Lopine Kala, 1, July 23, 1916

My Diamond Necklace Has Passed Away

("Kuu Lei Daimana Ua Hala", Nupepa Kuokoa, August 11, 1916)

Mr. Editor of the Kuokoa:—Please provide space on the ship deck of the beloved one¹ for my sorrowful message above, so that you may transmit it like a bolt of lightning and inform those living from where the sun rises at Haehae² to the hidden spring with paoo fish at the seabed under Lehua island.³

Miss Lopine Kala, my beloved diamond necklace never to be forgotten, disappeared and passed on to sleep on the other side of the black river of death on July 23 after just a few days of chills. How I am filled with sorrow and undying love for you!

However, as the Good Book says, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.”⁴ She was born June 24, 1915, here at Nuu from our loins and breathed the fragile air of this earthly realm for 1 year and some days. Blessed be the God Jehovah, for He gave, and He hath taken away.⁵

A memorial service was held at the home of her parents. When the service was over, her body was carried to the grave by her eight sisters, accompanied by 40 family members. This procession was led by the Kainehe Club.⁶ Among the members of this club is Leonard Kahua, a deft strummer of the six strings of the guitar.  How beautiful and sonorous the instruments were, like a bird chirping on a lehua bud calling the child to her warm breast.

As the procession continued along, the instruments stopped and the procession sang, “They are coming, Jesus".⁷ It was like the voices of angels calling the child to the breast of the Heavenly Father, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Matthew 10:14.

When the procession reached the grave, “Heaven Is My Home”⁸ was sung, and a prayer of dedication was given by L. M. Kala, Jr. 

We offer our thanks to those who carried her body and casket to the grave. May God bless you all.

Mournfully.

MR. AND MRS. L. M. KALA, JR.⁹
Nuu, Kaupo, July 31, 1916.

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Below is the obituary in the original Hawaiian:

KUU LEI DAIMANA UA HALA

Mr. Lunahooponopono o ke Kuokoa:—E oluolu mai i ka oneki o ka Hiwahiwa no ka’u wahi puolo luuluu e kau ae la maluna, a nau hoi ia e uwila ae, i ike mai ai na kini e noho ana ma ka hikina a ka la ma Haehae, a hala loa aku i ka waihuna a ka Paoo i ka mole olu i Lehua. 

Ua huna, ua nalo, ua hala, a moe ma kela aoao o ka muliwai eleele o ka make kuu lei daimana poina ole, Miss Lopine Kala, i ka la 23 o Iulai, iloko o ka hoomailo anu a ka ma’i iloko o na la pokole wale no. Auwe kuu minamina, kuu aloha pau ole ia oe, a! 

Aka, ua hoike e mai ka Buke Nui, o ke keiki e hanauia e ka wahine, he hapa kona mau la, i uhai ia e na popilikia he nui. Ua hanauia oia i ka la 24 o Iune, 1915, ma Nuu nei, mai ko maua mau puhaka aku, a ua piha iaia he 1 makahiki ame na la keu ka hanu ana i na ea mauleule o keia ola honua ana. E hoomaikai ia o Iehova ke Akua, no ka mea, Nana no i haawi mai, a Nana no i lawe aku. 

Ua malamaia he halawai haipule nona ma ka home o na makua; i ka hookuu ana, ua maneleia kona kino wailua no kona home lua e kona mau kaikuaana liilii no lakou ka huina he ewalu, e ukali pu ana hoi ka ohana no lakou ka huina he kanaha, ma keia huakai hoolewa i alakai ia e ke Kainehe Club, ua komo pu ae iloko o keia club o Leonard Kahua, kekahi limahei ma ka lawe palanehe ana i na kaula eono o Uwehone. Auwe! He u’i, he nani, he hone ka leo o na pila, me he manu la e kikiko’u ana i ka liko o ka lehua, e hea ana i ke kama ma kona poli pumehana. 

Oiai ka huakai e nee mau ana imua, a i ka hookuu ana iho o ka leo o na pila, o ia ka, wa a ka huakai i mele ai, “Eia no lakou e Iesu.” Auwe, me he leo la no na anela e hea ana i ke kama ma ka poli o ka Makua Lani, no ka mea, o ka poe elike me lakou nei no lakou ke aupuni o ke Akua. Mat. 10-14. 

I ka hiki ana o ka huaka’i i ka halelua, ua mele ia “Ka Lani Kuu Home.” a pule hoolaaia e L. M. Kala, Jr. 

Ke haawi aku nei i na hoomaikai i ka poe i ala pu a ao ma ka aoao o kona kino wailua, na lima kokua, o kona pahu, a halelua. Na ke Akua e hoopomaikai ia oukou apau. 

O maua iho no me ka luuluu.

MR. AME MRS. L. M. KALA, JR. 
Nuu, Kaupo, Iulai 31, 1916.

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Footnotes

1. The newspaper.
2. An area in eastern Hawaii Island.
3. In other words, the western end of the island chain.
4. Job 14:1.
5. Job 1:21.
6. Kainehe here is a reference to a poetic name for Nuu. (Kai nehe i ka iliiili, “Where the sea rustles the pebbles.”)
7. A line from the Hawaiian hymn, “Eia no Makou e Iesu” (We Are Coming, Blessed Saviour).
8. The Hawaiian version of the hymn “The Angel’s Welcome”.
9. Leonard Manoualani Kala and Rose Kalaeohia Kala (see also the obituary for Leonard Kala’s infant child Annie Kala in 1899 from a previous wife).