Kaahumanu Society Chapter V of Kona a century old! 1913 / 2013.

KAAHUMANU SOCIETY ESTABLISHED.

At 3:30 p. m. on Sunday, and through the kindness of Rev. E. S. Timoteo of the Church of Kealakekua, he allowed the coconut frond lanai of his home to hold the meeting to establish the Kaahumanu Society [Ahahui Kaahumanu] of the calm of Kona.

The members of the various branches of Kohala, Waimea, Hamakua, Laupahoehoe and the society of the famous rain of Hilo Hanakahi; they were members who came for duties of the Evangelical Association [Ahahui Euanelio], Sunday School Association [Ahahui Kula Sabati], and Christian Endeavor Association [Ahahui C. E.].

The meeting was presided over by the head president of the Parent Association of Honolulu, Miss Lucy K. Peabody, and the secretary of that parent association, Mrs. Lahilahi Webb took the minutes of the meeting.

The meeting was begun with the singing of the hymn, “Kuu aina hanau e” and a prayer given by S. L. Desha.  The proclamation was read by Mrs. Lahilahi Webb for the establishment of the Kaahumanu Society Chapter Five at Napoopoo, South Kona, Hawaii, and at the completion of the reading of the text of the proclamation from the parent association of Honolulu, the establishing members of the new Association, Chapter Five, was made known.

There were twenty members who signed the membership book, and in that way, the Kaahumanu Society Chapter Five was started; and at that time, an election was held to choose the officers of this association whose names are below:

Mrs. Esther Baker, president; Mrs. Kealoha Kamauoha, vice president; Miss Maggie Hooper, treasurer; Miss Sarah Kamauoha, secretary; Mrs. Lydia Kekuewa, vice secretary; Mrs. Kaai, auditor; and Mrs. Emily Haae,  committee of the whole [? komite nui].

After the election of the officers was over, all the members of the many associations stood along with the new members of the Kaahumanu Society Chapter Five, and the new members were adorned with paper lei, and at that time the members of Chapter Three of Hilo sang the song “Ka Lei o Kaahumanu.”

When that truly lovely song was being sung, the members were filled with awe and tears welled up in some, and the two mothers who established this junior Kaahumanu society felt that this was perhaps one of the most awe-inspiring initiations seen;  and after the song was over, the new association was blessed with a prayer by the brother of the Ahahui Kaahumanu, Rev. S. J. Desha of the Church of Haili, the one who is a great help to the efforts of the mothers of this association.

The money donated for the treasury of this new association was 27.75.

The sisters of the Kaahumanu committees who arrived and participated in the activities were these below:

Mrs. Hattie Hapai, the honorary president of the association of Hilo; Mrs. Alai Akana, president of the Association of Hilo; Mrs. Beke Keliikahi, secretary of Hilo; Mrs. Sarah Kaiwi, Mrs. Mary Kahenui, Mrs. Elena Mahaiula, Mrs. Helela, and Miss Kaimi Mahaiula, member of Hilo; Mrs. Emma Laeha, president of the association of Laupahoehoe, Mrs. Kealalaina Ne, from the association of Kohala, as well as Mr. Annie Hussey. Mrs. Becky Kawai and Mrs. Eliza Maguire from the association of Waimea, Mrs. Esther K. Haina, secretary of the association of Hamakua; Mrs. Kelalaina Robikana, Mrs. Haili Timoteo and Mrs. Bessie Kopa, from the parent association of Honolulu.

There were letters from Mrs. Aima Nawahi and Mrs. J. Saffery, the president of the Kaahumanu Society of Hamakua, expressing to their sisters of their aloha and of their support for this endeavor.

As for the two of us, the mothers who came to endorse this endeavor, we extend our unending thanks to the officers and members of the Evangelical association of the Island of Hawaii for their generosity in allowing us time to carry out our work for which we travelled over the ocean.

We also give our appreciation to the good kamaaina, Mr. and Mrs. G. P. Kamauoha, for their very kind hospitality in their comfortable home; and the head of the Church, Rev. E. S. Timoteo and his amiable wife, and we extend our thanks to the members of all the associations which joined in to help us for the good of the junior association of the calm of Kona. We also thank the brother of the Kaahumanu members, Rev. S. L. Desha, for his great assistance, as well as to our good sister: Mrs. Aima Nawahi for her assistance in planning to move the endeavor forward; and we also extend our thoughts of aloha and unending blessings to our kind kamaaina who lent her car to take us to where our duties took us, that being Mrs. Kelalaina Robikana of Honolulu.

We pray to our Heavenly Father to give great blessings upon us all; and we hope that with the assistance of benevolent God that you younger sisters of Kaahumanu Society Chapter Five  will move forward, and your works will progress, and may the sisterly love amongst us all last forever.

The two of us,

Lucy K. Peabody, president of the Kaahumanu Society Chapter 1.

Lahilahi Webb, Secretary.

March 31, 1913.

(Kuokoa, 4/11/1913, p. 2)

Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke LI, Helu 14, Aoao 2. Aperila 11, 1913.