Plantation Village News94-695 Waipahu St. • Waipahu, HI 96797 • Ph: 808-677-0110
Email: Waipahu.hpv@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/plantationvillage
August 2024

2nd Annual Harvest Moon Festival
Saturday, September 7, 2024
4:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Free Admission! Everyone Welcomed!
Hawaii’s Plantation Village invites everyone to a family friendly Harvest Moon Festival to honor their ancestors
and to honor their agricultural heritage through special food, music, games, and cultural displays on Saturday,
September 7, 2024. All the immigrant groups represented in the Village, including the Hawaiians and Chuukese
celebrated their harvest in a unique way and we will be highlighting these traditions throughout the event.
When you look at the moon, what do you see? A man in the moon? A rabbit pounding mochi? The lateafternoon celebration begins with folk tales about the significance of the moon and heavens for the farming
community. At this time of the year, farmers would traditionally harvest their crops in the bright moon lightwhich allowed them to work late into the night. This was also a time for family reunions. While admiring thefull moon, families would come together to eat and share a fantastic traditional meal and give thanks for thebountiful harvest.
The main feature for the Harvest Moon Festival will be Stargazers of Hawaii which was established in 2019 byastronomer Nick Bradley. Mr. Bradley, a 20+ year member of the Hawaiian Astronomical Society and volunteer
for NASA/JPL/Caltech Solar System Ambassador, will be bringing 3 telescopes for the public to view themoon, Saturn and the Milky Way. The telescopes will be available for viewing from sunset to 8:45 p.m.
Visit the Social Hall to view how various cultures express their gratitude for their bountiful harvest and honor
their agricultural heritage through unique agricultural displays. The Chinese will display moon cakes and round
fruits and vegetables, the Japanese and Okinawans show special mochi representing the moon, the Portuguese
charola – fruits, eggs and vegetables tied individually to a wire frame, and the Filipinos create a picture using
Filipino vegetables and fruits. The Portuguese Historical and Genealogical Society will also be available toassist you with your search of your ancestors or if you have already started your search, learn how you cancontinue your search.
A special moon-topped udon (tsukimi odon) along with fried noodles, K's Bento, beef stew, and hot dogs will befor sale. Village crafts and plants will also be on sale.
As we end the evening festival, let's join in together to honor our ancestors with family, friends and neighbors as
we dance and laugh together under the light of the moon.
Please bring chairs or a mat as seating is limited. Parking available on site with limited handicap parking.
For more information, call 808-677-0110 or visit our FaceBook page and website.

President’s Message
Aloha! I am excited to serve as the president of Hawaii’s Plantation Village. Although my grandparents
immigrated from Okinawa as pineapple sharecroppers, they decided to forego sharecropping and started
their own vegetable farm in Makawao, Maui and eventually moved to Oahu to farm on the Windward side.
My father and mother settled in Waiau, he an auto-mechanic and she a seamstress. They made ends meet,having six children, by renting a converted plantation house in a former plantation. It was there during mychildhood that I was exposed to the sugar plantation and the workers. During those days the workers would
burn the cane and we would watch as the flames spread throughout the area. The workers were always
kind to us, and they threw some stalks to us and we would rush home to chew on them. I graduated fromWaipahu High School where most of my friends had family who worked on the plantation.
I received my master’s in library studies and master’s in history from the University of Hawaii-Manoa. Myfamily and I moved to San Diego and there I received my doctorate in Education Leadership from theUniversity of California, San Diego and California State University, San Marcos (joint program). After about
30 years in education administration and technology, working at various colleges within the California
Community College System, I retired and moved back to Hawaii.
I volunteered at Hawaii’s Plantation Village and helped with the archives for about a year before being
elected as president of the board. I am honored to help lead this organization to fulfilling its mission ofpreserving the historic and cultural past of the plantation era.
We have also hired a new Executive Director, Greg Mark, PhD. Greg has an extensive backgroundteaching ethnic studies at UH Manoa and in criminal justice. We welcome Greg as an addition to our family.
We believe that he will help lead HPV to the next level of ensuring the preservation of the plantation culture.

Kats Gustafson
President, Hawaii’s Plantation Village

Message from the Executive Director
Dear Hawaii’s Plantation Village Friends, Members, and Volunteers. I am pleased and excited to serve as
the new HPV Executive Director. In the mid-1980s, when I was teaching Ethnic Studies at UH Manoa, I had
heard about the Plantation Village. I even had the opportunity to meet one of the founders, Major Okada.
Throughout the years, I taught Ethnic Studies at UH Manoa and later for 20 years at Sacramento StateUniversity. I used to bring Ethnic Studies students to visit and learn about the early sugar plantation
workers who came from China, Japan, Puerto Rico, Okinawa, Korea, Portugal, and the Philippines.
I hope to bring the HPV to the forefront both locally and nationally about the multiple experiences andcontributions of our plantation forbearers. Our collection of historic reconstructed plantation buildings,
archival collection, exhibits, and most important programs to educate the youth about Hawaii’s richmulticultural society.
I also hope to lead the Museum which is a true national treasure, on a path for more recognition, visibility,and support for our historical legacy. We are very fortunate to have a committed working Board ofDirectors, a hard-working staff, and many volunteers. These volunteers bring valuable support for theMuseum’s operation, and most important a strong community bond that is rarely seen in non-profit
organizations. For over 40 years, the Museum has diligently worked to preserve the past which evolves intoa clearer vision which is to better serve the people of Hawaii. Please come join us!
With my Warmest Aloha,

Gregory Yee Mark

Hong Kong/Zhongshan TourFebruary 15-27, 2025
Do you want to learn more about the first wave of immigrant sugar plantation workers fromanother country? On February 15, 2025, Dr. Greg Mark will lead a 12-day tour to learn more about
Hawaii’s immigrants from China. For 25 years, Dr. Mark taught the University of Hawaii at
Manoa’s Chinese in Hawaii course and has organized and escorted over 20 tours to Asia.
The Hong Kong/Zhongshan tour will visit sites in the southern China area where most of the early
Chinese immigrants came from. Hong Kong, the former British colony, will be the main stop. Its
history, and growth into a major financial center, a shopper’s paradise, and international gourmet
center will be some of the highlights. Of course, those on the trip will sample Hong Kong dim sumat a Michelin rated restaurant and experience Afternoon Tea at the famous Peninsula Hotel.
In Hong Kong’s New Territories there will be a trip to the Hakka Village and Museum and the HongKong Heritage Museum that is better known as the Bruce Lee Museum. In Zhongshan the groupwill visit historical sites such as the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Museum, the Museum of Overseas Chinese,and remaining villages.
Although, this tour overlaps with the Hawaii Plantation Village’s early Chinese plantation workers
immigration settlement and plantation life, it is not an official HPV activity. For additional
information, please contact Greg Mark at gregyeemark@gmail.com.

Pond Beautification

Eagle Scout Project

Hawaii’s Plantation Village is grateful for the continued
community support for the beautification of our ponds.
On May 25, 2024, volunteers from the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints Ewa and Waipahu Wards
came together to help clean our large and small pondsof unwanted vegetation. We were also blessed toreceived assistance on June 27, 2024 from Kilohana
Methodist Church who were hosting 20 youth fromSanta Maria First United Methodist Church.

HPV would like to congratulateShawn Reiley on becoming an Eagle
Scout. Shawn’s Eagle Scout project
was to remove, replace and repaintthe fencing and signage around oursugar cane patch and install a new
irrigation system. With the help ofTroupe 32, he was able to complete
the task and earn his Eagle Scoutbadge. Thank you, Shawn andTroupe 32, for your support!

If you belong to agroup ororganization or
know of one thatwould like tovolunteer to assist
us with clearing theponds, please callour office at 808677-0110.

2024-2025
Board of Directors
Kathleen “Kats”
Gustafson
President
Stephen Yuen
Vice President
Robert Castro
Secretary
Clement Bautista
Treasurer
Deanna Espinas
William Rol
John Shockley
Carol Takahashi
Yoshiko Yamauchi
Greg Yee Mark
Executive Director

34th Annual Obon Highlights

Mahalo to our 34th Annual Obon Celebration
Sponsors and Supporters
Wai Hana Sponsor

Hoe Hana Sponsor

Hana Support

Bon Dance Groups

EntertainmentEwa Fukushima Bon Dance Club
Haleiwa Bon Dance Club
Hawaii Eisa Shinyuu Kai
Hawaii Shin Kobukai
Iwakuni Odori Aiko Kai
Koolau Sakura Odori Kai
Oahu District Bon Dance Club
Senwa Kai
Tsukikage Odori Kai (Hilo)Wahiawa Hongwanji Bon Dance Team
Waipahu Soto Mission Bon Dance Class

Hikariyama Torao – Emcee and performer
Ryuge Taiko
Waipahu Taiyoji Taiko

Special Acknowledgements
Rev. Jeffery Soga
Cherry Blossom FestivalHawaii Tech Academy
Waipahu Elementary School
Waipahu Soto Zen Temple Taiyoji

Volunteers
Food Vendors
Andagi Guy
KC Waffle Dog
Kona Ice
Moa Ono Chicken

Honolulu Japanese Jr. Chamber of Commerce
72nd Cherry Blossom Court
JCI Honolulu
Ewa Makai Middle School
FCC Pacific

2nd Annual Lantern Floating Ceremony
Hawaii’s Planation Village partnered with Waipahu Soto Zen Temple Taiyoji for the second year to hold alantern floating ceremony in conjunction with our Obon Celebration. HPV members and Taiyoji temple
members were able to pre-order lanterns and a few were made available for the public to purchase the nightof the ceremony. All lanterns were later floated in our large pond. Many thanks to the various organizations
that came to help us clean the pond for this special event.

Country Store Finds
HPV’s Country Store Hours Monday – Saturday 8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

What’s Blooming
Plant: FukugiScientific name: Garcinia subelliptica
aka: Happiness Tree
Location in The Village: Okinawan house
This tree is used as a hedge to protect thehomes against typhoons. It grows so densethat wind cannot blow through it. Its roots grow straight down,
so the wind cannot rip the tree from the ground. Its seed & bark
are used to make a gold dye that was once used for royal
textiles.
The tree has a compact conical crown and ornamental glossy
leaves. The flowers are small, greenish cream colored anddevelop into yellow fleshy fruit after pollination. The fruit is partof the mangosteen family. Ripe fruit is sweet and pungent with ascent similar to gasoline (this is due to its benzophenones). The
fruit tastes like a combination of a persimmon and an orange. Be
advised though, do not consume large quantities. Some say it isedible while others say it is not. Medicinal research on the treeand its fruit involves anti-cancer, anti-diabetes, antiinflammatory and anti-bacterial research.

During the month of September, make a donation
to Hawaii’s Plantation Village at any Foodland orSack N Save checkout, and Foodland and theWestern Union Foundation will make a donation
to our organization too!
Hawaii’s Plantation Village
Our code is: 79102
How to Donate:1)Shop at Foodland or Sack N Save!
2)Show your Maika'i card to the cashier or enter
your phone number at checkout.
3)Tell the cashier our code and the amount of
your donation (up to $249).
4)Review your receipt to confirm the following
appears:➢Our organization name➢Your donation amount➢Your Maika'i number