A Eulogy for the Mother Mrs. Kamawae Pio
("He Hoalohaloha no ka Makuahine Mrs. Kamawae Pio", Nupepa Kuokoa, September 1, 1911)
In the realm above,
Is my eternal home;
I’m but a stranger,
To this world;
It’s a desert here,
Full of hardship;
Heaven above,
Is my eternal home.1
Whereas it pleased the Almighty God to take the spirit from the body of the mother Mrs. Kamawae Pio 2 in the evening on Wednesday, August 16, 1911, at Kiao,3 Kaupo, Maui.
Her sickness was short-lived, starting in the early morning on Saturday, Aug. 13, 1911.
She was born at Kapihaa, Kaupo, Maui from the loins of her father Naai and her mother Kanealani.
Her womb gave birth to six children, of which only one is still living, the Hon. J. W. Kawaakoa.
During her life, she was a mother filled with generosity and love. She was open-hearted, welcoming to people of high and humble standing.
She was a sister of the church at Huialoha, Kaupo, Maui. She was a Sunday school student and a member of the C. E. Society.4 She was a beloved companion of this church from the days of her youth until she passed; therefore,
Resolved. We, the church members, Sunday school students and members of the C. E. Society of Huialoha, Kaupo, Maui, through our committees, join in grief with the widower and the motherless child, as well as the grandchildren and the entire family.
Resolved. We are uniting in prayer to the Almighty Father, asking Him for strength and to lighten our heavy hearts.
Resolved. One copy of this eulogy will be sent to the widower, one copy to the motherless child, one copy to the Nupepa Kuokoa, and one to the magazine Ka Hoaloha.
We being the committee,
L. A. KANAE,
E. R. KEIKI,
W. K. KUHELELOA.
Huialoha, Kaupo, Maui, Aug. 20, 1911.
Below is the obituary in the original Hawaiian:
HE HOALOHALOHA NO KA MAKUAHINE MRS. KAMAWAE PIO
Iluna i ke ao,
Kuu home mau;
He malihini wau,
Me keia ao;
He waoakua nei,
He pilikia e;
Ka lani i luna ’e,
Kuu home mau.
Oiai, ua oluolu i ke Akua Mana Loa ka lawe ana aku i ke ola makamae mai ke kino aku o ka Makuahine Mrs. Kamawae Pio, ma ke ahiahi o ka Poakolu, Augate 16, 1911, ma Kiao, Kaupo, Maui.
He mau la pokole wale no kona o ke kaa ma’i ana, ma ka wanaao o ka Poaono a ao ae la Sabati, Aug. 13, 1911, ka hoomaka ana mai o ka ma’i a hala wale aku la no.
Ua hanau a oia ma Kapihaa, Kaupo, Maui, mai ka puhaka mai o Naai (k) a me Kanealani (w). Ua piha no hoi iaia na makahiki ke 65 o ke ola ana ma keia ao mauleule.
Ua hanau mai kona puhaka mai he eono mau keiki, a mailoko mai o ia huina he hookahi wale no e ola nei, oia no ka mea Hanohano Hon. J. W. Kawaakoa.
Iloko o kona mau la o ke ola ana, he makuahine oia i piha i ka lokomaikai, he aloha, a he puuwai hamama, e ike ana i ke kanaka kiekie a i ke kanaka haahaa.
He hoahanau oia no ka Ekalesia o Huialoha, Kaupo, Maui. He haumana Kula Sabati, a he lala no ka Ahahui C. E., a ua pili aloha ia eia keia Ekalesia, mai kona mau la opio mai a hala wale aku no; nolaila,
E Hooholoia. O makou o na hoahanau o ka Ekalesia, na haumana Kula Sabati a me na lala o ka Ahahui C. E. o Huialoha, Kaupo, Maui, ma o ko makou mau komite la, ke komo pu aku nei me oe ke kane wahine make, ke keiki i hooneleia i ka makuahine, na moopuna a me ka ohana apau, e u pu i na kaumaha me na luuluu.
E Hooholoia. Ke lokahi nei ka makou leo pule i ka Makua Mana Loa, e hoomama mai i ko kakou mau naau kaumaha, me ka malu mai Iaia mai.
E Hooholoia. E hoounaia i hookahi kope o keia hoalohalola i ke kane wahine make, hookahi kope i ke keiki i hooneleia i ka makuahine, hookahi i ka Nupepa Kuokoa, a i hookahi i ka Buke Ka Hoaloha.
O makou iho no na komite,
L. A, KANAE,
E. R. KEIKI,
W. K. KUHELELOA.
Huialoha, Kaupo, Maui, Aug. 20, 1911.
Footnotes
- An excerpt from “Ka Lani Kuu Home“, the Hawaiian version of the hymn “I’m but a Stranger Here“.
- Pio’s age of 69 years is an estimate based on Census data. In April 1910, Pio was 68 years old. Thus, she may have been 70 at the time of death.
- The legibility of the article is limited here, so this may not be the correct place name.
- Christian Endeavor Society.