LIHU‘E — Hanging in Kaua‘i Museum is a handmade Hawaiian quilt on display in honor of Hawai‘i statehood. Executive director of the museum, Robbie Kaholokula, brought this unique design in for the statehood celebration. It was hand sewn from an
LIHU‘E — Hanging in Kaua‘i Museum is a handmade Hawaiian quilt on display in honor of Hawai‘i statehood. Executive director of the museum, Robbie Kaholokula, brought this unique design in for the statehood celebration. It was hand sewn from an original pattern by his Grandmother Mary Yoshimoto-Kaholokula.
Yoshimoto-Kaholokula was born on Maui, a daughter of Issei (first generation Japanese) migrant workers. When her parents were ready to return to Hiroshima, Japan, Mary was a baby. Her parents feared for her health on the long boat trip so they hanai-ed Mary to a Hawaiian family with the intent to return for her. Hanai is a form of undocumented adoption prevalent in the Hawaiian socio-culture.
Years passed before Mary’s Japanese aunt came to Hawai‘i to retrieve her, but the hanai family had taken her to Kona. Unable to find her, the aunt returned home never to see her niece again.
Eventually the hanai family returned to Maui with Mary. She discovered a love for crafting while attending a missionary school; became fluent in both English and Hawaiian language and landed a translating position with the Harry Baldwin family.
When she turned 20 she met and married Hawaiian businessman, Kaleikapu Kaholokula and together they raised eight children. She became best known in her later years as an expert feather lei maker, seamstress and quilt maker in her village of Pa‘uwela and throughout Maui.
This heirloom statehood quilt was made by Mary Yoshimoto-Kaholokula in 1959 and completed it in 1960. This is the first time it has been displayed in public.
Yoshimoto-Kaholokula died in 1975.
Want to quilt?
What: Quilting class
When: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays
Where: Kaua‘i Museum
