Melveen Leed and Danny Kaleikini led the Waikiki Beach Boys in song yesterday during a special memorial ceremony for fellow beach boy, Gilbert "Zulu" Kauhi, who died last month.
Zulu’s ashes
sent off in WaikikiFamily and friends recall the
TV persona of "Hawaii Five-O"
Family, friends and fans bid a final aloha at Waikiki Beach yesterday to "Brother Z," or Gilbert "Zulu" Francis Lani Damian Kauhi, who played a detective in the television series "Hawaii Five-O."
CORRECTION
Monday, June 7, 2004Jeff Apaka is an active entertainer. A story on Page A14 yesterday incorrectly said he is a former entertainer.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at corrections@starbulletin.com.
"He always wanted to go Hawaiian-style," said Danny Kaleikini, who was a beach boy with Kauhi in Waikiki.
Kauhi's ashes were taken out to sea in a canoe.
"When we took uncle's ashes out, we caught the first wave in," his niece Laura Kauhi-Leffingwell said. "We're asking uncle to bring us home, and he sure did, and he's home now."
She said Kauhi always wanted his ashes to be scattered off Waikiki.
"He got his final wish," Kauhi-Leffingwell said.
Zulu, a nickname given to him in high school, was known to the world as Detective Kono Kalakaua in the television series "Hawaii Five-O." He died May 3 of complications from diabetes at Hilo Medical Center. He was 66.
Friends described him as big-hearted and sometimes cocky, but always a clown.
"He was so kolohe (crazy) and so rascal," former entertainer Jeff Apaka said.
Waikiki beach boys sang their old songs "You May Go" and "You'll Never Find Another Kanaka Like Me," with the crowd singing along. Everyone joined hands as they sang "Aloha Oe."
Along with his family and close friends, Kauhi's 64-year-old brother, Allen Kauhi, wore a gray shirt with Zulu's photo. Even though Allen Kauhi said he never got to spend much time with his brother, he knew his favorite place was the beach.
"When we were growing up, he was always on the beach," he said. "When we asked where Zulu was, my father would say, 'Don't worry about him, he went to the beach.' My father knew someday he was going to be somebody."
In his varied career, Kauhi was an actor, disc jockey, stage comedian and Waikiki beach boy.
"That's our brother," beach boy Robert Kekai said. "And that you cannot take away."
After the service, everyone was invited for one last "kanikapila" (music party) in Kauhi's name at Duke's Canoe Club Waikiki. Apaka said they jammed together on the ukulele, ate food and shared old stories.
"He touched so many people's lives," Kauhi-Leffingwell said. "I will always remember the fact that he was proud to be Hawaiian and he was a very religious man. He had personality. He was ambitious. He did things people would never do in their lifetimes."
