaikuahine ame na kaikaina.
Ke ano o ka maua keiki he aloha makua he akahai he haahaa, he oluolu, he hoomanawanui i ka nele ame ka ilihune a he nui wale aku na ano maikai a ke Akua i hookau iho maluna ona. He kiahoomanao ia na maua e poina ole ai. E hoonana ae ana i ke aloha pehea la ia e pau ai. Nawai e ole ke aloha ua nui ka hoi ua huli i ka loaa.
I ka ewalu o kona mau makahiki, ua loaa mua iaia na kina ma ka lima ma ke ano ulia, o ia hoi, hina a komo ka lima akau iloko o ke kapuahi, mamuli o ia pilikia, ua lele aku hookahi manamanalima. I ka 14 o na makahiki, ua laweia i Hana Hospital, malalo o ka hooponopono ana a Kauka Litchenfels. He eono manawa i okiia ai, ua puka mai oia me ke ola kino maikai. O kahi o ka pilikia, ua unuia mai ke aa o ka lima aole hiki pono ke hana.
Mamuli o ka piha akamai o neia kauka, ua kuu ka lima ilalo, lele hou no hoi hookahi manamanalima, a koe iho la ekolu manamana.
Maluna ou e Kauka Litchenfels ka maua hoomaikai palena ole; pela no hoi me oe e Miss L. Choy, e oluolu e lawe aku i ka maua mau hoomaikai palena ole ia olua, oiai ua malama olua me ka maikai.
Pela no hoi me oe e Mrs. Josephine Marciel aole au i poina ia oe. Ua nele kaua i ka lei momi, ua hala i ke ala hoi ole mai.
Mamuli o kau mau kokua i ka mea ilihune, puuwai hamama, aloha i ka hoakanaka, mea ole na pali me ka momi a kaua, ua hoomanawanui ia e oe me kou lawe pu ana i na ko’iko’i o ko alahele no ekolu manawa.
E oluolu e ke kaikamahine puuwai hamama Josephine Marciel e lawe aku i ka maua hoomaikai palena ole. Ia olua hoi e Mrs. Louisiana Keawe ame Mrs. Elena Smith no ko olua ku kiai ana me maua i na hora o ke kaumaha o ia hoi Poalua a po a ao ae i ka Poakolu a hala wale no ko olua kaikunane.
Mamuli o ka olua mau kokua e puili like ana e hoonana ana hoi oiai ua hele mai la a kupouli ka noonoo, ua hana nae olua i na hana ku i ke aloha a maua e poina ole ai.
Oluolu e lawe aku i ka maua hoomaikai palena ole. Pela pu no hoi na hoaloha, na makamaka, na ohana i haawi mai i na lima kokua.
Pela pu hoi ka oukou mau makana pua i hoowehiwehi iho maluna o ka maua lei aloha. Oluolu e lawe aku i ka maua hoomaikai palena ole ia oukou.
No olua kekahi hoomaikai palena ole e na makuahine o ka home imi naauao o ka maua keiki, Mrs. Lily Marciel ame Mrs. Emma Kalohelani. Ua hoopa mai olua i ko maua puuwai, ma o ka hoomaha ana o ke kula no elua la, me ka olua lawe hou ana ae i ke ko’iko’i ma ka hoolimalima ana i ke kaa kalaka o Nicholar Soon no ka lawe ana mai i na boke pua i hele a piha ke kaa ame kekahi mau haumana, a pela pu hoi me olua e ka’i pu ana i ke alanui me na bo-ke pua i ka lima o kela ame keia haumana.
Ua noho au i keia aina he 20 makahiki a oi, aole au i ike i kekahi mau hoohiwahiwa elike me keia.
E ku poai ana kona mau hoa kula ma ha’i o kona pahu ame na kumukula me ka mele ana i na himeni hoalohaloha e iho makawalu ana na waimaka. He ku i ke aloha ke nana aku ame ka eehia pu.
Mahope iho o ia manawa, ua mele mai na makuahine ame na makuakane o ka aoao Kalawina i ka himeni, Hele mai na luhi, luhi kaumaha nei.
Na ka makuahine Josephine Kamai i hoomaikai, ku i ka walohia ame ke aloha.
Ma ka ilina o ka ekalesia Kakolike i hoomoeia aku ai kona kino lepo, a ko iho la ka olelo a ka Buke Nui, e hoi ka lepo i ka lepo. Auwe kuu keiki, kuu hoa pili, kuu hoa hele, kuu hoa luhi, kuu hoa pupue o ke anu, auwe kuu lei momi e, kuu minamina pau ole e!
Nolaila o maua na makua i hooneleia i ke keiki, ke haawi aku nei maua i na hoomaikai palena ole ia oukou na ohana, hoaloha, na makamaka no ko oukou komo pu ana mai me maua e kumakena.
Ke haawi pu aku nei maua i na hoomaikai he nui, na hoaloha i ke kiai ana a ao ka po me maua, a pela pu hoi ka poe eli lua hapai pahu ame ka lehulehu apau i ka’i pu aku i kana huakai heleloa, aloha ino!
E oluolu e lawe aku i keia mau hoomaikai, a na ka Makua ma ka lani e aloha mai ia kakou apau Amene.
Me oe e kuu Solomon Hanohano ko maua aloha nei, ame na keiki o kou papapa’i ko maua welina.
O maua iho no na makua i hooneleia i ka lei aloha.
JOSEPH PIIMAUNA,
MRS. R. PIIMAUNA,
Kaupo, Maui.
Footnotes
- Nick Soon established Kaupo Store a few years after this article.
- “Come Unto Me, Ye Weary“.
- Ecclesiastes 3:20.
- The typesetters
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