Historical Background of The North Kohala Reunion by Fred Cachola.

     Back in 2000, there were many activities related to celebrating the first year of the 21st century. . .talking about the new centennial was on everyone's agenda. Such was the case among the old suburbs and villages scattered in our small rural district of North Kohala. Indeed, the year 2000 was an exciting and appropriate time for all the folks of Kohala to take a long look at where we were during the past 100 years. . . .a time for recalling some of the best highlights we could remember as we grew up in the numerous plantation camps. . .with the Kohala Sugar Company as the driving force which dominated all aspects of our extended community's economic well-being and general social environment.

     In 2000 I was retired and living on Oahu , along with many others who moved to Honolulu from Kohala, like Tarzan and Margaret Cospodilio, and Connie Arakaki Chun and husband Joe, Ambrocio Pada, and others. As retirees, we had time to get together, and socialize on several occasions. Connie called me about January/February to talk about a small group of Kohala kamaaina who were having talk-story sessions about the "good-old days" at her cousin Dennis Matsuda's home. . .and that if I ever was in Kohala, I would enjoy joining them. And on my next visit to my Dad's , I did join them, because I knew Dennis and Lehua who were my father's long-time neighbors at the Kynnersley subdivision. At that first gathering, I met David Fuertes and several others who talked about how the social, cultural and natural landscapes in Kohala were changing so quickly. . . gone were the vast cane fields and the old sugar mill at Halaula . .gone were the old-time plantation workers. . .Kohala's kamaaina were scattered all over the state. . . .familiar faces were fading, familiar places were now restricted, the bustling "towns" of Hawi and Kapaau were decaying, almost dead. .. .and a gnawing, restlessness tugged at our memory banks as we tried so hard to recall and rejoice in the "good-old days" at Kohala. We could not bear to believe that the Kohala we knew so well was disappearing. . .along with the rich historical legacy that we had inherited from those who pioneered and established the Kohala that we loved so much. We just could not sit passively, do nothing, and simply watch the cultural landscapes and community demographics become so dominated by malihini. . . .we could not just forget and let go of our Kohala legacy. We felt compelled to do something. . . . to honor all those who came before us. . .those many kamaaina who made Kohala - Kohala, a place that nutrured us, that made us who we are, a place that we knew and loved. So, to perpetuate the Kohala that we knew and that was changing so rapidly. . .we talked about the feasibility and desirability for planning a grand Kohala Reunion. . .an event that would beckon all Kohala kamaaina to come home. . .to perpetuate our community's values, our traditional beliefs and behaviors. . .and to recall and relive some of the finest hours of our illustrious and industrious Kohala ancestors. We knew that a one day event was too short. . ..we knew we had to plan well. . .to include as many community organizations as we could in our planning group. . .we wanted to honor all aspects of our diverse ethnic groups. . .we planned to encourage active participation from kamaaina and to invite and welcome malihini. . . .we selected several historical themes to tell a more complete story of Kohala. . .we looked for local vendors, local talent, local entertainers. . .this was a time for all of us to really celebrate Kohala. That first reunion was a smashing success. . . .so much so, that at our critique and evaluation of that first reunion, it was obvious that we had to do it again. . .and we decided to plan for another reunion in five years - 2005. And so it was . . and so it continued every five years. . .and so it is now, 2015.