My Beloved Daughter Has Passed Away
("Kuu Kaikamahine Aloha Ua Hala", Nupepa Kuokoa, August 16, 1918)
Mr. Solomon Hanohano, editor of the Nupepa Kuokoa; greetings:—If there is room, please consent to publish my tearful message of love within the columns of our precious one1 so that it may be borne swiftly over the swells of the open ocean.
Tragically, my daughter, Mrs. Mary Wong Ah Chin, my precious, unforgettable lei, ceased breathing the air of this world at 4 in the afternoon on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 1918, leaving behind the two of us, being her parents, along with her husband, three children, one older sister, three younger sisters and two brothers to shoulder the burden of grief and sorrow.
My daughter was my companion in the resplendence of Honolulu town, which will no longer glimpse her features since she has departed down the road of no return.
My beloved lei of a daughter was born in Kaupo, Maui in 1899, on the 22nd day of the month of April, from the loins of Annie Keolaa and James Kawai,2 her father. For four months, she suffered from a sickness that began innocuously and then grew serious until she passed away. A cure was sought from the most knowledgeable doctors here in Honolulu, but to no avail. The finest of these, the last doctor, was Dr. I. Katsuki,3 who moved her to Leahi Home due to tuberculosis. She remained there for over four weeks, at which point I went before the Board of Health to request her release. This was granted. When she was discharged she could not walk, and after staying with us for eight more days she passed away.
Upon her death, her body was immediately taken to the funeral parlor of Mr. M. E. Silva. At 8 o’clock the next day, her family was able to come see her features for the last time. At 4 in the afternoon, her body was conveyed to Kawaiahao Cemetery.
Our daughter had a large family on her father’s side. She was an open-hearted woman, generous and welcoming. Her house was constantly being visited by her father’s family. However, in her time of illness, the only ones with her were her papa, her mama and her aunties on her mom’s side.
With great love for my daughter, I asked her mom’s family to fill M. E. Silva’s mortuary, and I saw only two on my side.
She joined Wong Ah Chin in the holy covenant of marriage on August 30, 1914. Therefore, they resided in the sacred bond of matrimony for 3 years and 11 months until she departed.
From their loins came three children: two sons and one daughter. One more, a fourth, departed with her.4 Before her breath completely departed, she instructed her husband how to assign the children. Her husband would take the firstborn, while the second and third children would go to the two of us, her parents.
What profound sorrow consumes me as I dwell on memories of my daughter who was so young. My daughter was well-acquainted with the Koolau region, from Kahuku to Kaneohe, these being the places her father toured around seeking the basic necessities of life.
Of 12 siblings born, she was the third. Six have now gone on to the other world, and six remain with us, their parents. What love I have for you! How heart-wrenching to recall your voice calling out, “Papa, where are you? Papa, don’t leave me or I will die! Oh, what anguish I feel! Because of this, her father remained by her side night and day, carrying out the instructions of the doctors and the Board of Health, hoping for success. However, this hope was in vain. The merciless hands reached out and took her away.
Therefore, her mother will no longer hear her calling, “Mama, where are you?” We, the family, would like to extend our great appreciation to her husband’s friends, those Chinese folks who came with bouquets and attended the procession. Moreover, I would like to offer my sincere gratitude to the aunties on her mom’s side, those named below. I ask the Almighty in heaven to bless them with all that will benefit their life in this world.
These are their names: Mrs. J. C. Corney, Mrs. C. Apo, Mrs. J. Ahuna Hoopale, Mrs. Kukuna Amau and all the other family members. I would like to give my deepest thanks to all those who placed bouquets on my daughter. The suffering of this world is over. The words of the Good Book have come to pass, that the life of a person is but vapor that emerges and then dissipates,5 and that dust shall return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.6 Therefore, let there be glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace and goodwill toward mankind.7 On top of all this, we, the family, would like to offer our gratitude to the editor of the Kuokoa and the youths who set the metal type in the printing press.
We the undersigned being the family in mourning,
WONG AH CHIN,
MISS JIMMIE KAWAI,
MISS JULY KAWAI,
PUUKOA KAWAI,
ALION KAWAI,
JOHN KAWAI,
MRS. JAMES KAWAI,
MRS. R. C. GARVICK,
JAMES KAWAI.
Kamanuwai Lane,8 Honolulu, Aug. 6, 1918.
Below is the obituary in the original Hawaiian:
KUU KAIKAMAHINE ALOHA UA HALA
Mr. Solomon Hanohano, Lunahooponopono o ka Nupepa Kuokoa; Aloha oe:—E ae mai oe e hookomo iho i ka’u wahi puolo waimaka o ke aloha maloko o na kolamu o ka kaua hiwahiwa, ina he wahi kaawale kekahi, a nana hoi ia e aha’i mama aku maluna o na ale o ka moana.
Me ke kaumaha ame ka luuluu o ka noonoo i kuu kaikamahine Mrs. Mary Wong Ah Chin, kuu lei aloha poina ole, i pauaho mai i keia ola ana, ma ka hora 4 o ka auwina la Poalua, Aug. 6, 1918, a haalele iho la ia maua i na makua me kana kane ame na keiki ekolu, hookahi kaikuaana, ekolu pokii, elua kaikunane, e auamo aku i na luuluu ame na kaumaha o ke aloha.
Auwe kuu kaikamahine e, kuu hoa pili o ka uluwehi o ke kaona o Honolulu nei; ua pau kou ike ana i kona helehelena, ua nalo aku la oia i ke ala hoi ole mai.
Ua hanauia kuu lei kaikamahine aloha ma Kaupo, Maui, i ka makahiki 1899, i ka mahina o Aperila, la 22, mai ka puhaka mai o Annie Keolaa ame James Kawai, kona papa nei. Iloko o na mahina eha ka hoomailo ana a ka ma’i maluna ona, mai ka uuku ahiki i ka nui loa ana, a moe wale aku la. Ua huliia ke ola iloko o na kauka akamai loa o Honolulu nei, aole nae he loaa mai o ka pono, o ka oi loa aku ia, a o ke kauka hope loa oia o Dr. I. Katsuki, iaia no hoi lele i ka Leahi Home, ma ke ano he ma’i akepau, hoi ilaila eha pule, o ka oi loa aku ia, nolaila ua hele hou aku la au i ka Papa Ola e noi ai e hookuu hou mai iwaho nei, ua ae ia mai; i ka puka ana mai ua pau ka hiki ke hele; nolaila iloko o na la ewalu i noho pu hou ai makou a haalele wale mai la no.
I kona make ana ua hoonee koke aku kona kino wailua no kahi waiho kupapa’u o Mr. M. E. Silva, a ma ka hora ewalu o kekahi la ae i ae ia ai ka ohana e hele aku e ike i kona helehelena no ka wa hope loa, a ma ka hora eha o ia auwina la i hoolewaia aku ai kona kino no ka pa ilina o Kawaiahao.
He kaikamahine ohana nui keia ma ka aoao o kona papa, he wahine puuwai hamama, lokomaikai, heahea; e kipa mau ia ana kona hale e ka ohana o kona papa; i kona wa nae iloko o ka pilikia, o kona papa wale no ame kona mama, ame na auntie ma ka aoao o kona mama.
Nui kuu aloha i kuu kaikamahine i ko’u ui ana ae o ka ohana wale no o kona mama, a piha ka hale o M. E. Silva, a he elua wale no a’u i ike aku ma ko’u aoao.
Ua hoohuiia oia iloko o ka berita maemae o ka mare me Wong Ah Chin, i ka la 30 o Augate, 1914, nolaila ua piha ia laua na makahiki 3 me 11 mahina o ka noho ana iloko o ka berita maemae o ka mare a haalele wale mai la.
Ua puka mai mai ko laua mau puhaka mai ekolu keiki, elua keikikane, hookahi kaikamahine, a he hookahi i hele pu aku la me ia, o ka ha ia. Mamua ae o ka lele loa ana o kona hanu, i haawi aku ai oia i ke kauoha i kana kane no ka mahele ana i na keiki, ke keiki mua na ke kane ia keiki, elua me ekolu na maua ia na kona mau makua.
Auwe ka nui o ko’u kaumaha e, i ka loaa ana o kekahi noonoo kuhohonu i keia kaikamahine opiopio loa. Ua kamaaina loa keia kaikamhine i na Koolau, mai Kahuku a na Kaneohe nei, oia hoi na wahi i noho hele ia e kona papa nei no ka huli ana i na mea e pono ai ka noho ana.
He 12 ko lakou nui i hanauia, a oia ka helu ekolu; ua like me eono ko lakou nui i hele aku la ma kela aoao, a he eono i koe me maua na makua. Auwe kuu aloha ia oe e. Lihaliha wale au ke hoomanao ae i kou leo i ke kahea mai, Papa, eihea oe? Papa, mai haalele mai oe ia’u o make koke au! Auwe kuu kaumaha e! Nolaila, ua ku mau aku kona papa nei ma kona aoao mai ka po ame ke ao no ka hooko ana i na kauoha a na kauka, me ka papa ola, me ka lana o ka manao e loaa ana ka lanakila, eia nae ua poho wale ia manaolana, ua lalau mai la no na lima o ke aloha ole a lawe aku la.
Nolaila ua pau pu no hoi ka lohe ana o kona mama i kona hea mai, Mama e, eaha ana oe? Nolaila ke haawi nei makou apau ka ohana i ka makou hoomaikai nui i na hoaloha o kana kane, oiai he poe Pake lakou i hele mai me ka lakou mau makana bo-ke pua ame ka hele pu ana i ka hoolewa, a maluna o, kona ohana auntie, ma ka aoao o kona mama, no lakou na inoa malalo iho nei, ko’u hoomaikai nui, pela au e noi ae nei i na mana Lani e haawi i na hoopomaikai ia lakou i na mea apau e pono ai ko lakou noho ana ma keia ao.
No lakou keia mau inoa: Mrs. J. C. Corney, Mrs. C. Apo, Mrs. J. Ahuna Hoopale, Mrs. Kukuna Amau ame ka ohana e ae no apau ke haawi aku nei au i ka’u mau hoomaikai nui i ka poe apau i lawe mai i ka lakou mau makana pua maluna o kuu kaikamahine, ua pau hoi na auwe ana ma keia ao, a ko ae la ka olelo a ka Buke Nui, he mahu ke ola o ke kanaka i pua ae a nalo aku, a e hoi ka lepo i ka honua, elike me mamua, a o ka uhane e hoi no i ke Akua, Nana i haawi mai, nolaila e hoomaikai ia ke Akua ma na lani kiekie loa, he malu ma ka honua, he aloha no i kanaka, a maluna ae o na mea apau, ke haawi nei makou ka ohana i ka makou hoomaikai nui i ka Lunahooponopono o ke Kuokoa ame na keiki oniu hua metala o ka papapa’i.
O makou iho no ka ohana iloko o ka luu,
WONG AH CHIN,
MISS JIMMIE KAWAI,
MISS JULY KAWAI,
PUUKOA KAWAI,
ALION KAWAI,
JOHN KAWAI,
MRS. JAMES KAWAI,
MRS. R. C. GARVICK,
JAMES KAWAI.
Kamanuwai Lane, Honolulu, Aug. 6, 1918.
Footnotes
- “Ka kaua hiwahiwa”, a common nickname for Nupepa Kuokoa.
- As described elsewhere on this site, Kawai was recorded as a great-great-grandson of a shark goddess from Tahiti named Kanewahine.
- Dr. Katsuki arrived in Hawaii in February 1900 as a “special correspondent of the Board of Health San Francisco.”
- Likely indicating that she was pregnant when she died.
- James 4:14.
- Ecclesiastes 12:7.
- Luke 2:14.
- A former street located in the area that is now Chinatown Cultural Plaza.