ALICE KULOLOIO / 1915-2003
Maui Council
listened to kupuna’s
‘loving scoldings’
WAILUKU >> Alice Ka'ohiki Ahuna Kuloloio, a spiritual leader for many Hawaiian activists on Maui since the mid-1970s, died Tuesday morning at her home in Kahului. She was 88.
Born in 1915, Kuloloio was a cannery worker at Maui Pineapple Co. for 35 years and a United Church of Christ deacon for more than 30 years.
Hawaiian cultural specialist Charles Maxwell Sr. said Kuloloio had a wealth of information about native customs and spirituality and shared her knowledge with younger people.
Maxwell said he often turned to her for spiritual advice in determining the protocol for reburying the remains of hundreds of native Hawaiians at Honokahua in West Maui in the late 1980s, after a developer had uncovered them during a resort project.
"There's nobody on Maui that is equivalent to her," Maxwell said.
Kuloloio also supported the endeavors of young people who formed the Protect Kahoolawe Ohana in the mid-1970s, a group that wanted the Navy to halt the bombing of Kahoolawe.
Her single-story, tin-roof home on Maalo Street in Kahului frequently became a place for meetings and overnight stays for Ohana leaders.
She also backed the native Hawaiian group Hui Alanui O Makena in its successful fight for the continuation of beach access at Makena, despite a resort developer's initial objections.
Hui Alanui member Dana Naone Hall said Kuloloio had a way of speaking to people, including Maui County Council members, that enabled them to listen to her criticisms.
"She could scold the Council members, but she did it in such a loving way, they couldn't do anything but accept it," Hall said.
Hall said Kuloloio's support meant a lot to Hawaiian activists who quite often faced initial opposition from the community.
Friends said Kuloloio turned to prayer and focused on developing the spiritual strength in people.
"She was a foundation for a lot of what we did," Hall said.
Protect Kahoolawe Ohana member Colette Machado, a state Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee, said Kuloloio was one of the few kupuna on Maui to initially support efforts of young Hawaiians to halt the Navy's bombing of Kahoolawe and reclaim the island.
The Navy is scheduled to return Kahoolawe to the state for civilian use in November.
"She was her own person. ... She will be sorely missed," Machado said.
Kuloloio is survived by her daughters Comfort M. Sado and Justine K.M. Wallace, sons Wallace E. "Mogie" and Leslie A.A. Kuloloio, 17 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Wake services will take place Thursday at the Paia Hawaiian Protestant Church, with family viewing from 5-6 p.m., public viewing 6-7:30 p.m. and services 7:30-8 p.m., followed by Hawaiian traditional viewing until 9:30 a.m. next Friday.
Funeral services will take place at 10 a.m. next Friday, followed by burial at the nearby church cemetery.
Borthwick Norman's Mortuary is handling the wake and funeral arrangements.
