KOLOA — Throughout the week, Koloa Plantation Days organizers kept repeating, “It’s our hometown. This is all about Koloa.”
Thousands of people lined the main roadways of Koloa, including the Maluhia Road, Koloa Road and Po‘ipu Road for a glimpse of the hundreds of people who made up the 38th annual Koloa Plantation Days Parade.
More than 60 units represented the Koloa and Po‘ipu area, including one, described by parade announcer Dickie Chang, as “just wanting to be a part of the parade.”
“There’s got to be beer in there, somewhere,” said Chang to the throngs of people who crowded the familiar Koloa landmarks like Sueoka Store, currently operated by ABC Stores, the one millionth tree that was in full splendor with its Rainbow Shower bloom.
The tree was planted by then-First Lady Jean Ariyoshi to commemorate the centennial of the Japanese immigrants, and the 150th anniversary of when the first sugar cane was planted in Hawai‘i.
“l’m walking with the Koloa Union Church group,” said Becky Sakimae. “But I have to get a photo of Dr. Murray who is the parade’s Grand Marshall. I need to send it to my children who are living on the mainland. They grew up with Dr. Murray.”
The introduction of the University of Hawai‘i (UH) Athletic Department coaches and players led to a series of events that were announced during the celebration that started while parade units were still making their way up Maluhia Road to Anne Knudsen Park.
The UH tennis coaches and volunteers, including players, hosted a tennis and pickleball clinic at the Kaua‘i Community College (KCC) tennis courts on Sunday morning.
With about two dozen tennis enthusiasts, including young keiki and Waimea High School tennis players, Laurie Yoshida said the pickleball clinic served as a preview of the KCC courts that have been unavailable for more than a year while repair and renovation took place.
The new courts feature two tennis courts and six pickleball courts on another court.
Yoshida said organizers of the Pickleball Association Kaua‘i 2024 Open will take place at the KCC courts from Aug. 2-4. The Sunday clinic allowed Kaua‘i pickleball players an opportunity to get a feel for the new surface.
The Koloa Plantation Days main sponsors include the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, Kilohana Collective, the County of Kaua‘i, the Kaua‘i Economic Development Board and Kekaha Agriculture Association, which played a key role in getting the UH contingent to Kaua‘i.
One of Koloa’s most famous residents was Sanford Ballard. Dole. He was native-born at Punahou School (founded by his father, missionary Daniel Dole) April 23, 1844. He spent eleven of his most formative years (ages 11-22) growing up Hawaiian-style, at Koloa, Kaua’i, where he became expert at konane (somewhat similar to checkers) and pahia (a special form of diving). After attending Williams College (Massachusetts) he became a lawyer, and included plantation laborers among his pro bono clients. He was socially active in royal society in Honolulu and adopted a native girl (Elizabeth Napoleon), perhaps his biological child), whose descendants are Hawaiian community leaders today. His ties to Koloa remained strong, and he was elected to the Kingdom legislature 1884-86 representing Koloa. He was appointed by King Kalakaua as a Justice of the Supreme Court, and reappointed by Queen Lili’uokalani. He then resigned honorably from the Court the day before the revolution which overthrew the monarchy. Dole became President of both the Provisional Government and the Republic, led the writing of the Treaty of Annexation and was appointed the first Governor of the Territory of Hawaii, thus serving in Iolani Palace as head of Hawaii’s government through 11 turbulent years (1893-1903) before retiring from politics and moving across the street as Judge on the Territory’s Supreme Court.