67 Miles on Molokai

I was tracking the mileage from the only ends of Molokai you could go to, starting off at my home town of Kualapu'u, heading north 5 miles to Pala'au State Park to check out Kalaupapa peninsula. Or I should say Makanalua peninsula. Then heading 17 miles southwest or south southwest to Maunaloa. From Maunaloa heading east towards the main town of Kaunakakai which is 16 miles away. And from Kaunakakai going to the most eastern portion of the island to Halawa Bay 28 miles for a total of 65 miles actually, but on google maps totals 67.

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Molokai, not Molokaʻi

I was watching Keanu Saiʻs video when I realize how he wrote the name of our island.

Good to know that it's catching on so that people realize the original name.

Unexpected Molokai visit

Back in late October I finally made a trip back home. Last time I was there was for my father's funeral in February 2003. Here I was again, making a trip back home for a memorial service of a childhood friend, Matt whose sister Jenny is my classmate and a dear friend.

Jenny asked if I could make it back with her and of course I agreed. It was the least I could do. I told her of our relationship and how friendship is not the true meaning basically since our ties go back further. Her grandma Fujie (Aunty Fudge) and her grandpa were close friends with my father's sister Aunty Nila and her husband Uncle Gaga. Not to mention Aunty Fudge's brother Uncle Taka and my father were very good friends.

Ironically I felt awkward somewhat because I was there for Jenny, not to visit my family, but because it's been a number of years, I did manage to at least have a dinner get together with the relatives there. How so few of them left, makes me sad.

I wanted to take that opportunity to gather as much of genealogical info. I could, but didn't. I wanted to do it from Aunty Fudge as well as Uncle Johnny. Amazingly though, what little time I had with Aunty Fudge (actually more time than with my own relatives) I was surprised to hear her tell me about how she knew my grandfather, who died 9 years before I was born.

Turns out they lived across from us, so basically the Arinoki family (Aunty Fudge's family) lived across from us, which may explain how my father & Uncle Taka and Aunty Nila & Aunty Fudge became close.

Then Uncle Ted, Aunty Fudge's son started asking me about my chicken. Turns out he used to hang out with my dad and Uncle Taka too. I knew of the other guys my dad used to hang out with whom hung out with Uncle Ted, but never made the connection.

Uncle Ted said to me that he would've taught me hunting. I was puzzled by that at first but now I find out that my father was the one who taught Uncle Ted how to hunt. I'm sure in return Uncle Ted taught his nephews how to hunt.

I learn so much about my father each time. The people whom he taught how to play the Ukulele like my mother and in return she taught some people some tricks or two on the ukulele and now with hunting.

People don't realize it but a "legacy" doesn't have to be something so big and great. Even the smallest knowledge that becomes essential in one's life is important and memorable.

Unfortunately because of the company we had plus the situation and why we went to Molokai for 4 nights really didn't allow us to take in the scenic view of the island, which was very disappointing for me. Instead, we managed to see a lot of our classmates, something I never, ever do. That definitely made up for it, especially since I never go back for our class reunions. It was so worth it. Even at the memorial service I saw some Kualapu'u people like Kenneth Pinheiro who flew from Maui for the service. It was so nice to reminisce of our childhood and the negative things too where we just look back on it and realize they were lessons learned. Not sure what exactly, but well worth remembering.

I guess it made me realize how little problems we had to worry back then and now we cause problems and complications in our lives which makes living stressful. Maybe that's my ultimate goal, is to move back and just live a care free life and enjoy the people of whom I have a long history with.