Hale ‘o Akau

Hello world! My name is Lin Fat Kaipoleimanu Akau. I was born in 1943 as the fifth surviving child of Charles Awana Akau [Yuen] and Jennie Wahine Ko'olau Ka'iu on the island of Kaua'i Kingdom of Hawai'i. My father was of Chinese and Hawaiian descent and my mother was Hawaiian Chinese. I am kanaka maoli.

I was raised in a small ahupua'a called Waipouli located between the towns of Kapa’a and Wailua, my earliest recollection takes me back at a very small house in Waipouli with "kukui hale po" (kerosene lamps) and kerosene stove and very dark and beautiful starlit nights.

My oldest brother was Charles Awana Akau, Jr. My older sister is Janet Kanui Hepa who still resides on the island of Kaua'i. My brother Milton Ku'ulei Aukai Akau lives in northern California. Next was my brother Stanley Lani Akau, Sr. And finaly, my hanai'd (paperless adoption)sister Cheryl Ku'ulei Spock. As you can see there are three surviving siblings and three deceased siblings.

Charles Awana Akau,  Jr Nowemapa 8, 1930 - 'Apelila 7, 2001

'O Awana, ko'u kaikua'ana hiapo! My oldest brother joined the US Army Air Corp (US Air Force) when I was a keiki. He wasn't around when I was growing up since he was a career Air Force person, although he did make it back to the islands often, and had also been stationed at Hickam AFB, Oahu.

After retiring from the Air Force, he resided on Kaua'i and enjoyed being a tour bus driver, especially, with the Japanese tourist as he had a gift for languages and quite a practical joker.

He is survived by his children Adriane "Healani" Akau, Charles A. Akau III and step-children Larry P. Akau, Theresa Carol Casil and Sapphire l. Winston.

Stanley Lani Akau, Sr  'Aukake 10, 1939 - Nowemapa 7, 2006

Wala'au i keia la about my braddah Lani. Ey! I get plenty to talk about Lani. He kolohe nui!!! One of my earliest recollection, I was about 4 years old (neva go school yet). Was one Sunday morning. We stay sit in the pew. Lani bin lean ovah and say, "E Lin Fat, Butchy boy said he can bus' you up". He stay keep on needling me, until I had get so mad that I jump over the pews and put'um (Butchy boy)in one big headlock! Needless to say, my 'okole been get busted!! Dat was only da beginning. Even doh he was foah years oldah den me, we use to fight like hell. I tell everybody, that all the scars I get on my head had come from Lani. He da one bin make me tough.

But, bumbye, da buggah bin come my protectah! Wen I had get to high school, he stay always look out for my back! I get plenty to wala'au about that, but maybe bumbye.

Just fo now, 'ekahi moa story. Lani was so kolohe, dat dey bin send'um to one university by da name of Ko'olau U on O'ahu. He bin come so smaht ovah dea, dat the US Army bin draf'um. Gud ting too, because he had go Korea, and all dah wahines ova dea bin fall in love wit him (ass one more story too)!

Lani's children are, Braddah Jr., Stanford, Kyle, Kalei, Hannah, Charlene, Chantel and Gwen.

Cheryl Ku'ulei Spock  'Aukake 1, 1945 - 'Apelila 26, 2009

This is probably the hardest entry for me to write. Sister Cheryl's zest for life was one of the greatest feats of courage that I have ever witnessed in my lifetime. What can I say? I admired her fortitude. I was blessed to have spent some time with she and her family a few months before she was taken to heaven. And I watched her live her life with dignity.

I remember well when Cheryl wanted “the family” to meet her future husband John (Jack) Spock. Finding out that he was a haole, and me being kolohe, I made sure that he would be served some poke, the real Hawaiian style poke with limo kohu and inamona and pepa! Not the shoyu, sesame kind! Guess what? The buggah ate the poke without making any faces..... and I thought to myself, that this was a good man for Cheryl.

In later years, Cheryl told me that when we were young she would get huhu wela loa at me because I would chase away all of her boyfriends. But I guess that it was kismet, because she had a great life and family with Jack, Ruhiyyih Napualani Spock and Jamal Kamuela Spock!