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105th birthday
celebrated with
family, flowers
Born in Okinawa,
Kana Yonamine has lived in
three different centuries"Every meal had tofu in it," says family
By Leila Fujimori
Star-BulletinCalifornia florist Bertha Yoshida flew to Hawaii to bring her mother 105 red carnations -- one for each year of her life.
Kana Yonamine, who has lived in three centuries, celebrated her 105th birthday yesterday in very good physical health. Her children attribute her longevity to a mostly vegetarian diet and rigorous farm work.
Until she suffered a fall three years ago, Yonamine lived and worked on her two-acre Kahaluu farm with daughter-in-law Karen Yonamine, who was married to her eldest son until his death. She raised red ginger flowers, heleconia and bananas. The elder Yonamine's husband passed away about 30 years ago at age 72.
"She's like my own mother," said Karen, who had lived with her for 51 years. She prepared mostly vegetarian meals for her mother-in-law, who doesn't care much for meat and is allergic to seafood.
"Every meal had tofu in it," Karen said. And Kana Yonamine's mind was sharp to the day she moved to the nursing home three years ago. "It's hard to believe tofu is not good," Karen said.
Yoshida recalls growing up on the farm. "We never had beef, just a little pork, and we raised our own chickens," she said.
They grew yams, sweet potatoes, mangoes, bananas, papayas, taro and pounded their own poi. "The poor life was actually the best."
A nursing supervisor at Yonamine's care home suggests a genetic factor in her longevity. Adele Inamine said Okinawans appear to be long-lived and has seen a few other Okinawan centenarians.
Yonamine, born in Motobu, Okinawa, came to Hawaii when she was 18 or 19, following her husband-to-be, Kogoro. They worked on sugar plantations in Pepeekeo and Ewa, and settled in Kahaluu.
Last November, after Yonamine's birth certificate was located, the Japanese consul presented her with a certificate from the Japanese government belatedly honoring her 100th birthday.
Family members and hospital workers presented the 105-year-old with leis. Yonamine joined them and about 40 fellow residents of the Ann Pearl Nursing Home in Kaneohe in a round of "Happy Birthday." She continues to enjoy singing Okinawan songs. And she also enjoyed some favorite treats -- birthday cake and ice cream.
Yonamine has six surviving children of eight, 33 grandchildren, 43 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren.
